Cole watched her go, and then turned back to Red Dog and Wolf. “Give me a minute with him?”
They both nodded, sitting back sideways on their seats.
Cole rode the elevator up. Throwing the gate open, he stalked off, finding Crash at the refrigerator gulping down a beer. Twisting at the waist, his eyes took in Cole. He reached inside, and a moment later a bottle of beer was sailing through the air towards him. Cole reached up and caught it, but set it down on the granite island unopened.
“Where’s Wolf and Dog?”
“Downstairs.”
Crash’s eyes sharpened with understanding. “Not talking about this, Cole.”
“Yeah, you are.” Cole watched as Crash let out an exasperated breath and leaned back against the counter.
“That an order?”
“If it needs to be.”
Crash looked off shaking his head and mumbled under his breath, “Fucking bullshit.”
Cole stared at him, not sure how to begin.
Crash turned back to him. “What? What do you want me to say here?”
“I want you to pull your head out of your ass. You got feelings for this woman. I’ve seen it. You’ve admitted it.”
Crash shook his head, insisting, “It’s done.”
“It’s not done. She was standing outside your door. That doesn’t say done to me.” Crash didn’t respond, but Cole could see his words were having an effect on him. He was getting through. “Give her another chance, brother. What have you got to lose? You’re life’s shit without her.”
“She blames me for her father’s death. She flat out doesn’t believe in me. What’s changed?”
“Crash, people are capable of change. I’ve seen it. Some people are capable of changing more in one day than others are in a whole life time.”
“And you think that’s Shannon?”
“Brother, we turned her life upside down. You cut through all her bullshit, stripped away all those barriers, got her off the pills. Hell, yeah, I think that’s Shannon.”
Crash remained stubbornly silent, just shaking his head.
“She fucked up, brother. And she realized it. She was standing down there willing to admit it. You too big a man to accept a fucking apology?”
Still Crash said nothing.
“Christ, you’re stubborn. You know there are damn few women, quality women like her that would have anything to do with men who live the kind of life we live. Shannon wanted you regardless.” Cole stared at Crash wondering seriously how long the stubborn was going to last. “She’s drop dead gorgeous, smart, sexy as hell, willing to put up with you, and she makes us all laugh. What’s not to love? What in that equation isn’t worth a second chance?”
“Weren’t you the one not too long ago warning me off her?”
“Yeah, well I was wrong. She’s the whole package, brother. That’s hard to find. Don’t give up on it. Give it another shot.”
“I can’t.”
“Brother-”
Crash cut him off, jabbing his finger at him. “You lost Angel once, Cole. You look me in the eye, and tell me you could stand to lose her again.”
They both knew the answer to that one.
Cole’s jaw clenched as if he was trying to make himself say the words, tell Crash he could do it, when he knew it’d be a lie. “But, Crash, I wouldn’t have her now if I didn’t take the chance and give it another shot.” When Crash just shook his head, Cole tried again. “Crash, you have no idea how hard I had to work to get Angel to give me another shot.”