CHAPTER SEVEN
Cole gets home around six-thirty. He looks even worse than he did this afternoon.
“Is everything okay? What’s wrong?”
He waves me off. “Are we still having dinner with your parents?”
“Yes, Cole—,”
I’m interrupted by his phone ringing.
“Sorry Kate, I have to take this.” He answers the phone while walking down the hallway to the bedroom.
We head over to my parents around ten to seven. Cole’s mood hasn’t improved. From what I have surmised, it was Kit on the phone, and they’re running into some sort of problem. But I don’t ask about it.
The front door swings open before I even have my hand around the knob. A shrill sound rings through the air, one that hasn’t changed in the past fifteen years. You’d think she’d have grown out of it, but she hasn’t. It’s still ear shattering and annoying as hell.
“Katie, you’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you.” Jill peers at me through the screen door. I back up, trying to decide if I should turn tail and run. Cole’s hand on the small of my back gives me my answer. There’s no running away tonight. Dang it. I glance up at him, and he smiles, giving me a wink.
Jill opens the door, crushing me in a hug. “I’ve missed you. Let me see you.” She grabs my shoulders, holding me at arm’s length. “You’ve been eating those chocolate cupcakes again, haven’t you?”
Leave it to Jill to pour on the insults. “I see you haven’t stopped drinking the caffeine.” I snap back.
“Oh, Katie, you haven’t changed. You’re still just as cute and adorable as always, like a big, overstuffed teddy bear.”
I open my mouth to retort, but she abruptly lets go of me and I realize I’ve been leaning into her arms. I jerk forward, jutting my hand out against the wall so I don’t fall on my face.
“Hi, there,” she gushes to Cole. “I’m Katie’s older cousin, Jill. It’s so nice to meet you.”
Cole glances at me, and I make introductions. “Jill, this is Coulter Holt, Coulter, this is Jill Swenson.” Cole holds out his hand for Jill, who takes it in both of hers.
“Oh, what a beautiful name you have.” And she subtly moves closer to him.
Cole extricates himself from her grip. “It’s always a pleasure to meet Kate’s family.” He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. Something’s definitely going on with him tonight. I hold my hand out and he grasps it, walking around Jill. I introduce him to my aunt and uncle, my cousin Barry, and his wife Lisa. The house is bustling. Annie and Mark have come over, along with Grandma Alice, and with Barry and Lisa’s three kids and my nephews. We’re overflowing. Cole moves out of the line of traffic; he’s got that deer in the headlight look. I hook my arm through his and pull him out the back door onto the patio. My dad’s out here barbecuing hamburgers, but other than that, the backyard is quiet.
“Hey daddy,” I smile at him and keep walking until Cole and I are standing next to the apple tree in the far corner of the yard.
“Better?” I ask. I turn him to me and look him over. His forehead has a permeant crease, and he looks exhausted.
“Cole, what’s going on? Did something happen when you returned to the hotel?
“It’s nothing, just business.” He rakes a hand through his already messy hair, then reaches over, kissing my cheek. “I could really use something to drink.” He eyes the cooler on the picnic table and walks away from me. I watch him open the cooler rifling through it. His forehead scrunches again as he tries to find something to drink. After a few minutes, he closes it without taking anything out. Sorry baby, no alcohol in this house. Unless my dad has some stashed in the back of the refrigerator in the garage.
I walk over to Cole, but when I reach him, his phone rings. “I have to take this. It’s Luke.”
I nod and he walks through the adjoining gate back to our house.
I pull a diet soda out of the cooler and sit down in one of the patio chairs with a sigh.
“Is everything all right?” I glance at my dad, who’s standing at the grill. He has a long spatula in one hand, a hot pad on the other, and is wearing his apron that says ‘kiss the cook’. His eyebrows raised with concern. That’s probably just what my dad wants; for everything to fall apart. I don’t know that, I’m only guessing from the way he’s been brooding and hasn’t talked to me since I’ve been back. That and according to Kurt, my whole family thinks Cole and I won’t last.
I can’t help wondering if they’re right about Cole and me. But we’re in love, we made a vow to one another. Yes, we did so fast. Does it really matter if it takes four years, four months, or only four days? Isn’t love supposed to conquer all? We’re both still trying to get to know one another. I just don’t know how to react to Cole when it comes to his business. He either doesn’t want me to know, or he doesn’t want to talk about it.
“Katie?”
I glance back at my dad. He’s always given me good, solid advice, and he’s never led me astray. It might help to talk to someone. “Cole has a business deal he’s working on this week. He should be in Las Vegas working on it. It’s really stressful for him. But he wanted to come here and meet everyone. He doesn’t talk much about his business. I don’t know how to help him, or what to do for him.”
My dad nods his head, tapping the spatula against his chin. “Well…that’s a hard one. Have you tried talking to him, getting him to open up to you?”