“She did?” A film of tears covers my eyes. Cole braved my mom to find out what my favorite food was. And my mom wants me to call her.
“Oh, Kate, baby, no more tears, please. My heart can’t take seeing you cry anymore tonight.”
“They’re happy tears.” I walk over to Cole and wrap my arms around him. “I love you.” I whisper.
“I know baby, I love you.”
I lean back to look at him. “How do you know I love you?” A sly grin on my face.
“Well, for one, you’re still here and two, you tried to beat up Olivia. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is. Let’s eat before it gets cold.”
After we eat, Cole turns the television on, and I curl up next to him. He finds a station but then mutes it.
“Are you ready to talk about what happened tonight?”
I rub my hands over my face. “I guess.” I tell him what happened, but when I get to the part about telling Olivia we are really married, I stop. “Why didn’t you tell your dad and Olivia we are married?”
“I wanted to, but we were in the middle of enough drama. Let’s tell them tomorrow at dinner. I promise. I think my father knows. He keeps hinting about how I’m a married man, but I ignore him.”
“Olivia keeps making threats, that she will do everything in her power to make sure we don’t get married. So I told her, we are married, that everyone was too late. She called me a liar and…” I can’t seem to finish the rest.
“Kate.” He rubs my back reassuringly.
“She put her hands around my neck and started shaking me. So, I pulled her hair. It escalated from there.” If it’s possible, more tears spring into my eyes.
Cole hitches me up on his lap. He runs his fingers through my hair and down my back. I relax, leaning into him.
“Did she say anything else?”
“Yes.” My voice is barely above a whisper. “She said I was fat, ugly and when it comes to class, I’m a bottom feeder.” I sniff back my tears. “It’s like she knew exactly where to strike to make it hurt the most. But they are just words, they don’t mean anything. I know you love me and want me. Even if I hang out with the bottom feeders.”
“She’s lashing out anyway she thinks will hurt you. And you’re right, they are just words. You’re not a bottom feeder. You have ten times more class than Olivia ever could.”
“Thank you for saying that. I’m trying to believe that, but it’s going to take some time.”
Cole hugs me. “Well, I will remind you until you do.”
I bite my lower lip, trying to decide if I want to ask the next question.
“Kate.” Cole strokes my cheek. “What is it?”
“Were you really that person she said you were?”
Cole kisses me lightly several times, then exhales. “Yes, I was. I’m not proud of it. I enjoyed chasing women and the feeling that came when I won them over. It’s different with you, Kate.”
“You started out chasing me.”
“True, and then I kissed you. I’m not sure I can explain it. It was like you breathed life into me. All I see is you. I love you. I’ve never said that to another woman.”
I can’t help but ask. “What about your ex-fiancée, Vanessa?”
Cole chuckles. “That’s laughable. We were both using each other to gain ground in each other’s businesses. She said if we were engaged it would show investors, we took commitment seriously. She’s as big a player as I was. We both are when it will give us an advantage in the business. The engagement lasted about a month until we landed an investor and then it was over. What about you?”
I sit up. “What about me?”
“Have you ever told another man you loved him?”
I sit back, resting my head on his chest. “Sure, I have.” I feel Cole tense. “I tell my dad I love him all the time.”