Page 48 of Stay

Little bubbles pop up immediately.

Cole: Do you think I’d ever put you in an uncomfortable situation, Angel?

Every time he calls me Angel, it strengthens my trust in him. I don’t get why, but it’s how I must be wired.

Haley: No.

Cole: Glad you know that.

My palms grow clammy as I stare at the screen, waiting for him to say something else.

Cole: We don’t have to stay the entire weekend.

I’m still at a loss for what to say.

Cole: Think about it and let me know.

I could tell him I have too much work to do and can’t afford the time away from my laptop. I could tell him I don’t think we should take such a big step so soon. I could tell him lots of things, but they’d all be sorry ass, stupid excuses, and I’m not about to tarnish the progress we’ve made.

I text him a thumbs up.

Yup. A thumbs up. Ugh, how awkward is that?

The rest of my afternoon takes forever to get through. I hyper-focus on every task, getting through orders, calls, and deep diving into Pinterest until my eyes feel like they’re going to bleed. My alarm goes off, yanking me out of my trance, and I shut my laptop down. Part of my personal time management plan is setting alarms for myself, so I don’t sink too deep into rabbit holes like Pinterest boards and DIY YouTube videos. Being creative also means time doesn’t exist unless I make it.

Hence the alarms.

Stretching my limbs, I get dressed in leggings, a tank top, and a hoodie and slip on my sneakers.

By the time I reach the gym, it’s almost seven and I catch the distinct sound of shoes squeaking on the court. Tightening my ponytail, I head in and spot Cole immediately.

He’s the sexiest guy on the court.

With a smile plastered on his face, he boxes out his opponent. The guy spins around him and makes a layup.

“Lucky break.” Cole points at me. “I was distracted.” He jogs over to me, shirt drenched in sweat. “Hey gorgeous.” He wraps his arms around me and lifts me off the floor, kissing me.

“Get a fucking room!” someone yells at us.

Cole laces our hands together and pulls me onto the court. “Let me introduce you to some of my boys. That’s Dante.” He points at a lanky man with a big smile. “That’s Jaedyn. We work together.” Jaedyn gives a half wave. “And this loudmouth ugly fuck is Josh.”

Josh’s brows dig down. “I’m not a loudmouth.”

“But you are ugly,” Jaedyn teases.

“That’s not what your mom said last night.”

Cole swings his attention back to me. “We’re almost done.”

Wait. What? Panic punches my heart. “Am I late?” Holy crap. I’d set my alarm and everything so I wouldn’t miss this.

“Naw, dipshit here double-booked himself.” He hooks his thumb at Jaedyn. “We met a little earlier than we were supposed to. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to derail your day.”

My heart falls. “I wouldn’t have minded.”

“I know, but you have to stay focused.” He cups my chin and gives me a warm smile. “Have a seat, Angel.”

Confused with how to feel about it, I sit on a bleacher. There are eight full courts in this large space, and only three are being used. It looks like there’s also a big track on the second level. This sports complex is huge.

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