Page 97 of Restricted List

Harlow rolls her eyes. “Thanks for announcing that, Lane.”

“I’m just tuning them out,” Cole says before smiling softly at me. “Hey, Rory. Having fun tonight?”

“I am,” I reply. “Our best friends just got married. It’s a great night.”

We all cheer before the song changes, fading out from one of the traditional dance songs toInvisible, a song by an artist named Knox that, ironically, Harlow is the one who introduced me to. Josh and Knox lead Ella and Harlow to the dancefloor.

“Alright, Brooks,” Lucia says, looping her arm through his. “I want to dance, and as the Best Man, you should dance with the Maid of Honor.”

“Just don’t tell your boyfriend,” he laughs.

“Technically, he’s not my boyfriend yet.”

Lane and Lucia join our other friends on the floor, leaving Cole and me behind. He lets out a breath before turning to face me again.

“May I have this dance, Starlight?” he says, extending his hand to me.

“My dad is here…”

“And we’re friends attending a wedding together. We can still dance, Ror.”

I smile as I place my hand in his, and we walk to a spot on the back of the dancefloor. There will be fewer questions by our friends tonight if we aren’t by them.

Cole and I keep one hand interlocked, and I rest my other on top of his shoulder, while his rests low on my waist.

It’s unfair how good he looks tonight. He looked great in the full suit earlier, but now that he’s taken the jacket off, leavinghim in just his vest and sleeves rolled up to his elbows, he’s obscenelyhot.

And he’s all fucking mine.

“So,friend,” he smirks. “Are you having a good night?”

“I really am,” I say as we sway to the music. “I just love weddings.”

“You know, I never answered your question earlier.” Our eyes meet, and I’m lost in the depths of steely blue. “Yes, I would like to get married one day.”

I can’t hide my smile.

It’s far too soon to be thinking about marriage. And it’s not like he said he wants to marryme.

But it makes me happy.

I’ve never known Cole to date anyone. I have known him to have some hookups, and I know he had far more of those when he was still in Kansas, but his talk about ever getting married shows me how serious this is.

How serious he is aboutus.

The thought of us going the distance, getting married one day, makes me downright giddy.

What can I say? I’m a hopeless romantic.

But maybe it’s not so hopeless anymore…

“Something on your mind, Starlight?” Cole smiles, taking me out of my head.

“Nothing at all,friend,” I reply, laughing as I say the word we both know holds no actual meaning to us anymore.

We don’t say anything else as we continue dancing to the song. We’re caught up in the moment, and if we speak, we might blow our entire cover already.

But I can get lost in my own head again.

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