Page 108 of Riding the High

“Nobody should ever make you feel like less than what you are.” His eyes bore into mine as he talks. “Which is fucking perfect. Promise me that, no matter what happens with me, with us, you’ll always remember that.”

He stands up and throws a fifty on the bar. My mouth falls open.

“Cole …” I say. “What the hell happened between the time you got here and now?”

“I just … have a lot to figure out.” he replies.

I know what he’s doing. This is Cole’s language forI’m pushing you away.

“What happened?” I repeat. This time, my tone a little firmer.

“Nothing I can’t take care of,” he says, loosening his tie and running a hand through his thick hair.

I step forward into him and place my hand on his forearm. His whiskey eyes tilt down to meet mine and he starts to flex his jaw. His eyes are dark.

“My head’s just … Fuck, I need some time to think,” he says to me, pecking me on the cheek. “I’ll see you at home.”

Then he turns and walks right through the hall and out the front door, making a beeline for where his truck is parked.

Even though I have no clue what just caused this reaction from Cole, I don’t wonderwhyit happened. I’m pretty sure Iknow. My father talking about us made everything real to him. And now Cole’s doing what Cole does best.

Searching for an out.

Part of me, the part that realizes I love him with my entire being, begs me to chase him out the door, grab him by the shoulders and shake him. To tell him I’m not letting him run away, not this time. To remind him that this isus.

But the other part? The part that wondered for years why he didn’t kiss me back when I could feel that he wanted to? Thatpart tells me to sit my ass down and drink my cocktail. So I do just that; I drop to the stool and pick up my glass.

Cole wants me to stand up for myself, so I will. Ginger Danforth doesn’t chase any man, even Cole Ashby.

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

Ginger

26 days to go

CECE

Goes on honeymoon, comes home to find out my brother and my best friend are boyfriend and girlfriend

Ugh. I will set my father straight. Cole and Mabel came to support me, and of course he turns it into something about him.

CECE

Typical. We all know Edward; any political association in his back pocket is a good one. I’m sorry he put you on the spot like that, babe.

I’m used to it at this point. I just never thought he’d put Cole or Mabel in the middle of it.

CECE

I have to ask … Is this thing with Cole serious?

That is exactly what I plan on finding out tonight. Mabel is going to your mama’s, and Cole and I will be having a long, overdue talk.

CECE

I know, I’m heading there after work. I’m having dinner there and watching movies with them. It’s a girls’ night.

Side note, I’m sure my mama knows about you two. She called me last night during your father’s speech on the local news. Her words, and I quote, were: “I always knew those two would end up together.”

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