Page 85 of Going Solo

Cole pressed a hand against the small of my back, pulling me into him. The baseball bat dug into my stomach as he kissed me, and I leaned into him to make sure he knew I still wanted this.

“But I reserve the right to make it my full-time job to convince you otherwise,” he said as we pulled apart.

Ugh.

I was too tired to argue the point.

“I have to go to the meet-and-greet,” he said. “Sure I can’t persuade you to hang out later?”

“Not tonight,” I said. “Tomorrow, maybe.”

Cole shook his head. “I’m going to Melbourne to see my therapist.”

“Australia?”

“Derbyshire.” Cole laughed. “It’s like fifty miles up the road. I can’t be this close to Summer and not see her. Besides, I have a lot to talk to her about.”

“Fair enough,” I said, knowing he meant me—and literally this conversation. If it helped him get it, that was fine by me. “I’ll see you at showtime tomorrow night, then?”

“It’s a date.”

ChapterThirty-Four

The next night Nick and I went along to Cole’s meet-and-greet to interview some dedicated Kenneddicts and get some audio to use during the following week’sPop ReviewSpecialsin Leeds and London. It was a Saturday night, the crowds had left, and Nick and I were packing up our equipment when Cole drifted over, looking sheepish. His hand went up into his hair, swooping it back.

“So, this might sound a bit forward, but I was thinking, I have a plane to catch now. Why don’t you catch it with me?”

“Now?”

“Yeah. Why not?”

“Because I have work to do.”

“I think I can clear this with your boss,” Cole said. “I have some sway there.”

“But Nick can’t drive the van?—”

“We’re not driving the van up to Leeds until Thursday,” Nick said. He turned to Cole. “When will you be back?”

Cole smiled. “I’ll have him back by Thursday, I promise.”

“But the show?—”

Nick wasn’t having it. “You’ve got nothing to do until ten o’clock Thursday morning. Go!”

“Good,” Cole said. “Because I want to take you somewhere special.”

“Is it up the arse?” Nick said.

Cole laughed. “It’s a place I’ve always wanted to show you.”

“Is it the bit between your hole and your balls?”

“Nick!”

“Close,” Cole said. “It’s definitely a little slice of heaven. Will you come?”

I heard myself say “OK” and felt my heart do a triple-twisting double back salto that would have made Simone Biles feel like she wasn’t trying hard enough.

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