Page 6 of A Not So Merry Ex-Mas

“Well I guess it’s safe to say that you’re not happy about finding Cole at the cabin?”

“What would make you think that?” I growl between clenched teeth.

“First, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you slam a door,” she says calmly. “Not even when you found out Dean was cheating on you.”

I take a deep breath and slowly blow it out, trying to get ahold of my emotions, which are running rampant. I knew I would see Cole again when I came back to New York. I just thought I’d have time to get used to the idea first…I didn’t expect to have to rip the Band-Aid off immediately.

I run a hand through my hair and sigh.

“Noe, just give him a chance to explain—”

“Explain why he was a complete and utter dolt at your wedding? It was pretty clear that he didn’t want anything more to do with me.”

Suddenly, I’m pulled back to Mel and Mike’s wedding rehearsal.

My stomach was in knots, knowing I was going to see Cole for the first time in years. My heart was racing, and I regretted bringing Dean with me.

When I met Dean, everything was upside down. Gran’s death had devastated me in a way I didn’t believe possible. It didn’t matter that I knew she was dying for years; when she died, I fell apart. Dean was there to pick up the pieces, and I let him.

I wasn’t in love with him. I wasn’t even sure I liked him, but it was easier to have him around than feel all the emotions I had stuffed repeatedly over the previous four years.

My heart slams against my chest, and my mouth goes dry when my eyes find Cole the moment I walk in. When he turns his gaze to me, his lips immediately split into a wide smile. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, and feel my lips curve up in return.

He just started walking toward me when I feel a hand slide across my back and a kiss lands on my cheek. Cole stops dead in his tracks. The intensity in his eyes turns to a deep freeze, sending chills throughout my body.

“Noelle, are you listening to me?” Mel’s voice brings me back to the present, and I shiver as a chill hits me. This time, it’s from the cold air.

“Of course!” I bristle, unwilling to admit I didn’t hear a word she just said.

“Then what did I say?” I can hear laughter in her voice.

I sigh, rubbing my hand up and down my face while she laughs out loud.

“Look, I know Cole being there is a shock—”

“That’s putting it mildly,” I mumble.

“BUT—” Melanie interrupts. “He begged us to give him a bit of time with you. He’s regretted how things went down at the wedding forever.”

“Sure he did,” I grumble, pacing back and forth from the house to Belle.

“He did! Truly. I tried to tell you, but you didn’t want to discuss it. So I stopped bringing it up.” Melanie’s voice is firm. “He had a lot going on at the time and wasn’t in the—”

“I swear if you tell mehewasn’t in the best frame of mind at your wedding, I will hang up on you.”

“Okay, I won’t say that then,” she quips.

I take a deep breath and lean against Belle, feeling deflated. What if she’s telling me the truth, and he did regret it?

No! He was the one who wouldn’t talk to me at the wedding, who told me to move on. He wasveryclear about that. So I did.

“Is Mikereallycovering for one of the other firefighters?” Skepticism laces my tone, and I try to rub the tension from my neck. Cole said it was true, but I don’t know what to believe.

“Yes. Cross my heart and hope to die. Stick a needle in my eye.” I giggle at her using the expression we used as kids. “We were only going to leave you alone with Cole for a few hours max before heading to the cabin, but then Brian’s wife went into labor.”

A gust of winter air blows in my face, and I take a deep breath hoping the cool air will soothe my nerves but all it does is make me shiver.

“Don’t be too mad at me, Noe.” Mel’s voice is pleading. “Mike and I just wanted to help our best friends. Navigating between you and Cole has been difficult for us. We love you both so much.”

---