Page 42 of Grump of Cole
Why was he doing that, anyway?
Was he truly concerned?
Or was he just hoping to spot my "secret boyfriend" somewhere along the way?
Regardless, the sooner this was done, the better. I looked back to Cole and gritted out, "Fine. Let's just drive."
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I realized that I was being a terrible sport, especially if he was trying to do me a favor.
But I couldn't shake the sad image of Lloyd Grampkin asking for that job application – or the sound of Cole's reaction when I'd told him about it.
He'd laughed.
Seriously.
Who does that?
When I climbed into the passenger's seat of his SUV, he shut my vehicle door with an icy look that would've made me shiver if only I weren't shivering already.
Our drive took only a few minutes and passed in utter silence. When he dropped me off at the candy store, now closed for the night, I avoided heading toward my car. Instead, I dashed into a nearby convenience store as if planning to pick up some wine or whatever.
Only then did Cole pull away. As I watched through the foggy glass of the store's front window, my stomach churned, and my eyes grew soggy with unshed tears.
The evening hadnotgone well. I wasn't even sure who to blame.Me? Or him?
The traitor?
Or the monster?
As his taillights faded in the swirling snow, I heard myself sigh.If only I knew.
Chapter 20
Lexie
Sleep was definitely becoming an issue. Lately, I had been nodding off too early, only to wake up in the middle of the night obsessing over Cole. Of course, this was totally pointless. We hadn't talked in over a week, not since our argument outside the restaurant.
Oh sure, I'dseenhim, but only through the gaps in my aunt's window blinds as he came and went across the street.
Unless I was horribly mistaken, he wasn't seeingmeat all.
Good.I didn't want him to see me – and not only because I wasn't looking or feeling my best.
I wasn't sick.
I was just feeling a little blue, that's all.
During the past eight days – not that I was counting – I hadn't received a single phone call or text from Cole. For my part, I'd been just as elusive, refusing to contacthimwhen he was obviously avoiding me.
See? Two could play at this game.
But it didn't feel like a game, and our sudden rift was hitting me harder than it should've.
Sure, I no longer felt like a traitor, but that offered cold comfort in the dead of night when I missed him far too much, especially considering that we'd dated for only a couple of weeks and hadn't slept together at all.
This made no sense.
How could I miss something that I'd never had?
