Page 75 of Second Chance Wedding
While Cole processed that news, Ben finished the lights and climbed down off the ladder. They both walked backward across the small yard to get the bigger picture of their handiwork.
“You did a great job,” Cole told him.
“You did most of it.”
“Not true. I only did the gable peak because it’s the highest. How about now we go grab a bite to eat somewhere? You hungry?”
An hour later, they’d scarfed down an entire pizza between the two of them and played some of the old-school pinball machines the restaurant had to offer before heading back to Ana’s house.
They played video games in the living room for an hour more before Ben tossed the controller to the cushion beside him and stood.
“I’m out.”
“Giving up already? It’s only eight.”
Ben rubbed his eye and shrugged. “Not feeling it. I’m just going to go to bed and watch videos.”
Cole glanced at his watch. “Yeah, probably a smart move. You’ve got an early morning tomorrow. Gage is going to have you packing suitcases downstairs all day.”
Gage had specifically requested Ben’s work hours for Sunday checkouts, adding in that Ben could keep any tips he received if he’d take on the early-rising hours and be ready to work by five so the travelers could get on the road.
Holiday checkouts were lucrative thanks to those who loved to bring a carload of stuff to the beach but didn’t want to haul it up and down flights of stairs in rental homes and motels that didn’t have elevators.
Cole had thought it an odd service to offer when Gage had brought it up a few years back, but Cole had been blown away by the number of people who prepaid the fifteen-to-thirty-minute time blocks at premium prices just to not have to cart it all out themselves. “Night, Ben.”
“You good? My mom changed the sheets on her bed and stuff. She said you could sleep in her room.”
Cole considered the offer. Hard. But he seriously doubted he’d get any sleep if he chose Ana’s bed. “Couch is fine. Trust me, I’ve slept on worse than this when I was deployed.”
Ben stood there a long moment as though trying to come up with a convincing argument, then shrugged.
“I’ll go get a blanket from the closet.”
Cole cleared off the game controllers and then kicked off his shoes.
His phone pinged, and Ana’s name appeared, asking how things were going.
Great. Heading to bed.
So early?
A working kid is a tired kid. Gage wants him at work by 5 to help with checkouts. Having fun?
A dress fitting, Broadway play, brunch, LOTS of shopping and now drinks and dancing.
Cole smiled at his phone, liking that Ana shared the details of her day with him.
Dancing huh? What are you wearing?
Three little dots appeared before disappearing. And…reappeared again.
Cole Blackwell…
Cole grinned. Ana knew he flirted and was trying to sort it out in that gorgeous head of hers.
Show me.
Nothing. Not even a dot.
