Page 18 of Chasin' Cole

Great. What if Lacey or Brock turns around and find us? He'll make a scene. And we don't want that. Especially with Georgia Mackey and Ryan in the same room. The whole town would know what Cole and I have been up to before sunrise.

Cole kisses the side of my face as the trailers for upcoming movies start playin'. I close my eyes, prayin' to God Lacey and Brock don't turn around.

"Relax," Cole mumbles as my hand grips his with force. "We're just watching a movie. Don't think about them."

But Brock reaches over his seat and tangles his fingers in Lacey's hair. She turns her head, smilin' up at him. Next thing I know, Brock's whispering somethin' in Lacey's ear and then they start making out. In front of us.

I cover my face with my hands.Don't think about them. Impossible, Cole. They're a foot away from us!

"Are they?" Cole whispers.

"Yes," I hiss.

"But this is a movie theatre," he argues.

I smile at his naiveté. "People kiss and grope at the movies all the time."

"Married people do?"

"Apparently," I shrug.

"They're distracted," Cole nudges my shoulder. "We should go now. I can't watch a movie with this going on in front of me."

"Oh," I roll my eyes, "nowyou want to go?"

"Yes," he shudders as he glances at his best friend groping his wife.

We gather our things and lower our baseball caps before quietly sneakin' out. Brock and Lacey are too busy kissin' to notice we've abandoned our seats. Georgia Mackey and Ryan, on the other hand, might catch us. We need to tread carefully.

"Stick to the outside," Cole instructs. "I'll shield you."

My fingers run along the wall as Cole shifts his body towards me, hidin' me. We hurry down the stairs, racin' towards the long, dark hallway. The moment we reach it, I let out the breath I've been holdin' in.

"We're not in the clear yet," Cole reminds me when we reach the door leadin' to the lobby. "We don't know who's out there."

I hold out my hand not clutchin' the coke in it and feel Cole's fingers slip into mine. "You ready?"

He nods to me. "We ride at dawn."

"What?" I blink slowly in the dark, my eyes adjustin' to the lack of light.

"I've just always wanted to say that," Cole chuckles. "Sorry."

"For such a worldly man," I shake my head, "you sure are strange, Cole Strickland."

"That's what happens when you're stuck in the wilderness for months on end, Rose. You go insane."

"Are you ready now?"

"I'm ready," he squeezes my hand.

The lobby is empty when we open the door. There's a clear path straight to the main doors.

"Should we make a run for it?" Cole asks.

"Why not?" I appease him.

With our hands hooked together, we dash through the empty lobby as fast as we can. Cole shoves the glass door open with his shoulder, dumping the popcorn in the process.

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