Page 45 of The Exit Strategy

“There you are.”Fuck off, Paula!“I hear congratulations are in order.”

Cole’s finger holds the ring intimately, his gaze correctly reading the fear in mine.

And then he smiles. A full one. Broad. Knowing. And devious to a fault.

His arm slowly wraps around my waist, and then he’s spinning us both.

I stare up at Cole, waiting for him to explain, but he simply keeps that smile in place and lifts a brow at Pushy Paula and Daisy Duke.

Sweat collects in my bra as I pinch his side because at some point, I hooked my arm around his waist too. This is my teenage dream and worst nightmare combined into one seriously fucked-up equation.

“Paula.” Cole and Nana Mae could run for dual mayors of Frost Town. I’ve never heard either of them be so cold. “Lola.” Jesus. His voice just dropped another fifty degrees. “I hear you’ve met my fiancée.”

“But.” Lola pouts. “When?”

“I’ve known Junie her whole life.” He leans down, his lips lingering on my forehead with so much meaning my knees nearly buckle. “Our timing’s finally right.”

“She’s…That’swhat you’ve been waiting for this whole time?” Lola might be as confused as I am.

Cole’s hold on me turns brutal. I don’t know if it’s because Lola just insulted me, or because she let slip something he doesn’t want known.

Has he been waiting for someone?

Oh, God. I’m such an idiot. Of course he is.

Natalie still sends him letters.

He’s still holding out for the one who got away. My childhood bully is the love of his life.

I try to peel away, but he clamps down harder on my waist.

“I needed you tonight, Cole.” Natalie’s voice cuts through the pain in my arm.

The memory crashes into my lungs.

“She broke her arm, Natalie. What did you want me to do? Drop her off at the ER and leave her there alone? She’s fifteen.” Cole’s voice is low—he’s trying to protect me from her anger the same way he does with my mom.

My cast is pink. I focus on that so I don’t have to see the rage in Natalie’s eyes.

“She’s not your priority,” Natalie screams in his face. “I’m your girlfriend, Cole. Me. I had an emergency. I needed you, yet you chose to comfort her?”

Natalie’s cold glare sends shivers down my spine. It jostles my arm, and I flinch when she steps closer.

“That’s enough, Natalie. A Red Sox game is not an emergency. Go home. I’ll call you later.” Cole holds open the front door, and I swear Natalie contemplates kicking me.

“Why can’t you see what she’s doing? Why is she so important to you?”

Cole gently takes her by the elbow and ushers her out the door. “She’s my family, Natalie. Go home. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Natalie’s attacks on me got vicious after that. Secretly. Quietly. In shadows. No one ever saw it but me… She was the master manipulator of my torment, and she loved every minute of it.

I can’t do this with him. I can’t pretend he isn’t slicing me open in more ways than one. Not when it comes to Natalie freaking Moore.

“But, Cole—” Lola whines like a fucking toddler about to have a tantrum.

“If you’ll excuse us,” he interrupts. “Junie and Nana Mae have to get back to the lemonade stand, and I’m needed…anywhere else.”

He uses his arm around my waist to guide me away while also taking Nana Mae in his free hand. “What did you do?” he hisses at his grandmother.