Page 32 of Double Booked

“Let me guess, you left your bra hanging on the doorknob again,” he teased.

She chuckled. “I won’t be making that mistake again.” Not that he should ever be inside her bedroom.

Just then, her phone beeped. It was in the front pocket of her purse on the couch. She started to rise, but he waved her back down. “I’ll get it for you.”

“Thanks.” She took another drink of water, hoping to ward off a headache.

He was frowning when he handed her the phone. Glancing at the screen, she discovered why. Patrick had sent her a text message.

Cole slid back onto the stool. “Aren’t you going to open it?”

She stared at the screen. “Why would he be texting me?”

“You won’t know unless you open it.”

She sat unmoving, a myriad of emotions crashing over her.

“I can leave if you want me to,” he said.

She shook her head. “It’s Friday night. He should be out on a date with Vanessa.” The name caused a bad taste in her mouth unless it was the beer.

“I’ll leave,” he said and started to stand.

She whipped her hand out and gripped his bare forearm. “No. Stay.” For some crazy reason, she wanted him here when she read the text. Then it registered that she was still holding onto his arm, which was warm and hard. She quickly pulled her hand away.

Suddenly feeling warm, she shrugged off her cardigan. She wore a tank top underneath it, and while she felt a bit exposed, she was too discombobulated by Patrick’s text to care. Taking a deep breath, she opened the message.

After rereading it several times, she looked up and found Cole staring at her. “Well?” he said.

“He said he misses me.”

“Is that all?”

She slowly nodded, still in shock.

“Are you going to write back?”

“I don’t think so. No. I shouldn’t.” She set the phone on the counter, pushing it away like it was poisonous.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Do you think I should?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t say that.”

She eyed him closely. “You’re a guy. What do you think it means?”

He shifted uncomfortably. “Uh-uh. I’m not doing this.”

“Just tell me. I can take it.”

He sighed. “It would just be a guess.”

“I know, but I’m curious about what you think.”

“Why?”

She gazed into his hazel eyes and realized how close they were sitting. Usually, they left an empty stool between them when they sat here. He looked warm and inviting in his flannel shirt and rumpled hair. No wonder Carly had flirted with him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked.” She averted her eyes and took another drink of water.