Page 39 of Double Booked

She shook her head even though Hope couldn’t see her. “Weren’t you listening? He said we should forget it ever happened. He raced out of my room like he couldn’t wait to get away from me.”

“Stop being a negative Nelly,” Hope scolded.

Cole was the glass half-full one, not her. “I can’t help it. I’ve been a wreck since I got here. I don’t blame him if he wants nothing more to do with me.”

“You’re just saying that because of Patrick.”

“Huh?”

“Patrick made you feel unworthy, and now you’re projecting that onto Cole.”

Cole had said something similar the other day. Maybe they were both right.

“Cole probably wants to make sure you’re over Patrick before he gets any more involved with you,” Hope continued.

“How involved can we get? We’re only here for a few more weeks.” A lot could happen in that amount of time, though.

“Do you want to kiss him again?”

Her eyes widened, and she shifted on the stool. “I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it.”

“Liar.”

Eden chuckled. “So, he was a good kisser. That doesn’t mean we’re destined to be together forever.”

“I didn’t say that. You did.”

“Okay, you know what? I think we’re done discussing this. Let’s talk about you instead. Where were you last night?”

“I was out.”

“Yes, but with who?”

“I was with Alex, but it’s no big deal.”

“You’ve gone out with him a few times now. I’d say that’s a big deal.”

“We’re going out for brunch today,” Hope said, sounding cautiously optimistic.

“I’m happy for you.” Her sister had a string of bad luck with men, but this one sounded promising.

“Yeah, well, don’t order a bridesmaid’s dress just yet.”

“You mean a maid of honor dress,” Eden corrected.

“Enough of that. I should get going. Alex will be here soon, and I’m still in my pajamas.”

“Me too.” Her thoughts returned to last night and seeing Cole in his underwear. Even in the dark, it was impossible to miss the hard contours of his body and his reaction when they’d kissed.

“One last thing before I go,” Hope said. “Don’t write Cole off because of what you just went through. Give him a chance.”

Realistically, what kind of chance did they have? In a few weeks, he’d be returning to Arizona and she to Michigan. Not only that, but she wasn’t ready for another relationship, let alone a long distance one. “I’ll think about it,” she replied.

After they hung up, she showered and dressed. Then she tried working for a while, but she couldn’t concentrate. Finally, she slammed down the lid of her laptop in frustration.

It was another beautiful fall day, and instead of sitting inside ruminating, she decided to go for a hike. She considered trying a new trail, but she wasn’t feeling overly adventurous, especially on her own. So, after lacing up her hiking shoes and grabbing a bottle of water, she set off for Bear Lake.

She walked slowly, appreciating the beauty surrounding her. She found herself noticing things she might not have before, such as a pretty blue butterfly flitting around some wildflowers at the edge of the trail. She tried taking pictures of it, but it darted off whenever she came too close. Cole does this for a living.