Chapter 3 Comfort me

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Summer’s POV

I turned sharply, reaching for my phone.

It was best I called and stopped him before he…

I froze, staring at him standing right in front of me.

“Cole.” I sucked in a breath, flabbergasted.

Did he see anything?

I wondered in my head and pushed myself to cover his view.

“Hi kid,” he said causally with a gentle smile resting on his face.

“Why were you… so early?” I mumbled.

He tried to step closer but I blocked him immediately.

“What are you doing?” Cole asked, puzzled.

His eyes moved past me and then locked on Regina and the other guy.

My heart started pounding wildly.

“Cole…” I breathed, not sure what the expression on his face meant.

He didn’t seem angry or happy but the smile had surely disappeared from his face.

He stood there completely still and that scared me even more.

For a second, I thought he might walk over there and say something to them.

So I did the same thing I did when I caught Theo cheating on me.

I pulled Cole’s arm and dragged him out of the diner, ignoring my manager’s call to clear a table.

I yanked him out of the door and didn’t stop until we were past the neon sign and the diner was just a buzz of noise behind us.

Only then did I realize I was still holding his hand.

I let go quickly.

“I’m sorry.” I blurted, backing up a step, my chest rising and falling unevenly.

“I didn’t mean for you to see that,” I added quickly.

“I didn’t know she would come here. If I had known, I wouldn’t have told you to come…”

I paused, waiting for Cole to say something but he remained quiet.

His eyes stared away from mine.

I wasn’t sure if he was too shocked that he had gone mute or if he was simply calm.

“I’m sorry.” I repeated once again.

Then without a word, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a small paper bag, the kind from the bakery three blocks over.

He held it out to me.

I stared at it, confused.

“What is this?”

“Repayment for treating me to dinner,” he said calmly.

“Blueberry muffin. Extra streusel.”

I hesitated before taking it, surprised he knew I liked this.

“Thank you…” I murmured softly, clutching the bag.

Why was he acting so calm?

“Cole… are you okay?” I asked gently.

I remembered clearly how my relationship with Theo ended and what I felt.

Although I wasn’t in love with him, I also liked him.

When I caught him, it was like someone had carved my chest out and told me to keep breathing anyway.

Mine would be just a fraction compared to what someone like Cole, who had been in the relationship for years, would feel.

I was sure he must have been hurting like hell.

And I hated that he had to feel that.

“Cole?” I called his attention.

His eyes finally shifted to me.

“Did she see you?” he asked.

“What?” I blinked.

“Regina,” he said steadily.

“Did she see you?”

“Oh.” I shook my head quickly.

“No, I don’t think so. She probably doesn’t even know I work here.”

Cole exhaled slowly. The tension in his shoulders dropped an inch.

“Good.”

Why was that good?

I asked in my head.

“Can you keep this to yourself?” he asked.

“I don’t want you to tell anyone else or even Mia.”

The words hit like ice water.

“What?” I blinked, stunned.

“Cole, she is cheating on you. In public.” I said, not sure why I was angrier than he was.

“Yes, I know.” he replied, still calm.

I searched his face, wondering if he had suddenly become dumb.

“Then… what are you going to do? Are you going to confront her?”

He looked away slightly.

“I don’t know.”

My brows pulled together.

“Are you going to break up with her?” my voice cracked.

Another pause.

“I don’t know.”

That was it?

My chest ached at that.

Suddenly I was furious but not at him but at Regina.

“I can’t believe she would do that,” I said, anger rising in my voice.

“She has been with you for years now. Mia even said you two are already planning your wedding, so how could she even think of doing something like this to you.”

My voice shook as I scolded Regina.

“She doesn’t deserve you.”

“Is that what you were curious about last night?” Cole cut in.

“Huh?” I paused immediately.

His eyebrows lifted a fraction.

“Were you curious if I was going to marry Regina?”

“No.” I shook my head, instantly embarrassed then quickly changed the topic.

“Is there anything I can do? Anything at all to make you feel better?”

Cole’s face lit up a little and he folded his arms.

“What can you do?” he asked, tilting his head.

“How about this?” I said before I could stop myself.

“I will do anything you want until you feel better.”

His mouth curved into a slow smile and he chuckled a little.

“Come with me.” he said.

“Where?” I asked, remembering that I still had a shift to get back to and a possible sanction from the manager.

“Come with me,” he said again, grabbing my hand.

Well, screw it.

Cole had his eyes fixed on the road with one hand on the wheel, the other resting loosely near the gear.

We didn’t say a word the whole drive.

I didn’t realize where we were going until he pulled up in front of his apartment.

I had heard from Mia that after graduating a few months ago, Cole got a new place in a quiet area and she had come once with Mia to get something from him but had never gone in.

“Why are we here?” I asked slowly.

He parked the car, turning the engine off. Then looked at me.

“To comfort me,” he said simply, like it was obvious.

My brain short-circuited at his words.

I got out of the car and followed behind him not sure what he was up to.

I had said I would do anything but I didn’t think that would involve coming alone with him to his place.

My silly heart surely misunderstood such gestures.

I forgot my concern the moment I stepped into the house and saw how beautiful it was.

It wasn’t what I expected.

The whole place was… soft grey and dusty blue. Throw pillows, art on the walls, even the rug.

I had arranged my room at school with Mia in a similar way.

It felt oddly comforting.

I pushed the thought away quickly.