I gave a curt nod. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. He could probably use all the support he can get right now.”
Tate beamed at me, dropped a kiss against Oscar’s cheek, and then disappeared out the door.
“Snowflake?” I raised my brows, and Oscar tossed a napkin at me. “It’s cute. I mean, his last name is Frost and all.” I sighed. “I’m not mad. Just...I don’t want to see Reed upset.”
Oscar chewed on his bottom lip. “I shouldn’t have said that. It wasn’t my place. I hope you’ll forgive me for putting my foot in my mouth.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. Reed and I need to sit down and have a very long talk if we want this relationship to work this time. We can’t keep things from one another anymore. It’s not healthy.”
“I agree, Casanova,” Reed murmured, easing back into the chair next to me. “And I’m sorry for running. I’m not going to do that anymore.”
I wanted to kiss him. Wrap him in my arms to keep him safe. But I couldn’t do that. He was a grown adult. Reed could do whatever he wanted.
“How about now? We can go back to my place and talk in private,” I suggested.
People had already snapped enough pictures of me for the day. I hadn’t said anything because I didn’t want to draw any more attention to myself or to Reed. But it was time to go. Now.
“I’d like that,” Reed whispered.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Reed
Cole held my hand hostage in his grip. I watched him from the passenger seat as he drove. He was still as handsome as ever, with those blue eyes, adorned with long, dark lashes, and those sharp cheekbones. But his jaw was tight, and his eyes stayed narrowed. I wasn’t sure what had upset him so much, but I hoped it wasn’t me. I would talk to him about my therapy session when I was ready, but that wouldn’t be today.
“Baby, you okay?” He smiled at me, bringing me back to the moment.
I blinked. “Sure.” I wasn’t. Today had been exhausting, and I just wanted to climb into his arms and have him hold me and tell me he loved me.
“We’re here.” Cole jutted his chin toward the window, and I realized we were in the driveway of his house. “Want to go inside, or do you need a few more minutes?”
I shook my head. “I’m ready.”
Cole smiled, opened his door, jumped out of the SUV, and hurried over to open mine. “Take my hand.” He helped me out of the vehicle and leaned down to press a soft kiss against my mouth. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
My stomach twisted into excited knots as my heart thumped faster. Cole still wanted me. He still loved me. We could still have our happily ever after.
He led me into the townhouse and right up to his bedroom. When he pushed open the door, he stopped and smiled again, his cheeks pink. “No one else has ever been in my bed before.”
“No one?” That surprised me. “Not even Fiona? You dated for a while, Cole. You never...?” My voice trailed off as I waited for his answer.
“Never,” he assured me. “I’m not going to lie and pretend I didn’t have sex with her, but never here. Not in my bed or this house. I made sure it was her place or a hotel when I was on the road. I didn’t want her here. I knew I would never make Fiona happy, and part of me knew she was using me. I let her, though. Because I was lonely, and it was nice to have someone who texted me every morning to ask me how I was.”
My throat grew tight. “And there was no one else before or after her?” I grimaced. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be asking you any of that. I left you. You had every right to date others. Women, men, whoever you wanted.”
“No other men, baby. Just you.”
“Fuck, I’m so sorry.”
Cole wrapped his arms around me. “That’s over now. No more apologizing. You did what you thought was the right thing. I’m learning to live with that now. And maybe I shouldn’t have dropped that bomb on you when I said I wanted to move to New York.”
“You’re too good to me.”
I clung to his shirt. I wanted to get as close as possible to Cole. Right inside his skin, if he would let me. I had made the biggest mistake of my life when I left him, and I would do everything I possibly could to make up for it.
Cole hummed softly. “Why don’t we take a bath? I think that would help you relax a little bit. Maybe get the tension out of your shoulders.”