She knew the same things about him I did. He’d slept with her. They had a child together. I took a step back.
Maybe the history I thought we shared wasn’t as strong and unbreakable as I thought. What was I doing? Was I getting in the way of a child’s happiness? Was I interfering with Cole’s priorities? I needed to leave. I needed to think.
“Kaitlyn, are you ok?” Cole stood from the table. His voice was deeper than usual and he stepped closer to me. He blocked Amber from my view.
Everything happened so fast, I whirled to leave Peabody’s when Cole grabbed my arm. My drink slipped from my landing against his chest.
The lime drink streamed down his chiseled jaw as he wiped the slush from his cheek.
“Oh my God, Cole!” Amber jumped from her seat with a stack of napkins.
Before I witnessed one more nauseating exchange between the two, my legs carried me out of Peabody’s faster than I had ever run in flip-flops. Hank might have been calling my name or maybe it was Cole.
I didn’t know how long it took me to walk back three blocks from the bar, because everything was a blur. I had just lost it—completely lost it in front of Cole, Amber, Hank, and anyone else who was at Peabody’s. I tried to take a deep breath. I didn’t want to cry, but the more I forced the tears to stay away, the more my chest hurt.
“Darlin’, let me in.” Cole pounded on my door with heavy-fisted thuds.
I sat on the bed, reaching for a tissue to blot at my face.
“Are you in there?” He sounded worried.
“I’m fine.” I didn’t expect him to follow me, and I wasn’t prepared to see him—not like this anyway. I hadn’t had ten minutes to think anything through yet.
I needed time. I needed perspective.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but please open the damn door.” The pounding stopped.
I moved closer to the door. The pain in my chest had subsided a little and the queasiness was gone. “I think I’ll hang out in here.” I spoke through the barrier that was between us.
“Well, that’s interesting, but not really the point, I guess. Please just let me in.”
“Why?” I blew my nose into the tissue and sank to the floor, resting my shoulder against the door.
“Because I know I was a total dick when I left here this afternoon and I want to apologize. I think we should talk.”
The tears in my eyes had slowed. What could he say that would make me feel like any less of an idiot? How could he explain drinks with Amber? What’s worse was that he didn’t need to. I knew I had no right to barge in on him. She had a claim on him that I couldn’t come close to.
“And I need to talk to you about why I had to meet with Amber at Peabody’s.” He paused for a few seconds. I thought he might have left. “Let me in. How am I supposed to fix any of this if I can’t see you? Come on, Kaitlyn.”
I pushed myself up from the floor and released the chain from the latch. I opened the door.
“Thank God. I thought you weren’t going to let me in.” Cole forced the door open all the way, until he was standing in front of me. His shirt was wet and he reeked of tequila.
I looked out into the corridor. It was empty.
“Are you expecting someone else?” Cole asked.
“Where did Amber go?” My eyes dropped to the flo
or. I didn’t want to be jealous.
“Home. To pick up Grayson. We had a lot to discuss.” He watched me. “She called when I was out.”
Now that Cole was standing in front of me, in my room, all my emotions were stronger, and being so near to him heightened everything.
I walked toward the dresser. “Maybe I should go. I could make this easier.” I started opening drawers and stuffing my new purchases back in their bags. The drawers slammed shut in my wake.
“What are you doing?” Cole followed me as I collected everything I had in the room.