Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy

Because she thought Cole belonged to her? He didn’t. Not even close.

And yet, she had almost kissed him. And he had almost let her.

Their almost-kiss had been more special than the few real kisses she’d experienced, although, to be fair, those few instances hadn’t been anything spectacular.

Would Cole’s kiss have been spectacular?

Sophie thought so. Knew so. Cole was spectacular. She didn’t want to share him with Laura. Or anyone.

Realizing she was staring off into space, daydreaming, Sophie reined in her thoughts and her gaze. Unfortunately, the latter landed on her sister.

Isabelle eyed her suspiciously, as if she’d read every thought that had popped into Sophie’s mind.

Heat flooded her cheeks, because they both knew that no matter how much Isabelle protested, no matter how much either of them said otherwise, Sophie was hooked on Cole Aaron.

Isabelle opened her mouth, but whatever she’d been going to say was forever lost as her gaze flickered behind Sophie. Without looking, Sophie knew Cole had come back into the room.

Wondering who his call had been from, happy he was back, Sophie turned, smiling and planning to make sure he knew she was glad he was there.

The chill from his time outside had his cheeks and nose a bit pink, but those indications of the cold didn’t compare to the frosty edge to his pale blue gaze.

Sophie’s smile faded. “Everything okay?”

Chapter Sixteen

Cole had overheard everything—all about how he was Sophie’s latest charity project.

He’d known.

From the beginning, when she’d shown compassion and pity rather than disgust after reading his journal, he’d known.

He’d also known better than to let his emotions get all tangled up with an impulsive, do-gooder, church-going, got-to-fix-the-world, bright-eyed, big-hearted small town girl. Yet that’s exactly what he’d done.

“Cole?” She stared at him with those hazel eyes that threatened to pull him in.

Good thing he’d gotten splashed with a bucket of frigid reality.

“That was the fire hall. I’ve got to go.”

Sophie’s disappointment was palpable as she searched his face. “Oh. Okay. Can you stay for the group photo?”

Was she kidding? He hadn’t wanted to do the group photo even before he’d gotten the call asking if he’d cover for someone needing to go home.

Before he’d overheard a conversation confirming what he’d known but had let himself ignore, wanting to enjoy the moment because he’d gotten sucked into Sophie’s the-world-is-a-happy-snow-globe bubble.

No more.

“No, of course not,” she corrected herself before he could answer. “You’ve got to go.”

Everyone in the room seemed to be watching them as if his leaving were some drama playing out. Perhaps it was. Because whatever insanity had possessed him to go to church with Sophie, to think maybe they could be friends, was gone.

She wanted to wrap him in a quilt because she thought it would fix him. But there was nothing that could fix him—and if that was all she was after, then they might as well end things between them now. Without another word, because none were necessary, Cole tipped his head a little in acknowledgement, then turned to go.

Once outside the assisted living facility, he sucked in a deep breath of air, the cold hitting his lungs hard. He blew out slowly as he made his way to his Jeep.

What a fool he’d been.

“Cole!”