Pocketful of Sand

I’m proud, of course. Emmy does a great job when she takes her time. She often adds details that surprise me. Every doctor she’s had since we left has encouraged her to draw as a means of therapy. Thankfully, she seems to really enjoy it.

Cole starts to hand the picture back to Emmy, but she pushes it back toward him. “Is this for me?”

She nods.

“Thank you. I know just where I’ll put it.”

He stands, holding the paper in one hand while he smiles down at Emmy. I can see the moment she becomes uncomfortable with his quiet attention. She lowers her eyes and edges toward me, eventually leaning her forehead against my side.

When Cole’s gaze leaves Emmy and lifts to mine, there’s a sadness in it, a grief that nearly staggers me. I can only imagine that he’s reminded of his loss every time he looks at my daughter.

“Cole, I…” I don’t even know what to say. I probably shouldn’t bring it up. For all I know, I’m not supposed to even know about his loss. But I feel the need to say something, to offer some sort of comfort, even though I know that there is none. I don’t think there is comfort for a parent who has lost a child.

As always, his frown reappears, like he’s burying deep any small sign of emotion. Or maybe just burying his pain. I might never know.

“I brought you something,” he begins. I’ve been so wrapped up in his consuming presence, I’d forgotten to even wonder why he might be here. Cole reaches into his pocket and brings out a cell phone. An iPhone to be exact. “I wanted you to have something for emergencies. My number’s already in it.”

I don’t have the heart to tell him that I have a phone. I have a child. It would be totally irresponsible for me not to have a way to at least call 911. This, however, is a nice phone. A real phone. The kind I used to have when I was still at my aunt’s.

The thought heralds an onslaught of rapid-fire images and emotions that make my heart feel like it stopped in my chest.

“It’s just a phone,” Cole says.

I drag my eyes away from the flat, rectangular screen. “What?”

His frown deepens. “It’s just a phone. It won’t bite.”

“Oh. Right. I know. I just…sorry. I was just thinking.”

“You don’t have to use it to call me. I just wanted you to have it in case of emergency. The winters here are–”

“Brutal, I know,” I finish for him, shaking off the chill that has settled over me. “I really appreciate it. You didn’t have to do this.”

He shrugs. “I know.”

I don’t know what comes over me. Maybe it’s the need to know something about this enigmatic man while he’s standing here in my living room, feeling charitable.

“Why did you?”

“Why did I what?”

“Why did you get me a phone?”

“I told you. I–”

“I know what you told me, but we aren’t your responsibility.”

His lips thin in aggravation. “I didn’t say you were. I was just trying to help. I can see that I made a mistake.”

When he sets the phone on the coffee table and starts to turn away, I stop him with a hand to his forearm. I feel his response to my touch–the rippling of muscle under my fingertips. “Wait! That’s not what I–”

“I shouldn’t have come.”

“Cole, stop! Please. I didn’t mean it like that. I just…I don’t want you worrying about us. It seems like you…like you’ve got enough to worry about without us adding to it.”

His eyes are like a turbulent sea. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I sigh, exasperated with myself and the mess I’ve made of things. “I just mean…God! I don’t know what I mean. I just know that I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. I…I’m grateful for the gift. Thank you. I just…I hate that you went to so much trouble for us. Jordan…Jordan said you don’t drive and I…I…”

His expression turns stony and cold. “People say all sorts of things about me.”

“So you do drive?”

The further tightening of his features answers my question. “Use the phone if you need it. Toss it in the garbage if you don’t.”

He pulls away and heads for the door in long, angry strides. I’m left to either watch him leave again or chase after him.

This time I chase after him. “Cole, wait.”

He stops with his hand on the knob, his face in profile to me. I can see the firm set of his jaw and the little muscle that twitches rhythmically there.

“Yes?”

I walk right up to him, winding my fingers around his arm again and hauling myself up on my toes. I press my lips to his cool cheek. “Thank you,” I whisper against his skin.

I start to back away when he turns to look at me. His mouth is within an inch of mine and I stop dead, frozen by the magnetism that exists between us.

I see his piercing eyes fall to my lips. I know I should move away, but I don’t. I’m not sure I can, even though the muscles in my calves are trembling as they hold me up.

Cole’s arm is wedged between my heavy breasts and I have the intense urge to press into him, to ease the ache that’s getting stronger with each passing day. As though he can sense it, he lists toward me. Just a little. The tiniest of sways. But it’s enough. It’s enough to fan the flame of our attraction.