Keeping Her Warm(18)

“Gonna go check on my girl,” I tell him as I head for the kitchen. I don’t want her to think I abandoned her. I stop in the doorway when I see her laughing at something my mom said. She’s standing next to her, helping her cook.

I lean against the doorframe and watch them. Catherine turns to look at me, a bright smile on her face. I smile back at her thinking life can’t get any better than this.





10





Catherine





I look over at the school, not wanting to get out of the car. I can’t untangle my fingers from Cole’s. When I step out of this car I know I’m stepping back into reality. No more Cole to shield me from my life.

“I’ll pick you up after class,” he tells me. I look over at him. I can tell he doesn't want me to go either. He gives my hand a little squeeze. “I’m going to pick you up a cell phone today. I don’t like that I can’t reach you whenever I want.”

“Okay,” I tell him. I don’t like it either.

“You don’t want to go, do you?” he asks. I shake my head. “I won’t make you.”

My eyes stay locked on him. “I have to. Only a little longer and I’m done.”

He lets out a deep breath before pulling me toward him. His mouth takes mine and I melt into him. I forget about everything else. All too soon the kiss is over. “Go, baby, before I drive off with you still in the car.”

I smile at that. Grabbing my backpack, I slide from the car. I look back at him to see he’s watching me.

I feel myself blush. I turn back and make my way inside to my locker before I head to my first class. I slip into my chair moments before the teacher starts his lesson. I don’t hear a thing he says. My mind is still on this morning and yesterday.

I was so scared when Cole pulled up to his mother’s building. Not only was I worried to meet his mother but also that I’d stolen food from there once. I wonder what Cole would think of that if he knew. I wonder what he would think of a lot of the things I’ve done. The town’s golden boy. The sheriff with a thief and a liar.

Maybe he’ll never find out. My stomach cramps a little at the thought. I don’t like the idea of keeping things from him, but I fear losing him, too. He’s been so good to me. Not only that but this morning with his mom was so freaking wonderful. She acted as if I was a long-lost daughter, doting all over me, gushing about how pretty and sweet I was.

I ate up her attention and melted when she told me how happy she was that Cole had finally found someone. Then she started talking about grandbabies. At first my face had turned cherry red, but the more she went on and on about it I couldn’t help but smile and want that, too.

Cole and I haven't been using protection and he hasn’t brought it up. Maybe it slipped his mind. It hadn’t slipped mine, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything. Does that make me terrible? I welcome the idea of having his baby. Then I would always have a piece of him, even if he doesn't want me after he finds out more about my past. I try to push the thought away. I’m in no place to have a baby on my own, but still the thought lingers. My hand drops to my stomach and remains there.

When the bell finally rings I head to my next class, floating through the day, my mind never really leaving Cole. I wonder what he’s doing. If he’s thinking about me.

“Catherine, a moment please.” I glance up from my book to see Coach Snow standing in front me in the library. I prefer to come here during lunch instead of the cafeteria. Dread fills me at seeing her.

“Of course,” I say, moving to stand, but she motions for me to stay and comes around to lean against the table I’m at. She rests a hand on the desk as she looms over me. Her blonde hair falls forward. She’s wearing one of the cheer shirts the other girls in school do. It’s tight on her. They must have a game tonight or something. She coaches the varsity cheer team, and I heard that she was once a professional cheerleader in the NFL.

“I’m going to be frank with you, Cat,” she says. I try not to flinch at her using the same name the kids call me at school, a name that stuck because I don’t talk much and the cat-got-your-tongue line never seems to get old to them. “Are you fucking the sheriff so you can have a place to live?”

I can feel the blood drain from my face. Her gaze goes to the shirt I’m wearing and I watch anger take over her face.

“Yes, I saw him drop you off today and after the little shower incident I drove by your listed address. I saw the foreclosed sign and it’s all boarded up.” She smirks as if she’s happy I don’t have a place to live. “If I were you I’d stay away from the sheriff. If this gets out, that he’s fucking a high school girl, letting her shack up with him, it would ruin him. He’d be run out of town. Lose his position as sheriff.”

A lump lodges in my throat at her words because I know she’s right. He’d never get re-elected if people found out we’re together.

“Besides, you don’t know what to do with a man like Cole Bannon.” She fires her last shot before turning to leave. I stand up, wanting to get out of here, only to bump into Ren.

“Where you off to so fast?” His hands lock on my shoulders, keeping me in place. He licks his lips. “If I’d known giving you a place to stay got between those thighs I would have put you up in my parents’ guest house months ago.” His grip on my shoulders tightens. He starts pushing me backwards until my back hits a wall. I curse myself for picking the back table in the library. No one is around.