Crazy in Love (Blue Lake #3)(31)

“Welcome to our private dinner party.” He strode to the edge, and kicked his foot on the ladder. “Come on up. There’s a kick ass view from up here!”

Lucy took off first, nearly running down the path. Rachael followed, and climbed up the ladder after her friend. Cole helped her once she reached the top, extending his hand for her to grab ahold of.

But when Rachael reached the top, he said, “Do you got it?”

Of course she did. Would she have liked help? Wouldn’t have freaking hurt.

As she climbed onto the platform and straightened, she couldn’t believe the view. It was breathtaking, with vineyards and rolling mountains as far as the eye could see. Pinks, reds, and oranges streaked across the baby-blue sky as if someone had taken a heavenly paintbrush and smeared the colors together. The air smelled of roses and grapes, sweet and sour. And in the distance, Rachael picked up the soft humming of StoneMill’s speaker system.

“Thanks for coming tonight,” Cole said, pulling out Lucy’s chair.

She smiled in that coy, flirty way she’d mastered so well. “Absolutely my pleasure.”

Oh, boy.

Rachael pulled out her own chair and sat, draping the napkin over her lap. Dinner had already been served: penne pasta with chicken and broccoli. StoneMill Pinot Grigio and French bread. Out of instinct, Rachael checked the temperature of the plate with the side of her hand. Still warm.

Cole must’ve asked Rita to plan dinner so it’d be ready exactly when the limo pulled up. Where was Rita now? Hiding in the bushes around the base of the platform?

“Are you ready for tonight?” Lucy asked, folding her hands over her plate. “I bet you get nervous before a show.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m nervous.” He leaned back in his chair. “It’s more like that anxious, excited feeling you get before you have sex with someone for the first time.”

The air whooshed out of Rachael’s lungs. She knew exactly the feeling he spoke of…she’d felt it last night. Those tingly jolts of anticipation still buzzed through her legs.

“What about you?” he asked Lucy. “Are you nervous?”

“Me?” she squeaked.

“You’ve got a lot riding on this too, don’t you?”

Eyes rolling, Rachael dug in to dinner, chomping into the French bread. Cole and Lucy gabbed for a good ten minutes. Rachael was half-finished with her penne when Lucy finally included her in the conversation.

“Rachael had her first kiss under the amphitheater stage,” Lucy blabbed, “though it wasn’t a stage back then. It was a massive Oak tree in the center of the vineyard.”

“Uh-na,” Rachael mumbled, cheeks full. “Dnotalkinboutthat.”

“Really?” Cole leaned over the table. “Now this is getting interesting.”

Swallow. Don’t choke. Chewchewchew. Swallow.

“She kissed the guy who plows the roads.” Lucy matched Cole’s distance across the table. “Though he was much hotter then than he is now.”

“Dom?” Cole’s voice pitched. “The guy from the bar?”

Chew. Swallow. Chew.

Why’d she take such a damn big bite of bread?

“You met Dom?” Lucy laughed. “Then you know how funny it is to picture them together! He’s not much of a looker now, but back in school, he was hot stuff. Rachael was too.”

“Still is, in my book.” Cole met her gaze for the first time of the night. His eyes were slightly narrowed, his chin angled down, the perfect come-hither-glare.