Crazy in Love (Blue Lake #3)(61)

Cole.

Her chest warmed and tingled at the sound of his voice, and every single moment she spent with him came flooding back through her mind like a movie reel.

“Rachael?” Joey knelt in front of her. When had he moved around the table? “Are you okay? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

“I thought we were listening to country.” She fidgeted with her napkin and spun her knees away from him. “I mean, weren’t we?”

Cole’s songs didn’t belong on a country station.

“It’s not the radio,” he said. “I hooked up my iPod to play through the truck’s speakers. We can listen to the radio, if you’d rather.”

Did he not hear what was playing? He must not have recognized Cole’s voice as easily.

“It’s just…” she trailed off, unable to speak the words.

He paled. “It’s one of Cole Turner’s. I didn’t realize it’d added this song to this playlist. You don’t like rock. I’ll change it.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“You sure?” He nodded, his eyebrows knitted together as if he was genuinely concerned. “Your skin is ice cold.”


She hadn’t even noticed his hands covering hers.

“If you’re not feeling well,” he said, “I can take you home. We can stop by StoneMill and I can get you some chicken noodle soup.”

Always the protective knight. Why couldn’t she feel something with him?

“No, I’m fine.” She forced a smile. “I’d like to finish dinner, if that’s all right with you.”

“It is,” he said, his voice gentle. “But I’m afraid dinner won’t be enough.”

She knew what he meant, and a response wouldn’t come. Even as he rose up and curled his hand around the back of her neck to draw her mouth to his, she remained frozen in place. His lips touched hers, a gentle caress that should’ve knocked her boots off.

Instead, as the seconds ticked by with their lips melded together, she fought to keep her eyes closed. She started to pull away, but he followed her, pressing against her lips more forcefully.

She jerked back and opened her eyes.

He stared, wide eyed. “Did you feel that?”

“What?”

He set his hands on her thighs and squeezed. “Did you feel anything?”

She winced, and then shook her head. “I’m so sorry, Cole. I think I owe you an apology.”

“Joey,” he said. “You called me Cole. I’m Joey.”

Face-palm. “I’m sorry, I know who you are. I’m all screwed up and this is totally my fault. I shouldn’t have even come here tonight. I started to really like him, even though I knew I shouldn’t, but then he left and I’m here and you were the one I wanted before him. You’re perfect. Everything I thought I wanted.” She paused, watching a troubled expression flit over his face. “I’m sorry, but I just don’t feel a spark when I’m with you.”

“It’s okay,” he said, cupping her cheek in his hand. “I didn’t feel anything behind the kiss either.”

“You didn’t?”

She didn’t know whether to feel relieved that he didn’t like her or concerned that her kissing skills sucked.

“I guess the spark died over time,” he said. “And you know what? That’s fine. At least now I won’t spend the rest of my life wondering if this might’ve been it, you know?”