Authors: Deborah Hughes
She'd been so excited to talk to Cole and straighten out the mess between them. Things were going to be different. They were going to be wonderful. They’d clear the air and declare their love and live happily ever after. Okay, fairy tale endings didn’t quite mesh with her belief system, but she was in the throes of newfound love. Her head was in the clouds. Or it was earlier anyway. As the hours passed without a word from Cole, she was experiencing a rapid descent onto the solid ground of stark reality. How could Cole be so silent and not respond to any of her calls, especially after everything they shared? Well he may not want to face the feelings flowing between them but she did and somehow or other, she'd get him to do it too. So she kept calling.
But Cole didn’t answer his phones on Monday morning either. So, at lunchtime, Alyssa drove to his cabin. His truck was gone and no hulking black dog came running to greet her.
She returned to work but found it hard to concentrate. Jerry, she noticed was giving her a very wide berth. That was fine by her. She was noticing now that he was flirting with other girls. Why had she thought she was special? Alyssa shook her head with self-disgust. Strange how it was possible to feel something that is later revealed to be completely false. Like her feelings for Cole. She lifted the receiver and tried his number again. No answer. Of course not. Maybe he was away on some sort of business trip. Although he hadn’t mentioned it and nor had Trisha, it was still a possible explanation. There was no other she could come up with.
By Friday she was a wreck. She picked up the phone after having slammed it down moments ago and called the one person to help her get through this. “Paul, Cole has been gone all week. I’m going out of my freaking mind.”
“Calm down, Alyssa. Look, why don’t we meet for lunch tomorrow? I had reservations to lunch with Father Morgan at The Tower but he had to cancel on me.”
“Thanks, Paul, that sounds great. You’re a wonderful friend, you know that? I'll see you tomorrow.” She hung up and flopped dispiritedly down on the sofa. Now that she knew how she really felt about Cole, she couldn’t wait to see him and tell him. This endless waiting was killing her. Not knowing where he was only made it worse.
When Paul picked her up the following day, she made a conscious effort to hold off on talking about Cole. He had to be getting sick of hearing about her problems with that man by now. However, one they were settled at the restaurant and their food placed before them, she quietly told him about her frustrating week.
“So you say that no one is at his house and his dog is gone as well?” Paul popped a scallop into his mouth and chewed it thoughtfully. “Hmm. Does he ever go out of town on business?”
“Sometimes he does designs for people in other states. He’s been known to fly around a bit, meeting with clients and what not.”
“Is he really good?"
"His designs are innovative and unique. He's better than good,” Alyssa told him, feeling a touch of pride as she did so. Funny how things can change. She used to get annoyed when she heard someone voicing admiration for Cole’s work. Now she was doing it herself. “Cole has a sharp, creative mind when it comes to unique building designs.”
“I’m sure he’ll return soon, Alyssa, and the two of you can straighten everything out.”
“I know you’re right but I hate waiting. Tell you what, let’s not talk about Cole any more. Let’s talk about you. How are things going at the seminary?”
“I’ve nearly finished my seminary courses and should be ordained in a few months.”
“Paul! That’s wonderful.” She was genuinely pleased for him. He'd known from an early age what he wanted to do with his life and now he was living that dream. She was deeply honored to have him for a friend. She had a ridiculous notion in her head that as long as Paul was in her life, her soul could be redeemed.
A half hour later, she was feeling much better about things and was ready to wait for as long as it took for Cole to come back from wherever he was. When they stepped into the elevator to leave, it was with a much lighter step than when she arrived. One of the things she loved about Paul was that he always managed to generate positive feelings within her. If only there were more people like him filling the world, it would be a more peaceful place.
When the elevator doors opened and Alyssa took in the scene taking place beyond the double glass doors of the ground lobby, she froze in shock. Cole was helping a tall, pretty girl out of his truck. Something gave way and crumbled inside her, dropping like stones at her feet. Her heart, shattered to pieces.
Paul saw the look on her face and turned to see what caused it. "Alyssa, let him explain..." But she wasn't listening. Of course she wasn't. He closed his eyes and said a quick prayer. This was not going to go well. Not at all.
Her heart pounding hard and fast, Alyssa began walking, moving with an ever increasing pace as she shoved the glass doors open and marched with fury out onto the walkway. Once she cleared the door, she stopped in her tracks, arms folded, eyes narrowed to slits and waited for the snake to notice her. She was going to freaking kill him. Right here. Right now.
In growing disbelief and rising rage, Alyssa watched Cole place a hand on the girl’s back and start across the parking lot with her. So absorbed were they in each other, they had yet to notice the fact they had a hostile audience. And why should he, Alyssa thought with a stab of jealousy. The girl was beautiful. Witty too if Cole's reaction to her was anything to go by. She was talking quite a bit and his head was bent to listen, a smile playing about his mouth. Whatever she was saying, it was amusing him enough that the smile turned into laughter. Oh how that killed her inside, hearing him laugh like that.
Then Cole looked up and their gazes collided. Although his eyes flashed hot and bright for a brief moment, they soon iced over and a cold, hard mask slipped across his face.
Paul stepped close beside her and Alyssa was grateful for his hand as it pressed with sympathetic reassurance against her back. Cole's response to his presence, though, made her tense up even more. Never had she seen him look so disgusted.
His mouth twisting with derision, Cole slid an arm around the girl’s waist and drew them to a halt.
The girl frowned up at Cole in concern and when she saw that his attention was riveted elsewhere, she turned her head to see Alyssa posturing with hostility before them. Her expression went from mild curiosity to confusion and then, as a tense silence stretched among them, those unusual gray eyes of her clouded with wariness.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Cole Delaney.” Alyssa was pretty proud of the cool hauteur she managed to inject into her voice. Inside she was a shaking mass of nerves.
“I believe you are blocking our path. If you wouldn’t mind?” He motioned for her to get out of the way.
Shock made her go rigid. What the hell was wrong with him? He was treating her as if she was nothing more than a stranger. Alyssa couldn’t believe this was the same man she kissed so passionately a week ago. He had to be the most fickle-headed, parasitic slime-ball she’d ever known. “I think we need to talk, Cole.”
“Fine. Talk.” Sliding his arm from around the pretty, silent girl beside him, he folded his arms and quirked a brow with impatient impudence. “I don’t have all day to waste, Al. Cassie and I have…business to attend to.”
A knife of hurt pierced through her chest. She almost grimaced in pain. Business? Is that what he called it? Was she to assume then that he was paying this Cassie girl for her services? “I would like to talk in private, Cole.”
He made as if to decline her request but Cassie placed a hand on his arm, her expression conveying her growing concern. “Go ahead. I can wait.” She offered Alyssa a slight smile and stepped away, looking at a loss as to what she should do with herself.
Paul motioned for her to follow him to the gardens next to the restaurant and she nodded in relief to the suggestion.
Cole turned and strode in quick, rigid strides back to his truck. Once there, he leaned against the front of it, folded his arms, crossed his legs and met her eyes with cold, hard indifference. “What do you want to talk about?”
Alyssa was so angered by his attitude that she wanted to scream. “What’s going on, Cole? You are acting like your old, usual wormy self.”
Cole had to wait until the surge of fury settled enough for him to speak. She could say that to him after the way she’d behaved last week? Had the little idiot completely lost her damned mind? “Let’s say I’m tired of your sick games, Al.”
Alyssa drew in a shocked breath. Sick games? What game was she supposed to be playing now? “Would you care on clarifying that remark?”
Cole’s eyes slid past her and narrowed on Paul. “Why don’t we cut the crap and you run along to Golden Boy over there?” His eyes returned to her wide ones and he made a sound of disgust. “For heaven sake, Al, stop playing the outraged innocent act. It’s getting very, very old.”
“Are you deranged? You are not making any sense what so ever.” She wanted to stamp her foot in frustration. “Why did you disappear all week? Where have you been?”
What was it to her? She dare question his activities when she was sneaking around kissing him, leading him on while all the while luring in another? “Why, Al,” he sneered, “what do you think I’ve been up to? After that interesting act you put on Friday night, I decided I'd had enough. Playing sexual roulette is not my thing. If you and your boy over there are into that, fine, but I want no part of it. I prefer girls with higher moral standards than that.”
Shock sliced like a hot blade through Alyssa's body, making her insides cringe with despair. She didn’t give any thought to her next move when her hand flew out and connected with a stinging slap to his cheek. The moment it happened, she wasn't sure who was more shocked.
After his initial surprise, Cole’s face darkened with fury. “You bitch!” He captured her hands and twisted them behind her back, a move that pulled her close against him. Although she initially struggled against his hold, he held her tight enough to make it clear he wasn't going to let her go and she went still, her body stiff with tension and her breathing heavy to near gasping.
Angry as he was, Cole took care not to hurt her though his stinging cheek made him wish she'd given him the same courtesy. He felt sick inside for what was happening between them but he'd be damned if he let her know it. He didn't understand any of this. She was acting like the injured party but he was the one who'd been taken for a fool. “Have you completely lost your mind? What the hell is your damned problem?”
When Paul heard the distinctive sound of ski
n connecting smartly with skin he swung around in time to see Cole grab Alyssa. Shocked that things had gone out of hand that quickly and to such an extent, he went running. By the time he reached them they appeared to be in a silent stand-off. Much to his relief, Alyssa didn't appear to be hurt. Cole, however, had a very red cheek. “What’s going on here?”
The moment Paul spoke behind her, Alyssa started squirming again and Cole looked over her shoulder to pin him with a glare of warning. “I suggest you keep your nose out of this.”
Alyssa let out a gasp of outrage. How could he talk to Paul that way? He was mad. Stark, raving mad. “Don’t you talk to him that way you vile snake. You aren’t good enough for him to wipe his shoes on.”
Cole had enough. With a snort of disgust, he set her away from him and stepped back. “I am not going to waste any more of my time with the likes of you two.”
Alyssa grabbed his arm. “You aren’t going anywhere until you apologize to Paul.”
Cole shook off her hand. “I wouldn’t apologize to your toy boy if my soul depended on it.”
Alyssa went rigid with shock. She didn’t recognize this rude, unfeeling monster in front of her. “You bastard. You disgust me.” She swung sharply around and took nearly one full step before Cole grabbed her arm and pulled her back around to face him.
“You dare call me names? You are a real piece of work, Al.”
Paul stepped forward and put a hand between them. “See here, I think you better let her go.”
Cole’s rock-hard eyes turned on him. “I think I told you a minute ago to mind your own damned business.”
Alyssa kicked his shin as hard as she could and ignored the pain that shot through her foot. “Stop it, Cole. Just stop it.” This had gone completely out of control.
“I said once that your father didn’t spank you enough as a child. I have half a mind to correct that dreadful oversight.” His eyes glinted as if in anticipation of such a threat but he didn't so much as move a muscle.
Paul placed a hand on Cole's arm. “This has gone far enough.” With a nod toward the hand still holding firm to Alyssa's arm, his voice firmed with authority. “Let her go.”
Cole's eyes narrowed on Paul. They were quite the pair these two. His rage grew to blinding proportions. “Get your hand off me.”
Paul’s grip tightened, though not painfully. “I only ask that you let her go.”
It was that soft reasoning voice that snapped his rapidly slipping self-control. Before he could even consider what he was doing, Cole turned and swung, his fist smashing with solid force into Paul’s shocked face. He flew backwards from the impact and landed hard onto the ground.
While Cole stood there trying to recover from the shock of what he'd done, he was relieved to see Paul push himself up into a sitting position. Thank God for that. He'd never hit anyone in his life. His knuckles hurt like the devil.
Paul shook his head to clear it and felt the blood pouring out of his nose. He put up a hand to staunch the flow and lifted his eyes to Cole, wary alarm keeping him right where he was.
Alyssa was so shocked at first that she literally couldn't move but when Paul sat up and she knew he was okay, her body started shaking with fury. Then she saw the blood and went livid. Was Cole possessed or something? Since he was looking at Paul and not paying any attention to her, she managed to step close enough to bring her knee up and get him right where it counted.
All air whooshed from Cole's lungs as he slunk forward then dropped to his knees.