She kind of liked poking him when something funny came on the screen. He had a wheeze to his laugh, which made her think of some dog cartoon. She enjoyed it when he laughed.
When the movie ended, they all filed out into the mall. Destiny got a weird look on her face. “Hey, Cole, do you mind taking Amanda home? Eli wants to spend a little time with me. Would that be okay?” As she talked, she walked backwards toward the door, as if she was going to turn and take off any second.
“Sure,” Cole said.
Destiny grinned. “Thanks! You don’t mind, do you, Amanda?” But she didn’t wait for an answer. She bolted out the door.
Amanda rolled her eyes. “Could they be more obvious?”
Cole chuckled. “They were trying pretty hard.”
“Hopefully you don’t mind. I should have suspected something when Destiny insisted she pick me up.”
“It’s no big deal.” He placed his hand on the small of her back.
It might have annoyed her any other time, but tonight, for some reason, it felt good. Like a warm blanket wrapped around on a cold evening. She liked the feeling.
They walked to his car in the parking lot. He started the engine and turned out of the parking lot.
“What did you think of the movie?” He glanced at her as he drove.
“The book is always better, but I think they did a good job with what they had to work with. I’m glad they didn’t add a ton of CGI stuff in. That always looks so fake.”
He nodded. “I agree.”
He turned down Main Street and Amanda groaned. “Don’t take Main this time of night. Traffic is always so backed up. It will take forever.”
Cole didn’t say anything as he slowed for the cars ahead of him. They inched along as cars tried to back out of the street parking spaces into the heavy traffic. After a few minutes, they were right in front of the opera house.
Amanda narrowed her eyes at him. “Did you take this way so you could show me how needed a parking garage is here?”
He looked at her, his eyes pleading. “You have to admit there’s a problem downtown on busy nights. Everyone parks on the street, making it impossible for cars to get through.”
Amanda couldn’t believe he’d turned down Main Street, knowing it would take forever to get through, just as an object lesson. She turned from him, unable to speak, her throat closing up. What a jerk move.
“Mandy,” he said softly. He put his hand on hers.
Her body reacted to his warm touch as waves of electricity coursed through her. Stupid body. It didn’t know what a meanie Cole was being. How insensitive. If he only knew what that building meant to her. But she didn’t want to tell him. Not while he was being this way. She pulled her hand away from him. “Just take me home,” she whispered.
It took ten more minutes of sitting in traffic before he was able to turn off Main Street and head toward her house. When she got home, she went to her room and climbed into bed. She didn’t want to think about Cole anymore. There was only one person she wanted to talk to. She pulled out her phone and texted her anonymous texter.
Chapter 9
Cole stretched out on his bed, his phone in his hand. Part of the evening had gone well. He’d managed to screw things up in the beginning with the popcorn bucket. Stupid of him. He was just used to doing the popcorn because his father was low-salt, low-fat and never put anything extra on it. It then tasted like Styrofoam and he couldn’t sit through a movie with that tasteless garbage.
He’d gotten in the habit of grabbing the bucket and doing it himself. Only, he didn’t think when he did that to Amanda. And then he couldn’t give it back to her. She would have thought he was insane. So he tried to play it off as just his thing. Which was idiotic.
But after a while, she seemed to settle down about that. They’d gotten shushed by that old lady, which made them both crack up. It was a shared laugh. It bonded them. At least he’d thought it had.
But then he had to turn down Main Street. He hadn’t done it on purpose, but it did prove his point nicely. He should have apologized right then, told her he hadn’t meant to, but instead, he thought maybe she would agree that a parking structure was needed. That didn’t work.
How did he manage to mess that up? Eli had set it up perfectly. But for some reason, he always managed to make Amanda mad at him. He stared at his phone, wondering if it was too late to text her as the anonymous guy.
Before he could type anything in, a text from her came through. You awake?
It was stupid how happy seeing those words made him. Yes.
Good. I was hoping you would be. Did you go to the movie tonight?
Yes.
It was good, right? Tell me you loved it. Because if you hated it, I don’t know if we can still be friends.
Cole chuckled and typed in a reply. I loved it.
YAY!!!! I knew you were a soul mate.
He let those words wash over him for a second. They felt good. Another text came through.
I only have a few minutes to chat before my bedtime.
You have a bedtime? He sent her a funny face emoji after that comment, the one with the tongue hanging out.
Self-imposed. I’m running a race tomorrow. I can’t stay up all night.
I heard about that race. It’s to help the animal shelter, right?
Yes! I’ve participated in the last two years. It’s a great cause.
I agree. Do you have a pet?
Two hamsters. I’ve wanted a dog for forever, but my sister is allergic. She inserted a frown.
Cole felt her pain. He’d begged his father when he was in fifth grade to get him a dog. It was all he wanted for Christmas. No matter how much he begged, his father refused. At least you have a good excuse why you can’t have a dog. I can’t have a dog because my parental unit doesn’t want the mess. That’s lame, right?
Totally lame.
What kind of dog would you get, if you could get one?
I would get a Papillon or a Maltese.
You like the small dogs? They’re cute, but I want something more substantial, like a Great Dane or a Doberman. His neighbor growing up had a Doberman. He’d pet the dog through the fence. He even figured out how to play catch with him by throwing sticks over the fence. He played with that dog more than his friends, probably.
My friend had a St. Bernard. Nicest dog I’ve ever met. You should totally get a dog when you move out on your own. Only a year and a half away from that, right?
Except I’ll be in a college dorm then. Probably can’t have a dog until after I graduate.
You’re right. That stinks. What college are you going to?
Cole didn’t think he’d ever mentioned to Amanda what college he was going to apply to. It was probably safe to tell her the truth. Stanford. What about you?
I don’t know. Is that terrible? I’m a junior. I should know what college I’m going to apply for, right?
At the dance, Amanda had expressed some fear of the future. He hadn’t thought much about it, but maybe her fear wasn’t so much about what will happen, but fear of the unknown.
It’s not terrible. You have time to look at the choices and make a decision. And you can apply for more than one college. Me? I can’t really do that.
Why not?
Cole wasn’t sure why he’d said that. Maybe because he was a bit frustrated with his own future. Maybe because he wasn’t allowed to talk about it with his father. And maybe because sometimes he felt trapped and had no one who understood. He probably should make a joke of it and move on, but something kept him from doing that.
My life is planned out for me. I have to go to Stanford because that’s where my father went. He would fall over dead if I defied his wishes.
He’s controlling?
That’s an understatement.
I’m sorry. That must feel horrible.
I’m not allowed to feel horrible.
Cole sent the last text, then decided their discussion was getting way too deep, and decided t
o lighten the mood.
Wow, sorry. That was a real downer. I didn’t mean to depress you.
Her answer came back fast.
Don’t worry. You didn’t depress me. You have a controlling parent. While mine isn’t that way, I can understand how that might make you feel. Don’t think you can’t be real with me. I want you to be real.
Cole wasn’t sure what to say to that, so he just typed, Okay.
Does your father control other aspects of your life, too?
Pretty much every aspect.
Even what you’ll study in college?
Cole shifted. He wasn’t sure if talking about this was a great idea anymore. He was starting to feel uncomfortable. But he’d started it. He couldn’t exactly abandon the conversation.
Especially what I’ll study in college.
So, your father has your entire life planned out the way he wants it?
Yes.
And what would you want to be if you could erase everyone else and follow your dreams?
Cole had never told another living soul what he was passionate about, and he wasn’t sure he could tell Amanda, even if he wanted to. Because he was not that person. He was his father’s son. The billionaire-to-be. That’s who everyone saw. And that’s who he had to be.
He took in a breath and let it out slowly. Before he could think of a response, she texted again.
Hey, are you still there?
Yeah, I’m here.
Then tell me. What do you want to be when you grow up? She ended it with a silly face emoji.
He decided that honesty was the best policy.
I don’t know if I can tell you. It’s kind of stupid.
I won’t make fun of you. I swear.
No, really. It’s stupid.
She sent him a GIF of a girl blowing hair out of her eyes. Come on, it can’t be that bad.
Yes, it is. Not bad, just unrealistic.
A rock star?
No, but like that.
A famous actor?
No, but kind of close.
Tell me.
Cole spent a minute waffling back and forth. She might think he was silly if he said what he really was passionate about. But then again, what did he have to lose? She didn’t know who he was. Finally, he just let it all out.
If I had one wish and I could be anything I wanted to be, I would be a body builder. And I know that sounds stupid, but I love working my muscles. I love the feeling of sculpting myself. That’s dumb, right?
Cole sat up in his bed, suddenly very self-conscious. Why had he told her? He’d never said that to anyone else. He could feel the jokes coming.
That’s not stupid. People are passionate about all kinds of things.
He let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.
Thanks for not making fun of me.
Come on. I’m passionate about really weird things. Like, I wore a net full of garbage for my Halloween costume. How stupid is that?
It looked cute on you. Cole almost hit the send button, but stopped himself just in time. He didn’t want to give away the fact that he’d seen her on Halloween night. He erased his comment and started over.
I like that you’re passionate about things that matter.
Even though he and Amanda butted heads on more than one occasion, he did admire her convictions. He didn’t grow up that way. His father was passionate about one thing, and only one thing. Making money. He wanted the biggest house, and the most expensive car. He couldn’t care less if his company dumped pollution into the air or trash into the ocean. Cole liked that Amanda thought about more than just what profited herself.
Thanks. Sometimes I worry it doesn’t do any good. Like next week. I fear I’m going to fail.
Dread pooled in Cole’s stomach. She was talking about the opera house. But he couldn’t know about it, or she would guess who he was for sure.
What’s going on next week?
They are demolishing the old opera house. I’m organizing a protest, but I’m afraid no one will show up. I’m afraid it will be destroyed.
Cole didn’t know what to say to that. She would fail. He knew she would fail because he knew his father, and his father never failed at anything. His father would get his way, and Amanda would be crushed. And she would take it personally, which made him feel like he’d swallowed a lead ball.
It won’t be your failure if you don’t save the building.
Yes, it will. No one else cares about it. No one else wants to fight for it. And know what? I feel terrible for saying this, but maybe they’re right. Maybe it is just a run-down old building.
What? She was admitting that maybe it needed to be knocked down? Who was this? It couldn’t be Amanda. She would never admit that to Cole’s face. Why was she so adamant, then, that she save the building if she thought maybe it couldn’t be saved?
He remembered how upset she’d gotten at the dance. How she’d started to cry.
Why do you want to save it?
I have a personal connection to the building. It’s where my parents met.
There it was. It was sentimental to her. That explained so much. Cole nodded as he typed.
That makes sense.
Yes, but it’s also a stupid reason to want to save a building, isn’t it?
Maybe, but over the years he’d gotten to know Amanda. She was the kind of person who cared deeply about people, and things. And he could see her caring about the old opera house, even if it was for a sentimental reason like that.
It’s not a stupid reason.
Good. Because I really want to save the building. Hey, I have an idea. Maybe you can come protest with me.
Oh, no. Now what was he supposed to do? He couldn’t say yes. And if he said no, he’d look like a schmuck. He didn’t want her to think he was a jerk. He tried to think of an appropriate response, one that would get him out of it but not offend her.
Another text came through. Just kidding. Hope I didn’t scare you too much. I know you’re nervous about telling me who you are. You didn’t think I’d insist on meeting you in person, did you?
Relief flooded over him.
You got me. I was terrified.
Well, I hope you weren’t too terrified. I want to meet you in person someday.
The longer he chatted with her anonymously, the more he thought it could never happen. Because if she found out she’d been talking to Cole all this time, she’d hate him even more.
Maybe. We’ll see.
Oh, my gosh, I just looked at the clock. It’s way too late. I didn’t mean to chat with you this long. I’m sorry if I kept you up. I’d better get to sleep so I don’t sleepwalk during my run tomorrow.
Good luck.
Cole had taken Eli’s advice and signed up for the race, but since the movie ended with her mad at him, he wasn’t sure how things would go tomorrow. At least she didn’t hate her anonymous pen pal.
Thank you. Good night, secret texting man.
He smiled. He kind of liked that nickname.
Chapter 10
Amanda stretched her legs in the chilly November morning air as people milled about, getting ready for the annual Fun Feline Run. She’d stayed up later than she’d wanted, but it was so much fun texting her secret admirer, she couldn’t stop. It was odd, but she felt like she could talk to him. Weird, huh? To tell a total stranger things she hadn’t told anyone else? It was probably stupid, but she had a gut feeling that she could trust him. She must be mental.
She checked in. A woman behind a table gave her a number and Amanda stuck it on her shirt. Seventy-three. It was a good number. She checked her watch. Fifteen minutes and they would blow the whistle.
“Hey,” someone said behind her. She recognized that voice. And even though she was mad at him, she couldn’t help the butterflies that erupted in her stomach. She turned around to see Cole dressed in running shorts, the number fifty-five stuck on his shirt. Man, she knew he was built like a football player, but she didn’t realize his muscles exte
nded down his legs. He had calves like loaves of French bread. She forced her eyes away from them.
“What are you doing here?” The question popped out without her thinking about it, and she immediately felt stupid. Obviously, he was there to run.
“Earning money for the shelter. I convinced ten people to pledge.” He began mimicking her, leaning over and touching his toes.
She stared at him. Since when did Cole care about the shelter? She’d never seen him at any fundraising event. “Ten people? How did you do that?” She had twelve pledges, but she’d started asking last month.
“I asked around my dad’s office.”
She watched him stretching. “Do you even run?”
“I work out,” he said, looking offended. “I mean, maybe I don’t run often, but my muscles are trim. I’m in shape. I can run if I want to.”
She tried to figure out exactly what he was doing at this event. Cole didn’t run. He didn’t like these kinds of things. She squinted at him. “What are you really doing here?”
“I’m trying to be supportive of you. Sheesh, is that so hard to swallow?”
Amanda blinked. What had he just said? “Of me? Why?”
Cole ducked his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “I feel bad about the Halloween dance. And then last night. For offending you again.”
Oh. He was extending an olive branch. That was nice of him. But she was still upset about the stunt he’d pulled last night. “Are you still supporting the demolition of the opera house?”
His shoulders sagged. “I have to, Mandy.”
That wasn’t true. He could do many things, including trying to find a way to save the opera house and still make his father money. What if they restored it and rented it out for weddings? Had he even spent one second thinking about that?
She huffed. “Then I don’t want your support here.” She wanted his support where it really mattered. Where he could make a real difference. She turned from him and continued to stretch her muscles. She figured he’d get discouraged and walk away, but when she glanced behind her, he was still there. “What?”
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