14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Carissa

This is a bad idea. I know it's a bad idea, but as I pull into the driveway of a house that's at least double the size of Cole's, I'm practically brimming with excitement. After everything I witnessed over the last twenty minutes, the chance to see where Cole came from is one I don't think I could pass up. There's so much more to this man than what I first saw, and everything I learn about him makes me like him that much more.

That's exactly why this is a bad idea, but I've never been good with self-control.

"So I should probably tell you some things," Cole says, shifting in his seat to face me.

I raise my eyebrows. "What things?"

He grimaces and glances at the house. "I've, uh, never brought anyone home. A woman, I mean. Outside of my friends."

A thrill runs through me at the thought that I'm special enough for him to invite me into this part of my life, but I tamp it down. "We are friends, Cole."

"They're not going to think so."

"What about your ex? You guys dated for like four years."

He cocks his head, a bit of a smile tugging at his mouth. "Have you been reading up on me?"

I shrug, trying for nonchalance, but I can't fight the grin that spreads across my face. "I might have. I was curious."

"Curious like you were when you walked into a locker room full of naked men?"

Heat flashes across my face. "Okay, when I said that, it was more in reference to what the guys would do. Not because I wanted to see anything." And thank goodness I didn't. While I'm no stranger to human anatomy—thank you, college classes—I have no desire to see more of the Thunder than I already do. I'm an admirer of the human form, but not to that extent.

Cole chuckles. "Whatever you say. And no, Sage never met my family. She rarely came to California, and when she did, she only ever wanted to spend time alone with me. Even my friends barely interacted with her."

I wrinkle my nose. "And you never saw any red flags there?"

"Ouch." Thankfully, he doesn't seem too offended. His expression is more curious than anything.

"I'm just saying." I hold my hands up in defense. "If you dated for that long and she never wanted to meet the man who raised you, maybe you should have questioned things." And maybe I'm being too harsh, considering I'm the woman who didn't question it when her boyfriend wanted to keep their relationship a secret from everyone .

"Huh." Cole scratches his chin. "Maybe you're right."

"I'm always right. That's definitely not true. But I'm right about this. "

He laughs again, and I'm so glad that he has relaxed after his panic attack. I should never have let him get behind the wheel in the first place, but now I know he wasn't kidding when he said he gets severe anxiety while driving.

"Anyway," he says, "because you are a beautiful, single woman, my family are unequivocally going to think we're dating. And nothing I say will convince them otherwise."

Beautiful . Telling myself to ignore that, I purse my lips as we both look at the house. It's well maintained and surrounded by greenery, which feels out of place in LA but instantly makes me feel more at home than I have since coming to California. "What if I tell them there's no chance I'll ever be your girlfriend?" I ask, though the pit that forms in my stomach makes me wonder if I really mean that.

Cole shrugs. "They will try to talk you out of it. They don't know we're here, so if you don't want to deal with a couple of old men telling you how gallant and handsome I am, I'm more than happy to have you take me home."

"Not a chance. What else do I need to know?"

Cole's smile warms the whole car, and I feel like I might combust. Hot dang, that's a smile, and it might be the first full smile I've seen from him. It's even better than the one he gave me at Derek's house earlier this week.

That feels like ages ago.

"Gramps has apparently taken up kickboxing," he says, still grinning. "And Dad will at some point wax long and poetic about my mom."

"That's adorable," I say on a breath. "The mom part, not the kickboxing part. Though I think your grandpa doing kickboxing might be adorable too."

"Nothing about Gramps is adorable." Cole takes a deep breath as if gearing himself up for the next item on his list. "Both of them believe in the family curse as much as I do, no matter how many times they deny it, so it's probably better if we avoid that topic tonight."

The curse . I agree with Freya when she said Cole is too smart to believe in something like that, but I saw the look in Cole's eyes after we nearly crashed today. Real or not, the curse has him terrified of emotional intimacy. He's so afraid that if he gets too close to someone, she's going to die, which is why he never lets himself truly love anyone.

I gasp as a realization forms in my head. "Is that why you and Sage never got engaged?"

Cole's thick eyebrows drop down. "What?"

Okay, yeah, I can't blame him for being confused because he wasn't following my thought process. I grab his hand as if the physical connection might let him see into my head. "Your curse. You were with Sage for so long but never got engaged. Because you didn't want her to die!"

He opens his mouth. Closes it. Opens it again. All the while staring at me with his dark eyes. They're such a dark brown that when the sun isn't shining on them, they look almost black. But they're not black because when they're in the sun they're the color of the chocolate caramel sauce I was obsessed with at the ice cream parlor near my house in Philly.

Man, I miss that sauce.

"I don't…" Cole frowns and looks down at our hands. "Maybe. Or maybe I saw all the red flags but refused to admit it to myself."

"Mel and Moxie think she broke your heart."

"She did." But he presses his lips together, like he's trying to understand something. His thumb brushes over the skin of my hand, rough but at the same time soft. His hand is so much bigger than mine, swallowing up my fingers. I'd bet if he pulled me into a hug, it would feel the same but on a full-body scale. That sounds incredibly nice. "But maybe it's not as broken as I thought," he murmurs.

What in the world is that supposed to mean?

A knock on Cole's window makes us both jump and pull apart. An older man stands in the driveway, a wide smile stretching across his handsome face. His hair is peppered with gray, his skin lined with wrinkles, but I can't decide if it's Cole's dad or grandpa because there's so much life to him. For sure he's one or the other because he looks so much like Cole.

Sighing, Cole pushes the door open. "Gramps."

Dang, Gramps looks good for a seventy-five-year-old.

"Who is this little miss?" Gramps bends down to look past Cole and get a good look at me.

I smile, suddenly nervous. "Um, hi. I'm Carissa."

"You're Carissa."

"Yes."

"This is Carissa." He says that to Cole.

Cole rolls his eyes. "Yes. Can I get out?"

"But—"

Shoving his shoulder into his grandpa, Cole knocks the man straight into the bushes to make room for himself. I nearly shout in protest, but Gramps bursts into laughter.

"Is that how you tackle on the rugby pitch, Lemon? You need to spend more time at practice, I think."

"You want to see a real tackle, old man?" Cole ducks down, arms out wide.

I scramble to get out of the car. "Cole, don't—"

But Gramps solidly punches Cole in the gut and crows in triumph as Cole goes down, crumpling into a ball on the cement. "I'm telling you, Lemon," Gramps says, looking down at him. "You're losing your touch in your old age."

I have so many questions, most of which must be on my face because Gramps starts laughing as he comes over to my side. "Please tell me you're not dating him for his muscle, Miss Carissa."

"She's not dating me at all," Cole groans from the ground. He struggles up to his feet, still hunched in on himself. But there's a smirk on his face as he narrows his eyes at his grandpa. "Was that all you've got? "

Gramps moves to hit him again, and Cole flinches away.

"If you two are going to fight," another voice says from the front door, "do it in the backyard before you take out my begonias." Cole's dad. Outside of his lighter coloring, he looks just like his son, and he's got the stern dad look dialed in as he peers down from the landing several steps above us. My dad had to use that look on Darcy and me all the time when we were growing up.

But I've never seen someone use it on their parent before.

"He started it," Gramps says, pointing at Cole.

"And I'll finish it," Cole replies and lunges forward, knocking Gramps into the closed garage door with a bang.

"That's enough of that!" I say, slipping between them before Gramps can retaliate. I put a hand on each of their chests and glare. "You're both big strong men. I get it."

Cole's dad whistles low. "And who are you?" he asks.

"This is Carissa," Gramps says.

"You're Carissa?" Cole's dad replies.

"I'm Carissa," I say, trying not to laugh.

"I think we've all established that this is Carissa," Cole says with exasperation. But then he smiles at me, and I feel every ounce of his happiness like I just got struck by lightning.

Wow.

"Are you going to bring Carissa inside?" his dad asks.

Cole coughs and glances down at my hand, still pressed to his firm chest. He hesitates for a moment before he grabs hold of it. "Right. Yes. Um, Carissa, this is my Gramps, Whit."

"Call me Gramps," Gramps says, shaking my other hand with vigor. "It is lovely to meet you, Carissa."

How many times can a person's name be said in one conversation before it starts to sound wrong? I think we're pushing the limit.

"And my dad," Cole says, nodding up the stairs. "August. "

August nods. "Carissa." There's laughter in his voice, and it makes me want to laugh along with him even if I don't understand the joke.

"That's enough of that," Cole says and gently tugs me to the stairs. "Ignore them," he tells me as we climb. "No matter what they say."

I won't be doing anything of the sort. I'm about to get an insider look into Cole Evanson, and I will be soaking in as many details as I possibly can. He already looks lighter than he ever has before now, like this is the one place he can fully relax, and I'm desperate for more of that megawatt smile of his.

If the internet knew Cole had a smile like that, he would likely replace Derek as the sexiest man alive.

August's house is much like Cole's when it comes to aesthetics, though it feels more modern and less mismatched. I love all the warm woods and colors and the way it feels so much like a home . Derek's house was great and all, but I would never feel entirely comfortable there. As I take in the open layout of the Evanson abode, I'm instantly at ease.

"Like it?" August asks, folding his arms as I meet his gaze in the entryway. He has a very easy nature, as evidenced by the soft smile on his face, and though he doesn't have his son's bulk, I can tell he keeps himself fit and healthy, just like Gramps obviously does.

I match his smile with my own. "It's beautiful."

"It's Cole's."

" Dad ," Cole grumbles.

August laughs as I turn to face the man at my side. "This is your house?" I ask Cole. "What about the one in my neighborhood?"

"That's mine," Gramps says behind us. "Built it myself in the eighties."

"Then why—"

"My son thought Gramps and I needed the space more than he did and practically forced us to move here," August says, shaking his head at Cole like he thinks he's an idiot.

Clearly uncomfortable, Cole rubs the back of his neck with his free hand; he's still holding mine with the other. "I didn't force you to do anything."

"Are you hungry?" Gramps asks me. "I've got some pulled pork sandwiches I could heat up. Unless you're one of those vegans."

I can't help but laugh at the way he's eyeing me like I might be extraterrestrial. "What's wrong with being vegan?"

"Absolutely nothing." His tone says otherwise.

"Well, I'm not, and that sounds delicious."

"You don't have to stay," Cole tells me with a squeeze of my hand. "You can go whenever you'd like, and I'll catch a ride later."

I study him for a moment, trying to figure out if he wants me to stay or if he'd be happier if I made my excuses and left. Though he isn't smiling right now, his dark, magnetic eyes seem to be saying a lot.

I hope I'm reading him right when I say, "I'll stay as long as you do."

Something sparks to life in his expression and fills me with warmth.

"Well," Gramps says, clapping his hands and heading into the kitchen. "Lemon, your girlfriend is delightful."

"Not my girlfriend," Cole says at the same time I ask, "Lemon?"

"Short for Coleman," August says with a shrug. "Sort of."

Cole slips his hand free from mine, filling me with disappointment that I shouldn't feel, but then he presses it to the small of my back as he leans in close and murmurs, "I should probably call Ethan. Will you be okay?"

August smacks his shoulder. "What are you insinuating, kid?"

Cole rolls his eyes. "That you and Gramps are menaces to society and should never be left alone with a pretty woman."

"Like that Julia Roberts movie?" Gramps asks from the kitchen.

I would laugh if I wasn't floating from Cole's compliment. He's already called me beautiful, but it feels different when he's saying it to someone else and not me alone. It feels more real .

"I can handle myself," I say when Cole looks at me, waiting for an answer to his question. His hand is still pressed to my back, which has me overheating.

Nodding, he pulls out his phone and disappears deeper into the house, the warmth of his touch lingering.

The instant Cole is gone, August shuffles me into the kitchen and directs me to a stool at the counter where Gramps is assembling sandwiches. "Tell us everything," he says as Gramps leans in.

I blink. "Everything about what?"

"You and Cole!" Gramps says, like it should be obvious. "When did you start dating?"

"Never," I reply. "We're not dating."

"But you've been to my house."

"Once."

"Did he make you dinner?" August asks.

I glance between the two men, trying to decide how much I should tell them. Cole didn't prepare me for a full on interrogation. "Yes, but—"

"Date," both men say together. Then Gramps says, "You were driving his car."

"Because he's letting me borrow it," I argue. "I…" I pause when my phone buzzes with a text. Though it's rude to check it in the middle of a conversation, I so rarely get texts that I'm too curious not to.

It's from a number I don't know.

Unknown number:

How is Cole?

"Bad news?" August asks.

Looking up, I shake my head and smile at the way he looks so concerned on my behalf. "Just a text from a number I don't recognize. It must be someone who knows Cole."

"Is it a 310 or a 424?" Gramps asks.

I look down at the area code. "Um, a 310. "

"516 or 891?"

"891."

"That'll be Bonnie," Gramps says with confidence.

Sure enough, another text comes in a second later.

Unknown number:

Oh, this is Bonnie, by the way! Bonnie Aiken.

"You have all of Cole's friends' numbers memorized?" I ask as I save Bonnie's number in my contacts. "I don't even have my own parents' numbers memorized."

Gramps scoffs. "Kids these days."

"Not all of us have a photographic memory," August says with the weariness of someone who has had this conversation many times.

They start arguing, and I turn my full focus to my phone.

Carissa:

Hi Bonnie!

I think he's okay. We're with his dad and grandpa right now.

Bonnie:

Oh good. Gramps can always get him in a good mood.

I hear you got a taste of the paparazzi. Are YOU okay?

Carissa:

I'm fine. But I also haven't gotten on the internet since it happened.

Bonnie:

We haven't seen anything show up yet, but we'll keep you posted.

Tell the Evansons I say hi!

"Bonnie says hi," I say immediately upon receiving the message; it sounded like their argument was getting heated, and I figured I should interrupt.

Gramps grins wide. "Bonnie is a lovely one. Not quite as lovely as Princess Freya, but close. I'm glad she found herself a man like Hank. Have you met her fella?"

"I met her fella a couple of months ago in Sun City," I say, giggling with the word ‘fella.' "I didn't really get a chance to get to know him, but he seemed nice. I've hung out with everyone else, though. Including Freya."

"She fancies me, you know," Gramps says.

"In your dreams, old man," August replies with a roll of his eyes. "Cole doesn't normally introduce strangers to his friends."

I can hear the accusation as much as the curiosity, both of which bring a smile to my face. "Oh, he didn't have a choice. My sister married Houston Briggs and became friends with Bonnie, and Cole was furious when I showed up at Derek's house the other day."

"Houston Briggs? Now there's an athlete," Gramps says, almost wistfully. "I miss seeing him on the mound."

I raise an eyebrow. "Are you a Red-tails fan?"

"Nah, Dodgers, but you can't deny Briggs was good at what he did."

"He's also an incredible brother-in-law."

"So what brings you to LA?" August asks. "More importantly, how did you end up with the Thunder and getting together with Cole?"

I chuckle, shaking my head at the way both men watch me so intently. Cole wasn't kidding when he warned me they would be relentless. "We're not together," I say again. "And I was working as a physical therapist back East but had to find something new, and a connection of mine got me in with the team here, on the sports medicine team. "

"With Mel?" August asks. "She's great, though she's had a tough break this year with the divorce."

I nod, wishing I could do more for Mel. She's trying so hard to make things work on her own, but it's easy to see she's slowly drowning. "Hopefully I can be helpful to her."

"I'm sure you will be." Gramps reaches across the counter and pats my hand when he says this. "Now, how about you start explaining how you and Cole came to be a couple."

"Friends," I correct.

"Agree to disagree."

Wrinkling my nose and grinning at him, I shake my head but start talking anyway. "He offered me a ride yesterday after I missed the bus."

"Cole was driving?" August asks, clearly surprised.

"No, it was a rideshare. But after that, he and Moxie decided it wasn't safe for me to take the bus, so he offered to let me borrow his car and give him rides to practices."

August and Gramps exchange glances, and I wish I could hear their silent conversation. Even if I'm mostly in the dark, it's clear they're surprised Cole would let me use his car. "Moxie is a good man," August says.

"And very handsome," Gramps adds.

"He's a catch, for sure."

"Not as good as Cole, of course."

"Obviously."

I bite my lip. "Maybe I should tell you both that I have strict rules against dating people I work with."

"Why?" they ask at the same time.

Shaking my head, I consider telling them about my sordid past but decide against it. I'm glad Cole knows, but I'd rather keep it as close to the vest as I can. "Reasons," I say.

"That's why you think you're not dating Cole?" Gramps asks .

"That's why I'm not dating Cole."

That gets them both laughing, and I can't help but join in because these men are delightful and warm and remind me of home. While I did sleep better last night after my evening with Cole, this is the first time since Darcy headed to the airport that I don't feel the pain of homesickness.

Can I just stay here always? The house is big enough that there's probably a guest room somewhere.

"So you're not interested in Moxie?" Gramps asks.

Before I can answer, a soft voice behind me says, "Moxie has bigger things to worry about than dating right now." Cole comes up beside me, arm brushing mine as he reaches forward to grab the plates Gramps has made up for us. "Sorry, boys, but I need to steal Carissa now. And no, you can't come with us."

Both of them grumble and groan, but Cole ignores them.

Giving August and Gramps a smile, I follow Cole out onto a beautiful deck that overlooks a luscious garden. The sun has sunk low enough that the whole yard is in shadow, nice and cool compared to the heat we get during the day, and with the trees dotting the property line, everything is calm and quiet back here, like the rest of the city has disappeared.

"This is amazing," I say.

Cole chuckles as he sets the plates on a gorgeous wood table and gestures for me to sit across from him. "Not darling?"

I grin. "It's that too. If this is your house, why don't you live here? I mean, don't get me wrong. The other house is great too. But this one is extra nice." And it has a pool, which looks terribly inviting.

"I spend plenty of time here too, but I like having my own space. Dad and Gramps put up with a lot, raising me, so I figured they deserve the nicer house for a while."

"So they both raised you? "

He shrugs, poking at his sandwich. "Single parenting is not for the faint of heart, and Gramps was alone for so long. Same with my dad. We all look out for each other."

Cole told me about his grandma and his mom, but I guess I never put two and two together. Gramps and August both lost their wives far too early. It's heartbreaking.

To keep myself from tearing up in sympathy, I put my focus into the sandwich and take a bite. The pork is sweet and spicy, and Gramps added a layer of cool coleslaw onto a bun that is way fancier than the ones I buy at the store. "Holy mama, this is good," I say with my mouth full.

Cole laughs. "Gramps is way better at cooking than I am."

"Yeah," I agree after I swallow. Then I wince. "I mean, dinner last night was delicious! But this is…"

Biting his lip in amusement, Cole watches as I take another bite. "Better," he repeats with a nod. "I'm only a little offended that you didn't hesitate with your agreement."

Heat floods my cheeks, though I honestly can't say if it's from embarrassment or because of the way he watches me as he digs in to his own sandwich.

We're both quiet until our sandwiches are gone, but that's about as long as I can wait before I start asking questions. "What did you mean when you said Moxie has bigger things to worry about?"

Tension fills Cole's shoulders, and I worry I asked something I shouldn't, but then he says, "Coach pulled me aside after practice today."

"I noticed that."

"He wants to replace Moxie as captain."

I gasp and get the sudden urge to drive straight over to the coach's house—wherever that might be—and give him a piece of my mind. "Are you kidding? That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard."

"That's what I told him. "

"Why would he tell you something like that? Doesn't he know you and Moxie are friends?"

Cole tips his head to one side, like my question confuses him. "You think we're friends?"

Well now I don't. "Aren't you?"

"I guess so."

"That's not what friends say."

"As I'm sure you're starting to guess, I don't easily get close to people. Especially lately." He shakes his head, keeping his eyes on his empty plate. "Coach wants me to be captain, which is an even stupider idea than replacing Moxie in the first place."

I try to imagine Cole taking up Moxie's role, but no matter how much I'm starting to like this guy, I can't see it.

He snorts a laugh. "Yeah, see? It's stupid."

I wrinkle my nose. "I'm not good at hiding my thoughts. Clearly."

"I like that about you."

At the rate we're going, this man is going to make it so hard to keep thinking of him as just a friend. It was only yesterday that I worried he would ruin my unsteady life here in California because he hated me and my connection to Darcy's reporter life, and now he's calling me beautiful and telling me things he likes about me.

This is a dangerous game we're playing, but I'm no quitter.

"What'll you do if Coach decides to make the switch?" I ask, running my finger along the edge of my plate.

Cole watches the movement with an intensity that makes me shiver. "I don't know. It's not like the team respects me, but I don't know who else could do the job. It's always been Mox."

At least he knows that he's not a favorite among the other guys, but that doesn't make the situation better.

"Okay, what about this?" I say, pushing my plate to the side and resting my elbows on the table. "Say the coach makes a stupid decision and puts you in as captain instead of Moxie. What's to stop the two of you from working together? You technically hold the title, but you defer to Moxie."

A beautiful smile lifts his lips as he leans closer and rests one hand on the table, dangerously close to mine. "So basically keep everything the same?"

"Exactly."

"I don't think Coach would go for that."

"It's not like he comes to practices anyway."

Cole's eyes glitter with amusement in a way that sets my belly fluttering. "Good point."

I force myself to ignore the attraction building between us, even though it feels like something is pulling taut, threatening to snap at any moment. "So this is why you were in a bad mood?"

He nods. "Then the paparazzo took pictures of you, and… Well, you saw the rest. I'm sorry. I should never have let myself drive in that state."

Reaching across the small space between us, I take hold of his hand and try not to dwell on the way something sparks between our skin. It's just static electricity. Not a spark of connection. "Cole, you were trying to protect me from that guy. I can't be mad about that."

"But you can be mad that I nearly got you hurt. Or worse." His fingers flex around mine as he takes a slow, deliberate breath, his dark eyes on me. "Carissa…" Whatever he's about to say, I'm riveted to every word. "I…"

Piano music starts filling the air, like it's coming from the heavens. Am I hallucinating? Strings start up next, and a male voice begins singing about whether or not he's told someone he loves her.

Cole shuts his eyes with a groan. "Are you serious?"

"You hear that too?"

He turns to the house and shouts, "Turn it off! "

Two faces disappear from a dark window at the same time the blinds fall closed.

Cole leaps to his feet, but I tighten my hold on him so he doesn't go far. "I'm gonna kill them," he grumbles.

It is taking everything in me not to start laughing. "I think it's adorable."

"Van Morrison?" he shouts at the house. "Really?"

A slightly muffled voice replies, "It's a classic!" I have no idea which one of them speaks.

Cole sighs. "We should head out. It's your first game tomorrow."

I am so excited to see the Thunder in action, even if I feel wildly unprepared for my role on the sidelines. Hopefully no one gets injured and I can just be there to supply water and encouragement. I'm great at encouragement.

"We're sneaking out the side gate," Cole says, tugging me to the side of the house. "They don't deserve to say goodbye to you."

It's not until we're in the car and halfway to Cole's other house—Gramps's house, I guess—when I remember. "Oh, what did Ethan say?"

Cole's expression grows hard, which doesn't feel very promising. "He said we'll just have to wait."

I don't like that, but at the same time, I almost don't care. Tonight was another great night with Cole, and as long as I can keep learning more about who he is, does it really matter what people say about us?