Out of the Shadow (21 page)

“
Um, hi,” Shannon said as her cheeks flushed. The hand holding Ally’s jacket trembled.

Ally took the jacket. “This is my roommate, Shannon. Shannon, this is Cole.”

Cole offered a hand and Shannon nervously shook it, her pretty eyes wide with wonder. “Nice to meet you,” she mumbled.

“
You, too,” Cole said, smiling warmly. “Ally has told me all about you.”

“
Oh, no, cuz,” Jamie said as he moved closer to Cole’s side. “Your fan club approaches.”

The smile slipped off Cole’s face as he leaned a bit, staring over Shannon’s shoulder at the small group of girls congregating a few cars away, gaping.

“
Those girls giving you trouble, Al?” he asked.

“
Nothing I can’t handle,” she said.

He nodded, not convinced, as he continued to glare in their direction. “Don’t do anything stupid, princess, and get yourself kicked out of school.”

“
Dude, those girls follow her around everywhere,” Jamie said, ignoring the pointed, dark looks Ally shot his way.

“
Yeah? And what about the boys in the locker room, James?” she ground out between clenched teeth. “Huh?”

Cole’s head snapped toward Jamie. “Are you having problems, too?”

“
Nah,” Jamie said, waving a hand. “Not really. I’ll tell you about it later.”

“
Sure,” Cole said, squeezing Ally’s shoulders. He smiled down on her and her heart went wild. “Ready to get out of here, princess?”

“
Yes, and don’t call me that,” she said but the threatening tone was absent from her voice.

He winked, kissed the tip of her nose, and released her so he could grab her bag. He fished his keys out of his pocket and pushed the button to pop the trunk. He tossed her bag inside, slammed the trunk, and offered a fist to Jamie.

“
Hey, bro, RJ wants you to give him a call,” Cole said, suddenly remembering. “He said you have a home game tomorrow and he wants to come. I think Ren and Parker want to come, too.”

Shannon whimpered at the mention of the band members and Ally stifled a giggle. Inspiration struck and her eyes widened when they landed on Jamie. “James, why don’t you introduce them to Shannon if they come? Maybe they could sit with her at the game.”

“
Ally!” Shannon said, her face flushed.

“
No problem,” Jamie said as he tossed his arm around Shannon’s shoulders. “I’ll babysit.”

Ally giggled and stepped forward to kiss Jamie’s cheek. “I’ll see you two later.”

Cole punched Jamie playfully on the shoulder before offering up a fist in which Jamie bumped. “See you, bro. We’ll get together Sunday night or something.”

“
You kids have fun,” Jamie said, his eyes sparkling wickedly.

Cole opened the driver’s side door and nodded at Ally. She jumped in and scooted over to the other seat. Cole slid in behind the wheel but instead of sparking up the engine, he turned to her instead. A slow smile slid across his face. “Come here, Al.”

She leaned over the console and he cupped her cheeks, drawing her closer. He crushed his lips to her, causing her pulse to skyrocket, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He deepened the kiss, unmindful of the audience still standing in the parking lot. When they finally drew apart, his smile returned.

“
I’ve been waiting a long time to do that,” he said.

“
Me, too,” she said breathlessly.

“
Let’s go, princess,” he said as he started the engine.

She sat back in her seat, grinning in anticipation. She couldn’t believe she’d have an entire weekend with him. She couldn’t wait for it to get started.

Chapter Thirteen

Cole held her hand as he steered his car through the light highway traffic, his heart finally at rest. He was pretty exhausted even though he’d slept ten hours the night before, but he wasn’t going to let a tiny thing like weariness interfere with his weekend with Ally.

He gave her hand a squeeze and flashed a quick smile in her direction. She returned it, her face radiant with happiness. She scooted closer to wrap her free hand around his bicep before leaning over and kissing his cheek.

“
I’m so happy that you’re home,” she said, her light flowery scent wafting to his nose. “When are you ever going to tell me where we’re going?”

He chuckled as he switched lanes. His exit was two miles away – they were drawing close.

“
I’ll tell you now,” he said with a shrug. “Jamie helped me find this little bed and breakfast place. It has some cottages and I rented us one for the weekend.”

“
Really?” she asked, squeezing his arm and bouncing in her seat.

“
Yep,” he said, his lips pulling away from his teeth in a large smile. “It’s supposed to be a really nice place.”

“
I can’t wait,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

He exited the highway and found a two lane road lined with tall trees with leaves in an array of oranges, yellows, and browns. Wooden fences ran alongside the road, several of them containing grazing horses. The houses were sparse and the area so tranquil and quiet that Cole was impressed. He’d have to remember to mention it to Jamie next time he saw him.

A wooden sign marked a long, dirt drive that led to the Weeping Willows Bed and Breakfast. Cole turned and slowed as the drive wound through the trees and curled around a languid lake, complete with a flock of Canadian geese plucking at the long grass the edged the lake.

“
This is beautiful, Cole,” Ally gasped, her eyes darting all around, trying to take in every single detail. “It’s perfect!”

“
Good,” he said as he parked and cupped her cheek. She kissed him and he had to pull his body away from her. “Let’s check in and then maybe we can take a walk and check the place out.”

“
Okay,” she said as she yanked on the door handle.

He waited for her in front of the car and took her hand when she reached him. They climbed the creaky steps of the wraparound porch as she admired the handsome, Victorian house. He held the door for her and she gasped once she stepped inside.

What had once been an elaborate family home had been transformed into a charming inn. A long desk sprawled across one wall and a free-standing, stone fireplace created another wall. Cole peered at it and could see that it went all the way through to the next room which seemed to be a sitting area.

The hardwood floors were old and in terrible need of refinishing but they added character. And as they approached the desk, he noticed a pair of French doors that had been thrown open to reveal an intimate dining room.

“
Can I help you?” an elderly woman wearing a pair of bifocals and a welcoming smile asked. She moved behind the desk and consulted a computer. “Do you have reservations?”

“
Yes,” Cole said as he dropped Ally’s hand and yanked his wallet out of his back pocket. “Cole Crawford.”

The woman punched the keyboard, her graying brows scrunched together as she watched the monitor. Finally, her smile returned as she reached under the desk and produced a set of keys. “Here you are.” She gave Cole an amount and handed him the keys as he handed her his credit card.

She finished the transaction and fixed them with another smile, giving him a map. “The dining room opens at six in the morning and closes at nine every night,” she told them. She pointed to a display propped on the desk. “There are some brochures that list some of the things that go on around town.”

“
Thanks,” Cole said as Ally plucked one from the holder. He took her hand again and led her back to the car. He opened the map and found their cottage. “Let’s go see if the place is worth the hype.”

Once again they followed the winding road behind the Victorian house, past a lap pool and a bright white gazebo sitting in the middle of a yellowed, dying garden. They found their cottage set back off the road near the lake. They got out of the car and Cole collected their bags while Ally gazed at the lake.

“
Take the key, Al,” he said as he shouldered their bags. She ran ahead to the low slung cottage with the slanted roof that looked like it belonged in a fairy tale. She opened the door and allowed him to pass.

He dropped the bags and fumbled for her hand, yanking her to his chest. He kissed her then edged back, a half-grin on his face. “What do you think?”

The cottage was small with a combination kitchen/living area. A fieldstone fireplace took up one wall and the window offered a view of the lake. The furniture was rustic as was the woven throw rug in front of the hearth.

“
It’s adorable,” she said as she pecked his cheek then wandered around, exploring. She opened a door and flipped a light switch. “Found the bathroom.”

“
That’s a good thing,” he quipped as he picked up the bags and opened the other door. He turned on the light and revealed a queen sized bed covered with a handmade quilt. A tall dresser sat opposite it with a hefty, round candle on top.

He placed the bags on the bed and returned to the kitchenette area where Ally was opening cupboards and drawers.

“
Find anything good?” he asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“
Bunch of dishes and stuff,” she said. “No food, though. Sucks for you.”

“
I’ll live,” he said. “Want to take a walk before dinner?”

“
Yes,” she said and turned in his arms. She rolled to her toes and he pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Let’s go.”

He took her hand and they left the cottage. They strolled around the grounds, eventually making their way to the gazebo. He brushed the leaves off the bench and they sat. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“
Thank you for this, Cole,” she said, resting a hand on his thigh. “This is so perfect.”

“
You don’t have to thank me, Al,” he said. “I wanted to do this. And this is nice, especially after traveling all over the country.”

They sat together, quietly, neither feeling the urge to speak. He loved it that way – loved that they didn’t always feel the need to fill in any silences. He liked being with her no matter what they did and times like this were extremely calming.

“
Do you want to go into town tonight, princess?” he asked.

“
Nope, let’s just eat in the dining room then hang out in the cottage,” she said. “And don’t call me that.”

He kissed the top of her head and chuckled. “Let’s go clean up and grab some food.”

***

After dinner, they walked back to the cottage and he built a roaring fire in the fireplace. She sat on the rug and snuggled into him. She couldn’t remember ever being so happy.

He slid them down until they were lying on the floor, and wrapped her in his arms. He placed short kisses on her cheeks, her neck, and her lips. She lost herself in his eyes as she lifted a hand to his face. She could tell that he hadn’t taken the time to shave that morning as his stubble pricked her fingers. But she didn’t mind – she thought it made him look more rugged. And it got her heart all in a tizzy.

“
I love you, Cole,” she whispered.

He kissed her slowly, his hands winding in her hair. Her pulse raced through her veins as her body melted into his and her temperature rose a couple degrees. He broke the kiss, his chest heaving as much as hers.