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I simply nodded in reply. When we reached my front doorstep, Cole turned to me, his face far more serious than it had been before.

“I don’t know if I can continue with the competition,” he said.

“What?” It was the last thing I expected him to say.

“I can’t date other girls when I know the way you feel about me. It isn’t right.” I couldn’t deny that I enjoyed hearing him say those words, and my heart swelled as he spoke, but I already knew he couldn’t leave the contest—as much as I might like it.

“But you’re the bachelor. Can you even quit?” I asked.

“Sure…” he said, though I could hear the doubt in his voice.

“What about the charity and everyone who's been voting?” I asked.

“Well, we’ve already reached the goal,” he replied.

“Yes, but you’d be letting people down…”

The realization seemed to deflate him, and he let out a long breath. “You’re right,” he said. “Plus, I can’t imagine Angus agreeing to let me go.”

I didn’t want to be right. This was one time I’d quite happily be wrong.

“So, if you can’t leave the contest, what are we going to do about us?” I asked.

“I really like you saying that,” Cole said, with a grin. “Us.”

“I’m serious, Cole. What are we going to do?”

“Right, that,” he said, suddenly thoughtful. He lifted a hand to grip the back of his neck as he contemplated it. “I guess we can’t really date until the contest is over.”

“Yeah, that’s what I figured.”

“It’s just until next weekend, so it’s not too long,” Cole said, though his face gave the impression he felt like it was forever. “We just have to get through the group date on Friday night and then two single dates with the final two next week.”

I frowned as I considered the obstacles that lay ahead of us, but he gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s going to be you and Willow in the final two. And she’s my cousin, you know that, right?”

I nodded. It did make me feel better knowing that Cole's only other single date would be with his cousin.

“So, we’re just keeping this a secret until next weekend?” I said.

“Only until next weekend,” he agreed. “But I can’t pretend to be interested in the other girls. Angus will just have to deal.”

“So, you’re not interested in Laurie or Teagan?” I sounded nervous, and my chest grew tight as I waited for him to answer. I wasn’t even sure why I’d asked him about them.

He lifted an eyebrow. “Madi, were you even here for the last few minutes of our life?”

The look of total disapproval on his face made me laugh “Okay, okay, you only like me.”

“Damn straight, I only like you,” he replied.

His words made my heart flutter. Every moment I spent with Cole, I could feel myself falling in deeper.

Man, I was in trouble.

21

Cole

Icouldn’t keep the stupid grin from my face at school. Madi Matthews liked me. She actually liked me. It almost felt like Monday night was a dream. But when I saw her beaming at me from her locker first thing in the morning, I knew that I hadn’t made it up.