Page 17 of It Happened Back Then (Nilsson Family #3)

I t’s late afternoon, and Swoops Nest is quiet before the dinner rush.

Meadow and I are sitting at the end of the bar, enjoying one too many.

It’s been over a week since we had any real time together.

She needed a few days alone so I manned the boutique, which was extra busy.

We don’t talk about anything heavy; we’re just two sisters out having a good time.

Cole was a bit standoffish when we entered, and I’m not sure if he was just giving us girl time or if he had questions about where she’d been.

Makes me realize she may have gone completely radio silent with everyone. Including him.

Eventually, he stopped sulking and joined us, which means I get to listen to the two of them pretend they’re not flirting.

“I’m just saying, if I were to be January’s maid of honor, the most boring part of the night wouldn’t be so boring at all.”

“Are you saying my best man speech is going to be boring?” Cole retorts. He’s Drake’s best friend and I can’t wait to hear what he has to say.

“Since I haven’t heard it yet, I can’t say yes or no, but I do know anything scheduled and planned usually is.” She eyes him, daring him to argue.

“I love the speeches. They should come from the heart and mean something. They should be fun too, but they need to be sincere at the same time, ya know?” I bump her shoulder. “Mead, you’d probably have a slideshow ready to embarrass her.”

She smirks and throws back her glass, finishing it in one gulp before placing it on the bar and pushing it forward looking for a refill.

Cole stares at her for a moment, hand on his hip, while she gives him the same look back, like they are reading each other's minds.

He licks his lips before grabbing the wine bottle and refilling her glass.

Even I can feel the heat kick up in here.

“I’d share all the juicy details. It wouldn’t be a boring speech of ‘I love my big sister and I’m so happy to see her find the love of her life’.

It’d be ‘Ya’ll should know my sister is a freak, and from what I’ve heard coming from behind those bedroom walls, so is Drake’.

” Cole and I snicker at her words. “But a slideshow is a good idea too.”

“You’ve heard them?” I ask in horror.

“One morning when I stopped by to get Lily.” She waves her hand like it’s no big deal. “She was still sleeping, but they weren’t. They’re not quiet. It’s like they want to get caught.”

“Must run in the family,” Cole mutters.

“A little excitement never hurt anyone, Mr. DuPont,” she replies haughtily. “Don’t act like you don’t love excitement.”

I shake my head and whisper into my glass. “God, just kiss already.”

“Excuse me?”

I finish my drink and push it forward for more as I say, “ Oh, nothing. Just waiting to see which one of you caves first, like with a kiss and not that nonsense that goes on in the stockroom.”

Meadow gives me a sideways look then resorts to her usual absorption in her nail polish. Her nonchalant brush off is a lie because I see the way her jaw ticks. Cole begins to wipe down the bar, but his face gives something else away. Something weird passes through the air.

“I don't kiss,” she says matter-of-factly.

Cole jumps in. “No, you just tease everyone you come in contact with. You flirt like you’re training for the Olympics.”

“Teasing and blow jobs are much more fun than a little kiss.” Meadow slowly spins her glass on the bartop. “Besides, maybe I’m just waiting for someone worth the gold medal.”

I choke slightly on my wine. “Okay, I’m officially uncomfortable. I’ve got my own crap right now, and I’m not prepared to walk you through yours.”

Cole says in a teasing tone, “You were the one who brought up kissing.”

“Well, yeah, but not right now. Or here. In front of me. No thanks.”

“Oh please. I had to watch that awkward interaction between you and Bennett in the store that day.” In a high pitched voice, she says, “Oh Bennett. Where have you been all my life?” When I push her she just laughs and says, “Would you rather watch me flirt with the bartender or walk in on our older sister and the delivery guy in the bathroom?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. Sounds like the bathroom sex led to less of a complication.”

Cole locks his eyes on Meadow and steps forward, leaning on the bar. “Complication is good. Means it's something real, something worth fighting for.”

Whoa. I look at my sister, noting the indecision on her face. Like she wants to give in, but she’s too used to doing things on her own, being the one in charge, steering every conversation and action to be under her control.

Maybe she’s finally met her match.

She sits taller on her stool, meeting his stare, and I see Maneater Meadow ready to strike back.

“Complication can’t be scheduled. And real is messy.

” Meadow hops off her stool, brushing her fingers over the top of the bar as she turns toward the restrooms. She keeps eye contact with Cole as she drawls, “Isn’t that right, bartender? ”

“Sure is, Chaos.” I watch him watch her walk to the back. He never takes his eyes off her and tracks every sway of her hips. As she disappears down the hall, I clear my throat, and he looks at me as I say, “Oh yeah. Nothing’s going on there at all .”

Cole just smirks and grabs the rag again, cleaning the same spot, and then I see his smirk fade. He pauses, eyes downcast, his body suddenly tense, his expression nervous. I wait a moment to see if he’ll speak up, and when he doesn’t I say, “Just ask me, Cole.”

He looks up and his eyes are full of questions. “Think she’ll ever let someone in?”

He likes her.

I hold his stare. I don’t know Cole well, but he and Drake landed in Bluemoon after leaving their hometown in Florida behind.

I respect their decision, and maybe even envy it.

They just decided to one day take charge of their own destiny.

From what Drake has said, Cole is not spontaneous, preferring order in everything he does, which means it took guts for him to uproot is entire life and move across the country.

And I’m sure meeting my sister has him spiraling. She’s the last one of us to ever walk the straight line.

“She’s a tornado, Cole. You never know when they’re going to happen.

There’s little warning before the alarms are ringing.

They pop up out of nowhere, suck you in, and spin you around.

” He holds my stare. “But sometimes the little warning is enough to get down to the basement, hold on tight and wait out the wildest ride of your life. Then, when the storm dies out, you rebuild.”

“I've never ridden out a storm before.”

“You're in Montana now, Cole. Tornadoes aren’t too frequent, but they’re bound to happen. And at the most unscheduled times.”

We chuckle together as the jukebox begins to play “Wild Woman” by Riley Green . I lean around him as he glances over his shoulder, and we see Meadow choosing tunes. He huffs a laugh and shakes his head before looking at me with dazed eyes.

I give him a smug grin. “If you’re going to fall for Meadow Nilsson, you better be ready to hang on for dear life.

“I think I could handle a little weather.”

“Good. Because she’s worth it.”

A jingle of the front door has us turning to see who enters. And when I see Bennett strutting through, my heart rate increases. Our eyes lock, the corners of his mouth curving up as he walks closer. Everything about this man is absolutely stunning.

What the fuck are you waiting for, Blossom?

“Oh yeah, nothing going on there,” Cole whispers low, throwing my own words back at me.

I give him a side eye. “Mind your business, bartender.”

He chuckles and greets Bennett as he steps up beside me. “Hey man, how’s it going?” He reaches into the ice in front of him and pulls out a cold beer, popping the top and sliding it to Bennett as he sits in the seat next to me.

“It’s good, was a quiet night.” He glances at me with a smug grin. “Except for the text I just got.”

“What text?”

He smirks, clearly enjoying this. “From Meadow. It said, ‘Your girl’s a few drinks away from dancing on tables. Come get her.’ ”

My eyes widen. “She did not .”

“She did. With three exclamation points.”

Cole lets out a snort. “She wasn’t wrong.”

“Mind your business,” I mutter again, shooting him a glare.

Bennett leans closer, his voice low and playful. “So how many drinks away are you from dancing on tables?”

“That depends. Are you gonna catch me if I fall?”

He grins and knocks back a sip of his beer, eyes never leaving mine. “I’ll always catch, my girl.”

Those five words hit my heart. We haven’t had the conversation but hearing him say that gives me hope. The room tilts. He’s too close, and I’m too aware of the way his knee brushes mine under the bar. And I swear, I’m seconds away from telling him I’m ready.

He takes another long pull of his beer before standing. “Alright, let’s get you out of here before this becomes that kind of night.”

I roll my eyes, but I’m already reaching for my bag. “Meadow is a storyteller. I’m not even tipsy.”

He slides a steady arm around my waist, guiding me toward the door. “Sure.”

“Have a good night, guys.” Cole’s tone is sarcastic, and when I turn around, I see Meadow making a beeline for him.

“Watch out for tornadoes!” I yell back.

We step into the cool night air, and it hits me how easy it feels just being beside him.

“So where are we going?” I ask as we reach his truck.

“My place. I’m going to give you a cooking lesson. ”

I blink up at him. “A cooking lesson? I don’t need to learn when I’ve already got you.”

He opens the passenger door for me, his eyes gleaming. “You’ve already got me, huh?”

I shrug, sliding in and already hating myself for letting the words slip out. “Maybe it’s the other way around. Your cooking lesson sounds an awful lot like a date.”

“Only if you want it to be.” He winks, closing the door.

And as he walks around the front of the truck, I can’t help but smile. Because maybe I am a few drinks away from dancing on a table, but this feels like something even better.

It feels like coming home.