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twenty-six

Cole

“There she is,” I say as I find Rory outside the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel.

We all checked into our rooms last night, so we were around to help Josh and Ella with anything throughout the day today. We spent a lot of time putting together welcome bags for all of the guests checking in tonight before the wedding tomorrow.

Because of that, Rory and I have spent a lot of time together today, but not without everyone else around us. This is the first time I’ve seen her alone since her birthday a week ago.

“Hey, Sparrow,” she smiles, lighting up the dim hallway.

I spot the rest of our friends walking over to join us in the hall as we prepare for the wedding rehearsal, but that doesn’t stop me from getting close to Rory. It’s not like they don’t know what we did anyway.

“I’ve missed you,” I whisper. “I’ve barely seen you this month.”

She sighs. “I miss you, too. I’m sorry for basically falling off the face of the Earth. I’m just completely in my head right now.”

I lean down, lips brushing against her ear as I say, “A good fuck will do that for you.”

Rory’s head falls back as she laughs. “I cannot believe you ever used to be awkward around me.”

“A good fuck can take care of that, too, baby.”

“Are we interrupting something?” Ella asks, raising her eyebrow suggestively. We both just laugh.

“We were just talking, Ell,” Rory says. “We’re friends, remember?”

Still really fucking hate that word.

“Friends who fu-... have fun,” Lane adds, catching himself before Sage has another opportunity to turn into an adorable little parrot.

“That was one time,” I say nervously. Because I would really like for it to be more than once. A lot more than once.

“Okay, I get it now,” Harlow says with a disgusted look on her face. “I’m sorry Knox and I ever said anything around you. Please don’t talk about defiling my best friend in my presence.”

Our laughter is interrupted by the wedding coordinator arriving.

We spend the next hour perfecting everything for the ceremony tomorrow.

The guys move to the front of the room, Josh obviously standing in the center right next to the officiant. Lane, the Best Man, stands in front of me, and Knox stands behind me.

We all watch as the girls start the processional. Sage technically starts it out, but seeing as she isn’t even two yet, Harlow walks with her to help keep her focused. Rory walks next, followed by Lucia, the Maid of Honor.

Once we’re all in position at the front of the room, we watch Ella enter. She’s in a white dress, but a casual one. That doesn’t stop Josh’s breath from catching in his throat as he watches his bride-to-be step down the aisle to him.

Josh loves Ella; we all know that. But he’s not an emotional man.

Based on the way he’s watching her right now, though, he’s going to be a blubbering mess tomorrow during the actual ceremony.

And yet again, I’m envious.

I’ve never been in love, but I want it. I want what Josh has with Ella and what Knox has with my sister.

It’s so painfully obvious to everyone who I want that with.

My eyes catch Rory’s, and I can feel the pull between us. I hope she feels it, too. And I hope the pull is so strong that she can’t keep avoiding it.

She gives me a soft smile, and my stomach flutters.

I have fucking butterflies because Rory smiled at me.

Am I actually getting close to thirty? Because I kinda feel like a damn teenager right now.

I don’t hate it like I thought I would, though.

I’ve always been a happy and optimistic man, but I’ve never felt as happy as I am right now.

And that’s all because Rory is smiling at me.

Sorry, Skip, but I want your daughter. To be with your daughter.

And tonight, I’m telling her.

The rehearsal dinner may be at the Plaza Hotel, but with our friend group, you’d never be able to tell. When we’re all together, the jokes are loud and often inappropriate, the drinks flow since we’re in the offseason, and good times are had.

Tonight is absolutely no different.

Skip even takes Sage for the night, so Lane gets to let loose, which he doesn’t often get to do anymore. We get a glimpse of pre-Dad Lane; I think he loves that as much as we do. We all love Sage to death, but seeing our friend without all the stress of parenting for a night or two is nice.

Now that it’s getting late, we’re finally disbanding.

“Cooole,” Harlow says, wrapping her arms around mine and hugging me tight.

She calls me a lightweight, but she’s the one who leaves every outing tipsy.

“I think you need some water, Lo,” I laugh.

“I have a cute as hell man to do that for me when we get back to the room.”

“And I think he’s going to have to help you walk to get there.”

“Yeah,” she sighs. “If I let go of you, I might fall over.”

“Knox,” I say, looking at my friend. “Come get your girlfriend before she hurts herself.”

“You can tell she doesn’t really drink at home since she gets drunk off two glasses of wine,” he laughs, helping Harlow off of me and wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

“Wait,” Harlow says, turning back around and grabbing my face with her hands.

“You sure she only had two glasses?”

“I am not,” Knox chuckles, clearly amused right now.

“Cole, talk to her,” she says, squeezing my face.

I pry her hands off me. “I’m going to, Lo. And you need to get to sleep and drink that water. A wedding with a hangover won’t be fun.”

Knox steers her away now before turning back. “We’ll see you tomorrow, man.”

“She likes wine, but I’m not sure wine likes her,” Rory says, walking up beside me. “You heading upstairs?”

“Yeah. You?”

“I’m getting ready to head to my room now.”

“Let me walk you up. We can talk.”

She smiles at me. “I’d like that.”

We stride out of the room and to the elevator, walking side by side. Now is as good a time as any to start talking.

“So, what’s been running through your mind, Starlight?” I ask, pressing the button for the fourteenth floor.

Rory takes a deep breath and lets it out. “Just how hard all of this is.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

The elevator dings, and we both step on, starting our ascent to Rory’s floor.

“Do you think my dad is wrong?” Her voice is so soft, so vulnerable in this moment.

“Honestly? Yeah. And I don’t mean that for selfish reasons, though obviously, I do have some. Your dad is a great guy, but I do think he’s wrong to try to control who can be with you.”

“It’s because of my mom,” Rory admits. “She left because he wasn’t around much. In his mind, all baseball players are like that. They can’t spend enough time with their partner like he couldn’t, or they cheat on them or even just refuse to settle down. Harlow and Ella are my best friends, and they’re both with baseball players. He doesn’t think that about Josh and Knox. It’s only when it comes to me.”

The doors open when we arrive on her floor, so we step out, and I follow Rory to her room. “I didn’t know about any of that, but he’s wrong.” We stop outside the door to her hotel room. “Yes, there are guys like that, but not all of us.” I look right into her deep brown eyes. “Not me.”

Longing flashes across her face, and she thinks over my words. She reaches out, placing a hand on my forearm, my body alive with electricity.

“Cole,” she says, her voice sultry and sweet. “Would you like to come inside?”

My smile is wide. “I would.”

Rory lets us in, and we walk into her room. I lean back against the wall as she sits on the bed, turning to face me.

“I can’t stop thinking about you,” I say, filling the silence and finally just getting the words out in the open. “I’ve wanted you since I met you, Ror. I don’t want to be your friend.”

“Cole…”

I reach out my hand, taking hers in mine and helping her stand. “I mean it, baby. I want so much more. You are fucking phenomenal, and all I want is to show you that.”

“Your career is at stake here.” Rory looks at me, clearly conflicted in the battle between her heart and her brain.

“I don’t care,” I admit.

“You could be in the Hall of Fame, though. You shouldn’t ruin your chance at that for a girl.”

I grab her other hand and bring them both to my chest, pulling her closer to me. “You’re not a girl. You’re my fucking dream . I can’t keep pretending that you aren’t.”

“I-I… I don’t know. I’m not sure I can do that to you, Cole.”

“Rory, I know you feel this, too. There’s something between us. We could be something, Rory.”

She’s fighting with herself right now. I know she wants me, and I know she wants to save my career. Right now, I’m just waiting to see which side wins. My heart is in her fucking hands.

Her eyes are full of so much emotion. “I- we-” She takes a deep breath. “We can’t. My dad…” She looks over my face before settling on my eyes as she bores right into me, holding me hostage. And in that moment, everything aligns. “Oh my God, fuck it.”

Before I can process her words, Rory’s lips are on mine, capturing me in a searing and desperate kiss.

As soon as my brain catches up with reality, my hands are in her hair, tugging at the strands while I slip my tongue into her mouth. She moans as I do.

I lay her back on the bed, enveloping her body with mine as I use one hand to prop myself up and the other to caress her body.

“Fuck…” I say, lips brushing against hers. “Fuck, baby.”

“Cole,” she sighs as my hand cups her breast. “I want you.”

“What do you want me to do, Rory?”

Her smile is devious as she looks at me and says, “Fuck me.”

I capture her lips again, kissing her hard. “Rory,” I say, cupping her jaw and rubbing my thumb over the column of her throat. “If I climb into your bed tonight, it won’t be as your friend. If I’m going to be with you, I’m all fucking in. Anything less won’t be enough.”

“What exactly does that mean?” she asks, pressing her forehead against mine.

“That if I fuck you tonight, I’m going to keep fucking you. I’m going to take care of you—your body and your heart. I know this is a risk, but it’s one I’m willing to take. You’re worth it.”

Her smile is beautiful. It stretches to her eyes, and she looks even more stunning than she did ten seconds ago.

I didn’t know that was possible.

Rory leans up and kisses me again, her lips conveying the promise her words say after. “Then let’s risk it.”