Page 58 of The Dating Pact

“But my life’s there,” I insisted.

“Is it?”

Darn it. Cole had a point. I could do my job anywhere. “But isn’t it too early to move for Everly? We’ve only just started defining this thing between us.”

Cole let out a long sigh. “Dude, you’ve had feelings for her since college. That’s a couple of years of secret longing. Seems to me you’d better get the ball rolling. Don’t you remember what happened last time you waited too long to make your move?”

Yeah, Lukas made his.

“Talk to her.” Cole’s tone was decisive and insistent; I imagined it was the same tone of voice he used to convince people to invest in his app. “And after you’ve had that conversation, send me more episodes. I need to see what happens next. I’m hooked. These comics are worse than those soap operas Mom used to watch.”

I chuckled. “Will do. Talk to you later.”

“Good luck tonight. And I’d better not see you back here unless it’s to pack up your stuff.”

I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. “Thanks for the pep talk.”

“Anytime.”

As I ended our call, feeling like a new man, my phone buzzed again, and I checked my messages.

Lukas:I was a prick

Lukas:Can we talk? Please?

Lukas:Good luck tonight

My stomach twisted into a knot. Perhaps one day I’d forgive my brother, but today wasn’t that day.