Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“I must admit, I was hoping for us to have a lunch date on our own so we can get to know each other better,” he goes on, quickly validating my thoughts, “but this is nice, too. It just shows more about you and what you are.”
“Really? And what am I?”
He smiles thoughtfully at me. “You’re considerate of others’ feelings, of course.”
My lips are left open, unsure what to say to that.
On one hand, it’s lovely, having someone do the opposite of thinking the worst of me for once. Strange, but lovely. And yet …
“I know you made it seem like it was the plan all along,” Cole goes on with a coy smirk at me, “but I could tell you were pulling him into our plans. You were afraid he’d feel left out.” He gives me a striking, adoring glance that cracks my heart in half. “Are you always this thoughtful, Malcolm?”
And when he says my name …
Oceans of delight flood my soul. I love having his approval. His affection. His good thoughts and praise.
I wish I really was half as amazing as he thinks I am.
Still … “You think rather highly of me for us having just met,” I point out. “Or did Nadine have something to do with it? Did she talk me up to you all yesterday?”
Cole chuckles at that. “Not really. I mean, she did tell me some stuff about you, but—”
“What kind of stuff?”
“Oh, all good stuff, of course. What does she look like to you? A gossip?” That makes us both laugh—a genuine laugh. Cole folds his arms over his menu and leans forward slightly, bringing his sparkling eyes closer. “She said you were charming in a way I was not likely to find in anyone else. A one-of-a-kind. Said you were unique and creative.”
“Unique and creative? Hmm. Sounds like a lot to live up to.”
“Don’t worry. As I’m to understand it, she said literally nothing about me,” he then points out with an amused huff, “so for all you know, I’m just another boring country boy.”
Is he fishing for a compliment here? No, probably not. That’s beneath him, I’m sure.
Still, I give it. “Far from,” I say with a smile. Is this when I tell him that he’s beautiful beyond words? No, that’s overkill. “Fairview is a small country town, too. We just get more attention from food chains, have considerably less gay presence, and there’s a mall.”
Cole nods appreciatively. “Not sure Spruce will ever see the likes of a Starbucks or a shopping mall …”
“Count yourself lucky.”
“… but I’m sorry you don’t have as much ‘gay presence’ there.”
“I know it’s not exactly like Spruce hangs rainbow banners on every street corner, but even without them, I’m starting to notice a sense of … belonging here.” I look from table to table at all the different faces in the restaurant. “I know I’m just a visitor, and I … might have a slightly less positive outlook from time to time … but I feel like overall, it doesn’t matter who you are here. No one looks at you a certain way. No one wonders about you. You just do your own thing around here, whatever that thing is.”
“Oh, trust me, people do still wonder, even while doing their things,” Cole assures me with a chuckle. “I don’t think you can escape others’ attention, especially if you’re not a local.”
“Maybe it’s the way people are in this town.” I glance over a shoulder at a bored little girl who keeps flicking at her plate, eyes half-lidded, as her sweet-faced dad keeps pointing at her food in a feeble attempt to get her to eat more. A maybe-grandma nearby gnaws anxiously on her lip while ignoring her half-eaten burger to read a book, the look on her face suggesting she’s either reading Steven King or a hot and salacious erotica novel. A teenage boy at a neighboring table keeps sneaking nervous glances at a teenage girl just across the aisle who doesn’t seem to notice his existence; you can read the longing on his face, and his basket of fries has long since gone cold. “Everyone seems to have a life here.”
“Do you feel like you don’t have a life in Fairview?”
The honesty—or perhaps directness—of his question hits me. Do I not have real friends? A direction? A plan? Have I ever been allowed the space to have my own direction or plan with my dad on top of me all of the time? Do I not have a life in Fairview?
“Sorry,” says Cole. “That came out bluntly. Maybe it was rude of me to ask such a question like that over lunch.”
“No, no, it wasn’t rude.” I straighten my back and offer him a shrug. “I think I just … don’t quite know the answer to that yet. It only means you’re inspiring me to think about things I haven’t given much honest thought to.” I smile at him.