He laughed. “Alexandra, why do you want me to stop it? I like you. I’ve been pretty upfront about that. When a guy likes a girl, he flirts with her. It’s in our genes. We don’t know how to be any other way.”

“That’s bull honky.”

He laughed again. “Bull honky? What happened to bullshit? Is that how you talk around these parts, darlin’?

“Darlin’? Now I know I’m not all fancy and from California like you are but I do know that ‘Darlin’’ is a Southern term. Now, who’s fakin’?”

He glanced over with a mischievous stare. “You caught me. Can’t get anything past you, huh? I’m trying to impress you, is it working?”

I giggled. I couldn’t help it. “I’m here, aren’t I? I’m kinda digging you calling me darlin’, no one’s ever called me that before.”

“I’m almost certain no one’s ever done a lot of things to you before,” he hesitated. “And I’ll tell you what, I really love that.”

“Yeah… yeah… yeah… just drive, Casanova.” I sat forward.

We arrived at the lighthouse. Cole took some pictures, and he made me pose for him for some of them. I’m usually not much for photos, but I enjoyed being the center of his attention.

“The view from up here is amazing. It’s my second favorite thing about Oak Island.” He leaned against the railing and I followed suit.

“It is pretty ridiculous. I haven’t been up here in a long time.”

“That’s a shame.”

“Yeah,” I replied, taking in the fresh air and the smell of the ocean. The breeze was a nice change of pace from the hot, humid summer.  I forgot how much I loved it up here.

“Aren’t you going to ask me what my favorite thing is?” he asked, moving a little closer to me, causing his cologne to instantly assault my senses. It was difficult not turning to him just to breathe him in.

“I don’t know, are you going to say something cheesy or flirty? Or are you going to be honest?”

“I’m always honest.”

I gave him a skeptical look and he held up three fingers again like when we first met, making me smile.

“You, Alexandra, you’re my favorite thing about Oak Island.”

Our eyes connected, and for the first time I didn’t have to question him.

The truth was written all over his face.

“So, tell me something about yourself that no one knows,” he inquired.

“Hmm…”

“Not even Lucas,” he added.

“Now that’s a hard one, there isn’t anything Lucas doesn’t know.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you’re here with me. That tells me there’s a lot that Lucas doesn’t know about you. If he did, you wouldn’t be here.”

I nonchalantly shook my head. I wasn’t ready to let him in like that, not this fast. I could lie to you and tell you it was because I didn’t trust him, but that wasn’t it. Cole was as sincere as they come. Over the years, our friendship would develop in ways that would have him replacing Lucas.

The truth was…

I wasn’t prepared to let that happen so soon.

I shrugged and he accepted my silent request by not pressuring me to give him more than I already had.

“Let’s talk about you,” I reiterated, challenging him to see if he would let me in right from the start or if it would also occur over time.

“I’m an open book, ask me anything.”

Well that answers that.

“You said you didn’t have many friends. Why is that?”

“Starting off with the big guns, eh?”

“Maybe.”

“Alright.” He nodded. “Duly noted. This last year was my first year at a real school, well a private school anyway. Before that, I was homeschooled. My parents wanted me to have the best education, so I wasn’t surrounded by kids my age unless I was going to charity functions or stupid shit like that.”

“That sounds sad.”

“I could say the same to you.”

I was taken aback. “To me? I have lots of friends.”

“Do you? Because I’ve only met or seen you with four.”

My eyes moved all around me, contemplating what he insinuated.

“I told you, we’re more alike than you think. Something tells me you already knew that, too. Or else you definitely wouldn’t be here.”

I glanced over at the side of his face and he appeared deep in thought.

“Cole.”

He turned to face me.

“I think I’m going to like us being friends.”

“I know I’m going to want us to be more,” he simply stated.

“Duly noted.” I grinned followed by a quick nod. “I’m hungry. Let’s go get lunch.”

He trailed close behind me and I knew he wanted to grab my hand, I could sense it. I think that’s why I kept them folded over my chest. I didn’t want to give myself the option.

Of letting him.

It didn’t take long for us to get to my parents’ restaurant. I showed him a few more sites on the way there and we laughed the entire time, enjoying our banter and not taking the seriousness of our conversation from the lighthouse with us.

I saw them as soon as we walked into the restaurant and I should have known better. I did it to myself. Again it had me contemplating whether I did it on purpose or not. Subconsciously wanting to hurt Lucas.

“Half-Pint,” Dylan hollered, waving me over to their table. Aubrey sat beside him. Jacob was next to her with Macy, a girl he had started seeing. Across from them were Austin and some girl I had never seen before, but right in front of Dylan sat Lucas with Stacey firmly wrapped around his arm. I swear she held him tighter when she saw me.

“Come on,” I said to Cole, who immediately grabbed my hand, leading the way to their table. I watched Lucas’ glare go from him to our interlocked hands.

To be completely honest, I was shocked as hell, too. Cole knew everything without me ever having to tell him, and I learned it at that very moment.

If he could see it and he had just met me then why couldn’t Lucas?

“Hey,” I greeted to everyone, averting my eyes from Lucas whose scowl burned a hole at my side.

“Well… well… well… lookie here, our Half-Pint’s on her first date,” Jacob announced, smiling as big as the Cheshire cat.

“It’s not—”

Cole wrapped his arm around my shoulder pulling me into his side. My hand instinctively went to his chest, while he kissed the top of my head as if he had been doing it our entire lives. At that moment, it felt sincere and loving, almost like it was one of my boys doing it. I loved the feeling it gave me, providing a comfort that I was safe from anyone just like with them.

“It’s not going to be the last either,” Cole interrupted, taking me away from my thoughts and continuing to bait Lucas.

That much I did know.

“It’s alright, Half-Pint, I can feel your anxiety from here. Your mom already informed us that we’re to be nice to Cole and that you were on a date. Can’t say I’m not hurt that you didn’t tell us yourself,” Dylan exclaimed, dramatically placing his hand over his chest.

Aubrey slapped him on the back of the head. “You leave her alone, Dylan McGraw! Or else you’re going to have to deal with me, and we both know that you won’t win that,” she chastised.

I couldn’t love Aubrey more than I had in that second.

“Alex, why don’t you join us, let the boys here get to know Cole,” she added.

Dylan didn’t correct her, which I found odd. He never let Aubrey have the last word. I wondered if they had fought about this before, I always knew Aubrey had my back, but I never guessed how much until we were older.

“Maybe another time, I’d like to have Alex to myself on our first date and all,” Cole responded, making all the girls swoon at the table.

“I thought it wasn’t a date,” Lucas chimed in out of nowhere. All eyes moved to him except his were directly pointed at me, and I connected with his intense glare. It made my heart pound and my mouth dry. I prayed that Cole couldn’t feel my body shudder, but when he held me firmer, I realized he could.