Once I have her covered and wrapped in a cocoon, I sit back on the lounger and watch as the flame starts to grow. “He really likes her too, just so you know. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him the way he is with her.”

“How long have you guys been friends?”

“Since kindergarten. We met on the first day and we’ve been inseparable ever since. How about you and Nicole?”

Her face lights up at the mention of her best friend. “Our freshman year at college. I was in a rough place and Nicole… she saved me.”

I wait for her to elaborate, but she doesn’t. I want to know more about her. What had her in a bad place and what did she mean by Nicole saved her? I have a million questions running through my mind.

“Bright and I have been through some shit together, that’s for sure,” I offer that little tidbit, hoping she’ll elaborate. She doesn’t. “So Bright said you are both seniors this year?” I inquire. I want to keep her talking.

“Yeah. I’m kind of sad about it, if you want to know the truth. I don’t know where life is going to take us. I hate the thought of losing touch with her.”

“Sounds to me like the two of you are tight. It’s hard to break that bond,” I tell her.

“So you own Cooper’s? I’ve been there a few times, but I’ve never seen you.”

“Yeah.” I hesitate to tell her more. I decide to go with it and skip over the details. “My dad passed away a few years ago. He and my mom were divorced and he left the business and this place to me.” I point toward the house.

“This place is amazing. Honestly, when I first walked in, I was shocked. It’s not what I expected for two bachelors,” she says sheepishly.

I throw my head back and laugh at her assessment. “You’re right.” I shrug. “I just… I grew up here and construction was my thing, what I was doing before I inherited the bar. I just wanted a nice place to come home to. Dad and I always worked on projects together. In a way, it felt like each time I fixed up something else that he was here with me. Sounds crazy, huh?” I’m an idiot. I want this girl in my bed and she’s fighting it. Then I go and tell her the crazy shit bouncing around in my brain. She’s really going to run from me now.

I sit up on my lounger and study her. Her head is tilted back and her eyes appear to be closed. She’s so fucking beautiful bathed in the moonlight. A gust of wind blows and a shiver runs through me. I look at Kensington all cozied up in my sweatshirt and blanket. She’s on the double lounger, so there’s room for me. Decision made, I stand up and walk to the other side. Her eyes pop open when she feels my weight beside her.

“What are you doing?” she asks. Her voice is soft as she watches my every move.

“It was starting to get cold, so I thought we could share.” I point toward the blanket. I hold my hands up in front of her. “No funny business, I promise.”

She chews on her bottom lip, debating. “I promise,” I repeat. She gives me a slight nod of her head and reaches for the cover and lifts it. I scoot in beside her and she drops it on my lap.

We sit there in silence, both watching the night sky. After several minutes, she takes a deep breath and starts to talk. “It doesn’t sound crazy. My mom, she umm… she passed away a few years ago, and I like to think that she’s here with me, you know?”

She’s still looking at the sky and I’m looking at her. I watch as a lone tear slips over her cheek. I reach over and gently wipe it away with my thumb. “We have something in common,” I whisper. It’s then that her sad eyes meet mine. The devastation I see guts me. Leaning over, I place a tender kiss against her temple.

Leaning back against the lounger, I return my gaze to the night sky. I feel Kensington tilt her head against my shoulder. “Yesterday was her birthday. It’s a hard day for me. I’m sorry if I came across as a bitch. I just… I’m a mess.”

I reach over and link my pinky with hers. “I’ve never seen a mess more beautiful,” I tell her. I have no idea where the words come from, but I believe them with all that I am. I’ve never been that guy, the one who passes out compliments or sits with a girl and watches the stars. Tonight, I am. The game is changing and I’m in uncharted waters.

I FEEL HIS pinky link with mine and my heart melts. Maxton Cooper has just shocked the hell out of me. I was sure he wanted to sit with me to make his move, but he didn’t. Instead, he offered me comfort. Something that no one other than my father and Nicole have ever offered. I’ve never given anyone else the opportunity. I don’t know if it’s the dark of night, sitting with him under the moonlight. Maybe it was his confession about feeling like his father is here. I can’t pinpoint exactly, but I allowed him to learn more about me tonight than anyone else.

I hear the patio door open. Finally! I love my best friend, but shit is getting too… just too much for me right now. I feel a tug on my hand as Maxton pulls it to his lips and places a soft kiss against my palm, then releases me. He folds his hands behind his head as I sit there with my mouth hanging open.

What the hell was that?

“Hey, you two.” Nicole’s chipper voice rings throughout the night. Brighton sits down on the lounger that Maxton was using before he invaded mine. He pulls Nicole onto his lap. “You two look cozy,” she says to me.

“We’ve been out here for over an hour. It got cold, so we shared the blanket,” Maxton explains, pointing to the blanket.

The wind picks up as soon as the words are out of his mouth and Nicole sinks back against Brighton. “Brrr. It’s freezing. I guess we should go.” She’s talking to me, but looking over her shoulder at Brighton.

“I’ll walk you out,” he says, allowing her to pull him up from the lounger. I stand and fold the blanket, then hand it to Maxton. “Thank you.” I lift my arms to take off his sweatshirt, but his hand on my arm stops me.

“Keep it. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again with the way those two are acting. I’ll get it another time,” he tells me.

I turn and follow Brighton and Nicole out to the car. As I reach the passenger door, I feel his hand on the small of my back. Maxton reaches around me and opens the door. I didn’t even know he was behind me. “See you soon,” he says.

“Thanks again for the sweatshirt,” I tell him before climbing into the passenger seat. Maxton leans in the door and fastens my seat belt. He looks over to Nicole who is already sitting in the driver’s seat.

“Drive safe,” he says. Then he’s gone. He pulls his big frame out of the car and gently shuts my door. He taps twice on the roof and walks back toward the house. My eyes follow him all the way. I hear Brighton tell Nicole to text him when we get home, another quick kiss and her door is shut, too. The blast of the heater immediately warms the inside of the car. Nicole reaches over and turns it down.

“Sorry I left you for so long. Brighton… his kisses.”

“It’s fine. Maxton built a fire and we just sat and talked.”

“You too looked pretty close when we walked up.”

“Not really. He had only been beside me maybe ten minutes. He was on the other lounger the rest of the night. At first, I thought he was trying to make his move, but he didn’t. He just sat beside me and we kept talking,” I tell her.

“What did you all talk about?” she questions.

I debate on telling her. Nicole will read more into this than what it really is. I can’t, however, lie to her, even by omission, more than I already have. Someday soon, I need to sit her down and tell her everything with my mom. Someday. “He just talked about how he lost his dad a few years ago and he left him the house and the bar. I told him that I lost my mom a few years ago as well.” I keep my answer simple. It doesn’t feel right telling her Maxton’s thoughts about his dad being near. She already knows I feel that way about Mom, especially when I go to the stables.