Tears poured from my eyes. I felt so at home for the first time in so long. Colton’s arms, his smell, his curls, dimples, and those eyes...dear God, those eyes.
“Welcome home, Allie,” he whispered, setting me on my feet. And he couldn’t have spoken more perfect words.
“He’s a cutie, Alex,” Gertie said, appearing out of nowhere.
I laughed, and Colton gave me a confused smile. “This is my new friend, Gertie. Gertie, this is my friend, Colton.”
Gertrude reached out her frail hand, which looked even smaller in Colton’s ginormous one. “Nice to meet you, young man.”
Colton smiled, revealing those panty-melting dimples. “Pleasure’s all mine, ma’am. Thanks for keeping my girl company on the flight.”
Gertie gave me a pair of knowing eyes, no doubt picking up on the possessive way that Colt referred to me, but it was nothing new. We’d always belonged to each other. It didn’t mean anything significant.
I shook my head and hugged my new friend goodbye. Before releasing me, she whispered, “I know love when I see it. Don’t let that boy go,” then she kissed my cheek and swatted my behind, sending me on my way.
“So, Gertie was a character,” Colt chuckled.
“Yeah.” I smiled. “She’s something.”
I stared at him the whole drive to his house. It was surreal being there with him. We’d spoken daily, but we hadn’t been alone together for so long. Even when he’d come home, Dean was always around.
We pulled up to a townhouse, and Colton turned off the car. “Before we walk into that house, I’m going to apologize in advance for my roommates. They have no manners. Al, they’ll probably hit on you, but they do that to anyone with a hole between their legs. Just shrug ’em off, okay?”
Wow. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Noted. I will not allow myself to believe that your hot college roommates could possibly find me attractive,” I said, sticking my tongue out. This would be high school all over again. Only this time, I was ready to play.
“That’s not what I meant, Al.”
“I know. Let’s go.”
The rickety wood steps creaked beneath our feet as we climbed the front porch. Colton looked at me nervously before turning the key in the lock. “Don’t say I didn’t warn ya,” he said, pushing the door open.
He moved to the side, and when I stepped into the small living room, there were two guys seated on the couch in basketball shorts. I could get used to this.
“Alex, this is Finn,” Colt said, pointing to the blond, shirtless hunk on the right. “And that’s Blex.” He motioned to the left at the black, muscled giant with the remote in his hand.
“Nice to meet y’all,” I said, grinning from ear to ear.
“Damn, bro, you didn’t tell us little Alex was hot,” Finn said to Colt as he stood from the couch and reached out his hand for mine. Instead of shaking it like I expected, he lifted my fingers to his lips and placed a kiss on my knuckles. “Pleasure’s all mine, Lexi.”
“It’s Alex, asshole,” Colt said, thumping him on the chest. “And remember what I said.”
“What exactly did you say?” I asked, side-eyeing Colt.
He ignored that question as Blex walked over to greet me. He was a good foot and a half taller than my five feet two, and I had to crane my neck to meet his eyes. “Ignore those two idiots,” he offered in a deep baritone voice that suited his large frame perfectly. “I’m Blex,” he said, leaning in for a hug. Then he whispered into my ear, “And Colton is an idiot for not snatching you up when he had the chance.”
I coughed to clear my throat. “Thanks,” I whispered back. “I think so too.”
“All right, Blex. Don’t scare her off already,” Colton said, walking over to grab my hand and pull me from his friend’s embrace. “Let’s go get you settled.”
I turned back as Colt practically dragged me up the narrow, twisty stairs in the corner of the room. “So nice meeting you both!”
When I stepped into his room, a feeling of nostalgia hit me. It’d been so long since I’d shared his old bedroom with him, and although this room was different...it had that same smell that uniquely belonged to Colt. His room was much cleaner than the rest of the house, and I smiled remembering the way it used to drive him insane when I’d leave my things lying around his room.
Colt ran a hand through his hair and exhaled nervously. “We can share my bed...if that’s okay, or I’ll take the couch.”
That we’d sleep anywhere but together had never entered my mind, but it was cute the way he tried to respect my personal space. It also made me a little sad because personal space had never existed between us before. “Together’s fine, Colt.” I walked over to his dresser and found the framed photo of us from graduation, and it made me tear up. “God, we were inseparable. I miss us.” My eyes welled with tears as I ran a finger over our smiling faces.
Colton walked up, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind and resting his chin on the top of my head. “We’re still us, Allie.” I could feel his heart beating hard against my back as I rested my head on his chest and tried to savor the moment. Now that I was there, I already dreaded the day I’d have to leave.
We stood there for a few minutes before Blex barged into the room. “Hey, guys, pizza’s here!”
I was glad for the interruption. We were getting a little too close too fast. I didn’t want Colt thinking that he could treat me like his girlfriend whenever he felt like it. I had to remember to distance myself. The night before he left for California was the best of my life before it became the worst. I’d sworn that it changed things. That he must’ve felt everything I did. I’d have left Dean in a heartbeat if Colt had given any inclination that he’d wanted me to. But he never said a word. Nothing. He left, and our roles never changed. I was a mess for weeks, and then I’d decided to make the most of what I’d had with Dean, and I had...until he proposed. Gertie was right. I realized the moment he pulled that ring out of his pocket and dropped to his knee that all I’d been doing was distracting myself from my true feelings. When I pictured my future, it wasn’t with him.
“Great,” I said, pulling out of Colton’s arms. “I’m starved!”
“I’ll be down in a sec, Al. Gonna use the restroom.”
I followed Blex down the stairs to the kitchen and took a seat at the table.
“We only have a few minutes alone here, so I’ll make this quick. That boy has been in love with you his entire life, Alexis Mack, and the fact that you’re here and not wearing that frat boy’s ring suggests to me that you feel the same. Am I right?”
My eyes widened. “Well, I...It’s not that. Colt is,” I sputtered.
“Exactly. I can help you get Fowls...if that’s what you want. So, Miss Alex, the question is...do you want Colton Fowler?”