Free Up In Flames by Nicole Williams Page A

made me fall for him in the first place. Pointing his index finger at me, he winked. “That one was for you, baby!” he shouted for everyone to hear.
    The crowd cheered even louder somehow. They loved their golden boy and his couldn’t-care-less attitude towards showing his feelings for me.
    I felt my shoulders hunching forward as I shot him a wave and a half-hearted smile. I wanted to fall in between the cracks of these old, rickety bleachers and die right now.
    Not because everyone in the stands was looking at me, giving me knowing smiles before turning back to the game, but because one person was looking at me with an intensity I was sure would set me on fire if he didn’t blink soon.
    “Baby?” he nearly spit the word. “ Baby? ” he repeated with as much disdain as one word could hold. “So I guess Logan isn’t your brother.”
    I gave one shake of my head, checking the crowd to make sure no one was paying Cole and me much attention. After a quick pat on the back, the neighbor sitting on Dad’s other side had gotten his attention and they were singing Logan’s praises.
    “Logan’s your boyfriend,” he said, the muscles of his jaw tightening. “I heard that the town sweetheart, Elle Montgomery, was with the hometown hero. I heard it . . . I just couldn’t believe the Elle Montgomery I knew was a two-timer. I guess the rumor mill was more fact than false this time. You really do have a boyfriend.” It wasn’t a question, so it didn’t require an answer, but I felt it needed clarification. If this was coming out, I might as well get everything out.
    Lifting my left hand, I flashed it in front of his face.
    Cole nearly choked. “He’s your fiancee?” He paled three shades before going red three seconds later.
    “Not yet,” I said, avoiding his eyes. “It’s just a promise ring.”
    “Just?” Cole repeated, sounding disgusted. “ Just a promise ring?”
    I bit my lip and nodded.
    Cole stared with disbelief and waited. This was the part where I explained myself. Explained my actions and what I’d been thinking.
    I don’t think I could have explained it if someone held a gun up to my head and demanded one. I’d been careless, reckless, impulsive, thoughtless, and never been so sure of anything when I’d been with Cole.
    How did you explain something that felt just as right as it felt wrong?
    Others might have been able to, but I couldn’t.
    “This explains a whole hell of a lot,” Cole said loudly.
    My eyes drifted to my dad. He was cheering for the next guy up to bat, none the wiser.
    “Oh, I’m sorry,” Cole said, his voice sarcastic. “Is that why we’ve been whispering? Why you’ve been all but shielding me with your body? You don’t want your friends and family”—Cole’s hand waved with agitation at the field—“your damn promise ring boyfriend to find out about your dirty little secret?” His face changed then. A small crack in his anger formed and what I saw in that crack broke my heart.
    “Cole . . .” I started, not knowing what I was going to say, but just needing to say something.
    “Sorry, Elle. I’m out,” he said, refusing to look my way. “I’m not going to be anyone’s dirty little secret.” He turned around, his shoulders tense, and walked away.
    I leaped down the side of the bleachers before he’d made it to the parking lot. I knew dad would probably notice this not-so-covert-op, I knew Logan might too, but I didn’t care right now.
    Cole turning his back on me and walking away was what finally put me into action. I didn’t check to see if anyone was watching, I just jogged after him.
    “Cole!” I shouted, ignoring the way his body tensed even more when he heard me. He didn’t stop.
    “Cole, wait!” Knowing stopping wasn’t his plan, I picked up my pace. I got to him just before he rounded his Land Cruiser. “Cole,” I said, grabbing his arm.
    I could have just slapped him for the way he flinched away from me. “What do you want, Elle?”