Free The Ex Trials (Falling for Autumn #3) by Heather Topham Wood Page B

the outside decks to enjoy the gentle ocean breeze. I had drifted away from everyone to stare morosely out into the ocean.
    I ran a hand through my hair, knowing the curls were too tight to tame, and frizzing whether I wanted them to or not. I hoped I had the fetching windblown look and not appear like I stuck my finger in a socket. My white skirt billowed up from time to time and I smoothed it flat against my thighs.
    Surprisingly, Cole took the chair next to mine and leaned back comfortably. “Do you know this is the first time I’ve been out of the country?”
    I nodded and smiled at him. “Your mom never wanted to travel?” I sidestepped mentioning his dad. Cole opened up to me eventually about his dad’s depression and suicide, but it took him a long time. I wasn’t his girlfriend anymore and I probably lost the right to mention his father. My father was a non-entity in my life, but at least I had the assurance he was living and breathing somewhere out in the world, continuously striving to make his millions.
    “No, she would only want to travel back to the ‘old country,’” he said using air quotes. “Once Trojan Jedi gets signed, my brother and I are going to book a trip with her to Sicily.”
    I grinned at him. “Three momma’s boys, I love it.”
    “She spoiled us…” he laughed and gave a helpless shrug. “Who am I kidding? She still spoils us. It would be nice to turn it around for a change.”
    “You will,” I said, whole-heartedly believed his band would be on the radio one day soon. “Last time I consulted my magic eight-ball, signs pointed to many upcoming world tours for Trojan Jedi.”
    He eyeballed me quietly. I used to be able to read Cole—know exactly what he was going to say before he opened his mouth. I didn’t have that same faith in our connection any longer. He looked out at the water as he asked, “What about you? Travel a lot with your parents?”
    I held back my snort. “No. My mom’s husbands never wanted me to come along and my father is a workaholic that rarely leaves the city.” I clasped my hands on my lap as I thought back to my childhood. “When my mother married husband number three, she sent me to stay with my dad for a week while she honeymooned. He promised to take some time off and we’d see all the New York tourist traps together. Instead, he hired a nanny for the week and had her schlep me around the city.”
    The deck was dimly lit, but I could see Cole’s eyebrows pull together in distaste. “That’s pretty shitty. That must have done a number on you.”
    I shook my head vehemently. “No. I believe in the concept of personal responsibility. Any bad choices I made in my life are mine to own up to, not my parents.” My voice turned fierce. “I did make a terrible choice by cheating on you and I’m sorry. I’m starting to believe I never told you enough how sorry I am and how much I regret what happened in Atlantic City.”
    I'd made the decision to have drinks with Justin. I had led him on and the fallout from my actions had destroyed my future with Cole.
    Cole's posture grew stiff and I expected him to flee at any second. “I really don’t think we should talk about this now,” he said.
    I set my elbows on my knees while shifting my body to face him directly. “I know, but I miss you. I probably didn’t realize how damn much I missed you until I saw you again on the plane. But if I’m not honest with you, I know that we’ll leave this trip and that will be it for us. We won’t ever get past what happened.”
    Cole groaned. “A fucking lobotomy without anesthesia sounds better than talking about Atlantic City.” He put his head in his hands and drew in a long breath before letting it out in one long shaky exhale. His dark, long eyelashes lowered as he stared at me. “Fine, let’s talk about it then.”
    I turned my head back quickly to make sure our friends were still busy. They appeared to be preoccupied with a story Blake was telling