Free Love Redone in Hidden Harbor (Island County Book 2) by Karice Bolton Page A

years. You’re trying to tell me that the breakup was all a misunderstanding, and he accidentally proposed to another love of his life?”
    She unsnarled her fingers and patted my hands. “I’m not telling you anything at all. I think you need to hear things from him and only him.”
    Fireweed Island came into view, and I huffed out my frustration. All I wanted was a calm Saturday leading into my even calmer Sunday with a beautiful wedding, and instead, I was handed a ball of drama most soap operas wouldn’t even be able to handle.
    “I honestly can’t believe you’d give Cole Hill the time of day,” I muttered.
    “He’s very persuasive. Besides, I honestly can’t believe you’d be willing to do his wedding flowers but not meet with him to discuss what happened so long ago,” she argued.
    “Why would I need to meet with him about something that happened years ago? I was there. Remember? Plus, the first part of your observation should explain my reasoning. Why would I meet with someone who is about to get married? It’s not appropriate. I’ve seen this a million times. The groom gets cold feet, gets distracted, has one last fling, and then goes running back to his fiancée. That’s probably what Cynthia’s up to, but hers is just lasting longer.”
    “This isn’t just any groom. It’s Cole. The giver of Pickles, the maker of memories, the—”
    “Enough. I get the point.”
    The ferry worker signaled to turn on our car engines, and I waited in silence to exit off my own floating hell.
    “I honestly can’t believe you’re willing to be his messenger.”
    “He said you never responded to the email he sent.”
    “Why in the world would I? He’s attached. He’s about to walk down the aisle.”
    “You know Cynthia isn’t right for him.”
    “Not my problem,” I sighed, turning onto Seaview Avenue where my tiny home proudly sat, blue shutters and all. “Listen, this entire experience has shown me the light. I’m over him.”
    “No matter how sexy he looks?” Sophie teased, trying to get me to crack a smile.
    “Personality is more important than looks,” I grumbled, pulling into my short driveway. “And he appears to be short on that.”
    “I think he deserves a chance. Even if it’s only ten minutes.”
    I turned off the car before I realized someone was sitting on my porch, the very someone who we’d been discussing for far too long on my Saturday.
    “And I might have shown him where you lived,” Sophie whispered, hopping out of the car. “Love ya. Bye.”
    Cole walked slowly down the steps, and my breath caught as he watched me watch him. It took everything I had not to put the car in reverse and run over Sophie on my way out of town. I had done everything right. I thought pure thoughts and kept my hands and imagination to myself, and now the man who I’d fallen so deeply in love with was walking over to me. So I did what any rational human being would do.
    I locked myself in the car and pretended he didn’t exist.

 
     
     
    “Come on, Natty,” Cole knocked on the driver’s side window.
    I sat clutching the wheel and stared straight ahead. This wasn’t going to end well for someone and that someone would not be me.
    “You don’t have to stay in the car. I won’t bite. I’ll stay five feet away from you at all times.” The low rumble of his voice did crazy things to me and it shouldn’t. The sound should have been like nails on a chalkboard, but it wasn’t. Instead, the all too familiar melody from my past silently pleaded with me to turn and face him.
    Face what he had to say, but I couldn’t.
    “This reminds me of that time you barricaded yourself in the car after winter formal. Remember that?”
    I ignored him.
    Correction. I tried to ignore him, but I saw his smile from the corner of my eye, and it thawed my heart, slightly.
    “What was it I did that time to get you mad at me? Or was it you? I can’t remember. Oh, that’s right. You squeezed the butt of Josh