he whispers in my ear, causing a chill to run down my spine. “What are you doing tomorrow night?”
Swallowing hard, I clear my throat so I can speak. “My schedule’s free.”
“Want to have a drink with me? Just the two of us?”
“Like a date?” I ask with a racing heart.
“Yes, exactly like a date.”
I blink, then nod. “I’d love that, Cole.”
“I’ll pick you up at seven.” His charming smile already has me anxious.
We walk back to the dessert tables, and soon, I’m bombarded by people I haven’t seen in years. Cole’s parents come over and steal him away, but knowing I’ll see him tomorrow makes it impossible to wipe off my smile. Though I chat with everyone, the only things I can focus on are how he’s single and that passionate kiss we shared.
Chapter Four
COLE
Though I have a busy day at work to keep my thoughts occupied, they drift back to Sarah and our kiss last night, no matter what I do. I can’t stop thinking about her and how she tasted. Every part of my body lit up when our lips touched, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping to do it again.
“Sheriff,” my receptionist, Mindy, calls out.
I look up at her, arching a brow. “Yes?”
“You told me to tell you when it’s five. For your date,” she clarifies.
Scrambling to look at the time, I realize she’s right. It’s five sharp, and I’m supposed to pick up Sarah in two hours.
“Thanks, Mindy.” I organize my desk, stacking all the paperwork I’ll deal with tomorrow.
“Good luck,” she sing-songs as I slide on my jacket and head toward the door.
I chuckle at her smug expression. “See ya in the morning.”
“Mm-hmm. You mean the afternoon?”
“Alright, I’ll take a half-day.” I flash her a wink, then walk out.
I hop in my car and blast the heat. Once I can see out my window, I drive to the florist and greet Libby as I grab a bouquet of red roses. They’re Sarah’s favorite—or used to be anyway. I’m hoping they still are.
After I’m home, I shower and dress in dark jeans and a button-up shirt. I quickly make a turkey and cheese sandwich so I’m not drinking on an empty stomach and eat it before I leave. The nerves of spending alone time with her are catching up to me, but I do my best to push it away. I don’t have much time to spend with Sarah before she flies back to Chicago, and I want to take every opportunity I can to see her.
At a quarter to seven, I drive to her parents' house and leave the car running so it stays warm. I knock on the front door, and as soon as Sarah opens it, I suck in a breath. She left her dark hair down in waves, and she’s wearing black skinny jeans with a simple white top.
“Wow…you look beautiful,” I tell her, admiring every inch of her. My eyes trail down her body, and when my gaze meets hers, a faint blush colors her cheeks.
“Well, thank you. You clean up rather nice yourself.”
“Only the best for you.” I brush a hand down my jacket with a grin. “These are for you. I hope they’re still your favorite?”
Sarah takes them and brings them to her nose. “They are. Thank you.”
I can tell she’s as anxious about tonight as I am.
“Are you ready to go?”
“Yep, just gonna tell my folks I’m leaving, put these in water, then grab my coat.”
Five minutes later, we’re in my car and on the way to The Main Brewery. I picked this bar specifically because we used to hang out there every time she’d visit from college.
“Talk about a blast from the past,” she says with cute laughter as I park. “Been so long.”
“And looks exactly the same, just like the rest of the town.” I chuckle. “Well, they have a pool table now and some bigger TVs.”
I motion for her to wait while I walk to the passenger side and open her door. Grabbing her hand, I help her out but don’t release her from my grip. Once I lock the car, our fingers thread together, and I lead us into the pub.
“You weren’t kidding.” She looks at all the Christmas décor. “Blast from the past.”
We find a spot at one of the tables, and a waitress rushes over to take our order. We start with two beers and a basket of cheese fries that are delivered in less than ten minutes.
“Are