Chapter 207 Meet me for dinner - Monet

Chapter 207 Meet me for dinner - Monet
Amy looks sheepishly at me, holding fried chicken out to me. "I got extra, and you know Luke isn't going to eat the stuff."
I slowly slide the backpack from my arm onto the barstool. "We need to talk."
Her eyes light up at my words. "I have two bottles of wine for the occassion, you can hit me over the head with the empty after it's done."
I watch as she excitedly gets a bottle of wine from the fridge and wine glasses, pouring it a little too full before sliding the glass over to me. I pick it up and immediately take a sip, bubbles dancing on my tongue.
"It's good, right?" Amy's eyes dance as she watches me take another sip. "I found this wine and I thought I can't wait for you to try it."
"Wow, I can't believe you were thinking of me." My tone is bitter as fuck.
Her face falls, and I immediately feel like shit, but she deserved that.
"I'm sorry, Monet." She gulps. "I know sorry doesn't cut it, that I should kiss your feet for a whole year and deem you queen, but I really am sorry that I kept that from you."
"What I can't understand is, is that you were here." I frown, the past year playing out in my mind. "You saw how broken I was. Shit, if you weren't here I would have probably fell into the pit of depression. Didn't you ever think, let me just tell her the truth? Maybe it would make her feel better?"
"So many times." She says quickly, leaning over to grab my hand across the kitchen counter. "And I told Cole this too, I even said maybe he should go to a different place, but that institution apparently has a very high success rate, and that's what he wanted."
"I don't know if that makes me feel any better." I say honestly.
"I love you girl." Amy's eyes shine with tears. "And maybe I was a little caught up in having a brother, but it was honestly never my intention to betray you, I swear."
I nod, not knowing if I wouldn't have done the same thing if I were in her shoes. Again, the answer is, I just don't know.
"All I do know is, is that everything he does is for you."
I frown at her words, not knowing if that is necessarily true. I feel like he could have come see me first before going to the combine, maybe I wouldn't have been so upset then. Fuck, I don't know!
"He's staying at my parents' if you want to go over there and kick his ass." She grins slightly. "I'm sure they won't intervene."
"It's just a little weird." I shrug and take a deep gulp of the moscato, sliding my glass over to her for a refill. "All my life Cole was my brother with the dead mother, now he has a family and I'm the one left with the dead mother."
"He's still yours." She sighs deeply. "Even after all the therapy, and my dad trying to build a relationship with him, he will always think of your mother as his mother, as he should of course. I think my dad is a little sad that he doesn't rely on him too much, but I told him maybe too much time has already passed, Cole is a grown-up after all. It's like he knows we're his family, but he still regards you as his only family."
I don't know why that tad bit of informtion makes me feel better about things.
"So please forgive me." She says dramatically with a bow. "I am after all, your best friend and sister-in-law. You couldn't have asked for better."
That makes me chuckle. "I'll think about it."
I knew I wouldn't have been mad at her for too long. She picked me up out of the trenches, took care of me when I didn't want to take care of myself. This whole mess is not her fault, and I'm not going to keep on blaming her.
We're well into the second bottle when my phone buzzes with a text, and I see Cole's name, my heart thumping wildly in my chest knowing he's actually texting me.

Cole: Hi, this is Cole, the guy from the elevator.

I smile, at least the asshole still knows how to make me. I think the whole starting over from scratch is kind of a cute thing.

Me: I remember.

I remember so many things. The way he held me, the way he depended on me for his sanity. I have to say goodbye to that version of Cole now, since he's all fixed.

Cole: I was wondering if you'd like to meet me for dinner. I know this really nice sushi spot.

I think that over. Do I want to? Sit with him in a place that is both one of our favorites and hear what he has to say?

Me: Tomorrow night at seven?

Cole: Perfect, can I pick you up?

Me; No thanks, I will drive myself.

I wait a while for his response, thinking he's gonna be quiet until tomorrow, but my phone buzzes again.

Cole: I'm so proud of you, and I can't wait to see you.

The next night I take out all of the stops. I want him to look at me and regret leaving me in the first place, and then cutting me off. I want him to look at my ass that he has always worshipped, and know that he can't have it.
"The good luck charm." The girl working the front desk smiles at me. "Mr. Smith's waiting for you."
I don't know why after knowing him for so long does my heart beat frantically in my chest when I follow her to the back of the restaurant.
What I didn't expect to see at the table, is Cole listening intently to what a gorgeous blonde is telling him.
Who the fuck is she?
I turn around, my cheeks burning, ready to get the fuck out of there, but Cole jumps up quickly and grabs my arm. My skin tingles where his hand is touching me.
"Monet." He whispers in my ear like a damn prayer. "It's not what it looks like. Please, just listen to what she has to say."