Brynn knocked twice on the door. “We’re ready to head out.”
“Okay, be right there.”
Cole sat up in the bed where he’d been lying fully dressed, his shoes dangling off the side, for the last twenty minutes and stretched his back and twisted his shoulders to get ready for motion again. He was glad he’d gotten up early enough to shower before Laila woke up so that he could have some time to himself before he had to act normal again.
Although that was the thing. Were they going to act normal? And for the time being, he wasn’t even considering the deeper questions: What was normal? Were they even capable of that? Did he want to be normal with her ever again? But rather the most pressing question of all: Was she feeling, as he was, that everything had changed, or was she following the rules? Had it just been one day of experimentation and indulgence for her, and now they were back to ColeAndLaila, LailaAndCole? One inextricable unit, adding a really great day to a towering collection of really great memories that represented a really great friendship. A really great life together.
He hadn’t shaved, and he was wondering if that was a mistake. Colorado Cole usually had facial hair, but so far New York Cole had stayed pretty smooth. Would that make a difference to her? And what did he even think any of that meant? It wasn’t like he had tricked her into kissing him by shaving his face, like some ridiculous Lifetime movie except with less nefarious intent. But maybe Laila was only attracted to him clean shaven. What had she said? That clean-shaven NYC Cole was a “hottie”?
“Oh, please stop being crazy,” he implored himself as he stood and grabbed his phone from the dresser, where it had been charging since just after dinner, and stuffed it into his pocket. His wallet was already in the back pocket of his jeans, which he confirmed with a quick pat, and all that was left was to go out there, face the truth, try to quickly assess and analyze a whole host of confusing thoughts and emotions, and walk his best friend / possible dream woman to her blind date with a Hollywood heartthrob.
Business as usual.