Page 47 of Love Unwritten
That should be the first sign that something is fundamentally wrong with me.
Cole glances between the two of us before finally saying, “I’m not trying to hit on you or anything.”
Rafael doesn’t seem to believe him, but I do. Outside of him calling me darling, he hasn’t appeared the least bit interested in checking me out.
Cole surprises me by saying, “I’d love to grab a coffee or something if you’re free.”
I blink twice. “You want to get coffee with me?”
He laughs. “Um, yeah?”
“Why?”
“You’ll have to say yes to find out.” His wink makes me laugh.
“She’s busy.” Rafael moves forward as he uncrosses his arms, stunning me once again as his hand curls around my shoulder. If he were anyone else, I would consider the move a quiet claiming, but this is Rafael I’m talking about. He doesn’t even like me, so I don’t understand why he is reacting this way.
Unless…
“Sure,” I say. Screw it. I might not be interested in writing songs, but if the mere idea of hanging out with Cole bothers Rafael, then what the hell. I’ll grab a cup of coffee with the singer.
It’s not like Rafael cared about my feelings when he didn’t let me say goodbye to Nico, so why should I extend the same courtesy to him?
Rafael struggles to mask his surprise. “What?”
“I’m pretty flexible.” I shoot Cole a soft smile.
Rafael’s eye twitches. “I thought you didn’t have any time.”
My grin widens. “Turns out my schedule cleared up.”
He glares. “How convenient.”
Cole’s eyes light up as he pulls his phone from his back pocket. “Does Sunday work?”
I nod.
“Great. Can I get your number so we can coordinate?”
“Of course.” I rattle off my number while Rafael taps his index finger against his straining bicep. My heart matches the beat, the drawn-out thumps filling my ears with a steady whooshing sound.
The angry vein above Rafael’s left eye appears again as he gives Cole his back. “Can I speak to you, please? Alone.”
“Fine.” I might as well get this conversation over with, seeing as he won’t stop following me until I do.
“See you soon, Ellie.” Cole tucks his phone back into his pocket and shoots me a parting wink from over his shoulder before disappearing out of the back exit, leaving me alone with the last person I want to talk to.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Rafael
It took me only a few seconds to put a name to the man who cornered Ellie in the back hallway near the Last Call bathrooms. I might not be up-to-date on tabloid headlines or celebrity gossip, but everyone with internet access knows about this particular musician’s undesirable reputation.
Drugs. Women. Anger issues and drunken rampages.
Ellie is the last person Cole Griffin should be dragging into his destructive spiral, and I plan on reminding her of just that once he disappears through the emergency exit door.
She turns to head toward the main hallway that leads back to the bar, but stops midstride when I speak.