Here With Me by Megan Nugen Isbell Read Free Book Online Page A

as she listened to Kenna babble on and on.  Her best friend had demanded to know every detail about her night with Ryan and Kenna had texted continually until Mallory finally called her during her lunch break.  The cafeteria was noisy as she sat at a table near a window, picking at the salad she’d bought and trying to fill Kenna in as best she could.
    “So he kissed you then?” Kenna’s voice was dripping with excitement as she waited for the answer.
    “Yes, he did.”
    “And?”
    “And what?” Mallory asked innocently.
    “C’mon!  You can’t do this to me.  You know what I mean.  Was it good?”
    Mallory sighed and she felt her cheeks turn red as her mind drifted back to the kiss.
    “Yes, it was good.”
    “Are you going to see him again?”
    “I think so.  I hope so anyway.  We didn’t really make any plans.”  Mallory felt her mouth turn down in a frown.  The night had ended well.  They had finished their walk on the beach and he’d driven her home and walked her to the front door.  He even kissed her on the cheek before they said goodnight, but Ryan hadn’t mentioned anything about going out again and she’d been too excited about the date to give it a second thought until Kenna mentioned it.
    “He’ll call.  I’m sure he will,” Kenna said and then paused for a moment before continuing. “Did he mention Nate at all?”
    Kenna’s voice was not filled with its usual self-confidence.  Instead, it sounded shy and nervous.
    “Actually…” Mallory began and paused for a second. “He did.”
    “And?”
    “It seems Nate fancies you,” she teased.
    “He fancies me?” Kenna griped.
    “He was quite taken with you,” Mallory said and smiled even though Kenna couldn’t see her. “Maybe we can all go out together.  That is, if Ryan calls.”
    “Oh, he’ll call,” Kenna said reassuringly.
    “I’ll let you know and if he does, we can make plans.”
    “Make plans?” a deep voice interrupted from behind.
    Mallory turned her head to find Cole’s tall figure hovering over her.
    “Hey, Kenna, I’ve gotta go.  Cole’s here.  I’ll call you later though.”
    “You’d better,” Kenna said and then the line went dead.
    Mallory closed her phone and shoved it in the pocket of her scrubs before turning her attention back to Cole, who was now pulling out the chair across from her and sitting down.  He reached over and grabbed a crouton from her salad.
    “What brings you by?” she asked.
    “I brought my grandma to get some kind of bone density test at the lab.  She’s going to be a while, so I popped by the ER and they said you’d gone to lunch.  I hope you don’t mind.”
    “Not at all.”
    “So, what’s Kenna up to?”
    “She was just babbling.  You know how she is.”
    “Yes, I know how Kenna is.  She never shuts up,” Cole said as he rolled his eyes and then reached for another crouton until Mallory swatted his hand away.
    “Hey.  Be nice.  She’s my best friend.”  Mallory glared at him and he shrugged his shoulders in apology. 
    “I overheard you and Kenna making plans?”
    “You overheard?  More like you were eavesdropping.”
    “I was not,” he said as she continued to glare at him. “Hey, I’m sorry, alright?”
    “Fine,” was all she said and continued eating her salad.
    “So…are you not going to tell me your plans then?”
    “We don’t have any plans.”
    “Then what was all the talk about making plans.”
    “All the talk?  I don’t believe there was all that much talk.”
    “Are you making plans or aren’t you?  It’s a simple question, Mal.”
    “What does it matter to you?”
    “It doesn’t.”
    “Obviously it does.  You won’t stop pestering me about it.”
    “Pestering?” he asked with a cocky grin. “I’m just making conversation.”
    “Yeah, right.  Just making conversation.  That’s a good one,” she said, taking a sip of her soda.
    Cole just looked at her, the smile still spread on his