Outbound Lane An Unspoken Truth Novella (Unspoken Truth Series) by Renea Porter Read Free Book Online

I get you , dear?”
    “How are your cheeseburgers and fries?” I ask.
    “It’s a popular item and the locals seem to love it,” she says.
    “I’ ll have that then,” I say to her, closing the menu, “and a coke.”
    “Coming right up.” She places her pen behind her ear, and makes her way to the back.
    I get my phone out and watch out the window as people walk by as they ar e shopping at the boutiques. The waitress brings me my soda and I thank her. Cole creeps back into my mind; I can’t help but wonder what he is up to and what “Charlotte” wanted. My food arrives and I eat it, even with my nervous stomach. Surprisingly, I manage to eat all of it, I pay the bill and walk back outside as the humidity slams against me, causing sweat beads to form on my forehead. I slip into a shop and browse around. I try on a few summer dresses and torment myself if I look good in them or not. I’m not usually a dressy type kind of girl. I buy on the notion that if I change my mind, I’ll just return them.
    While I’m walking to my car , my phone buzzes. Once I get inside, I put my bag in the back and open my phone screen.
    It’s a text from Cole. Where are you? You’ve only been gone for two hours and I miss you.
    Did she leave? I ask.
    Yes . Come back, please.
    On my way now, I text back.
    I make my way back to Cole, as my stomach twists in knots at the anticipation of what he might say. What if he and Charlotte are getting back together? But then why would he say he missed me? So they are probably not back together. My nerves will be completely shot if I keep thinking these thoughts before I even make it there.
    Finally, I make it and it seems like it took forever. I slowly make my way and notice her car is gone as I walk into the house. The minute I walk in, he grabs hold of me and wraps his arms around me and I wrap mine around his waist.
    I pull my head back and look up at him. “So she’s an ex, I take it.”
    “Yes, and she is staying an ex. You didn’t have to leave. I didn’t want you to.” He looks down at me and kisses my forehead.
    “It seemed like you two needed to talk , so I left. I wasn’t going to stand aside and watch,” I tell him, pulling away and moving onto the couch.
    “Listen to me,” he takes my hand into his, “there is no one I’d rather be with than you. Is it really that obvious?”
    “All I kn ow is that you two have history. I could tell. And I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out. My stomach has been in knots since I left. And I care about you a lot. I’m afraid my heart might get broken and I won’t be able to recover from it. You are the one and only guy I have let get close to me and the only one I want,” I tell him.
    He gives me a genuine smile. “We do have a history ; we were high school sweethearts. She was captain of the cheer squad and I played football. Even our parents thought we would get married. But like I said earlier, she decided she wanted to be with one of those bad boy types and dumped me. Once you screw me over once, I’m done.”
    “I’m sorry she hurt you,” I tell him as he still holds my hand into his.
    “And so it seems they have split up and she wanted to get back together. I just couldn’t do it. Not after she shattered me the way she did. I was depressed for the longest time because of it. I know I probably sound like a pussy just saying that. But it’s the truth and I would never lie to you. So there you have it.” He sighs heavily.
    “I appreciate you telling me, and you didn’t have to.”
    “Enough of this depressing crap. What did you do when you left?”
    “ I went and got a burger and fries in town, and I went shopping and bought two dresses. I think we should go get some ice cream. What do you say?” I slap his leg.
    “Sounds good to me. I’ll drive. And you will have to m odel those dresses for me later.” He smirks and wiggles his eyebrows up and down.
    “We ’ll see.” I playfully shove him and laugh at his