Cole pov
The drive home from dropping Kayla off left me smiling longer than I probably should have, replaying some ridiculous argument we'd had over which of us had actually skated better as kids, both of us wrong, neither of us willing to admit it.
I pulled into the driveway still half-lost in it, cutting the engine, expecting a quiet house and an early night.
Instead, I walked in and stopped short in the entryway.
Vanessa sat in the living room, perched on the edge of the couch, hands folded tightly in her lap.
My father wasn't home. Rhys's mother stood near the hallway, offering me a small, apologetic look.
"She insisted on waiting," she said quietly, already retreating toward the kitchen, giving us space without being asked.
I didn't move from the doorway. "Why are you here?"
V
