Chapter 8 - Asking About "Tiny" ♡︎

The drive home was filled with little moments—Jackie and Alex chatting easily in the front seat about assignments, ranch chores, and a weekend plan, while Olive sat in the back, her eyes fixed firmly on the scenery outside her window. Every so often, Cole's voice cut through the hum of the truck's engine with a teasing remark or a quiet question tossed toward his brother, but Olive never dared to join in. Her hands stayed clasped tightly in her lap, the bow in her hair brushing her neck every time the truck jolted over a bump in the road.

When they finally pulled up the long dirt driveway, the familiar sprawl of the Walter ranch came into view. Horses grazed lazily in the distance, the barn doors swung open, and the late afternoon sun painted the fields gold. Olive felt her chest tighten at the sight—it was beautiful, but also so big, so alive, so different from the quiet cocoon she had grown up in.

Cole parked the truck in front of the house and slid out casually, his boots crunching against the gravel. Jackie tugged Alex out behind her, already heading for the porch steps, but Olive hesitated. She slid out of the backseat, clutching her bag tightly, and for the briefest moment, she glanced up at Cole. Their eyes met, and heat immediately rushed to her cheeks. Her voice trembled as she whispered, "Th-thank you for the ride..."

Before Cole could say anything back, Olive bolted up the porch steps and disappeared into the house, her small figure vanishing around the corner just as Katherine's voice carried from the kitchen, asking how school had gone. Jackie sighed heavily, muttering under her breath, "Classic Olive," before brushing past Alex and heading for the door.

Cole lingered, leaning against the side of the truck, his eyes still fixed on the spot where Olive had stood only seconds ago. Jackie was halfway through the doorway when his voice cut through the air. "Hey, Jackie."

She turned back, one eyebrow raised. "What?"

He pushed off the truck and shoved his hands into his pockets, his expression casual but his tone laced with curiosity. "What's her favorite color?"

Jackie blinked at him, her brow furrowing. "What? Why do you care?"

Cole shrugged one shoulder, that familiar smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Just wondering. Is it pink? She looks like a pink kind of girl."

Jackie gave him a flat look, clearly unimpressed. "Seriously? You're asking about her favorite color?"

"Favorite animal too," Cole added smoothly, tilting his head as if he were testing her patience on purpose. "Let me guess... bunnies? Or maybe kittens. Something small, soft, kind of like her."

Jackie rolled her eyes so hard it was almost audible. "Why are you so interested in those silly little things about her? You've barely met her, Cole. Don't you have better things to do than play twenty questions about Olive?"

Cole leaned back against the truck again, folding his arms across his chest, his smirk deepening. He didn't answer right away, just let the silence stretch between them until Jackie's frown grew sharper. Finally, he said lightly, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Cole finally pushed himself off the truck and started toward the porch, his boots echoing against the wood. Jackie was standing just inside the doorway, arms crossed tightly, waiting for him like she had been planning to stop him all along. The second he passed her, she turned sharply, her voice cutting through the quiet.

"Stay away from Olive, Cole."

He stopped mid-step, shoulders stiffening slightly before he turned his head to look at her. That smirk of his—the one that always made it impossible to tell if he was teasing or deadly serious—appeared instantly. "Stay away? Why? I was just asking about her favorite color. Didn't know that was a crime in this house."

Jackie narrowed her eyes, refusing to be pulled into his casual tone. "Don't play dumb with me. I know you, Cole. I know how you work. Whatever you're doing, it's not going to work on her. Olive isn't like the other girls you've messed around with. She's sweet. She's innocent. She doesn't need you confusing her or making her the next one on your list."

Cole's smirk deepened as he stepped closer, lowering his voice in that calm, confident way of his that only made Jackie's frustration worse. "You really think that's what I'm doing? You underestimate me, Jackie. Not everything I do is some game. Besides, you don't get to decide who I talk to."

Jackie huffed, throwing her hands up. "Oh please. You expect me to believe you're suddenly interested in Olive's favorite animal just because? You can't help yourself—you're always chasing after whatever feels like a challenge. Well, not this time. Olive deserves better than that."

Cole leaned against the doorframe now, his green eyes glinting in the fading sunlight. "And what if I actually like her? What if I actually want to know those silly little things about her because I care? Did you ever think of that?"

Jackie froze for a second, her mouth opening and closing before she shook her head in disbelief. "No. You don't care, Cole. You don't even know her. You're just... bored. You see someone new, and suddenly you're interested because it distracts you from everything else you've lost. But Olive isn't some distraction. She's fragile, and she won't survive you breaking her heart."

The tension between them was rising quickly, voices sharp enough that Alex, who had just walked through the hallway with a stack of books in his hands, stopped in his tracks. He frowned, stepping between them before things could escalate any further. "Hey, hey—what's going on here?"

"Tell your brother to back off Olive," Jackie snapped immediately, glaring at Cole.

Alex shifted his gaze to Cole, his brow furrowing. "Cole..."

Cole raised his hands in mock surrender, the smirk still plastered across his face even though his jaw was tighter now. "Relax. We're just talking. Jackie's convinced I'm up to something."

Jackie crossed her arms again, her voice sharp. "Because you are."

Alex groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Enough. Both of you. Olive's had one day here, one. She doesn't need the two of you fighting about her like she's some prize. Just... give her space. Let her breathe. And Cole—maybe prove Jackie wrong instead of running your mouth."

Cole arched an eyebrow at that, his smirk faltering just enough to show he was thinking, though he didn't respond right away. Jackie huffed again, brushing past Alex as she muttered, "I'm serious, Cole. She's fragile, Don't hurt her."

Cole watched her leave, his expression unreadable now. Finally, he exhaled slowly, muttering under his breath, "Fragile, huh? We'll see about that..." before heading down the hallway to his room.___

The house had settled into that deep country silence, the kind that only came on the farm after everyone had finally gone to bed. Cole lay stretched out in his bed, one arm over his eyes, but sleep wouldn't come. His mind kept circling back to Olive—her wide eyes when she saw him in the bathroom, the way she whispered "thank you" after the ride home, the way she practically bolted up the stairs like a frightened rabbit. She was different. Not like Jackie, who challenged him head-on, or Erin, who always knew exactly how to push his buttons. Olive was soft in a way that made him uneasy, but also... curious.

Finally, with a groan, Cole sat up and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't stay in that room one second longer, tossing and turning. He grabbed a hoodie off the chair, tugged it on, and padded down the hall. His boots weren't on, just socks, and the floorboards creaked faintly as he made his way toward the kitchen. Maybe a glass of water, maybe just some air, anything to distract him.

But as he passed the living room, he froze.

There, curled up on the couch with her knees tucked into her oversized sweater, was Olive. Her teddy bear was squished tightly against her chest, and even in the dim light of the lamp she had switched on, he could see her shoulders trembling. The soft sound of sniffles filled the quiet room, and every now and then she let out the tiniest hiccup of a sob.

Cole blinked, not sure if he should turn back or step in. But before he could stop himself, her name slipped out, low and cautious.

"Tiny?"

Her head jerked up instantly, her wide eyes glassy with tears. She startled like a deer caught in headlights and scooted back against the couch cushions as if she could melt into them. Her teddy bear tightened in her grip, and her lips parted, but no words came out.

Cole lifted his hands slightly, palms open, like he was proving he had no weapon. "Hey—shh, relax. It's just me. I'm not gonna do anything to you." His voice was softer than usual, the sharp edge stripped away. He even leaned a little on the doorway so he wouldn't seem like he was towering over her.

Olive sniffled again, her bottom lip trembling. "I-I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean—" Her voice broke, so quiet he almost couldn't hear. She buried her face halfway into the teddy bear as if ashamed of being caught crying.

Cole shook his head, stepping into the room slowly, each movement deliberate. "Don't be sorry. You don't need to apologize for... feeling stuff." He paused, searching for the right words, because God knew he wasn't good at this kind of thing. "Living here, with all of us... it's a lot. I get it."

Olive peeked up at him, uncertain, her eyes still red and wet. He wasn't smirking now. He wasn't teasing. He looked—different. Calm. Gentle, even. And that only confused her more.

"You... you scared me," she whispered, hugging the teddy bear closer.

Cole let out a quiet laugh through his nose, not mocking, just a little surprised. "Yeah, I do that to people. Not my best trait." He moved closer, then crouched down so he was more at her level instead of looming. "But I'm not here to scare you, tiny. Not tonight."

She blinked at the nickname, still not sure if it was meant to be mean or not, but the way he said it—so soft this time—made her cheeks warm. She shifted, fidgeting with the teddy bear's ear. "I... I just... it's so different here. So many people. I don't know how to... fit."

Cole tilted his head, studying her, and for once there was no teasing reply. Just silence for a long beat before he said, "You don't have to figure it all out tonight. Give yourself some time. We can be... overwhelming. Believe me, I know."

Olive looked at him then, really looked, and saw the weariness behind his eyes, the kind of heaviness that didn't come from lack of sleep. She wondered what he meant by that, what he carried that made him say it like he understood.

Cole exhaled slowly, then stood up, tugging on the sleeves of his hoodie. "Try to get some rest, tiny. Crying into your teddy all night isn't gonna help." There was a flicker of a smile then, gentle, almost teasing but without the sting.

Before she could respond, he turned and started back toward the hallway.___

Olive sat there on the couch for a long moment after Cole left, hugging her teddy bear close to her chest, her tears drying but her heart still thudding uncomfortably fast. She replayed his words in her mind, his voice gentler than she had ever expected, the way he crouched down so he wouldn't tower over her, the strange, almost protective softness in his eyes. It was confusing, and Olive wasn't sure what to make of it.

Finally, deciding she should try to rest, she stood and tiptoed toward the stairs. The old wood creaked under her feet, and she winced, half-afraid someone else would hear and come investigate. When she reached her room, she pushed the door open quietly, ready to retreat into her small haven of pastel pillows and stuffed animals. But as soon as she stepped inside, she froze.

Cole was standing in her room.

Her eyes went wide, her whole body jolting back, and she quickly closed the door behind her as if to keep anyone from seeing. Her fingers fumbled with the knob before she spun around, clutching the teddy bear like a shield. "W-What are you doing in here?" she stuttered, her voice trembling, her cheeks already burning pink.

Cole didn't look guilty. If anything, he looked calm, leaning slightly against her dresser, his hands shoved in the pockets of his hoodie. He shrugged, like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Just wanted to make sure you were heading to bed. You've had a long day, tiny. You should sleep."

Olive blinked rapidly, confused, her lips parting but no words forming right away. Her mind whirled—why was he here, why was he in her room, why was he calling her that nickname again? She gripped her teddy bear tighter, hiding behind it like a small child, and stammered out, "I-I... I can take care of myself. You... y-you shouldn't be in here." Her voice was soft but pleading, and she kept her gaze firmly on the floor, not daring to meet his.

Cole sighed, pushing himself away from the dresser. He crossed the short distance between them slowly, deliberately, until Olive could feel his presence right in front of her. She backed up a step, her knees brushing against the side of her bed, but he didn't crowd her. Instead, he tilted his head, studying her with an expression she couldn't read.

"You're always looking down," he murmured, his voice low, not mocking this time. He lifted a hand, and Olive froze. With the lightest touch, he used two fingers to gently tilt her chin up so her wide eyes finally met his. The world seemed to hold its breath in that moment—her heart hammering, his green eyes steady on hers, the silence so loud it was almost deafening.

Olive's lips parted, but nothing came out. She felt too small, too flustered, too exposed under his gaze.

Cole gave the faintest half-smile, though it was softer than the ones she'd seen before, less teasing and more thoughtful. "See? Not so hard." He let his hand fall away, stepping back toward the door.

Olive stood frozen in place, clutching her teddy bear, her cheeks blazing, her chest rising and falling too fast. She didn't even know what to say, or if she should say anything at all.

Cole lingered at the door just long enough to glance back at her. "Get some proper sleep, tiny." His voice was rough but quiet, almost gentle. Then he slipped out into the hallway, closing the door softly behind him.

Olive dropped onto her bed the second he was gone, burying her face in her pillow with a muffled squeal. She didn't know what had just happened.