Chapter 14 - Jackie & Cole Talk ♡︎

Cole moved quickly but carefully, sliding out of the driver's seat and circling around to the passenger side. Olive was slumped against the window, her lashes heavy on her cheeks. He bent down, unbuckled her belt, and slid an arm behind her back and another under her knees. She was so light in his arms that he almost laughed—tiny didn't even begin to cover it. But the laugh never made it past his throat. Instead, he just tightened his hold, cradling her against his chest like something breakable, and shut the door quietly with his hip.

The house was dark when he stepped inside. The faint hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen was the only sound that greeted him, and for a moment he thought they'd lucked out—that everyone was asleep, that maybe Jackie had given up waiting. His boots were silent against the hardwood as he made for the stairs, Olive's breath warm against his neck, her sleepy murmurs incoherent. He thought he'd almost made it.

Then a voice cut through the silence, sharp but controlled. "Cole."

He froze, his foot on the first step. Jackie stood a few feet away, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Even in the dim light of the hallway, he could see the tight line of her mouth, the exhaustion in her eyes. She looked like she hadn't moved from that spot in hours, like she'd been waiting just for this moment.

Olive stirred at the sound, blinking blearily before lifting her head against Cole's shoulder. The second she recognized Jackie, her entire face lit up with an innocent, tipsy giggle. "Jackieeee," she mumbled, her voice soft and sweet. She wiggled in Cole's arms, reaching one hand out clumsily toward her best friend. "Hi... you waited for me."

Jackie's hard expression softened instantly as she stepped closer, brushing Olive's messy hair back from her forehead. "Of course I did," she murmured, her voice gentle. "I was really worried about you, Ollie."

Olive's lip trembled, and she whimpered like a child caught sneaking cookies before dinner. "I'm sorry," she whispered, nuzzling into Cole's shoulder like she wanted to disappear.

Jackie's smile returned, patient and warm, though her eyes slid back to Cole with a very different message. "It wasn't your fault," she told Olive softly, stroking her cheek. "Not at all."

Cole rolled his eyes, letting out a low breath through his nose. He didn't need a translation; Jackie wasn't speaking to Olive anymore, not really. That one line was meant for him, a silent accusation wrapped in comfort.

Jackie straightened, dropping her hand from Olive's hair, her face composed again. "Put her in bed," she said, her tone clipped now, controlled. "Then we'll talk after."

Cole's jaw tightened. He didn't like being ordered around, especially not by Jackie. But with Olive's soft weight in his arms and her drowsy little sighs brushing against his collar, he bit back the retort on his tongue.

Cole carried her up the last step with ease, nudging open her door with his shoulder. The room was dim, a soft glow spilling in from the hallway light behind them. He crossed to the bed and lowered Olive gently onto the mattress, careful like she might break if he moved too fast. Olive let out a little sigh, curling onto her side for a moment before rolling back onto her back, blinking up at him with glassy, half-lidded eyes.

He crouched down at the edge of the bed, tugging at the straps of her shoes. "You don't need to sleep in these, tiny," he muttered, pulling them off one by one. She let out a sleepy giggle at the nickname, though she didn't move to help. Once her shoes were gone, he stood and grabbed the water bottle from her nightstand. Setting it in her lap, he pressed a small packet of pain relievers into her hand.

"Here," Cole said firmly. "You'll thank me in the morning."

Olive frowned, looking at the pills like they were foreign objects. "They're... bitter," she whispered, her words slurring.

Cole smirked. "Yeah, well, so is a hangover. Take them." He tipped the water bottle to her lips when she hesitated, making sure she swallowed. She pouted at him afterward but didn't argue, setting the empty bottle down with a weak little thump.

Then, with all the innocence in the world, she tilted her head and asked softly, "Cole... will you help me change into my pajamas?"

His breath caught. For a second, he just stared at her, then his mouth curled into a dangerous grin. He leaned on the edge of the bed, shaking his head slowly. "That's a bad idea, tiny."

She blinked at him, confused, her lashes sticking together from her tears earlier. "Why?" she asked, her voice quiet, timid, genuinely not understanding.

Cole sighed, dragging a hand down his face before sitting beside her on the bed. His weight made the mattress dip, pulling her slightly toward him. "Just because," he muttered, refusing to elaborate, his green eyes shifting away like he couldn't trust himself to look at her when she was asking him that with such innocence. "Now lay down."

Olive obeyed, sinking back into her pillows, her teddy bear tucked tightly against her chest. But her eyes stayed open, big and wide, fixed on him as though she was searching for something in his expression. Cole glanced down at her, and for a long moment, neither of them spoke. The silence stretched, heavy, the air between them charged in a way that made his chest ache.

He leaned in slightly, close enough to see the pink in her cheeks and the way her lips parted as if she expected something. His voice dropped to a whisper, low and meant for her alone. "You won't remember any of this."

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "Huh?" she asked softly, her words slurred with sleep.

Cole leaned in closer, close enough for her breath to brush against his mouth, close enough that she could see the storm behind his eyes. And then he kissed her. It wasn't rough, or rushed—it was soft, slow, deliberate. A kiss that lingered, that pressed more truth into her than he was ready to admit.

When he finally pulled back, her lips were still parted, her eyes fluttering shut as if she was drifting into a dream. Cole smirked faintly, brushing a knuckle against her cheek before standing. "Goodnight, tiny," he murmured, his voice rougher than he intended.___

Cole shut Olive's door softly behind him, careful not to make a sound, but the second he turned around he froze. Jackie was standing there in the hallway, arms crossed, her dark eyes wide and brimming with outrage. She didn't scream—maybe because Olive was right on the other side of the door—but her voice was sharp enough to cut.

"You kissed her?!" she hissed, her whole body trembling with disbelief.

Cole groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, come on, Jackie. Don't act so shocked. Yeah, I kissed her." He didn't bother denying it, which only made Jackie's jaw drop even more.

"You—" Jackie struggled to keep her voice low, her words stumbling out in a whisper-shout. "She's my best friend. She's like my little sister, Cole. She's been here for five minutes and you're already—already—" She gestured wildly toward the closed door as if the gesture could explain everything she didn't want to say out loud.

Cole rolled his eyes, his smirk half-hearted but defensive. "Relax. Jackie."

"Oh, don't you dare tell me to relax," Jackie shot back, her voice shaking with fury and worry all at once. "You've already screwed up my life enough—don't you dare screw up hers."

Cole's expression hardened, but before he could bite back, Jackie shoved past him, muttering, "We're not doing this here. Downstairs."

He followed reluctantly, his boots heavy on the stairs. By the time they reached the living room, his stomach sank. George and Katherine were already waiting on the couch, like they'd been preparing for this exact moment. Katherine's arms were folded tightly across her chest, her mouth pressed in a grim line, while George leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his expression tired but firm.

"Great," Cole muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair. "The whole damn tribunal."

Katherine didn't waste a second. "Jackie filled us in," she said, her voice sharp. "You took Olive to a party. You got her drunk."

Cole exhaled hard, throwing his head back against the wall behind him. "Alright, alright, let's get one thing straight. I didn't get her drunk. She made her own choices. I was there, I watched her, I brought her home safely—"

"You never should've taken her there in the first place!" Jackie snapped, stepping in front of her godmother like she was the one protecting Olive. "She doesn't know anyone here, Cole! She trusts me—and you just dragged her into your mess like it's some kind of joke!"

Cole pushed off the wall, his voice rising despite himself. "It's not a joke, Jackie! I was trying to help her loosen up, alright? She's been walking around here scared out of her mind, I thought maybe she could use a break."

"That's not your call to make," George finally cut in, his voice deep and steady. He looked at Cole the way only a father figure could, disappointed but still hoping for something better. "You're supposed to protect her, not push her into situations she isn't ready for."

Cole clenched his fists at his sides, his jaw tight. "And I did protect her. Erin was ready to eat her alive, Dylan was—" He stopped himself, shaking his head. "Look, she's fine. She's safe. I made sure of that."

Katherine's voice softened, but her words still hit hard. "Cole, this family already has enough chaos. Olive doesn't need to be another one of your reckless choices. She deserves to feel safe here. Do you understand me?"

Cole's smirk faltered. He stared at the ground, jaw working, but he didn't answer. For once, there wasn't a comeback ready on his tongue.

Jackie shook her head, glaring at him. "You don't get it. You're not gonna ruin her, Cole. I won't let you."

Cole finally looked up, his green eyes sharp and unreadable. "You think I want to ruin her?" His voice was quieter now, rougher, more vulnerable than he intended. "Maybe you should give me a little more credit than that."

The silence that followed was heavy, thick with things unsaid.