Just for Now

Chapter Sixteen

Day Seven
Morning

It felt like waking up with a bad hangover.

That was the best way Cole could describe it.

His head was pounding from the events of the day previous.

Cole thought he would wake up and it would all be fake. He'd wake up and be next to Alli, not on the couch beside his snoring brother and his sister who was so curled up into her boyfriend he could barely see her.

He rubbed the bottoms of his palms against his eyes, adjusting to the light. Taking a deep breath, Cole tried to walk himself through the day. Maybe he would be so occupied with the wedding that he could just avoid Alli. Honestly, he'd probably barely even see her. He knew the girls had to be at the bridal suite in the next bit to get ready while the guys were in charge of distracting Nate. Maybe he could use it as a way to distract himself too.

Cole quietly stood up from the couch, glancing at his siblings to make sure he didn't wake them. He really didn't feel like them asking any questions right now. He may have gotten a free pass that night, but that likely expired by now. Slowly turning the doorknob, he winced at the creek of the door. Before he could turn around to check, he was out the door.

Trudging out to the hallway, he eyed his hotel room door with dread. Maybe Alli was already gone for the day. It was around the time the girls would be heading down to her room to start the day.

But then before he could consider going to check, another hotel door opened, as if they were waiting for his to open.

"Cole? Honey? Heard you were looking for me."

Relief flooded his body in a way he didn't anticipate at the sound of the voice. God, he just needed to talk to his Mom. Turning around, Cole gave her a weak smile, waving loosely in greeting. "Hey, Mom."

"Come here," she suggested after a beat, nodding her head towards the inside of her room. "Matthew is gone getting us coffee."

Cole narrowed his eyes. "How long has he been getting coffee for?"

His Mom grinned slightly. "Told him I was dying to try a coffee shop that was a thirty minute walk away. Sent him off about twenty minutes ago. Figured that would give us enough time."

"You didn't have to do that," Cole said, slightly embarrassed as he walked into her hotel room, head tucked down.

"Would you have come in otherwise?" Lorena asked with raised eyebrows.

Cole winced. "Probably not."

"Probably not," she agreed swiftly, closing the door behind him. Lorena sat down on the edge of the bed, patting the seat next to her. Cole strolled over, sitting down on the spot.

He felt terribly exposed as he felt his Mom's gaze pouring into him. Clearing his throat, he asked, "So, you sleep well? Big day."

"What's going on with you?" Lorena asked instead, eyeing him carefully.

Cole huffed out, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees. "Nothing, I'm good."

"Sam texted me a selfie of him with you sleeping on their couch in the back," Lorena admitted, flipping her phone around to show said picture. Cole gawked at the photo. True to her word, it was Cole sleeping on the couch with his siblings and their boyfriends posed in front of them. At least they weren't treating him any different. Cole decided to take the win where he could.