Liz and Cole

 I should have known it wasn't going to be all right. Not that look in Ben's eye. He knew then I'd made my decision. But I said, I'd be right back. It was just going to be a visit with an old friend. Nothing more. Nothing less. 

"But, I've been thinking about you all the time," Cole paced around out by his car in the bar parking lot. You could hear the waves from here. It was a winter sound. Ruff and taunting. 

I hugged myself hard, ready to tell him what was what. I was here at the bar with Ben. 

"You're stuck," he winced in a painful emotion I was not expecting. It hit a nerve. "You need more than this." He practically shook me. "There's so much more to you. I know you think you were just some plain Jane, and maybe you were once upon a time, but..but I've had time to think, the whole semester, in fact." He sighed and pressed his lips tight. "I don't want you to be with him. I want us to happen. I want you in my life, I want you to know, I'm serious. I love you."

I felt like crying. Was he on something? Was it just a dream?

"You'll be just a barmaid if you stay." Cole looked me in the eye. "You need a life. And I want you to have a life worth living, because you are worthy, you are beautiful. And I want great things for you."

I did my best to laugh. I pulled back my wind-blown hair, thinking he'd let go. I'd go back to where I was, cleaning tables, listening to the pool balls click and achy country music playing in the background. But he hugged me hard, and I had no idea I'd be taking off with him in the next thirty seconds.