"You should see the drone your father got Jacob. I think he secretly wanted it for himself, that overgrown child," Noelle's mother joked. They'd spent the morning in the city checking off their Christmas shopping list. With the extra work Noelle had been putting in, she splurged on her son and a bit on the rest of her family. Since Jacob was so good this year, she knew he deserved what she had gotten him and more. She couldn't be upset about her own father buying their grandson nice things when she was just as guilty.

"I'm sure they will both love it and it's probably best that Dad be in control of it till Jacob is a bit more coordinated. He'll still love seeing it fly around though." Before she could get her coat off completely and settled in her chair, the bell on the door jingled and he eyes spotted something...or other someone that made her think she was hallucinating.

She blinked fast and focused again. Nope, she was not going crazy. Cole Kingston, the one and only who plagued her mind for many days now, had just entered the cafe—her cafe. What is he doing here? She thought to herself and looked away before he might see her gawking at him. Her heart was racing a mile a minute and even though they just got in from the cold, she felt incredibly warm. This could not be happening. Not with her mother here. Not when she wasn't prepared. Would she ever be prepared? Her mind was going a mile a minute and she didn't realize her mother was talking to her and the large man had approached their table.

"Are you alright, honey?" Her mother asked. When she finally snapped out of it she looked to her mother who was now staring up at Cole. "Who is this young man?"

"Hey there Noelle. It's nice seeing you again," came the deep voice that was music to her ears. "Hello, Ma'am. My name is Coleuel. It's nice to meet you." He held his large hand out to her mother and she blushed. Noelle wanted to roll her eyes at her mother's blushing, but she couldn't blame her. He just had that affect on people.

Amelia wasted no time in standing and taking his hand but also pulling him into a hug. With that, Noelle definitely rolled her eyes. "It's so lovely to meet you, Coleuel. How do you know my daughter?"

"Oh, well...I met her and Jacob at our farm the other day. They were there to see Santa," Cole sad as his eyes turned to Noelle and a smug look took over his stupidly handsome face.

"My goodness, are you from the Kingston farm? I've never been, but I've heard so many wonderful things and my grandson cannot stop talking about it!" She was right. Jacob spoke of it constantly and asked everyday if they could visit on the next day off from school. Noelle always replied with a 'we'll see' which really meant 'no' but she didn't have the heart to tell him that directly. Plus, her brother might end up taking a trip there again and Jacob could tag along. Noelle only knew she shouldn't go so she could give herself space from a certain someone, however that idea might be null and void now that she is in front of him once more and not at the farm.

"I think Noelle here needs to take you sometime. There's plenty to do and I'd love to see you there." The man was smoother than butter. It was admirable and grating at the Colee time. Maybe it would be different if Noelle were on her own, but with her mother it was stressful. The fact that she seemed almost tongue tied while her mother and Cole carried a conversation wasn't helping. Her mom was definitely going to give her grief for it later.

Amelia giggled. Yes, giggled, at the large man. Noelle decided she had to interfere, for the sake of her father whom she was definitely going to tattle to later. "What are you doing in the area?" She realized she must have sounded rude, but the question had already left her lips and Cole and Amelia's attention snapped to her. Amelia looked concerned at her daughter's snappy question, but Cole showed no change in demeanor. He only smiled and answered.

"I needed a break from the farm and took a drive. Then I got hungry and this place was the first thing I saw...it almost seems like fate that you're here too." Noelle's cheeks felt like an inferno at his confession. Why would he think it's fate to run into her? She didn't know what to say to that. He must be joking, that was the only conclusion she could come up with. At least it was the only one that made sense to her. "Where's Jacob?" He looked around the mostly empty cafe like her son was playing hide and seek.

"Oh...he's at preschool." Noelle didn't know what else to say beyond that. She was still in shock from seeing him in the flesh again. Sure he was stuck in a constant loop in her head, but this was different. It was much more palpable and it worried her. She knew she was acting strange and her mother would be full of questions later, but she couldn't help herself. He was just so...present. His appearance and aura consumed everything around her and all she could see, feel, and hear was him. It wasn't a terrible feeling, but it was so different it made her worry. It was too terrifying to just leap into such feelings. She wasn't a teenager anymore and she had her son to look after. Reckless was not something she could be anymore.

Cole's face then fell. It was almost comical that he'd be sad to not see Jacob. Sad and scarily attractive. "Oh, that's a shame. I miss the little guy."

"Have you been spending a lot time with my daughter and grandson?" Noelle would have been completely fine if the world opened up and took her with it. Leave it to Amelia Walters to not just break the ice, but shatter it and then stomp on it a little more. "Sweetie, do you have a special someone you haven't told me about?"

At that moment Noelle wished she had the ability to shoot lasers from her eyes. Her mother knew what she was doing and she had zero shame in it. The side eye she gave her mother only made the gleeful look in her brighten.

"Oh. No ma'am. I wouldn't mind it though. Jacob is a really wonderful kid." Noelle's heart could have melted at his words. A small part of her was almost jealous of her son. She did prefer not to be complimented in front of her mother at the moment though. If she had been, her mother would have ran out of the cafe and started wedding plans immediately.

"Well we can both agree with that," Amelia said with an awkwardly large smile. Noelle's mother just had to keep going and Noelle knew there was no stopping her. She just shrunk in her chair as much as she could. "Are you single, Cole?"

Cole laughed heartily at the question. He had a great laugh and Noelle wouldn't mind hearing it more. "Yes, I am. Are you?" His voice deepened and the question being directed at Amelia made a snort leave Noelles mouth before she could stop herself. Oh this man was good at this. He probably had to be when he was still playing professionally. The amount of women that probably asked him the Colee thing left Noelle feeling jealous once more. He isn't mind to be jealous of she chided herself.

"Oh, you are a flirt! Why don't you have a seat and join us. I'd love to hear more about Kingston farm. Wouldn't you, Noelle?"