âIâm almost afraid to ask what that was all about,â Cole said, and she laughed.
âIâm almost afraid to tell you.â
On a tight smile, Cole hitched up the knees of his khakis and lowered himself to the bench beside her. âBut youâre going to,â he said, not looking at her. Unable to.
Sabrina laughed again, the sound as gentle as the early summer breeze dancing around them. âI was being grilled.â When Coleâs head swung to hers, she shrugged. âHe was curious, understandably enough. About what we used to be to each other.â She paused. âWhat we might be now. Especially since you apparently told him I saved your butt?â
Grimacing, Cole looked away again. âAnd what did you say?â
âThat whatever we once were,â she said softly, âitâs in the past.â
Her words should have been a relief. Which they were, in a way. Then why the sting? The stupid, totally illogical disappointment?
* * *
Jersey Boys: Born ⦠raised ⦠and ready
Chapter One
âDad. Dad!â
His brain already in knots from grocery shopping with a pair of adolescents, Cole Rayburn frowned at his shivering twelve-year-old daughter. Who was clearly about to freeze in her tank top and short-alls in the frigid store, despite the curtain of blond hair shielding her bare shoulders. But would she listen to Coleâs suggestion to take a sweater with her? Oh, hell, noâ
The slight note of alarm in Brookeâs voice belatedly registered, echoing through his entire nervous system. Not that heâd let her see itâ
âWhat is it, honey?â
âThat man over there,â she whispered, sidling closer to Coleâs elbow. Much as sheâd done for the past week, as if afraid heâd disappear if she let him out of her sight. Gratifying and terrifying all at once. âNo, the one by the apples. With the white hair. He keeps staring. Like he knows us or something.â A few feet away, her slouching, dark-haired brother, Wesley, gawked at a towering display of canned soda. Longingly. Cole briefly met his sonâs silent plea, ignored both the stab of guilt and Wesâs sigh, then finally looked to see who Brooke was talking about.
And damned if his own adolescence didnât flash before his eyes.
Heâd assumed, of course, heâd eventually run into one or more of the family heâd practically grown up with. Just not this soon. Or that heâd have such mixed feelings about the reunion, even after all this time.
Or whether the man everyone called the Colonel would be more inclined to welcome him home like the Prodigal Son...or splatter his guts all over the grapefruit.
âCole?â Preston said. Grinning, actually. So far, so good. âCole Rayburn?â
âYes, sir,â Cole said, returning the grin, even as he reminded himself itâd been more than twenty years since Sabrina Noble had dragged home, like a stray puppy, the flabby dork he used to be. The Colonel still had a couple of inches on himâalthough, at six-four, he pretty much towered over everybodyâbut Cole understood why the older man hadnât recognized him at first. Few people from those days would.
By now they were side by side, their carts facing opposite directions like a pair of horse riders meeting up on a trail. Unlike Cole, the Noble clan patriarch hadnât changed a whole lot that Cole could tell. Although he had to be in his seventies by now, the retired air force officer had lost none of the imposing bearing that had gone a long way toward keeping his motley group of adopted and foster children in line for so many years. The shoulders were still square, the posture still ramrod straight, his intense blue gaze as direct as ever. But not, Cole could see now that he was closer, as bright.
It also occurred to him he couldnât remember Preston ever doing the grocery shopping. That had been his wife Jeanneâs domain.
Now he clasped Coleâs hand in a firm shake. All forgiven? Forgotten? Unknown? Although Sabrina wouldâve had to say something, wouldnât she? To explainâ
âDidnât mean to creep you out,â the Colonel said, âbut I wasnât sure it was you at first. What on earth are you doing back here, boy? Thought youâd fled New Jersey years ago.â