Chapter 5
Michael and the guys pulled up to the auction yard and got out.
"Look at all this equipment!" Michael said.
A woman walked by the men in her tight wranglers and smiled at them.
"Yeah, nice equipment!" Aaron said.
Michael smiled at him and rolled his eyes.
"Oh, yeah, you got Phoebe to keep your bed warm" Doug said suggestively to Michael.
"Michael laughed and they walked up to the concession stand.
"I'll have a bud" Michael said slapping his money down.
"Where you guys from?" The man at the concession stand asked.
"Hermiston" Michael said
"Did you guys hear about the cereal killer, that escaped from the Arlington prison?"
"No, when was this?" Michael asked sipping his beer
"About a week ago, they're saying he is headed up the Gorge to La Grande. They're enforcing a car search outside of town.
Cole stared at Phoebe.
"What?" She said looking at him.
"Phoebe I…I have to say, it was weird seeing you at the restaurant." Cole said smiling at her.
"I know, it was…" Phoebe started to say
"I want to kiss you Phoebe" Cole blurted out, interrupting her.
Phoebe was shocked. She didn't know what to say. She started to get scared, and she couldn't breathe.
"Cole…I…"
Cole reached for her hand and she pulled it back.
"I think you better leave…Cole" Phoebe pleaded in almost a whisper.
"Phoebe, I know you want to" Cole said, moving closer to her.
Phoebe jumped up and walked over to the sink.
"Please leave!" she said in a stern shaky voice.
Cole stood up and looked at her with a sad expression. He put his head down and slowly walked out of the kitchen. He took one last glance at her standing by the sink before he walked out.
Phoebe stood at the sink trembling, and tears started to run down her face. She was not afraid of Cole, but she was afraid of herself, and the feeling she had these last few days for Cole.
She loved Michael, and she was so happy with him…but Cole was her first love.
It all started when Phoebe was thirteen, and she had a crush on Cole back home. He had a reputation, for being a smooth talker and a flirt. He wasn't with out morals, but he was a heartbreaker.
The flirting between Cole and Phoebe, went on for months, and Phoebe made a point to be where ever Cole was. Her friends told him she liked him, and he couldn't help but like it. She was a lot younger though, so he never had the chance to take her out.
One weekend Phoebe and her friend went on a trip, and when they got home, Cole was engaged to be married.
Phoebe was crushed, but she acted like she wasn't fazed by the news, but inside she was devastated.
She never knew why Cole did that, after he was supposed to wait for Phoebe. She never got the chance to ask him either. Cole moved away, and that was the last time she saw Cole until the restaurant.
Phoebe never understood the connection her and Cole had, she never even kissed him. But there was intense chemistry, and they both felt it.
Phoebe had to get out of the house. She got dressed and left. She drove for hours. She went down every back road she could find. She didn't know her way around much, but She didn't care at the time.
Phoebe sat in a small truck stop, eating the last of her pie. She knew she had to go home, but she didn't want to.
She left the money on the table and left.
Phoebe pulled up to her house and sat in the truck a minute. She got out and went to open the door, but she stopped. She needed to unwind. She decided to go to the pond.
Phoebe stood by the bank and listened to the crickets. She laid down, and stared up at the starry sky. The sky was so big, and held so many stars.
The air was cool, but she thought she would take a dip before she went back to the house.
Phoebe slowly took off her shorts, and then her shirt. She stood in her bra and underwear at the edge of the dock. She took a deep breath and dove into the water.
She come up for air and she floated on her back. She closed her eyes, it was so peaceful.
Suddenly she heard something in the trees. She gasped and carefully swam over under the dock.
The phone just kept ringing on the other end.
"She will be fine Mike, the police will get him" Aaron said.
Michael held the phone to his ear waiting for Phoebe to pick up.
"I just don't know why she isn't answering? It's late." Michael said looking at his watch.
"She probably went out with the girls, to the bar, or a movie, relax!" Doug said.
"Your right, I'll call her in the morning" Michael said and hung up.
Phoebe heard someone walking up to the pond and she froze. She listened and then she waited to see what they were going to do. All of the sudden they ran and jumped off the dock making a huge splash. Phoebe got a glimpse of a man, before water splashed her face.
She saw it was Cole, when he came up. She didn't know what to do. Cole started to swim, and Phoebe could tell he didn't know she was there. She took a deep breath and held it.
"Cole?" She finally yelled.
"Phoebe?" He yelled back, "Where are you?" He yelled looking around.
"Right here!" She said swimming out.
Cole and phoebe treaded water for an awkward minute in the middle of the pond. Then they started laughing. They both could find the humor in the uncomfortable situation.
"I'm sorry Phoebe…I didn't mean…" Cole started to say
"Cole, it's ok" Phoebe said and swam over to the dock.
Phoebe reached for her shirt, and slipped it on, then she grabbed her shorts and held them over her as she got out of the water and sat on the dock.
Cole swam over to the dock too. Phoebe quickly slipped her shorts on as Cole was getting out. He only had on his wet Levi's
Cole came and sat beside her, dangling his legs over the dock with his feet in the water by hers.
"When does Michael get back?" Cole asked watching their feet in the water.
"Sunday night" she said solemnly.
"That's two days away" He said
"Yeah" She said quietly, "What are you thinking?" She asked looking at him.
She stared into his eyes, and the moon light shown through the trees perfectly, catching a light in his eyes.
"If I told you I would have to kill you" He said smiling. He leaned into her shoulder with his, and nudged her.
"What are you thinking?" He said looking into her eyes.
"Isn't it obvious?" She said leaning closer to him.
Cole leaned in to kiss Phoebe, but paused. He touched her cheek with his lips, and brushed them around to her eyes. Phoebe felt herself melting into his soft caress. His lips were warm and soft. His breath on her face sent chills through her body.
"I can't…do this" She whispered short of breath.
Cole pulled away and looked into her eyes.
"I know" He whispered back, slightly trembling.
Phoebe slowly got up and slipped her shoes on. She started to walk off the dock . She paused and looked back at Cole. He was starting at the water. Phoebe turned started to walk back to her house.
She was walking and shivering. It was very cold now. Suddenly, she heard something in the trees beside her, and she stopped.
"Cole?" Phoebe said in a unsure voice.
She heard nothing, so she started to walk again. She heard it a second time and she stopped.
"Cole this isn't funny!" She said, this time more scared.
She heard some twigs snap behind her and she stared to run. Phoebe felt someone grab her by her hair and kicked her feet out from under her. Phoebe fell to the ground and her ears were ringing, and the fear almost was paralyzing.
She tried to scream, but a hand came over her mouth and muffled it. Phoebe was violently flipped over. She saw the shadow of a man on top of her. He hit her in the stomach and Phoebe gasped. He spread her legs and Phoebe thrashed around under him. He tore her shirt and hit her across the face. Phoebe felt herself relax and her eyes started to go black.
Just then Cole came up behind the man and hit him as hard as he could with a branch. The man slumped over Phoebe.