RIVER WAS never really good at confessing her feelings, let alone having people saying that they liked her and wanted to peruse something further.
Yeah, she was the girl that be either wanted to be or be with, but that didn't mean she would just date the next person who got on their hands and knees for her.
She wanted someone that she could pick on, someone she could rely on, someone who could make her laugh, someone who would put her in her place when she was wrong.
And as she drove to Walter house to help set up for Will and Haley's wedding... all she could think about was how Cole did all those things and more... which kind of sucked.
Cole had told her that he wanted to be with her and had told her sister that he loved her and was only pushing her away because of that... it was a dumbass reason but Cole was a dumbass guy... a dumbass guy that River was wiling to give a second chance.
But she would try and not think about that for now. Right now she was pulling into the driveway of the Walter's house and her mother, along with the other handful of Calflin's stepped out of the car and made their way inside to help set up for the wedding that would be happening in less than a few hours.
"Sierra, I'm begging that you hold the dresses up higher so they aren't dragging on the ground." Elaina begged. "Ryder, see if Jackie needs any help and Swayer, do not, and I mean, do not dare eat one of those cupcakes or so help me God."
Elaina wanted this wedding to be perfect. Everyone did, which was why everyone was running around trying to get things done.
River stepped up on the porch, the sun was shining down beautifully and her hair glowed as bright as Rapunzel's did many moons ago.
As she made her way towards the front door, she was met with Cole.
They, at this moment, were okay.
She knew how he felt about her and he didn't know how she felt about him.
It had been a few days since Cole had told River everything and he was just waiting for her to reject him.
"Hey," She smiled. "where are you off to?"
Cole held a soft smile as he held his paper in his hands. "Turning this in. Gonna see if I can get into summer school."
River smiled, pressing her hand and weight on the doorknob as she looked up at him. "Really?"
Cole nodded. "Yeah... as much as I want to get out of here, I think getting out of high school might benefit me."
"Good." She smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. I'm of proud of you."
Cole returned her soft smile and stepped the side. He began to make his way down the steps and towards his truck before he sighed, looking back over at River.
"River?"
The girl turned, looking over at him.
"I just wanted to apologize for everything I've done," he said, his voice sincere. "I know I haven't always been the best person to you, and I'm sorry for that."
River sighed with content as she leaned against the door. "Thank you, Cole... I'm sorry if I... pushed you."
Cole nodded. "You're one of the people who wanted the best for me. Seeing something in me. I should thank you."
River chuckled. "We've got a lot to do today, Walter. Get going."
Cole nodded once more, a small smile painted on his face as he turned, making his way to the van that Danny had already been sitting in a drove off.
River made her way into the house quickly after, bumping into Alex as she did.
"Hey." She said softly.
"River, hey." Alex paused. "Um, it's funny that I run into you here."
River furrowed her brows. "In your house?"
Alex cleared his throat, rocking in his heels. "I- I'm sorry. I just... I'm sorry for what I said to you at party. It was completely lapse of judgment and I have never, ever seen you in that way and I-"
"Alex," River called. "thank you. I'm over it. Apologizing does make it better though."
The boy nodded, sighing in relief. "So we're good."
"We're good." She smiled. "Speaking of good, how are you and Jackie?"
"We're good, great even." Alex smiled. "She and Cole talked and Cole and I talked. We're better than ever."
"That's good to hear." River said. "Now come on. I'm sure Jackie is going to kill us for just standing around."
AFTER SOME time, Jackie had realized that the Walter dog had found the bouquet of flowers for the wedding and completely ripped the to shreds.
She paced back and forth in front of Isaac, Lee, River, Ryder, Cole, and Danny as she waited for someone to pick up the phone over at the florist, but to no avail.
"There's no way I'll be able to get another florist in time." Jackie sighed.
"What's going on?" Cole asked.
"Albert ate Haley's wedding bouquet." Isaac answered.
"Does she really need a bouquet?" Lee asked.
"For a wedding?" Jackie questioned. "Yes, Lee, she really needs a bouquet. What am I gonna do?"
"I know where you can get some flowers." River said.
Jackie looked up quickly. "From where? What kind of flowers?"
"Chill out, Howard." River chuckled, standing from the bench. "I got it covered."
"How long is it gonna take?"
"Thirty minutes, maybe less if someone comes with me."
"I'll go." Cole said, passing is bag over to Danny."
"Perfect." River smiled, making her way over to Jackie and resting her hands against her shoulders. "Relax, we've got this covered. Go do what you need to do and Cole and I will be back before you know it."
Jackie nodded, sighing in relief. "Thank you, River."
River gave the girl a soft smile and made her way over to the barn, following behind Cole as Jackie continued to give orders to Danny, Lee, Ryder, and Isaac.
Soon enough, Cole and River were riding horseback to the flower field that River had mentioned prior.
The flowers sat by a River... one that Sierra had almost been born.
The ride there had been one of silence, but nothing awkward as the two dismounted from the horse.
"How's the wedding speech going?" River asked.
"Workin' on it." Cole said. "I don't know why Will picked me though. Danny or Alex probably would've been better."
"He wants to hear from you, Cole." River smiled, following the boy to the flowers. "All you gotta do is speak from the heart and tell the truth... something you've been doing a lot of anyway."
The two of the got down onto their knees and began picking some of the flowers from the ground.
"Looks like I'm gonna be around for the summer after all." Cole said. "Mr. Choudry let me sign up for summer school."
River looked up with a small smile. "That's good, great even. Things are looking good for you, Mr. Cole Walter."
He chuckled. "Okay, River Bank, don't get so excited. It's just summer school."
"It's still a good thing, Cole." River smiled. "You're making a change. A good one."
Cole softly smiled her way before looking back down at the small bouquet he'd gathered.
"About the other night when the truck broke down." He paused. "All that stuff I said, just forget it. It didn't mean anything, okay?"
River paused her action, looking over at him for a moment as she licked her lips.
She didn't really know how to move forward with that. Maybe she was digging too deep on how she actually felt about Cole and twisted his words to make them feel better.
Maybe she and Cole were't supposed to get back together.
"Yeah... totally." River sighed. "Completely forgotten."
Expect it wouldn't be. He said he wanted to be with her and she took that to heart. She'd been thinking about since he'd said and now here he was telling her to just forget it and that it didn't mean anything.
She didn't really know what to think at the moment, not anymore anyway. So, she decided that they had enough flowers for Haley's bouquet and headed back to the Walter's house.
After some time, and getting the bouquet ready, River put on her satin, light blue dress that Haley had picked out for her specifically for the wedding.
Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders and her bangs laid nicely against her forehead.
River stepped out of the Walter household and made her way towards the banquet.
"River," Danny called as she walked past. "you look great."
River turned, a small smile on her face as she looked over at him and Cole.
"Danny Walter, handsome as always." She smiled.
"Thank you." The boy smiled.
"Beautiful as always, River Bank." Cole nodded.
"Thank you, Walter."
The ceremony would soon began and end with the couple now being married. Of course, they were just a match made in heaven and nothing could ruin the night for the newlyweds.
After the ceremony came the reception.
River sat with the rest of her siblings at a table with Jackie, the Walter's, and Skylar.
"Jackie," Skylar called. "you did such a great job today."
"Everyone did." She chuckled. "Oh my God, when the bouquet got destroyed, I thought I was done."
"You know," Nathan said. "my grandma said that these flowers are a symbol of unrequited love."
Cole sighed, catching a quick glance over to River as soon as his father came patting him on the shoulder and telling him it was time for him to give his speech.
"Ladies and gentlemen, hi." Cole smiled, speaking into the microphone. "When Will asked me to make the tonight, he wanted just two things. Keep it short and don't embarrass him. And I gave my solemn promise yes to both, which is why I'm not gonna mention..."
Cole went on to show the most embarrassing photos of Will and proceeded to go on to talk about how Will just so happened to be the greatest big brother he'd had. The married man doing everything for his siblings.
"So I guess when you meet your person, you know, nothing else really matters." Cole paused. "So, Haley, we don't know how you put up with Will or with all of us... but we're real glad you do. Welcome to the family."
After toasting to the new couple, they had their first dance and the rest of the reception went on without any problems.
Nightfall soon fell over the Walter ranch. They had various tents set up in the backyard and the Calflin family found themselves staying over night in some of them.
But River had made her way out of hers and towards the dimly lit barn where Cole had, once again, been working on his truck.
"Hey." She said, speaking softly.
Cole looked over, a small smile on his face. "Hey, River Bank. I was just getting ready to text you."
River smiled. "I was already on my way over."
Cole chuckled and shut the hood of the car, giving his attention to her. He'd been dressed out of his wedding attire and only been wearing some random pair of bottoms and a white tank top in order to work on the truck more hands on.
"Your speech was wonderful." River said. "Everyone loved it."
"Even you?"
"Especially me." She smiled, pausing before taking a deep breath. "I just say that... and to say goodnight."
Cole nodded. "Goodnight, River."
River gave the boy a small smile, turning her heels to make her way back to her tent, but she paused.
"Cole?" She called, turning back to him. "I don't want to forget what you said to me the other night."
Cole paused, turning his body towards her. "Why not?"
River shrugged her shoulders, pulling on the strings of Ryder's hoodie that she'd stolen from him prior to leaving their house.
"I've been asshole and tired to be an asshole to just... make you go away so I wouldn't feel like this, but you were an asshole to be an asshole and worked because I was... so close just, not wanting you." She explained. "And then, you told me you wanted to be with me... and maybe I wanted to be with you too."
"Maybe?" He smiled.
"Maybe."
Cole nodded, making his way over to her. He only looked down at her, their eyes dancing back and forth before he swooped down and placed his lips against hers.
The kiss started out slow and gentle, but soon turned heated as Cole deepened the kiss, his lips moving fiercely against hers. River melted into his embrace, her hands clutching at the back of his shirt, pulling him closer to her.
River's back hit the wall as he pressed himself against her, his hands traveling up her thighs.
Their breathing became heavy, and they broke away from the kiss, gasping for air. Cole's lips traveled down her neck, sending shivers through her body.
Eventually, Cole pulled back, his eyes scanning River's face. "Are you sure?" he asked in a low voice.
River nodded. "I'm sure."
AS SOON as the sun rose that morning, Sierra popped her head into River's tent. The eldest sprawled out on the bed, her hair messy and the blanket covering her entire body.
"Wake up!"
River arose, her brows furrowed as she turned in her bed, her vision blurry as Sierra bounced up and down on her feet.
"What?" River groaned.
"Isaac kissed me last night!" The youngest cheered. "Right under the gazebo. Oh my God, the most romantic thing that's ever happened to me. I'm surprised you didn't see it. I think you were coming from the barn as soon as it happened."
River only watched as Sierra paced back and forth in the small tent.
"What if he ask me to be his girlfriend?" Sierra asked. "What if I just ask him? Oh my God, I have to think about this."
River didn't say anything as Sierra stepped out of the tent.
With a heavy sighed, River rolled over onto her stomach, screaming into her pillow as a trail of hickeys from Cole Walter trailed her neck.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
— lucy has something to say !!
omg they finally kissed in present day slow burns am i right ????????
and with that i leave you in limbo until season 2
i thank you all for reading season one of this book it means the world to me and all the other sappy shit i always say
dramatic ending 😋
for now, i leave you with this cole walter photo... until season two my friends :)
bye :))))