Fever Read Online Free Page A

are you going to stop collecting all these random phone numbers and actually start dating a girl, Cole Reynolds?”
    “I date.”
    “No, you don't; you charm, you swoon, you sleep with and then you don't commit.”
    “Hey, I don't sleep around like that, okay ?”
    “You're telling me you haven't had sex with any of the girls who practically throw their phone numbers at you?”
    “That's not what I'm saying either.”
    “Then what are you saying?” Malachi slipped into the seat beside his wife and tapped the counter.
    With a scowl, I pulled up another glass and slapped it down. “You're making me sound like a jerk.”
    Malachi chuckled while I filled his glass a third of the way with the amber liquid.
    Nina took another sip and placed her glass down with a grin. “You're not a jerk, Cole. You are a gorgeous guy that girls fall all over themselves to get to. I'm just wondering when one of them will actually get under your skin.”
    “I don't know if one ever will.” I shrugged, hating this conversation. I had plans, and a committed relationship was certainly not on the agenda.
    “What? You don't want to fall in love and have babies?” Malachi looked incredulous. “You'd be such a great father.”
    “I'm twenty-one. Are we really having the parenthood discussion right now?” I put the bottle away and turned back to face them.
    “We're not saying we want you to be a father now, we're just wondering if it's a dream you have for the future.” Nina's eyes sparkled.
    I pressed my arms against the bar and got in her face. “You know the only dream I have for my future is to own a pub like this. I want to give indie bands a place to play, and people a place to dance, sing, and have a little fun in. Your gig here is awesome and I want to do it too. I got one year left until I graduate , and then I can focus all my attention on making it happen.”
    “You gonna be my competition, Boy-o?”
    I chuckled. “You know I'm gonna set it up on the South Side. I could cater to all the college students. There's nothing like that for us near campus. It'd become like a student watering hole.”
    “An alcohol-free one?” Malachi's bushy eyebrows rose.
    I looked him straight in the eye. Blue on blue. It was always the best way to have a serious conversation with him. “If I need it to be, I will. Students will come for the music and the cheap food, not the booze.”
    “Highly unlikely,” Malachi scoffed.
    “I love your dream.” Nina ran her hand over my messy curls. “You remind me so much of what Malachi was like when I first met him. He had such grand plans.”
    I shifted away from her, my back cramping from leaning forward so far. I crossed my arms over my chest and nodded. “See? And he made them happen.”
    “No.” Nina shook her head. “ We made them happen. Together.” She caught Malachi's eye, and they shared one of those moments, both their expressions turning mushy.
    “I can tell you, boy , it's a lot more fun that way,” Malachi stated. “You have someone to stress with. Someone to celebrate with...and then of course there's the sex-breaks.” His cheeky grin accompanied Nina's gasp. “Oh you know you loved it, you little minx.”
    “Malachi Quigg, if you ever want sex again you will stop talking right now.” She gave him a stern frown, hampered with giggles, before draining her glass and passing it back to me.
    I took it with a laugh, holding out my free hand for Malachi's. “I know one day I'll probably fall in love with a very nice woman and we'll be happy together, but I just can't imagine wanting that more than my plans right now. I don't know if everyone finds their soul mate like you two did. I think there are many contented, happy couples in the world, and I think it's possible to love lots of different people.”
    Nina's nose wrinkled.
    “Come on.” I spread my arms wide. “I kind of like the idea that if my spouse died, I'd have the chance to fall in love with someone else.”
    “Okay,