Ms. Nia Harper

Nia used her GPS to make her way to Cole's place. She didn't know it was possible to meet someone and just connect with them on a lot of levels. But the moment she started talking to Cole, she just felt that connection with him. It was hard not to like the guy, he was sweet and funny and she did like him.

Parking her car, she made her way to his door, carrying the groceries that she picked up for them to cook. Knocking on his door, she sighed nervously biting her bottom lip as she waited for him to answer. Wearing a form fitting black and white striped jersey dress, she added a pair of tennis shoes, allowing her to be her natural height of 5'3 and let her hair fall over her shoulders in loose curls.

Cole got along with just about everyone, but it wasn't that often that he really connected with someone. Right now the only person he really spends time with is Emma, and sometimes Lacy. It was really nice having someone else he could just be himself with and feel completely comfortable.

When he heard a knock on the door, he took a moment to put on his chef's hat and playfully open the door. "Well, don't you look nice," he said, with a laugh, as she showed off his hat.

Nia smiled seeing him. "And don't you look handsome in that hat! I gotta say I am really digging you in that. Makes me feel not so silly for bringing this." She said pulling out her "singing chef" apron. "So are you gonna let me in?"

Cole couldn't help but laugh. "I need a fun apron" he said, playfully, before stepping out of the way so she could come in. "Where are my manors?" he asked, with a light slide. "This is going to be fun."

Josie ~ Cole*Autumn*"How about this, next time I come over I will get you one for a housewarming gift?" Stepping into the house she smiled. "Oh you have no idea! Cooking with me is always fun." She held up the bags. "So you wanna cook first then give me the tour?"

"That sounds awesome, the funnier the better," he pointed out, before walking her to the kitchen so that she could put her bag down. "Nah, we should do the tour first, it's the polite thing to do," he said, before taking the bag off her arm and putting it on the counter.

Nia laughed with a nod. "I will keep that in mind. I think I already have an idea." She teased. As he took the bags she nodded. "Okay dinner can wait then, lead the way, it is your house after all."

Cole was looking forward to the apron and planned on wearing it every time he cooked, which was most nights. When she said to lead the way he took his chef hat off and grabbed a tour guide hat from his hook and put it on. "I was a tour guide in college, and I kept the hat," he confessed before actually starting the tour. "Okay, we obviously have the kitchen here.... right over here is the main living room," he said as he walked her over. "There's also a family room right downstairs here, where we have the bigger tv, pool table, foosball, and access to the backyard," he said, while walking down the stairs. "In the backyard we have the pond... the pool... and the firepit."

Nia smiled, shaking her head. "You are a man or many hats huh?" She teased as he began the tour. His home was huge, and beautiful. As he led her to the bottom floor she went to the back and headed out to see the pond. "Man I knew it was going to be a sight but this is just too good to be true." She said, staring out at the water. "Beautiful."

Cole never really wears hats outside of his home for some reason. “It’s my favorite part of the backyard, you just have to be careful because the frogs sometimes hop out of there and that’s the last thing you want to step on” he pointed out. As they walked back inside he showed her where the downstairs bathroom was. “And upstairs we have the master bedroom and bathroom, the guest room, the office and what was the craft room over here but now that Valerie is gone I need a new use for that room”

Nia took in the pond once more, enjoying the beauty and peace of it, before following him back inside. Once he showed her the craft room she frowned. "Well." She said, shrugging. "It can be a gym, a gameroom, media room. You can make it a hobby room for you. Just do whatever will make you happily forget it was hers." She leaned against the door frame. "Have you been in here since?"

Cole considered those options for a moment before nodding. “I think I’ll make it a gym, I kind of like having my games and big TV in the family room. Thanks,” he said before thinking about the last time he was in here. “No, I haven’t. It feels like another life, honestly.”

Nia nodded.  "Can't go wrong with a gym. It's a great stress reliever." And his words she sighed. "Come on." Taking his hand, she led him  to the room. "She still has a place here, time to kick her out for good." She said softly, knowing how hard that actually was. Opening the door, she walked in, still holding his hand. "I am with you on this, trust me okay?" She said looking back at him.(edited)

Cole didn’t really see why it would help to go in the room, and it certainly didn’t feel good. It was like the room didn’t have enough air in it. “Maybe I’ll just go over the door with cement and act like it never existed.”

Nia shook her head no. She sighed, pulling him further into the room and turning his face to see hers. "She hurt you, left you at the altar and you never got to say your piece. So do it now. This was her space, this was where she liked to be. So tell her off. Let it out." She said, brown eyes showing her true concern and need to help him.

Cole took a few moments to think before shaking his head. “I don’t really know what to say.... but if I could sing I would sing ‘in love with you’ from First Date the Musical. It was only on broadway for 8 months but it was great.... maybe I’ll just play it,” Cole said, before pulling his phone out. “But I can play it.”

Nia nodded encouraging him. "Hey to each his own. You do what feels right. My go too was 'Best Thing I Never Had.'" She moved to sit on the edge of the built in desk as he went to play the song. As it started, Nia looked at him, taking in his expression and the lyrics. And once the song got going her eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped. "Oh wow." Left her voice in a smirk as the song continued. She jumped up and danced around Cole wanting to bring him something more than pain in this room. "I am feeling this song!" She grabbed his hands and pulled him to her as she continued to enjoy that amazingly accurate song.

Cole couldn't help but laugh at the song. "I'm almost tempted to get singing lessons just so that I can actually sing this song. When I first heard it I'd never imagine I would end up relating to it as closely as I do now," he said, taking in just about every line of it. "I just want to fill my life with good things, you know?"

"Sing it without the lessons! Songs don't have to be sung perfectly to make you feel good. You just gotta enjoy it." She pulled out her own phone and went to her playlist looking for a fun upbeat fun song to get him out of his head about Valerie and just enjoy the moment. 'Uptown Funk' began to play and she smiled putting her phone on the table along with him. "Right now this room is all about her. Make it about you. Make new memories that are fun and funny and goofy and soon that's what this room will remind you of. So dance with me." She said, pulling him to her and began to dance.

Cole knew that she was right, and there was no real reason why he couldn't sing without being good. He never really thought he was a bad singer, but his ex was kind of snobby about music so he tended to keep his mouth shut. "Bruno Mars is one of my favorite artists, I feel like he is one of the only ones out there that just about everyone likes. There's never any drama with him in the press," he said, before giving a small laugh and starting to dance with her.

Nia laughed in agreement. "Oh yeah, love me some Bruno Mars!" She said happily that he was starting to let loose. "I have a feeling there were a lot of things you wanted to do that you just didn't do because of her. We need to change that." She pulled him closer, just enjoying the moment, enjoying one night where she got to help someone else who was hurting like she had been. "Laughter, fun they are the best medicine for this type of pain."

Cole nodded and really just enjoyed hanging out with her. He really needed to have this kind of energy around, it made him feel more like his old self again. "You're really great, you know that?" he said, before giving her a spin. "I might not be able to sing, but I can dance. I took lessons."

Nia smiled brightly. "I think you are really great too!" She said playfully as he spun her around. "I can see that. Okay Cole, show me what you got!"

Cole continued to dance with her, trying to make it as fun as possible. "Prepare to be dazzled," he said, with a small laugh.

[4:45 PM]

As the song changed to another upbeat jam she laughed, as Cole spun her around again and lifted her up off the ground, tossing her to each side. "Oh my God!" She squealed happily, this was the most fun she had had in a long time. "I got moved too, thank you very much!" She said.

[4:51 PM]

"I assumed you had some moves, you're the professional performer here after all," he said, with a playful tone. "But now's the time to show them off," he said, as he enjoyed how much fun she appeared to be having. "You make me want to go out dancing more, I haven't done anything like that since the masquerade ball."

She laughed and shrugged. "I am not even a professional, I just love what I do." she confessed as she kicked it up a notch, dancing with him. They meshed so well together it was a great feeling. "Well you should! We should. Make it like every two weeks we have to hang and go dancing. Because you my dear sir got some moves I am digging right now!"

"You are employed as a singer, so you're a professional in my book," he pointed out. When she suggested going every two weeks he gave her a light smile. "That sounds really nice, you find us a good place and we have plans."

"okay okay! I guess you are right. And I promise I will find us the best spot." After dancing for a bit longer a slow song came on and she sighed pulling him to her wrapping her arms around his neck. "I am glad I came over here, you are a lot of fun and we haven't even started cooking yet."

Cole gave a laugh when he thought about how much they strayed from their original plans. "After this song, we should definitely get to the cooking part of this," he said, playfully. "I promise it will be fun too, but I think I needed to rebrand this room the way we did, so thank you."

Nia smiled. "Okay after this song. Because I am enjoying slow dancing with you." She moved closer to him, staring at him and wondering how anyone could be so stupid. "I am glad we changed your perspective on this room. You deserve to enjoy your entire house, not just half of it."

"You're right, sometimes it's just hard because the house still feels so empty, I think that's why I go to the club a lot after work," he admitted, with a small shake of his head.

"I get that, I feel that. Why do you think I stay after hours, and show up early. I have been lonely a long time and being in the club is the first time I don't feel that way." She said swaying with him. "Is it wrong to say I like being in your arms?"

"I want to make my house feel more like a home again, maybe I should have some sort of get together... you could come, I could have Nate and whoever has on his arm that night, Emma, and Lacy... I need more guy friends," he said, with a small chuckle. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it, it's nice to feel comfortable and light."

"A get together would be fun! Okay I don't think I have met Nate, Emma I know but not Lacy. Ha I used to say that about myself, that I needed more girlfriends." She nodded. "Well I do. I feel like I have known you for a long time, you just get me."

"Well, Nate is my best friend, since college and Lacy is a dancer at the club. She is a solid friend, and you know Emma," he said, casually. "Maybe you can make friends with some of my friends, and I can invite another guy somehow,"

"Well we can definitely see when you throw those who get together." She said smiling. This moment was damn near perfect though. The music, the closeness. She caught his eyes and just melted. She never made the first move, but somehow she needed too. Standing up on her tippy toes she leaned up to kiss him softly on the lips.

Cole really enjoyed spending time with her, but he didn't realize she expected more from this than them hanging out. When she leaned up to him, he pulled back a step. "I'm so sorry, I really thought that you knew that Emma and I were dating, I thought since you guys know each other," he said, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to..."

When Cole pulled back she did the same staring at him. "Oh." was all she could say. His words caused her to realize just how much she messed up. "I am so...umm." She looked away from him shaking her head. "Yeah Emma doesn't really like me much since I started at the club so I had no idea. I am so sorry. I am so...I am so sorry." She bit her bottom lip. "I know better than this, I should have known a guy like you would never fall for a girl like me. And here I am making a full of myself... I am just so sorry." She was stunned at how utterly foolish she must have looked. She walked over to the desk to grab her phone. "This is almost as embarrassing as getting dumped in front of my coworkers..." she joked to stop from tearing up. "You don't hate me do you?" She couldn't even look at him. She really thought there was a vibe.

Cole wanted nothing more than to make her feel better, but he was struggling to come up with the right words. "Please stop apologizing... I should have been more clear and I shouldn't have assumed that you knew about me and Emma," he said, shaking his head. He wanted to give her a hug but he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. "Hate you?" he asked, not sure how she could possibly think that. "Of course not, this has been one of the best days I've had in awhile, and there's nothing wrong with you. If I happened to be single we might be having a completely different conversation, but that's just not the case."

Nia was sure he was going to kick her out, tell her to leave. She turned to face him and knew he was being honest. She took a deep breath and nodded. "This has been, one of the best days for me too. And I really didn't come here to hit on you. I promise I just I read the situation very wrong." She exhaled the breath she was holding, happy that he didn't hate her. "It's just my luck, but you know I still consider myself lucky, that is if you will have me as a friend. I really do like you Cole and I still want to dance with you and cook with you. If you will have me." She was hopeful, it was true that she had never connected with someone like she did him, but maybe they were just meant to be friends and nothing more.

Cole couldn't help but give a light laugh. "Of course I want to be friends, I've had a great time and I was just hoping you weren't going to want to leave," he confessed, with a small shake of his head. "I'm sorry if I lead you on, I really didn't mean to. It's generally pretty hard for me to tell if someone's hitting on me."

Nia shook her head with a smile. "You really are hopeless aren't you? You aren't one of those cocky hot guys and that's why it sucks that someone snatched you up. You are a rare find." She sighed. "Can I hug you? I think we need to hug this out?"

"It was actually really recent, we only decided to be official a few days ago and technically it was an accident because I accidentally called her my girlfriend before we even talked about it," he confessed with a small laugh. "Yes, hugs are always encouraged," he said, before wrapping his arms around her.

"Timing, am I right?" She joked. Moving into his embrace she laid her head on his chest. "Thanks for not making this awkward."

"I would never want you to feel uncomfortable, and I really think that we can make for great friends," Cole said, lightly.

She sighed. "I mean I guess that's fine." She teased him. "Now I am so ready for this pizza."

Cole nodded, as they started to walk out of the room and down the stairs. "I love making homemade pizza," he added, with a playful tone.

Following him towards the kitchen she raised an eyebrow. "So you are gonna show me up in the kitchen? I am so here to see that."

"I have skills," he said, with a playful tone, "but this isn't a contest, it's all fun."

"Oh see now that's just rude. Bragging about all your skills knowing I can only learn about half of em." She teased back. She was relieved that they could go back to this easiness.

"Why can you only learn half of them?" he asked, with a laugh. "can you spin a basketball on your finger, because it's kind of similar."

She shook her head. "I see that hopelessness again. But no I can not do that. So you are gonna have to teach me." As they entered the kitchen she pulled everything out they needed. "Okay tell me more about you, what kind of doctor are you? What are your dreams?"

"Well, I'm hopefully a decent teacher," he said, with a small chuckle. "I am a family doctor, so I work with children, upcoming mothers, birth, for the most part," Cole added, as he helped her organize the supplies.

"That is so awesome, what made you want to become a doctor, and don't think I didn't catch you not telling me your dreams."

Cole gave a small chuckle. "Well, my parents struggled a lot growing up, so I wanted to have a career where I could help take care of them financially, so I started working towards a medical career right out of high school," he explained. "As far as dreams, I don't know, I'm a pretty simple guy. I just want a good career, a nice house and a family with my damn dog back."

Nia listened to him and smiled. "You really are a great guy, your family is very lucky to have you. Emma is too." She sighed. "You know what. Where is she living now? I say let's go get your dog. She had no right to take it so we are enforcing your law."

Cole couldn't help but shake his head. "I don't know where she is living now; when she left she took most of her stuff and her parents picked up the rest of it," he said, with a shrug. "I don't even know where to start."

"Well maybe Nia Harper attorney at Law should check it out. If you really want your dog back I will do everything I can to help you. Just say the word." She said honestly.

"Word... word... word," Cole said, with a small laugh.

"Okay then here is what's gonna happen, before I leave you give me her info and I will take care of the rest."

Cole couldn't help but give her a smile. "You're the best," he said, before starting to mix the dough.

"I am just figuring out that about me." She said with a sigh. "That I am the best." She started cutting the tomatoes and onions for the sauce. "Okay so tell me about baby Cole."

"Good, It's important that you know that about yourself," Cole said, with a light smile. When she asked about his childhood, he gave a small shrug. "There's not much to tell. My parents got together really young, so they struggled a lot. They wanted to have more than one kid, but they couldn't really afford it so they stopped after I was born."

She sighed, "Ah, only child huh? Good to know." She moved around his kitchen practically guessing where things were and happy she seemed to be right. They had similar styles which made cooking together easier. "I wasn't so lucky to be an only child.

"How many siblings do you have? You kind of seem like you'd be a middle child," he said, with a playful tone, before the dough started to rise and it was time to kneed it.

She sighed going to the stove. "Is it that obvious? Two older brothers, two younger. It's no picnic having four brothers but I know how to have a lot of fun, and no one touch me with a water gun."

Cole couldn't help but laugh before he took a break from his dough. "Maybe not with a water gun," he said, before walking over to his closet and pulling out a nerf gun. He decided to shoot now and talk later.

Nia knew he was up to something and when he shot her with the nerf gun she screamed excitedly. "Oh it's on!" She ran from him using the pot top as a shield. "Wait! Time out! I want one too!" She said laughing.

"You can't have one unless you find one," he said, with a small laugh. He continued shooting the nerf bullets, sure that she would likely check the same closet first.

"Oh I love a challenge." She ran to the closet knowing he had to have at least one more in there. Grabbing the two she saw she smiled. "Say Hello to my little friends!!" She screamed, running at him and shooting.

"That's not fair, I should have grabbed more," he said, with a laugh, as he ducked behind the house and kept shooting. "I'm pretty sure we are not going to finish the pizza."

Nia laughed. "You snooze, you lose!" She hid behind his loveseat and popped her head out. "Cole." She sang out. "Let me shoot you and then we can go back to cooking." She teased. "Plus as much as I love cooking, this is way more fun."

"There's no way I'm letting you shoot me," he said, with a laugh. "I know it's polite to let the lady win, but that would be just too easy."

"Oh you better not let me win. I enjoy kicking a man's butt! Girls run the world after all." She moved to the end of the loveseat to get a better view of where he was. "Cole...I'm gonna get you." She sang out playfully.

Cole moved along the back of the couch and turned the closet door so that he could move behind it. "Girls may run the world but I have a home base advantage."

She smiled hearing where he came from. "Oh I know, I am gonna have to come over often so I can get the advantage. Better yet next time we do this at my place." She would definitely have an advantage there with all her hiding spots.

"Then I'll just have to win by skill," he said, getting a few shots in. "I am the nerf battle champion of this region."

She waited for her opening and after he shot her she aimed and shot him in the neck. "That is because I just moved here baby!"

"Damn," he said, with a laugh. "You went in for the kill."

“Dobby never meant to kill. He only meant to maim, or seriously injure.” She said laughing wondering if he would get the reference.

Cole couldn't help but laugh. "Well, Dobby is a free elf, I suppose you can do whatever you want."

She loved the fact he got that reference and didn't look at her like she was crazy. She threw her hair into a messy bun and checked around his living room. "I got something for you." She said moving along the floor and trying to find him.

"If I learned anything from Moana, it's that when a girl puts her hair up in a bun she meant business," he joked, playfully.

She laughed, "Then you learned right. Care to surrender now?" She said before she started singing 'How far I'll go.' and shooting at him.

“That’s cheating, that’s one of my favorite songs” he said 285) a playful tone before moving behind the recliner. “Plus, if Moana gave up her island would be destroyed right now”

Nia smiled. "I thought we established I was Moana in this scenario!"

Cole shook his head, “Except I can’t pull off Maui because I only have one tattoo, I don’t have nearly the amount of confidence he does, and I never would have left Moana alone in the middle of the ocean like that. Very selfish.”

She shrugged. "You could always be Hay-hay!" She teased.

“Rude, I have a Doctorate, I should at least be Pua” he joked, lightly.

Nia snorted. "Nope, I think Hay-hay suits you!" She teased him.

“But he eats a rock... and that’s when he can find it” he said, with a fake angry tone. “I will revoke your Moana title and give you the least Interesting princess I can think of.”

"And here I was gonna let you be the beast! NO BEAST FOR YOU!" She laughed then stopped her movement's. "Wait who is the least interesting?"

“Damn I like the beast, but I don’t really have a temper so I’m not sure I can pull him off,” he said with a small laugh. “Aurora by far.”

"Hmmmm I dunno, I think if pushed you could be a beast like..." she nodded. "Okay I agree Aurora sucks, she literally sleeps the whole movie." She moved closer to where he was and prepared to pounce, waiting for her opening.

Cole moved under the lounge chair, shooting at her feet. “That’s why the only princess I had a crush on as a kid was Belle... wait scratch that, Ariel was up there too... and Jasmine had such an attitude it was great. Although the little mermaid live action hasn’t come out yet, the other two are the only live action princesses that lived up to expectations.”

Nia shifted in her stance the moment he shot her, he gave his position. "You do seem like a Belle lover...that's why I stand by Beast. That's your Disney spirit!" She teased. "But no I loved Ariel and Belle, I really was not into Cinderella though.. But Tiana and Mulan were my shero's! I can sing just about every princess song."

“The princesses are great, but by the time Tiana came out I was a little old to have cartoon crushes,” he said, with a playful laugh. “Mulan was awesome, though, 10/10 a girl worth fighting for.”

"I don't believe that! I will admit that I watch Anime and I still have cartoon crushes thank you very much!" She laughed. "I mean it's more of a oooo he is drawn so cute but still." But seriously though Cole we have much to discuss. So...Let's get down to business to defeat the Hans!" She sang as she fired off four shots at him.

Cole rolled out from his spot while she was shooting, still getting hit a few times. “I mean, Girls can also get away with things longer than guys can. It gets creepy for guys but still cute for girls,” he pointed out.

The further the night progressed the more Nia realized that she hadn't had this much fun in such a long time. Grabbing some ammo from the floor she restocked just to be safe and eyed his position. She smirked. "Hey can we all pause? I gotta go to the bathroom." she lied. She was ready for an ambush.

“I feel like I can’t trust you, but I can’t exactly say no,” he said, with a small laugh. “It’s the second door on the right,” he said, before moving back behind the couch.

"Uh uh see I can't trust you while you are hiding, we both stand on three."

“Fine....” he said, before reloading his gun. “Three....two.....”

She got on her knees, holding both guns at the ready. She swallowed hard as he counted and when he got to three she waited to make sure he stood before standing herself and firing off as many shots as she could .

Cole stood up, with his gun prepared just in case. He didn’t start shooting until she did. “You’re officially never allowed to call a timeout,” he said, with a laugh, as he continued shooting until he ran out of bullets.

She laughed as they both came up empty. "I mean I had to take my shot!" She sat down on his couch and laughed. "We have to have a water fight next time "

“Remind me to remove any of the delicate stuff before we do that,” he said, with a playful tone. “Everything else will dry,” he added, before picking up a bullet and just throwing it at her with his hand, “I win”

She laughed. "We will schedule it in advance." He tossed a bullet at her and she laughed. "Cheater! You are just lucky I didn't pounce, you wouldn’t be so smug i have thighs of steel!"

Cole rolled his eyes playfully. “I could lift you dancing and I could lift you pouncing,” he pointed out.

She raised an eyebrow. "I let you lift me. You would be crying uncle within 30 seconds."

“I don’t think so,” he said, with a chuckle. “I think you underestimate these arms,” he added, with a playful tone.

She smirked, taking him in. Damn Emma was lucky as hell cause in that moment Nia just wanted to be wrapped in his arms. Shaking it off as if he didn't affect her, she didn't say a word, she let him stay in his moment before she pounced knocking him onto his couch backwards, once there she straddled him locking both her thighs against his and then her ankles around each other.

“Rude” he said, with a laugh, “I can’t punch a girl, it’s against my moral code, but I can easily get out of this,” he said before taking a quick moment to tickle her before she could see it coming.

"You thought about punching? So rude!" When he tickled her she burst out laughing but not releasing her hold, she tried to stop his hands but to no avail which just made her squirm on top of him.

“Obviously I wasn’t going to punch you, but that’s some sexist nonsense,” he pointed out, with a laugh. Once she was squirming, he was able to pick her up and swap positions. “I grew up in a pretty rough neighborhood, so I had to develop some skills,” he pointed out, before letting her go. “Now we need to finish that pizza before my dough sinks,” he laughed.

Nia wouldn't lie, when he lifted her, she let go out of pure shock and was glad she did cause that was the sexiest thing that ever happened to her. She laughed with him but on the inside knew this friendship was gonna be the death of her. "Yeah, uh lets go."

Cole grabbed her hand to lift her up off the couch. “At least we have been working up an appetite,” he pointed out, as they walked back to the kitchen.