“Okay,” I say, still emotional from a kindness I’ve not seen from her in all these years. She’s giving it to me when I need it most. “Talk soon.”
When I disconnect the call, Coop smiles at me wryly. “She’s a piece of work.”
“That she is,” I agree as I tap my phone to my chin in contemplation. I think she may be right. This thing with Brad…it’s a catalyst to reevaluate my life. I’ve worked really damn hard the last fourteen years of my life. Maybe I need to lighten the load.
“So, we’re still on to go to the beach?” Coop asks.
“Yeah, we are,” I tell him as I start to get out of the bed so I can grab a shower. “I’ll be ready to go in two hours. Few things I have to take care of first.”
“Don’t get out of that bed,” he says gruffly, and I halt, one leg on the floor as I turn and look at him over my shoulder. He grins at me, his eyes dropping to my now-naked breasts as the sheet sits on my lap. “Stay under the covers until I leave. I don’t need the temptation to stay.”
Laughing, I pull the sheet back up and wait for Coop to leave before I get out of bed.
—
I stopped at the grocery store and bought some pastries from the bakery there.
I then reached out to Brad. I know Colleen said to call him, but I didn’t have it in me to listen to his excuses. I totally did not want to hear him beg, not that I’d give in to him, but afraid I’d vomit in the rental car and owe a fee.
So I sent him a text. Please stop calling and texting me. I’ve got nothing to say. It’s over and nothing will change.
The asshole immediately responded. Baby…please. Just give me five minutes to explain.
I didn’t respond, then blocked his phone number. Problem solved, and I hoped Colleen would be proud of the way I was taking charge of my life.
The last thing I do before heading back to Goodnight House to meet up with Coop for our beach trip is a stop by Missy’s Cupcake Gallery. She comes in from the back of the store when she hears the bells chime above her door as I enter.
Her expression is guarded, but she smiles. “Hey.”
“I’m so sorry,” I tell her without any preamble. “I was such a bitch to you the other night at Tilley’s. I was angry at Ashley and took it out on you, and you’d been nothing but nice and kind to me. Please say you forgive me.”
She doesn’t say anything for a moment, but then reaches into the case in front of her, pulling out a cupcake. “Here…try this. It’s vanilla with a peach sherbet icing I’m trying out.”
“So I’m forgiven?” I ask in obvious relief as I take the cupcake from her.
“Totally,” she says with a laugh. “Ashley rattled me that night and her spite wasn’t even directed at me. You’re completely forgiven.”
“But you knew why the town was mad at me?” I press her as I start to peel the paper from the bottom of the cupcake. I’m eating this now.
“I did,” she admits as she leans on the counter with her forearms. “But I try not to take stock in gossip. I like to get my info from the source.”
“Well, that’s a breath of fresh air in a small southern town,” I quip before taking a bite of the cupcake. I’m not a big fruity cake type of person, but holy cow…heaven. I moan in delight and Missy grins.
“Yeah,” she continues. “I don’t like gossip, but I did hear a very interesting tale yesterday.”
“What’s that?” I ask, my mouth full of cupcake.
“Heard a few things,” she says, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “First, that Coop broke things off with Ashley. Second, that you came into the Pit Stop with Coop and you looked awful cozy. And third, and most important, there’s sort of an oral memorandum floating around town that everyone was wrong about you. That you were screened by your peeps from news of the fire and had no clue it even happened. Word is that Coop was very insistent that your name be cleared immediately.”
I swallow what’s in my mouth, and before I take the next bite, I tell Missy, “All true.”
Except the cozy part.
Was he cozy with me at the Pit Stop?
He sat on the same side as me, had a close, intimate-looking conversation with me.
Yeah, that’s cozy.
All true.
I take another huge bite of the deliciousness in my hand. While I chew, Missy tells me something that makes me smile around the mouthful. “You should have seen Coop after you ran out of Tilley’s. He turned on Ashley and called her out. Told her the way she treated you was not fucking cool. I knew right then it was over between them.”
I swallow again, and then forget about the cupcake for a minute to indulge in a little gossip.
For research purposes only.
“So what was the deal with Coop and Ashley?” I ask quietly, not that anyone else is in the shop to hear us.
Missy shrugs. “Same as any woman Coop turns his attention to. He’s faithful, but he’s not overly attentive. Few dates here and there, and I hate to say it…I suspect he’s just in it for the sex. But the women don’t seem to complain when his attention is on them. They never last long. The women, that is. Few months, tops, and Ashley was reaching her expiration date anyway.”
“Huh,” I say pensively as I think about this Coop that Missy is describing. I can’t judge him harshly for his lack of wanting anything deeper than just sex. I’ve had sex with the man and I’d so be satisfied with just that.
Well, no. Not for the long run, but that’s because I know Coop. I know the soul behind the amazing body, and it’s a good thing we live on opposite sides of the country. Too much exposure to him will have me wanting more, and that could be dangerous. For a moment I actually empathize with Ashley.
Then I remember the things she called me and the moment is over.
“I’m heading out to the beach with Coop for the day,” I tell Missy as I start to head for the door. “But do you have any interest in a girls’ night out again? My treat to make up for the other night. Dinner tonight say around seven?”
I get a bright smile in return. “Seven sounds perfect.”
I cram the rest of the cupcake into my mouth, think to say thank you to her again, which comes out as “thphlank luph,” and head out the door. It’s going to be a great day.
Chapter 14
The things you can get away with in the ocean…
Coop
I roll my head the left and look at Eden. Whereas I have my trifold beach chaise positioned for me to sit in it like a chair, Eden has hers completely flat, and her long, gorgeous body covered in suntan oil is on full display because her bikini is miniscule.
At first I was boggled when she stepped out of her shorts and pulled her T-shirt over her head once we got everything set up on the beach. I’d brought the two chairs and a small cooler with some beer and water and was opening it when she stripped down to that bikini.