Chapter 5
Chapter
Five
ABBY
“Happy anniversary!”
Ryan and I shared a mischievous look before throwing handfuls of confetti onto our parents as they bolted up in bed, looking less than enthused. I blew vigorously on a noise maker for added hilarity.
My father, Rodney, rubbed his eyes with a yawn while picking confetti pieces out of his hair. “Nice touch.” He made a sour face that quickly melted into a smile.
Mom sighed. “You two will never tire of this tradition, will you?”
“Nope,” I said, sprinkling more confetti into my mother’s bedhead. “Might as well go to sleep in a bubble once a year.”
“I mean, you can’t ever claim we don’t care,” Ryan added with a shrug.
“A clear sign of your undying love for us,” Mom stated.
I was about to reply when I heard sirens blaring in the distance. They sounded louder, pulling me toward the window. When I peered out through the drapes, I gasped as I watched multiple ambulances swerve into our driveway. “What’s going on? Why are there ambulances at our house?”
“Oh, they’re here for us, honey.”
I whirled around.
A scream fell out when my eyes landed on my parents who were now standing by the bed, covered in bloody wounds. A jagged piece of glass was jutting out of my mother’s neck. I covered my face with my hands, swinging my head back and forth. “No, no, no. It’s not real. It’s not real.”
“It’s very real, sweetheart,” Dad said as blood dribbled down his forehead.
Ryan threw more confetti at them. “Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad!”
“No!”
I shot up in bed, my hair damp with sweat. My hands were shaking as I clasped them at my chest, trying to calm my racing heart.
Would the nightmares ever end?
I took a moment to catch my breath, glancing around the sunlit room and noting that I’d managed to sleep through the night. A sigh left me. It registered as both relief to have finally gotten some rest, and sorrow for the fact that I’d woken up in the exact same world I’d fallen asleep in.
Waking up to a new day was only a blessing when there was a new day to look forward to.
I kicked my legs over the side of the bed and ran my fingers through my tangled hair. Stepping over to the window, I looked outside, relaxing at the sight of the patrol car parked in front of the house. Daphne’s Beetle was gone, which meant she had already gone to work at the hair salon.
A knock at the front door had me jumping in place.
Everyday noises startled me. Mundane sounds frightened me.
I wondered if that feeling would ever go away.
My bare feet slapped against the hardwood floor as I jogged toward the front of the house.
I cracked the door with caution, poking my head out to peek at the visitor.
Relief swept through me when I found Cooper standing on the porch, coffee and donuts in hand.
I pulled the door open wider and unlatched the screen. “Good morning.”
Cooper held his arms up, showcasing the treats. “I wasn’t sure what you liked.”
“Anything deep-fried and glazed in sugar usually does the trick.”
“Nailed it.” He smiled.
I stepped aside and watched him enter. When the screen door clapped shut, I flinched again.
He noticed.
“Sorry. I’m a little jumpy lately,” I told him.
There was a warmth in his eyes that hadn’t been there yesterday. Cooper set the coffee and donuts on the kitchen table as he regarded me. Before he responded, his gaze traveled up and down the length of my body with a flickering of heat.
My eyes popped when I realized I’d answered the door with no pants. An oversized T-shirt fell just below my hips, leaving little to the imagination.
Mortification burned my cheeks. “Okay, so, funny story…I forgot to put pants on.” I instinctively yanked at the hem of my shirt, trying to cover as much as possible. “Going to go die now.”
Amusement tipped his lips.
I spun around and bolted.
Cue, black hole.
Where the hell are you, black hole?
Don’t fail me now, black hole.
I slipped on a pair of jeans, hopping on each leg as I tugged them up over my hips, then ran a comb through my mess of hair. I pressed my palms against my cheeks in an attempt to diffuse the rosy blush that had settled in.
Would Cooper notice if I happened to escape out the window and make a swift exit out of town?
Possibly out of state.
Out of the country would be even better.
Gathering my courage and what was left of my dignity, I rejoined Cooper in the kitchen. He was sitting on a stool, sipping a cup of coffee. The sparkle in his eyes hadn’t fizzled out.
“I’m just going to change the subject now, if that’s okay with you.”
Cooper smirked as he rubbed a hand along his chin, scratching at the stubble. “Never happened.”
“What never happened?”
He blinked.
Then the corners of his eyes creased, brightening his smile.
That had been the third smile I’d pulled from him in only a few minutes.
Maybe it wasn’t such a terrible day, after all.
I twirled a piece of hair around my finger as I made a beeline for the box of donuts.
Deciding on a glazed blueberry, I leaned back against the counter.
Crumbs sprinkled onto my toes as I took a bite.
“Thanks for the breakfast. I haven’t been eating much lately.
” The truth was, I hadn’t had much of an appetite.
Even with a stocked fridge and pantry at my disposal, I’d turned my nose up.
I blamed it on the queasy feeling in my stomach that had been lingering since my hospital stay.
Cooper dangled the coffee cup between his knees as he shifted on the stool. He was studying me, reading me. It was like he was trying to pull information and memories out of me with nothing but his hazel eyes.
I liked his eyes.
They would probably be even more beautiful if they hadn’t seen so many ugly things.
I cleared my throat. “Anyway, I’m sure you’re not getting paid double-time to keep me company. I really do appreciate the donuts.”
“I’m…” He wavered, his knee bobbing up and down. “I’m actually not getting paid at all. It’s my day off.”
I frowned, confused. “Why are you here, then?”
Something unspoken passed between us.
A feeling. A charge.
Cooper ducked his head and took a sip of his coffee. “Kate thought I should check on you to see how you were holding up. I know you don’t have many friends in town yet.”
“Oh…I see.” His sister had told him to come by. My stance stiffened against the island countertop, my fingers curling around the edge. “Well, you can tell your sister I’m just peachy. Never better.”
I couldn’t help my defenses from flaring.
I looked away, jaw tight and chest tighter.
“Listen,” he said softly. “I can’t imagine what you’ve been through—”
“No. You can’t.”
He paused, his eyes flicking over my face again. “You don’t have to put up a wall with me. I’m in your corner.”
My hands were sticky from my donut. I massaged the glaze on my fingertips into tiny balls and rolled them around.
“I guess I’m just confused. Yesterday you came by all, ‘Miss Stone’ and ‘part of the job,’ and now you’re here wanting to bond over donuts.
What are your intentions? What’s your angle?
” I glanced at him timidly, unsure what I was even asking him.
And undoubtedly unsure what I wanted his answer to be.
Cooper considered his response, his hands cupping his knees as he leaned forward.
“My intentions are to keep you safe. I’m the officer on your case,” he said to me.
And then he faltered, our eyes locking. “But…I’m also the man who rescued you.
So, maybe I care a little more than I should. I’m just trying to find the balance.”
My posture relaxed as I soaked up his word, my heart galloping. I felt a connection to him, no doubt. How could I not be drawn to the man who literally carried me away from pure evil? How could I not feel something for the person who saved my life?
Cooper was also navigating the complexities of our dynamic—it wasn’t black and white.
Nana Cecily used to say that to me all the time…
“Life isn’t black and white, my child. It’s gray. It will always be gray. Remember that.”
“We’re gray.”
Cooper tilted his head in a way that was entirely charming. Curious eyes twinkled back at me. “Gray?” he parroted.
I shrugged, picking at my fingernails. “My grandmother used to tell me that life was always a balance. Nothing was ever black and white.”
“Cecily, right?”
I glanced at him. “How did you know?”
“I know a lot about you.” He bit his lip and chuckled. “That sounded extremely creepy. Sorry.”
“Part of the job?” I smiled.
“Yeah. I had to do a lot of digging while you were…missing.”
Cooper probably knew far more about me than anyone else did. More than I was comfortable with, surely. He likely knew all about my brother, my relationship with Jordan…
The accident.
I swallowed down the rock in my throat. “Well, then I guess you know that my life has been a giant Shakespearean tragedy. You probably think I’m a total weirdo.”
His eyes slanted, thoughtfully. He was studying me again. Reading me. “Actually, I think you’re the strongest person I’ve ever met.”
My heart seized in my chest, my skin flushing with heat.
Oh.
His words hovered between us, heavy and thick.
Potent. I swallowed again as the lump grew twice its size.
“I, um, should hop in the shower. I was going to explore the town with Daphne later, after her shift at work. Thank you…for stopping by.” Frazzled, I turned to walk away when I felt fingers wrap around my wrist, startling me.
On instinct, my body reacted.
I spun back around, my hand raised in defense.
Cooper caught my wrist before it collided with his cheek.
I froze.