Chapter Twenty-One
What.Is. He. Doing? He totally just left me here, but not before grabbing my hand and holding it like we were a couple off to meet his parents for the first time. Not that I would even know what that feels like. I haven’t ever gotten to that point in “the relationship” before. But here I am. Standing alone with his dad as he retreats. Like someone running away from the top of the mountain in the middle of a storm before lightning strikes. What is he so afraid of? It’s not like we are dating or anything. His dad knows the business relationship that the NOAA has with Captain of the Cove. So… he was holding my hand. No big deal, right? I can feel the whisper of his hand in mine as I stand here awkwardly on the porch.
He stops abruptly as his dad speaks, running his hands through his hair and grumbling something to himself as he spins around and heads back toward where I am standing, like a forgotten package left by the front door. When he reaches me, he avoids my eyes as he motions to me with his hand. “This is Molly, the sea turtle biologist with the NOAA.” His dad’s eyes crinkle at the edges as he crosses his arms over his chest, giving his son a smile that says he knows what is going on. Which, let’s be honest, he needs to make clear to me because I am clueless.
“Ah. I wondered who this pretty little gal was. But my question for you, Cooper,” he turns toward me as he says this next part, “and please excuse me, Molly, for I mean you no disregard when I ask my son this question,” he turns back toward Coop, “But what is she doing here?”
Coop”s face increases in color as his father stares him down, waiting for an answer. “I… um…,” his feet shuffle in the dirt on the sidewalk as he contemplates his words. Blowing out a breath, he continues, “Molly got sick her first day on the island, and I found her passed out the morning after. I have been keeping an eye on her to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. So I brought her with me.” He looks up at his dad, and his eyes harden. “But if she isn’t welcome here, then I will just drop this stuff off, and we will be on our way.” He mirrors his dad’s stance, arms crossed over his chest, as he moves closer to my side. A protective stance, if I have ever seen one.
What is this guy”s deal? One minute he is running away from me, like I have the bubonic plague and the next he is being all protective of me, like a mother hen guarding her baby chicks from an evil decapitating raccoon.
“I didn’t say anything about her not being welcome. I was just trying to figure out why you brought your work with you on your day off.” His dad reaches his hand out toward me, and I clasp it with mine as he puts his other hand over it, enclosing my hand in the most gentlemanly handshake of my life.
“Hi, Molly. It is so very nice to meet you. You can call me Sam, or Mr. Heyes. Whichever you would prefer.” He squeezes my hand and releases it, his warm, fatherly hands causing my throat to close off with emotion. He takes a step off of the porch and wobbles a little bit, and Coop’s hands shoot out to balance him. “Darn uneven porch, trips me up every time.” He chuckles as he heads toward the truck.
Coop follows on his heels, and I watch them both as they go, noticing the similarities between father and son, before moving my feet to help. When I hold my hands out for bags, Coop shakes his head. “Nope. Just go inside and get comfy on the couch. We’ve got these.”
You have got to be kidding me. I am all for acts of chivalry, but this is ridiculous. I can carry a bag. “Nope. Give me something to do, Coop. I’m not going to keel over from carrying a bag.” He rolls his eyes and hands over the lightest of the bags before loading himself up like a pack mule. I give him a look that says, “Really?” and he shrugs his shoulders, heading for the front door once more, as I trail behind with a measly bag with a single loaf of bread inside.
We enter the apartment, and I set the bag down on the counter before Coop shoos me away, pointing to the couch with his finger and mouthing the words “sit down,” before shuffling around the kitchen, putting things away with his dad in silence. His dad joins me a few minutes later as Coop continues to empty bags. “So, Molly. How are you liking our little town so far?” He reaches up to remove his hat from his head, placing it on the armrest of his recliner, before smoothing down the wispy hairs on the top of his head with a shaky hand. Understanding dawns on me as I take in his thinning hair, sagging skin, and pale complexion. I look over to where Coop is busying himself in the kitchen, no longer emptying groceries but emptying the trash can, before moving to the sink to wipe down the counters in the kitchen. His dad is sick. With what, I am not sure, and I won’t ask. But a little pang of both sadness and something warm and endearing settles in my chest as I watch Coop care for his dad.
His dad clears his throat, bringing my attention back to him as I try to recall the question he asked. “Sorry, Mr. Heyes. I can’t remember what you just asked me.”
“That’s alright, Molly. It sounds like you have had a rough couple of days. I asked how you are liking it here so far. This is the first time I haven’t gone to the island, you know, so you are going to have to appease this old man and tell me everything.” He sits back in his chair, crossing his feet at his ankles, waiting for me to regale him with information.
We continue to chat for a while, while Coop runs around the small apartment. He disappears into another room and emerges with a basket of clothes, only to disappear a moment later into another area of the place. His dad continues to ask questions about the turtles. How many nests we found, how big they are, what kind of nests they are… Apparently he would always help the old Doc with measurements on his excursions, so he is an “old pro” at things. His words. Not mine.
Coop appears again, and his feet carry him over to the couch where I am sitting as he takes a seat next to me. “Sorry about leaving you alone with this guy for so long.” He says quietly, but loud enough for his dad to hear.
“I’ll have you know, Cooper, that your old man is still a pretty cool dude.” His dad raises his eyebrows at his son while pointing to himself, and Coop chuckles, fanning away his dad’s remark with his hand.
“Yeah, dad. Sure you are.” His dad looks offended, so I slide my hand next to his leg, pinching the skin on his thigh between my fingers, making him flinch.
“Ou–,” he starts to say, before changing his mind. “How about we make some dinner?” Coop”s hand comes around mine on the couch, squeezing it, before pulling me up and leading me to the kitchen. Here we go with the hand holding again. I’m not complaining, but every time he touches me, it overwhelms me with the sudden urge to kiss the man, and that is definitely not something I am going to do.
Dinner was a pretty lively affair,and Mr. Heyes had some really cute stories about Coop’s younger years. “I remember when Cooper was about eight. It was his second time going to Emerald Isle to help out, and he tried to smuggle a baby sea turtle back in his pocket. We ended up turning the plane around and releasing the baby back on the beach, watching with bated breath as it made its way into the water. The Doc and I had to have a very serious conversation about conservation on the way home and how important it is for sea turtles to make their way to the ocean after hatching. Cooper never touched another sea turtle again.” Coop”s face is flushed with red as his dad finishes the story, and he hides his face behind his hand.
“I don’t blame you, Coop. Those little shell babies are the cutest things ever. You don’t even want to know the number of times I have wanted to bring one home with me too.” Coop’s hand drops from his face, and he gives me a smile before scooting his chair out.
“Welp, I would love to sit around, listening to you embarrass me for the rest of the night, but I need to get Molly back to the cottage so she can get some sleep. She only has Saturday and Sunday to rest up before we head back to the island.”
I stand from my chair and move for the kitchen sink. “Let me help with the dishes before we leave.” I grab the sponge, motioning for Coop to bring me the dishes from the table.
“You don’t need to do that, Molly. I can do the dishes.” His dad pushes up from his chair, but as soon as he’s standing, he collapses back into it. Coop runs around the table, a concerned look on his face as he offers his dad a hand. His dad reluctantly takes it as Coop pulls him up. “Does he listen to you, Molly? If so, would you tell him to stop fussing over me?”
“Nope, he sure doesn’t, Mr. Heyes. But you know what? I would rather have someone fuss over me than not have anyone at all.” I glance over at Coop, and our eyes catch as a goofy smile appears on his face.
“I guess you”re right, Molly. My son is pretty awesome.” I watch as his dad wraps Coop up in an unexpected hug, replacing the smile from moments ago with a teary-eyed embrace.
I feel moisture on my cheeks as I watch the sweetness, and I wipe it away before averting my eyes, not wanting to intrude on such a tender moment. I finish loading the dishwasher and when I”m done, we all head for the door. When I turn around to say goodbye, his dad wraps me up in a big bear hug, whispering words of wisdom in my ear before releasing me.
I follow Coop out to the truck, the front door closing behind us as I climb in. We drive back to the cottages in silence as I ponder the meaning of his father’s whispered words.
‘When you know, you know. Don’t question it.’Know what? Question what? Interrupting my thoughts, Coop’s voice breaks through my thoughts.
“I have to take a couple of tours to Cocoa Island tomorrow and Sunday, so I won’t be around. But I will be checking in with you, and I will have King swing by to see how you are as well. I’ll leave my truck here so you can use it while I’m gone.”
“Wait, how are you going to get home?” Just as the words leave my mouth, another vehicle pulls up, a younger guy behind the wheel.
Coop motions with his head to the car beside us. “That’s Brody. I texted him while you were doing the dishes and asked if he would meet me here. He’s going to give me a ride back to the boat.”
“Oh, okay. That works.” I fidget with my seatbelt buckle, hesitating a second before popping the button. I push open the truck door and wave to the guy in the car as Coop meets me in front of the truck. He holds the keys out to me in one hand and my backpack in the other. Before I lose my courage, I launch myself into his outstretched arms, wrapping them around his body and squeezing, before grabbing the backpack and keys from him. Avoiding his eyes, I walk away from him, not daring to look back at his face. Shoving my key into the lock, I let myself into the cottage as quickly as possible before moving to the window and tugging the curtains aside. He’s still standing in front of the truck, rubbing his hand on his neck, shaking his head, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. His friend shouts something from the car window, and Coop climbs in, and before he has a chance to shut the door, the car wheels squeal, spinning out as the car drives away.
I let go of the curtains and sit down on the couch, the words from Coop’s dad replaying in my head.
“When you know, you know.”