10. Eliza #2
“And I was busy cleaning the bar.” I gestured around me. I grabbed an empty glass, filled it up with soda, and set it in front of Cooper. “You’re welcome.” I glared at my brother.
“Thanks.” Cooper grinned. “Only thing I’m missing is some popcorn.” He then narrowed his eyes at me. “Is there something going on between the two of you?” My brother loved to hear the latest gossip as much as Gran and the ladies at knitting club.
“No,” I groaned, annoyed. “There’s nothing going on. Why do people keep thinking that?”
“Maybe because you keep staring at him,” Wes said, not helping at all.
“There’s nothing going on. He’s Colin’s older brother and doesn’t know many people in town. I’m trying to be friendly.”
“Right.” Cooper nodded. “Colin. Who you never brought around.”
My patience was wearing thin. “Okay, like you’re one to talk.” I turned toward my brother, pinning him with a glare. “When’s the last time you brought a girl to meet Gran? Oh, yeah! Never.”
“There hasn’t been anyone to bring around,” Cooper muttered against his glass before taking a sip.
I rolled my eyes. As if. My brother got so much attention around Golden Falls—and the surrounding towns—that women called Lake Ridge to get his number. The Lake Ridge phone line was synonymous with Cooper’s dating options.
“Hey, Cooper. Good to see you,” Leo said as he walked up, stretching his hand out to shake my brother’s. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, you know, just getting shit from my little sister.”
I raised and dropped my hands, letting them hit my thighs. “You started it, and let this be a reminder not to start what you can’t finish, because I will dish it back.”
Wes chuckled under his breath, but he wasn’t back on my good side quite yet.
Leo crossed his arms over his chest, the corner of his mouth kicking up. “I believe in my world they say if you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.”
As the guys got caught up in conversation, I continued setting up my station for the night. With each move, it was like I could feel Leo’s eyes on me, but I didn’t dare look his way to confirm.
My attention shifted when Cooper’s phone lit up. I couldn’t read the message but saw that it came from “Ace.”
My eyes narrowed. Ace? No one named Ace lived in town, and I’d never heard Cooper mention a friend with that name. But for some reason it sounded familiar. I was almost certain I’d heard it before, but where?
As the guys talked, I pulled out my phone and went to the text thread with Lily and Jules.
Me
Two things.
One: Wes and Cooper are on my shit list today.
Two: Is there anyone in town who goes by “Ace”?
Lily
Hahaha when are they not on your shit list?
And I don’t think so, but it sounds familiar.
Me
Cooper got a text from someone named that in his phone.
Jules
Is that a nickname for anyone?
I gasped, the pieces clicking together. Lily must’ve had the same thought process.
Lily
It’s Jade!
Me
Jade!!!
Jules you’re a genius lol.
Lily
That was his nickname for her, but I haven’t heard him call her that in years.
Jules
I try. *angel emoji* So they must be talking again???
Lily
I talked to her on the phone the other day but she didn’t say anything about Cooper.
Not that I’d expect her to. She’d probably tell Wes before me, anyway.
A frown tugged at the corners of my mouth.
Growing up, it was Wes, Cooper, and Jade and then Lily and me.
We still did things as a group, but that was the natural split.
Plus, Jade and Lily were close growing up, and it hadn’t been uncommon for the three of us to hangout.
Since Jade left the Midwest after college, the conversations between her and Lily were few and far between, especially once Jade shifted her career to travel nursing. I knew it weighed on my best friend.
Truthfully, I missed Jade, too. I wasn’t frustrated with her for leaving, but I didn’t like how she did it. It was like she wanted to forget about all of us, including my brother. Maybe especially my brother.
Lily
Do you think Cooper will tell you anything?
Me
Maybe. Not right now, because he’s talking to Wes and Leo. And was being a little shit earlier.
Jules
*Three laughing emojis*
Lily and I had speculated for years about what could have happened between Cooper and Jade, but we hadn’t been able to figure it out.
Usually, we could go to Louise or my grandma for the town gossip or to see what rumors were floating around, but this was different.
There were no rumors, and we weren’t about to start something that would get the whole town talking.
Jade hadn’t visited Golden Falls in at least a couple years—we didn’t want to give her any reason not to come back.
His phone lit up with another text from the same contact.
My eyes locked with Cooper’s, and I raised my brows but didn’t say anything. Because I was a nice sister. Cooper slid the phone into his pocket and rubbed the back of his neck.
“I should get back to the kitchen and get prepped for the weekend.” Leo nodded in that direction and then took off.
“Wanna play that game of pool?” Cooper asked Wes.
“Let’s do it. Faster we play the faster you can kick my ass and then I can get home to my girl.”
“I’m feeling generous today. I might even let you win.” Cooper clapped his hand on Wes’s shoulder as the two of them walked away.
There was something between Cooper and Jade. There had to have been. I just didn’t know what.