Chapter 5
5
Isla
THIS WOULD BE fine. Everything would be fine.
She certainly wouldn’t crash Cooper’s truck into the side of a building and kill them both. Or accidentally stare at him for so long, he’d realize how freaking hot she thought he was.
But if it came down to one or the other, hopefully he was insured, because no way was she making a fool of herself by admitting she was stupid enough to want another man who wasn’t into her.
After checking her reflection in the mirror one last time, Isla pulled on a jacket and hurried down the stairs at the back of the building she now called home. They dumped her out right at the same door all the employees of The Wooden Spoon used to come and go, so she crossed paths with a couple of the waitresses as they arrived for the day. The nerves eating her insides made it hard to do much more than wave, but she did her best to appear friendly as she rushed out into the chilly early morning air.
It was only five fifty, so she had ten minutes to fit in as much deep breathing as possible before Cooper showed up. Ten minutes to prepare for spending the morning listening to his deep voice. Ten minutes to?—
He was already there.
Cooper’s truck was parked right outside the door and he leaned against it, looking like the poster boy for cowboy chic in a pair of jeans, boots, and a flannel shirt rolled up at the cuffs. He held a cardboard cup in each hand and a worn ball cap emblazoned with Moss Creek High’s logo was settled on his head.
Her feet skidded to a stop as her eyes did what they did best, drinking him in from top to toe. “Aren’t you cold?”
“Nope.” He held out one of the cups. “Coffee’s keeping me warm.” The dimple in his cheek flashed out at her. “This one’s yours.”
She inched toward him. Not because she was afraid of him, but because she was afraid of herself. Of what she might do or say. Making a complete fool of herself over a man once this lifetime was more than enough. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” He stepped toward her, closing the distance between them so quickly she didn’t have time to prepare. “Cause I’m about to make you drive way faster than Gram-Gram did.” His hand settled onto her back, resting in a perfectly respectable spot, as he led her to the driver’s door. It dropped away so he could open it, then Cooper stepped back while she got in. “Buckle up.” He gave her a wink then closed the door.
She pulled in as much air as possible while he rounded the back, hands shaking a little as she set her coffee into the holder and clicked the belt into place.
This was a terrible idea. It would not be fine. Based on how she was acting already, it would be nowhere even near fine. She was going to do both bad things she was so terrified of. Likely at the same time. It would probably be staring at Cooper that made her drive into a building.
At least she’d die rather than be forced to suffer through the embarrassment of him discovering her interest and having to let her down gently.
Because that’s what Cooper would do. He wouldn’t be like Eric and make it all her fault. He wouldn’t tell her she was nice enough, but he wanted a woman who was sexy and successful and independent. She didn’t know him super well, but it was already easy to see Cooper would probably take the blame. Claim he wasn’t looking for a relationship.
Unless he was already in one. Shit.
Isla pressed her lips together as he climbed in beside her, guilt at the possibility she’d been lusting after another woman’s man eating her alive to the point she couldn’t keep it inside. “I hope this didn’t mess your day up.” She swallowed hard before spitting out, “Or take away from time you planned to spend with your family.” She sealed her lips together before her mouth could get any more specific.
Cooper belted in and took a sip of his coffee before answering. “My parents moved to Florida five years ago, so as long as the horses get fed, I’ve got all the time in the world.”
So Cooper was single…
Isla gave herself a mental shake. Cooper’s relationship status was irrelevant. He wasn’t interested in her and she sure as heck shouldn’t be interested in him. Or any man. Not until she figured herself out. Decided on a new path forward.
So she ignored the little flip of her belly at his singledom, and focused on the second most interesting part of his comment. “You have horses?”
“Just a few.” He pointed to a lever at the back of the wheel. “That’s where you shift into drive. Go ahead and do that now. Foot on the brake, then move it to the D.”
Right. They were here so he could teach her how to drive. Not so she could dig deeper into his life and accidentally end up liking him a little more. “Okay.” She dragged the word out as her foot pressed the brake. Once it was as far as it could go, she pulled the lever thing. It made a ‘chunk’ sort of sound as it moved between the letters, until finally she landed on the D.
Ha. God, she couldn’t start thinking about that now.
Blowing out a breath—because of the D—Isla moved both hands to the wheel, stationing them at ten and two like she’d read about online. “Now we go?”
“Now we go.” Cooper relaxed back in his seat like he trusted her not to destroy his truck, looking calm and cool as she slowly crept across the lot toward the side street.
She wasn’t a complete virgin to driving, even before Griselda picked her up the day before. Over the years she’d navigated around a handful of parking lots and even a couple deserted streets. But that was always in a car. Maybe a crossover style SUV. Nothing like the full-size, extended cab monster she was dealing with now.
She peeked into each of the mirrors, trying to get a gauge on where the back ended. “This thing is gigantic.”
“Definitely bigger than Gram-Gram’s car.” Cooper didn’t flinch when she hit the brake a little too hard, jostling him around. “But that might turn out to be a good thing. You don’t have to worry about anything bad happening in this. You can just about drive over anything or anyone.”
“I can think of a couple people I’d like to drive over.” She was so distracted by what she was doing that her inside thought turned into an outside one.
“Yeah?” Cooper took a drink of his coffee, expression oddly intense as it fixed on her over the lid of his cup. “Who?”
“Um.” She was already stressed out, and his undivided attention only flustered her further, making her pits and upper lip sweat. “It’s kind of a long story.”
“I’ve got time.” He tipped his head at the wheel. “Left turn signal. We’re going to head out of downtown.”
She found that lever easy enough and tipped it down, watching the signal flick on and off for a second before taking a deep breath and pulling out. Downtown Moss Creek was pretty small, with one main road running up the center and narrow side streets branching off. The only one with lines of any sort was the big one, so she just did her best to stay on her half as she drove up the side of the three-story building where she lived. Reaching the main road, she stopped.
“Good job.” This time Cooper’s head tipped toward his window. “Now we’re going to turn right and follow this out of town so you can practice on the back roads.”
That sounded way more fun than trying to navigate downtown. Even though it wasn’t big, it was still relatively busy. Keeping track of pedestrians and other cars attempting to parallel park, all while trying to stay on the road, might make her head explode.
Once the lights of downtown were behind them, she let out a little breath, calming just a bit now that she had the road to herself.
“So who would you drive over?” Cooper picked their earlier conversation right back up. Like he didn’t know it was the last thing she wanted to discuss with him.
“I don’t think it’s in my best interest to confess something like that to a police officer.”
Cooper laughed, the sound filling the space. “That’s how it’s going to be?” He rested one hand at the center of his chest. “Here I thought we were friends.”
She found herself smiling along with him. “Would you confess homicidal thoughts to your friends?”
Cooper’s hand fell to his lap, expression turning serious. “I would confess anything to my friends.”
He sounded so sincere. So open and honest. “Really?”
“Really.” He grinned. "But to be fair, I've known most of them since we were kids, so I have just as much dirt on them as they have on me."
Isla forced her eyes back to the road, managing to avoid the second worst thing she'd been afraid of doing thanks to her fear of running into the ditch. "That must be nice."
"It is." Cooper's voice was a little softer now. "I take it you don't have friends who've been around since you were young?"
She shook her head, this time keeping her eyes on the road for an entirely different reason. She didn't want to see Cooper's face when he realized how different they were. "I don't actually have friends at all."
It sounded just as terrible coming out as she expected. What twenty-four-year-old woman didn't have any friends at all?
She actually had the answer to that. It was a twenty-four-year-old woman who'd centered her life around helping the man she expected to marry get through medical school. A woman who'd spent all her time working instead of socializing. A woman who sacrificed building anything of her own—whether it was friends, a career, or a hobby—because she thought she was building a life for them, not just herself.
And what a freaking waste that was.
“I feel like we just established I’m your friend.” Cooper took another sip of his coffee. “And I can guarantee you the line of people waiting to be your friend here in Moss Creek is way longer than you realize.”
She peeked his way before putting her eyes back on the road. “Are you talking about the Bridge Bitches?”
“They’re some of who I’m talking about.” Cooper lifted her coffee from the holder, balancing it between them. “You better drink this before it gets cold.”
“Are you encouraging me to drive distractedly?” She gripped the wheel a little tighter, afraid if she took a hand off they’d careen into the field. “Isn’t it your literal job to make sure I’m paying attention to the road?”
“I’m not on the clock right now, so I’m here as your friend.” He said that word again. “Right now it’s my job to make sure you know how to drive well and safely. And I can promise you, you’re gonna want to know how to drink and drive.”
That pulled her full attention to him, swinging her head his way.
Along with the wheel.
Isla gasped as the tires of the truck bounced along the shoulder, barely clinging to the edge of the blacktop.
Cooper stretched across the cab, using the hand holding her coffee to also grab the wheel. He gave it a little correction, urging the truck back between the lines, then he held out the cup. “Now take a drink.”
“I’m going to kill us and it’s going to be your fault,” she grumbled while quickly stealing away the cup.
“I take full responsibility.” Cooper pointed at an upcoming cross street. “Turn up here.”
He continued giving her directions, both for driving and for drinking her coffee. Reminding her to speed up when she inadvertently slowed down, and giving her suggestions on how to orient herself on the road. He helped her figure out when to apply the brakes and when to hit the gas during a turn. By the time they were pulling into Grady and Evelyn’s driveway, she was feeling way better about being behind the wheel.
Certainly better than she had after that white knuckle trip with Griselda.
“You did well.” Cooper motioned to the ignition. “Shut it off. I want to go check on your goats.”
“They’re not my goats.” She passed him the keys, her fingers brushing his in the hand-off, reminding her how warm and strong and a little rough they were. “They’re Evelyn’s goats.” And it made her secretly sad. That the things she’d gained the most connection from didn’t belong to her any more than Eric had.
At least they seemed to like her back.
“Then I guess you’ll have to start planning to get a herd of your own someday.” Cooper opened his door and climbed out, rounding the front of the truck to join her on the driver’s side. “Maybe some fancy chickens too.”
She didn’t hate the idea. Not at all. “Are chickens a pain in the ass?”
“They’re easy compared to goats.” Cooper tucked her empty cup into his, carrying them along as he led her to the barn. “And they’re both easier than horses.”
“If horses are hard, why do you have them?” It was a genuine question. “Do you have cows too?” That was what she’d gathered most people around here had horses for. It seemed like everyone and their brother owned a ranch here in Moss Creek. It would only make sense Cooper had one too.
“No cows for me.” He opened the door to the main portion of the barn, letting her go inside ahead of him. “I’ve only got ten acres, so not enough to raise cattle.” He tossed the cups into the large can in the corner then went for the gate leading into the goats’ area. “Like I said, I had goats as a kid. My mom raised chickens for a while, and we always had horses.” He opened the gate, blocking the two goats who raced at them so she could follow him in. “I’d give up a lot before I’d get rid of my horses.”
“Obviously you’d give up the goats and chickens,” she teased.
Cooper chuckled. “That I would.”
She walked through the barn, heading for the open door leading out to the pasture. “Well, I guess one day when I have my own goats and chickens, I’ll have to share my eggs with you. I probably owe you anyway for saving me from any more of Griselda’s driving lessons.” It was kind of crazy how easily she could imagine it. Not just having animals, but being friends with Cooper. Having him in a life she built here in Moss Creek.
“I’ll hold you to that.” He stopped as the little goats nibbling on the browning grass of their outdoor space noticed her. A smile spread over his face as they started racing their way. “Here they come.”
Isla braced, knowing what was about to happen, but helpless to stop it. Normally she made sure to be close to a wall or a fence when she first came out. Something she could hold onto when they first discovered her presence.
Today she was smack dab in the middle of the grazing pasture, with nothing to help her stay upright. And going down here would be way worse than going down in the barn. At least there she had piles of straw to cushion her fall. Here she’d go straight to the dirt.
And the poop.
“Holy shit,” Cooper swore right as the goats hit, obviously shocked at their full-throttle approach.
When the crush of little bodies slammed against her legs, she started to go down, bracing for impact.
But instead of tilting on one axis, the world tipped on another, spinning around instead of over as Cooper wrapped an arm around her waist. He lifted her feet off the ground, tucking her into his side as he swung her away like a matador taunting a bull.
The entire group of goats raced after her, following her new position as he continued turning, gently swatting at them with his free hand as they nipped at his jeans. “Calm down, you little shits.”
A little laugh escaped her when one of them butted him in the shin.
Cooper looked her way, lifting his brows. “Did you just laugh?” He changed his hold on her, swinging her lower half like a pendulum to catch it with his free arm so he was holding her bridal style. Then he leaned over. “They love you so much, maybe we should let them give you all their kisses.”
She squealed as he lowered her toward the goat faces eager to lick and nibble as much of her as they could. “Don’t you dare.”
“What in the hell’s going on here?” Grady’s loud voice had them both freezing, their eyes snapping to where he stood on the other side of the fence, watching them with a shocked look on his face.
Cooper looked a little guilty as he slowly straightened and lowered Isla to her feet. There was nothing for him to feel guilty about. He hadn’t done anything wrong. They were friends. He’d said it himself. And friends joked around.
Probably.
Isla dusted herself off even though she was pretty darn clean considering the goats bumping into her. “Cooper took me out driving this morning and dropped me off for work. While he was here he decided to check on the goats. Make sure they were all doing okay after their shots.”
Grady lifted a brow. Not at her though. He barely even glanced in her direction.
All his attention was focused on Cooper. “Is that so?”