6. Cooper
6
Cooper
I walk in the front door just as Luna is pulling something out of the oven in the kitchen. Smoke billows up in clouds, filling the entire house. A smile tugs up at the corner of my lips before the smoke detectors start sounding off.
My townhouse is old and I love it. I’m finally settled in and it no longer has that bachelor pad feel. It’s starting to look more like a home. My home.
I bought it a couple years ago when the market was low and it sits on a quiet row a few blocks from the shop. This town is small and incredibly walkable so not many have to drive unless they commute into the city. Though that didn’t stop me from filling the garage with my toys.
However, just because my townhouse is old doesn’t mean I want my soon to be sister-in-law burning it to the ground.
“Hey man!” Theo hollers as he comes running around the corner waving a towel at the alarm going off in the hallway.
“What’s going on here?” I muse and Luna looks over at me, her shoulders sagging in defeat.
“I was hoping we could all enjoy a meal together. I know today wasn’t what you expected.” She says as she pouts over the burnt chicken…casserole, I think.
The alarms finally stop when I reach back for my coat. “Come on. Turn the oven off and get your coats, we can go out.” I suggest opening the door I just came through.
“I’m sorry about your kitchen.” Luna sighs as she walks over.
Theo has a shit eating grin plastered on his face as he holds her coat open for her.
“No one can quite desiccate a bird like you can, sis.” I tease, closing the door behind us as she scoffs. “Who is going to feed all these kids Theo plans on knocking you up with?”
I am actually genuinely curious. Neither one of them has a domestic bone in either of their bodies.
“I’ve been practicing.” Luna whines, though sounding a bit hopeful.
“And I figured out that thing with the dishwasher and I stopped putting coffee filters in the food disposal.” Theo chimes in.
I shake my head and smile as we walk down to the pub at the end of the block. Maybe I shouldn’t have focused so much on taking care of Theo and made him help out more when we were kids. Maybe then he wouldn’t be such a hazard to have around the house.
At least now he is learning to fix all the things he inevitably breaks. He’s been doing great overseeing the construction crews with Luna’s family but it’s the domestic labor where he struggles. He’s tidy but damn is he still my clueless little brother.
Making them a perfect duo for the terrorist attack that just happened in my kitchen.
Taking our seats in the wooden booth of the pub we remove our coats and pick up our menus. I feel the words being thought before they are even spoken.
“So Trinia’s back, huh?” Theo starts, raising his brow in my direction. “If she is going to stay I don’t want you dredging up old wounds. It’s been a long time, Coop. I’m sure things are different now. A lot has changed.”
I look at him and my mood shifts as quickly as the words fall out of his mouth. I rub my lips where I can still feel her and think nothing has changed. Before I can form the words Luna chimes in, resting a hand on Theo’s as she turns to look at me.
“Theo filled me in a little bit and honestly, if it’s going to be hard for you I can switch her with someone else. I can talk to Stella about bringing in someone from the city. It’s really not a big deal. I just want you both to be comfortable and able to get the things done you need to.” Her sweet concern soothes the irritation brought on from my brother and I take a breath not wanting to snap at her.
“It will be fine. We discussed it when I walked her home after closing up the shop and it’s all going to be fine. Trinia stays.” My tone is flat, hopefully conveying that I want to drop this topic.
“OK. I will be in the office for the first week or two then you guys are on your own. I just hope you don’t kill each other. She’s learning fast and scored great on her training program. I would hate to lose her.” Luna adds, as she looks down at her menu.
“So would I.” I confirm, getting up from the table and heading for the bar. I need a fucking drink and the server isn’t coming fast enough.
I call over the bartender and it’s Melody. A pretty brunette who works here regularly. She smiles at me from behind the bar and the wink she sends me reminds me of when she was bent over the arm of my sofa after we had a few too many drinks one evening after her shift.
Fuck me .
Maybe Trinia staying isn’t such a good idea. Maybe she shouldn’t even be in this town. I haven’t dated anyone since her but I haven’t been particularly celibate either. The booze and the women, regardless of how much I try, haven’t been able to dull the ache I’ve felt since the day she walked out of my life and never came back.
Melody slides over a Jameson just as Theo comes up and leans against the bar next to me. “Seriously man? This bartender too? Is there a woman in this town you haven’t fucked?” He scoffs, shaking his head. His judgment shreds my last grain of patience.
“Apparently not all of us get lucky the first time around.” I snap before downing my drink in one gulp.
“You did get lucky, you had the girl and you fucked it up. You need to let her go man.” He growls through his teeth, trying to keep his voice down but his frustration is starting to get the better of him.
“Don’t fucking tell me what to do. I don’t need you sweeping in here trying to protect me.” I shove him away as he crowds into my space.
“I’m not fucking protecting you, man. I’m trying to keep you from hurting her again.” Theo grips my shirt before I haul back a fist and punch him.
Seconds later customers are screaming as we topple over onto the floor and release years of bottled up resentment and frustration.
Theo’s never chosen a side or come forward with his feelings on the topic of my relationship with Katrinia but he never needed too. He might not have hated me as much as I hated myself for how things ended but he hated me all the same.
“Let her go man!” He screams before my fist slams his lip into his teeth.
“I did once and look where it got me.” I’m practically foaming at the mouth, as Luna shrieks and before I know it I’m being pulled off of my brother by a few men who were sitting at the bar.
I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and it comes away covered in blood. Snatching my coat from the booth I storm out of the pub and head for the shop. Leaving Theo just as battered and bruised as I am.
When I get inside I lock the door and fall back onto the tufted leather sofa. Looking up I stare up at the ceiling and wonder, what the fuck am I’m doing?
Maybe I should let her go.
Exhaling a long breath I get up and grab a bottle of whiskey deciding to leave my problems for tomorrow.