Chapter 6
Cooper
“Hey Coop, how are you?” a woman says in my ear while I’m leaning against the old, sticky bar. The Wooden Cowboy is not known for its cleanliness, but it’s always a good time.
I glance over my shoulder and find Louise Sinclair smiling at me. She’s all done up in her daisy dukes and crop top.
“Hey Lou, I’m alright. How about you?” I ask her.
I’ve known Louise since we were in high school. I think she had a crush on me back then, and I’ve never had feelings for her, but we’ve always had this flirty thing going on.
“I’m better now that I’m talking to you,” she says.
I chuckle and take a swig of my beer. “Is that right?” I grin. I shouldn’t flirt with her. Truthfully, I’m not interested, but sometimes flirting for the sake of it is fun.
“Yes, but also because Jed over there won’t buzz off,” she mutters behind her smile.
I glance over her shoulder and Jedidiah is staring daggers at me, standing next to the pool table. I slip my hand around Lou’s hips and pull her closer. “I don’t think this is helping. But what did you do this time?” I ask her.
She laughs and throws her head back.
“That wasn’t funny,” I tell her.
She sighs and pats my chest. “I know, but it will at least make him think that you and I have a thing because he doesn’t seem to get the picture that I’m not interested.”
I frown down at her. “Do I need to step in?” I ask her.
She shakes her head, taking my beer from my hand and downs the rest. “Nope, but if dance with me and I’m sure he’ll figure it out.”
“You got it,” I grin and grab her hand, spinning her onto the floor.
It’s couples dancing, and everyone is moving in a larger circle, two-stepping to some 90s country song I remember hearing my parents play.
I spin Lou around again and pull her into me, keeping my hand at her mid-back.
“Are they ever going to play something that isn’t 90s country?” she mumbles as she easily follows my lead.
I chuckle and dip her. “Probably not since old man Sam is controlling the music.”
“How old is he?” she asks.
I keep up with the beat, moving with the crowd. “I thought he was old when we were in high school.”
Lou giggles and looks around. “Is he gone?” she asks.
I glance up to find Jed still standing there with his arms crossed. “Not yet, maybe a couple more songs will do the trick.”
She hums. “At least you’re a good dancer.”
I chuckle as the song shifts to a faster one, so everyone picks up to the tempo or wanders off the dance floor. As I spin Lou, I spot Fletch and his wife Tatum wandering through the doors.
He tips his chin to me and pulls Tatum to the bar.
“How’s little Naomi?” Lou asks.
I grin. “She’s good, thanks for asking.”
She nods. “She’s a lucky girl,” she says.
“How is that?” I ask her.
“Coop, you’re a good man. I don’t know how you don’t see that.”
I shrug and squat down slightly, dipping her over my thigh before bringing her back up. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just focused on being the best I can for her.”
“Well, it shows. Is he gone now?” she asks.
I look up and don’t spot Jed. “Yep, looks like he wandered off.”
“Awesome, I’ll see you around,” she says, dropping my hand.
I follow her off the dance floor and lean into her ear. “Let me know if you need me.”
Lou gives me a flirty smile and leans into me, pressing her lips to my cheek. “You got it, cowboy,” she whispers.
I roll my eyes, and she saunters off. Shaking my head, I push through the crowd, making my way to where my cousins Fletcher, Tatum, Ledger, June, and her best friend Grace are hanging out.
There was a time when I thought Grace and I could have something, but she had other goals in life. Fletcher waves and hands me a beer as I come up to them.
“You and Lou?” he asks.
I take a swig and sigh. “I was saving her from Jedidiah.”
Ledger chuckles and shakes his head.
I frown and punch him in the arm. “What are you laughing at asshole? It’s not like you’ve got some woman on the dance floor, especially since you became Sheriff.”
Ledger shrugs. “No time.”
“Well, you looked like you were having a good time,” Fletch says, gesturing to the dance floor.
I nod and take a drink of my beer, looking around. Gracie and June have already wandered off.
“Are you alright, Cooper?” Tatum, Fletcher’s wife, asks, sitting on a stool and leaning into Fletcher.
“Disappointed, but I’m okay, Tate.”
She frowns. “I heard about Pam. Is that why?”
I look between my cousin and his wife. They are perfect together in every single way. They found each other after years apart. I thought I’d be in Fletcher’s shoes, married with kids by now. But I’m not. Well, I have a kid, she’s my sister’s, but she’s still mine. I’ve raised her.
“I—”
“Whooo!!!! Shot! Shot! Shot! Shot!” June screams across the bar as she pounds her fist on a high-top table.
She and Gracie are taking shots with a shorter, curly-haired woman who is stunning. June tosses it back and dances in place. When June and Grace are in a room, they don’t only capture it, but they hold everyone hostage. Two wild peas in a pod.
“Cooper? What were you going to say?” Tatum asks gently.
I glance back at them, and they’re looking at me with concern. I want what they have, but my position as a father and an uncle makes every choice I make that much more important.
Naomi is everything to me, and I want to be with a woman who won’t only make me a better man, but will make a wonderful mother for Naomi. Because the reality, our reality is … Rebekah is probably never coming back.
I take long pulls of beer, trying to loosen my throat, and watch the curly-haired woman with June and Gracie take another shot, wincing.
“Cooper,” Tatum says gently.
I look up and she’s smiling almost sadly, and I hate it because I don’t want to be pitied. I have nothing to be pitied for.
“What, Tate?” I sigh.
“We want you to be happy, that’s all, and we just worry … I guess,” she says.
I chuckle and adjust my hat on my head. “I don’t think you should be worried about me, you should be more concerned about Sheriff stick-up-his-ass.”
Ledger glares and Fletch chokes on his beer.
“He’s got a point, Ledge,” Fletch says.
“You try picking up all the pieces of the old sheriff who already had one foot out the door,” he mumbles.
I pat his back. “I’m just messing with ya’ cuz. You work hard to keep us all safe, and I’m grateful for it.”
He nods and drinks his beer.
“Where’s Sterling?” I ask him.
He shrugs. “Dunno, he’s either on duty or out on a burn.”
Ledger’s best friend, Sterling, is one of a kind. They are complete opposites, yet have been friends since high school.
“Maybe you should give Lou a chance,” Tatum says.
I sigh and observe June, Gracie, and the curly-haired woman. My heart beats a little faster as she smiles widely and pushes her long dark curls out of her face.
“Who is that?” I ask them instead.
Everyone looks over at June and Grace.
“No idea, but it’s a small town Coop, I’m sure we’ll know by tomorrow,” Ledger mumbles.
I nod, watching the women smile and have fun. Checking my watch, it’s not that late. Aunt Dixie is probably putting Naomi to bed now. I have another hour before I need to get home.
“Why don’t you go talk to her?” Fletcher asks me.
I look for the girls again and find June and Gracie, but I don’t see the other woman.
Spinning on my heel, I look around and don’t see her.
I give it a little longer, thinking maybe she just went to the bathroom.
Which is an experience in and of itself here.
But she doesn’t reappear anywhere. Fletcher and Tatum move to the dance floor, while June and Gracie pair up with some guys at a pool table.
Poor suckers, they must have no idea how good those two are.
Ledger just stays at the bar, watching. He’s always been an observer.
Though he is a good dancer, I’ve seen it myself.
I talk with Ledger for a little longer until I give up looking for her.
Tatum and Fletcher make it back to the bar asking for two waters, and I take my last sip.
“I’ll see y’all later. I need to get home to Naomi.”
They all wave and I step out into the lukewarm Paxton night.
I want to know who that woman is.