Chapter 11
COOPER
Eighteen months ago
TEN HOURS.
That’s how long I have to get to my best friend’s wedding.
I’m somewhere over the Caribbean ocean waking up from a nap.
I’ve been flying for . . . I honestly don’t know.
Maverick, my copilot, and I have been taking turns flying while the other naps.
My private pilot’s license is new, and it’s been a nice change to be able to keep flying when Maverick is tired.
Because of this, we’ve only been landing to refuel.
I’m not too worried though. We’ll get there in time.
Mav and I have spent the bulk of the last year flying around the world trying to find some gems for Deke’s sister, Amber.
Well, technically, it’s for little Lou—she’s the one that was admiring a photo, which convinced my heart that I needed to get her some.
I had no idea that finding them would end up being such a challenge.
We’ve logged more miles on my jet in the last six months than I have in the entire two years I’ve owned it.
We’ve been to three or four continents, dozens of countries, and places where even my satellite phone barely had service.
Deke is the only one that’s aware of what I’ve been doing, but I’m hoping to tell Amber sometime during this visit.
She’ll berate me and tell me I’m crazy for spending so much money, but she won’t mean it—she’ll understand who it’s really for and why. She also knows I can afford it.
It was only a few weeks ago when I finally tracked down a possible source for these rare gems: a mountain region of Myanmar.
Once we landed in the capital and found a translator, we took a long trek up a mountain to a small, remote village.
I had my fingers crossed the whole time; if this source didn’t work out, I was at a dead end with no other leads.
I was so relieved when I realized that the town was going to be able to provide exactly what I was looking for.
When we were negotiating a price, I scoffed at their first—ridiculous—bid.
It was too low, so I added ten percent. They don’t have state-of-the-art equipment and started with everything in raw-material form, so the whole process was going to end up taking five or six weeks.
I didn’t care. I was fascinated with both the area and the people and was planning to stay until they were done.
It was right as the project was getting started that Deke called and told me that he and Sam were getting married in four weeks. Which I absolutely can’t miss.
Deke is not only my best friend but also the brother I never had.
That man has stood by me through anything from bad relationships to the death of my dad—and everything in between.
And he’s still the man who saves me from my sisters when they insist I sit down and watch the five-hour version of Pride and Prejudice with them.
I mean, I’m all for romance movies, but that one has always had me running for the hills.
I can’t do five hours of watching people repeatedly visit each other’s houses, and thanks to Deke, I’ve never had to.
I stayed in the village until the first gem was completed and then made the trek down the mountain and started flying. I’m cutting it close, but I’ll make it.
After the wedding, I’ll head back to get the other gems, which actually works out great because it allows me a chance to pick up a few things to take back with me.
I already have soccer balls, school supplies, clothing, cooking spices, tools, and San Francisco 49ers hats and jerseys (for everyone in the village) waiting to be picked up for our return trip.
I’m also going to bring back equipment to dig a well for them.
The only water source they have is miles away and down a steep hill—and I’m determined to change that.
I check my watch, then pick up my air-to-ground phone. Deke answers after a few rings. “Hey, is this the best man at my wedding?”
“Did I wake you up?”
“No, I’ve been awake an hour. Everyone else is still asleep, though.
How far out are you?” He doesn’t sound worried, just curious.
He actually sounds good. Happy. Calm. This is how he’s sounded every time we’ve talked since he told me about Sam.
Love looks good on him. Or, in this case, sounds good.
“A few more hours and we’ll touch down. How’s my little Lou doing? Is she loving all the preparations?”
“What do you think?” I can hear the amusement in his voice that I would even ask. “She’s in heaven.”
“How do you sound so calm? This is your wedding day. Aren’t you supposed to be a bundle of nerves?”
He laughs. “Stephanie and Cheryl have taken care of everything, so there’s nothing for us to do. As far as wedding days go, it’s going to be low key for Pepper and me.” Pepper is Deke’s name for Sam, stemming from her love of Dr Pepper.
“If Cheryl’s in charge, no wonder you’re so relaxed.” Among Cheryl’s many skills is the ability to run things with military precision. She could put an army sergeant to shame. “You said Stephanie is helping Cheryl. That’s Sam’s best friend, right?”
“Yeah. She and Cheryl have been working on everything together since Steph got here three weeks ago. The two of them are thick as thieves, and they’ve been getting along like they’ve known each other for years.
But then, everyone gets along with Steph.
Speaking of Stephanie,” I read the shift in his tone from a mile away and know exactly what’s coming, “I’m interested to see what you think of her. ”
I drop into the copilot seat and lean back. “Promise me you’re not going to play matchmaker while I’m there.”
“I’m not going to do anything while you’re here except get married. I’m only saying I think you two will get along great.”
“Your Sam is the one I’m interested in meeting. I can’t believe you’re getting married to a woman I’ve never met! But then again, you’ve never been one to hold back when you find something you want.”
“Ya snooze, ya loose, buddy. Everything’s working at lightning speed over here, and if you’re going to insist on jet setting all over the world for my sister, then you’re going to miss a few things.”
We don’t say it, because we don’t need to, but when Deke and Sam decided they wanted to get married, they made it happen quickly. Amber’s slowly losing her fight with cancer, but she’s been doing really well lately, and they wanted to take advantage of that window.
We talk until Deke needs to get going.
I pick up the phone again, but this time I call the small airport on the island.
“Hello. This is Daren.” He’s a teenager who does light maintenance and other odd jobs at the airport.
“Hey, Daren. It’s Cooper.”
“Mr. Coop! I knew you’d be coming. I’ve been working on my jump rope skills. I think I can get at least fifty dollars from you this time.”
I travel a lot and sometimes go weeks without being able to visit a gym, so years ago I started jumping rope. During one of my visits, Daren saw me jumping and became interested. I gave him one of my ropes, and he’s been jumping ever since.
His family doesn’t have any money to send him to college when he graduates in a few years.
As a way to help out, I started challenging him to jump-rope contests when I’m on the island.
When he wins, I tell him I’m putting money into a college fund for him.
He thinks there’s about five hundred dollars in there, but in reality there isn’t even an account.
I don’t care where he goes to school or what he wants to become, I’m going to pay every cent of his schooling.
“Daren, you’re going to put me in the poor house if you keep this up!” I hear him laughing on the other end. “I’m going to land in a couple of hours. I was hoping you’d give me a ride to Deke’s.”
“I’ve got a plane I’m working on, and I won’t be finished by then. How about you take my car, and when I’m done, my mom can pick me up and drive me over to get it?”
“You’re the best, Daren. Thanks. And tell your mom hello from me—and that she’s the most beautiful woman on the island. If she were twenty years younger, I’d marry her.”
Daren laughs. “I’m never going to tell my mom that, Mr. Coop.” He’s still laughing as he hangs up.
A couple hours later, I’m at Deacon’s condo looking for anything to eat.
I’m looking through the cupboards when I hear it: an unmistakable, high-pitched giggling sound coming from outside. I follow the sound, walking through the kitchen, onto the back deck, and down to the beach. Then I hear it again. Laughter.
Her laughter.
A moment later, she comes around the bend and into my view. She’s still as adorable as the last time I saw her: Lou.
Her laugh is the kind that makes everything seem okay.
She spots me and starts squealing and running as fast as her little, bare feet can carry her, blond curls bouncing and little pink polka-dot dress flowing behind her.
When she gets close enough, she launches into my arms, and I spin her around and around, letting her feet fly out behind her.
She screams and squeals and laughs until I get dizzy and need to set her down.
She throws her little arms around my neck.
“Jumper!” I love the nickname she gave me.
It’s what she’s called me since the first time she saw me jumping rope.
I fall onto the sand, pretending her huge hug knocked me over—when in reality, I’m dizzy and need to lie down.
“Again!” She tries to pull me into a standing position.
“Give me a minute.” My head’s still spinning. “Right now, I need you to tell me that you’re a strong, independent woman who can do anything she wants to.”
She lies down next to me, and we look up at the sky while her toes wiggle. “I’m a strong in-pen-den-nent woman, and I can do anything I want.”
“Don’t forget it.” I give her belly a small poke. “Can we go get ice cream later?” Typical Lou.
“I’ll get you any flavor you want.” I’d get this girl any thing she wanted.