27. Brody
Iran my fingers down my icy beer glass, wondering if I’d survive the conversation I was about to have. Cooper Swan was my oldest friend and the man who meant the most to Ro. He’d been her rock when their mum passed and had looked after her when her brothers left town to start new lives away from Tuft Swallow. Without his approval, my hopes of a future with his sister were dead in the water.
The fundamental problem? Coop knew me too well. At least he knew one version of me. The one that came with a reputation. We’d had more than a few wild nights out. But he had no idea I was hopelessly in love with his sister. And that’s what I was.
I’d always loved her, but these last few weeks had well and truly sealed my heart. She’d opened my eyes to what was missing in my life. Home. Family. Belonging. I’d focused on myself for so long that I’d forgotten the important things.
I just hoped he thought I was good enough for her. I wasn’t even sure myself. But Ro deserved the best. To be cherished. Treated like a princess. And I was determined to be the one to have the honor.
Coop’s arrival at the table brought me solidly back to the present. Music thumped from the speakers behind the bar as Ginger and the crew set up for the lunch crowd. My best friend slipped into the booth opposite me with a squeak of denim on leather.
“Where’ve you been, man? You didn’t answer your phone. I’ve been worried.”
I held up my hands in defense.
His frown was deeper than the Grand Canyon, and his dark eyes swept over my face. “The news is all around town. Your contract, I mean. I’m so sorry, man.”
“It’s okay. I’ll be okay.” Was I trying to convince myself? “Once the dust settles, I’ll rethink my options.”
Coop viewed me through narrowed eyes and took a pull on the beer I shoved toward him. “If there’s anything we can do, man... You can stay at the house as long as you need.” He paused, picking at the label on the drink bottle. “Have you seen Ro?”
A pulse of electricity passed through my body. “No.” I mean, it wasn’t a lie. I’d kept out of her way until I had my thoughts in order. Talking to Coop was my first step on that journey, but the tight clamp of his jaw made the hair on the back of my neck stand to attention. “Is she okay? Did something happen?” Other than the man who wanted to make her happy acting like a complete idiot.
He cleared his throat. “I wanted to ask you the same thing. I’ve never seen her look so miserable. She stayed out last night, but not before I caught her crying in the kitchen. This morning, I found her moping around the house like someone had hidden her hair straighteners. She isn’t answering my calls. What happened at the derby trial? Did she get knocked back?”
If only it were that simple. I gripped the edges of my beer mat, spinning it around in the pool of condensation from my bottle. I took a deep breath. “Look, man. I need to tell you something.” I dragged my gaze up to his face, and his eyes were glued to mine. “Something about me and Ro.”
He blinked for the longest moment, a wry smile on his lips. “I know.”
I gave my head a tiny shake. “Know what?”
“Brody. I’m not stupid. I know that you and Ro are into each other.”
I sucked in a breath, but it didn’t make it to my lungs as if someone were sitting on my chest.
Coop eyed me steadily. “I’ve hardly seen you these past few weeks, and the two of you have spent way too much time together for just nostalgia’s sake.”
He had that right. If I wasn’t physically with Ro, I’d spend all my mental and emotional time with her, too.
“And there’s the sneaky looks and both of you casually asking me what the other is up to. And that move of yours at the Crow. While I appreciate you pulling her off the bull, that ridiculous show over the lost contact lens was a little obvious. By the time we found you, you were almost wearing as much lip gloss as she was.”
My whole body heated. Apparently, subtlety wasn’t our M.O. “I was trying to look out for her.”
“Evidently.” He sighed and leaned back in his seat. “She’s been through a lot. Ro’s not as bulletproof as she looks.”
“Coop, I want you to know how much I value your friendship and trust, but your sister means the world to me, too. The way I feel, it’s not a phase. An infatuation. Ro deserves the best and if I didn’t think I could give it to her, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
He watched me through narrowed eyes, chewing on his bottom lip.
“Deep down, do you trust me, Coop? We both know I’ve had my wild times, but when all’s said and done, if she wanted me, would you trust me with her heart?”
Cooper tipped his head to one side. He didn’t exactly have a smile on his face, but I figured if he hadn’t knocked my block off by now, there was a chance of his approval. Finally, he spoke.
“I do trust you, but…”
“But what? You know I’d never cause her any harm. I’d do nothing to hurt her. I promise.”
He leaned in. “Damn right, you wouldn’t, or me and my brothers would cut your balls off.” Coop shook his head slowly. “I’m not ecstatic you went behind my back, but you’re my best friend. A solid guy. And I think I know how much you care for Ro. But…” He leveled his gaze at me. “I’d hold you to your promise.”
The tiniest spark lit up my heart. “I’d expect you to.”
Coop shook his head slowly, then took another swallow of his beer. “Can I ask something? When did it start? You and Ro, I mean. If this is just a flash or a rebound after your contract got dropped…”
“No.” The ferocity of my response made his eyebrows rise. “It’s not. I think I’ve always loved her. I’ll be honest. We kissed once. Just before I left for college.”
His body tensed, and he gripped the edge of the table. “You serious?”
I put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry I never told you. She said it was a mistake, but I’d never forgotten.”
Coop rubbed the back of his neck. “Man, I have no idea what’s been going on, and I probably don’t want to, but I know the two of you can’t stop staring at each other when you come within twenty feet.”
I grimaced. “That obvious?”
Cooper raised his brows. “Gran noticed first. I thought the two of you were getting along just like old times, but then she told me about Ro’s flickering lamp. I was about to go out and buy her a new one, but she had her suspicions about why you were conveniently on hand to help so early in the morning. I disagreed. Said you were a stand-up guy. Maybe I should’ve listened to her.”
My eyes stung, and I rubbed them with the balls of my palms. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say. Ro and I, we haven’t…”
“I don’t wanna know,” he said, eyes wide and voice sounding like Ariana Grande hitting her high notes. Coop slumped back into his chair. “Why didn’t you talk to me?”
I scoffed. “Because of the ball-cutting thing?” What part of him being intimidating didn’t he get?
“Okay, I’ll level with you. I’m disappointed you didn’t feel you could tell me before, but I value your friendship, too. And I want Ro to be happy. All her family does.”
“So do I.”
Coop nodded and tipped back his beer. “So whatever’s going on, whatever has made her miserable, fix it.”
My heartbeat ticked up to a gallop. “Are you sure you’re cool? You’re like a brother.”
“Likewise. I just hope that doesn’t change. And I’ll miss my trips to Denver.”
I chuckled. “I’ll miss my wingman.”
“Listen, you couldn’t do any better than my sister.”
“I know that. And her?”
Coop sucked a breath in through his teeth. “That remains to be seen, but remember, for the foreseeable future, I own your balls. And I’m not the one you should talk to, am I?”
Coop was right. I had to find Ro. Speak to her. Convince her we were a good idea. “Do you know where she is?”
Coop shook his head. “I haven’t seen her. But ask Eve. She’ll know.”