Chapter 24
Eva
Ididn’t get a chance to be alone with Cooper again for the rest of the day, which somehow felt intentional, making me wonder if I’d again overstepped or misread the situation.
I wished he’d write a formula for where we stood and how he felt because maybe then I would understand the constant transience.
The hot and cold mood-swinging he currently played like it was a sport was frustrating.
It wasn’t like I needed a team meeting but some indication of where he was at would have been nice.
Yet another reminder as to why I enjoyed Maths more than English.
There was no room for ambiguity or uncertainty.
It was ratiocination at its best - one plus one equaled two - and you couldn’t argue.
If only life came with proofs and clean conclusions because we’d almost kissed, again.
The disappointment of being interrupted was not even surprising at this point and when he left, the tension was thick.
But no matter how many times I hovered or passed by an area he was working, he’d maintained a safe distance, suddenly needed elsewhere.
So, feeling deflated, I did my own thing.
I’d wandered the aisles, reading and counting the numbers on everything I could.
I talked to any workers I passed and asked the questions I’d planned to shower Coop with before we’d forgotten what it was we were actually doing out on the floor.
Thankfully everyone was more than happy to tell me what they knew so I was distracted and by the end of the day, it was apparent that the only thing Golden Spades employees liked more than their job was their boss.
They spoke about feeling valued and connected.
Many voluntarily offered they didn’t have a strong support network of their own outside of the distillery and the found family felt humbling.
It was also unceremoniously Cooper - giving others what he wasn’t afforded.
Eventually, feeling strangely nostalgic and emotionally chaotic, I’d meandered back to the office and spent another hour working through some of the easier filing and invoicing so that by the time I finished for the day, I was ready to vegetate on the lounge with a cup of tea and fall asleep in less than twenty-five seconds.
I was peopled out and emotionally spent.
When he did finally approach, he sounded almost apologetic that he still had a few hours of work ahead of him and wouldn’t be home anytime soon.
While disappointed, I had no such plans to stay and was getting out of the car at home when my phone pinged with a last minute invitation to dinner tonight from Mum.
My resulting groan was unfairly loud. I’d known it was coming and it wasn’t her fault I turned into chatty Cathy today, sapping most of my monthly social quota.
But in a strange turn of events, a second text followed, this time from Coop, who said he’d just spoken with Seb and would pick me up on the way through.
How interesting, I thought, my heart suddenly racing a little quicker at what would be a forty-five minute car ride each way. Alone. Just the two of us. No interruptions.
Hitting the dial button on Xavier’s contact, I raced into the house to get ready while I unleashed a monologue update of the last two days. The second he settled in with some of his quick witted hilarity and perspective inducing commentary I felt lighter.
And consequently, I was remarkably calm when I heard Cooper’s bike roll down the drive only an hour later.
His easy grin as he rounded the corner to my room asking if I was ready told me apparently I was getting easygoing Coop tonight and again the emotional whiplash was causing more injury to my body.
“Sure am.” I smiled, deciding it was best to keep things light while maintaining some semblance of caution. Protect the heart, keep tonight easy. “Mum is so excited to see you. You’re going to be inundated with questions.”
“No different to having you here,” he quipped.
Okay, this I could do.
“Just so I’m clear,” I said, settling as a passenger princess, “are you planning on talking to me during this car trip, or am I going to be subjected to more of your unexpected silence?”
His lips twitched. “I thought you enjoyed silence.” His gaze darted to my headphones which were sitting in my lap.
“I do and there is a good chance I will put these on for at least half the trip, but your silence is different. And it’s always when I know you’re up in your head.” Somehow, it felt easier to speak the truth in the car, with the sun trailing down the horizon and no eye contact to break the moment.
“I forget how observant you are,” he mumbled.
I didn’t push and he didn’t offer more, the silence comforting this time because it didn’t feel weighted - an acceptance of shared understanding. Almost.
“How are you finding work?” He asked abruptly and I turned to face him.
“I actually really love it,” I answered honestly. “But the boss is a bit of a dick.” His easy grin caught me off guard and I laughed as a warmth settled behind my ribs.
“I heard the new accountant asks a lot of questions, maybe he just has a headache.” His laugh filled the car at my unimpressed expression and I couldn’t help how much I loved the sound.
“I’m guessing your exes either didn’t mind vague answers, or didn’t actually want to know what was going on in that head of yours.” I said.
“Maybe we should focus on your exes.” He looked at me quickly, although whatever was behind those eyes, I couldn’t decipher. “Did they survive this level of questioning, or am I just the lucky one?”
“Nope. They’re hidden in Marlee’s fake pilates room.” I quipped, giggling at the way his eyes widened briefly. “Although, I didn’t actually like them very much and I’m not sure they really liked me either.” “What do you mean?” He asked.
“Well, both of my exes weren’t really suited to me. I met them both through studying and I guess, on both occasions, I figured if we were studying the same thing we would have similar interests. Other than numbers though, there wasn’t much else.”
“I never met either of them, did I? Were you together long?”
I hummed, pondering. “It was almost six months with Chad and then only a couple of months with the other Chadd.”
“Both of your ex partners are named Chad?” He asked, and at my nod, he burst into laughter, eliciting one of my own.
“To be fair, one of them was spelt with two d’s.” I defended meekly, biting back another laugh.
“Oh, lucky, I was starting to think it was weird,” he teased, before adding, “does your new boss know you have a thing for guys whose names start with C?”
My mouth fell open in realisation and I shook my head, refusing to confirm or deny, though suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.
“I think I’ll just listen to my podcast for a bit.” I replied awkwardly.
“Oh, nah, Evy,” he said, grinning, “I’m just joking. Connect it to the car so I can listen too. See who can pick the murderer first?” I was thrown back to all the times we’d play the same game as kids, a calming glow settling back in the air.
“You’re on. Pretty sure your success rate was, like, one out of ten.” I replied, already fiddling with the car system to connect my phone.
“Winner buys lunch tomorrow.”
I scoffed. “Deal. But just so you know, I’ll be ordering from somewhere bougie because you’ll be paying.”
He smirked, sinking back into the seat as we cruised down the highway towards Mum’s house, the familiar drawl of the hosts voices filling the car.
“Mum, can you please stop staring at me like that?” My brother sighed, a little more sternly now that it was his fifth time asking.
“I’m will not,” she said with a little annoyance, “I’m happy.”
“You look deranged,” I added around a mouthful of bread.
“Evangeline, don’t speak with your mouth full.” Mum reprimanded and Marlee laughed.
“Don’t you listen to them, love, you look bloody beautiful.” Toby stared at Mum adoringly like the sun rose and set with her.
Suck up.
“Maybe if you came home and saw your mother more she wouldn’t need to stare at you,” Cooper threw in from across the table obviously enjoying the discomfort Seb was feeling.
“It’s you she’s happy to see, dick bag.”
“Language, Sebastian. It’s just been so long since my three babies were here together and now Marlee is part of the family too,” her voice croaked as she bit back tears.
“Oh, God, Mum, I’m trying to enjoy my dinner.” I said, feeling awkward at how overtly emotional she’d been since we first arrived.
“We know,” Marlee mumbled. “We see it every time you speak, Eva.”
“Leave my fiancée alone,” Cooper chimed, throwing me a wink. “Statistically, nine out of ten bites taste better with enthusiastic chewing. Right, Evy?”
“Yeah. I must’ve missed that class,” Toby said, and the table fell silent before simultaneously, we all broke into hysterics.
“Sorry, guys, I’ll try to be more considerate.” I grinned, mentally encouraging myself to remember what should be basic manners. “I’m just tired.”
“She’s always been a sharer, haven’t you sweetheart?” Mum added fondly, shaking her head with a smile which I reciprocated. “How are you finding working full time - if you can speak freely with Cooper sitting across the table?”
My gaze darted to meet his. He looked so relaxed, and it was hard not to remember all the times we sat around this very table, with a few less people, but part of the same easy conversation. He waited patiently, his eyes telling me he was keen to hear what I had to say.
“Tiring,” I admitted. “But more mentally draining. And the boss can be a drag sometimes,” I added with a straight face.
“Yeah, I’ve heard that about him,” Seb interjected. “Do you get bathroom breaks or do you just pee in fear?”
“They get breaks. Every second they’re not asking me questions is a break.” Coop’s grin was effortless and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“God, the questions. It’s like a low-key episode of 60 minutes,” Seb replied, the shift from ally to foe fast.