29. Leo
LEO
It was the Wednesday before Memorial Day weekend, and Wes was closing the bar early tonight to allow everyone to prepare for the long weekend. The early closure didn’t impact me since Wednesdays were one of my shorter days, but everyone else would be wrapping up around eight.
Normally, I’d head home right after work, but tonight, I decided to stick around and play a game of pool with Cooper. Wes was going to join us once he finished inventory and payroll.
I lined up my next shot, prepared to sink the red three when Cooper asked, “Is there anything going on between you and my sister?”
My hand slipped, and my shot went wide.
Cooper chuckled. “I guess that answers my question.”
I let out a heavy sigh, giving him an unamused look. “That was very conveniently timed. Didn’t realize you played dirty.”
Cooper rounded the table. “Who’s saying I play dirty? I’m just strategic.” He lined up his shot and sank a striped ball with ease.
I didn’t want to lie to Cooper because of how welcoming he’d been when I first got to town, but I also wanted to keep things between Eliza and me private, like we’d agreed on.
We weren’t trying to hide anything—Jules and Lily definitely both knew—but we also didn’t want the whole town to find out.
Both because this was temporary and we didn’t want to make things feel different at work.
“Yeah,” I said after a moment. “There’s something going on.”
If Cooper was surprised or not pleased, he didn’t show it. “I figured,” he said as he took another shot, sinking a second ball.
Maybe my reaction when he’d asked had given away that something was happening between Eliza and me, but I didn’t think we’d been that obvious. Then again, he was her brother and knew her damn well. “How’d you find out?”
“At dinner a few nights ago,” Cooper said, referring to the dinner at Laura and Mark’s.
This time, Cooper missed his shot, so I took a look at the table to plan out what I’d do next while he continued talking.
“My sister doesn’t let many people help her or take care of her. She let you do both.”
“We’re friends,” I said.
Cooper’s words got my mind spinning, though, wondering if what he was saying was true. If maybe Eliza felt more than she was letting on.
“I care about her,” I admitted. “But I don’t think we want the same things, and…
” I lined up my shot, sinking a ball. “I don’t think she’s going to change her mind.
” Of course, I wanted Eliza to care about me, too, in that way, but I didn’t want to have to convince her or to try to force her to want something she didn’t.
Cooper stayed silent for a beat, leaning his hip against the table while I took my next shot.
“I don’t know what she’s thinking, and it’s also not my place to get involved, but I will say this.
She doesn’t let many people in, and she definitely doesn’t drop her guard around many people.
She cares. I’d even go so far to say that she cares a lot. ”
I looked over at Eliza, who was as magnetic and hypnotizing as ever, moving behind the bar. Even with Lake Ridge closing early, it was packed with tourists coming into town early for the long weekend.
I turned back to Cooper. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I’ve never seen her care about someone like that.” Cooper’s jaw clenched, and his expression turned more serious than I’d seen in the short time I’d known him. “And I don’t want you to break my sister’s heart.”
That was the last thing I wanted to do, and in order to break someone’s heart, you had to have it. Eliza kept her heart locked, and I’d be lucky if I even got a piece of it.
“I’m not going to break her heart,” I assured him.
She was likely going to break mine instead, and the masochist in me knew it’d be worth it if it meant more days with her now.
It seemed at one point that I might win against Cooper, but I didn’t.
While Cooper was friendly and easy to be around, he was also a shark, which Wes confirmed when he joined us and also proceeded to lose to Cooper.
Before I knew it, it was eight, and the bar was gearing up to close.
Eliza walked over with her bag slung over her shoulder. “Hey,” she said, and all I wanted to do was pull her into my chest.
I kept the distance between us instead, especially with Cooper and Wes both watching. “All wrapped up?”
She nodded. “Pretty easy shift today, but I’m already exhausted thinking about how busy the weekend is going to be.”
“Me, too,” Wes agreed. “Wouldn’t be surprised if I had gray hair after the weekend is over.”
Eliza laughed. “Should I start calling you old man? Maybe that’ll be my new nickname for you.”
Wes glared at her. “Very funny,” he deadpanned. “I’m not that old.” Wes grabbed the three pool cues and put them away. “Besides, Leo’s older than me.”
“Barely!” I interjected. “And no need to pull me into this.”
Wes shrugged.
Eliza turned to me, and I saw a brief flicker of desire in her eyes before she tamed it down. “I’m heading back. Are you sticking around here?”
The guys and I had finished our last game and were getting ready to split up, too.
I shook my head. “No, we just finished up here. Let’s head out.” I lifted my hand in a quick wave to Wes and Cooper. “See you, guys.”
“Have a good night,” Wes and Cooper both said.
On our way back to the apartment building, I told Eliza how Cooper had asked if there was something going on between us.
She tipped her head back with a groan. “He’s such a gossip. Almost as bad as Louise.”
I barked a laugh. “Cooper? Really?”
“Oh, yeah. He loves to know what’s going on.
I’m convinced that’s why he visits Gran on her knitting club days.
Those ladies know the ins and outs of what’s going on.
” She tilted her head to the side. “I’m sure it’s fine, though.
Did he say anything? He wasn’t like weirdly overprotective was he?
” She scowled, and I had to hold back another laugh.
“No, he wasn’t, and he didn’t say much.” Maybe I should’ve told Eliza what Cooper had told me—about how he hadn’t seen her like this before—but I decided to keep it to myself for now. “He’s just looking out for you.”
She playfully rolled her eyes. “Of course you would say that as a fellow older brother. Maybe you’re the one getting gray hair since you’re the oldest of the group.” She wiggled her brows at me.
I elbowed her side. “Hey, watch it. And I’m not that much older than Wes,” I defended.
When she looked up at me, that fire was back in her brown eyes. “I like that you’re older. Means you have more experience and know what you’re doing. Maybe that’s why it’s so good between us, and why I can’t stop thinking about how good your cock feels.”
Fuck. My cock twitched in my jeans, and I cleared my throat. Our apartment building was within view. I just had to make it another block or two.
“Watch it,” I warned her.
“Yes, chef.” She batted her eyelashes, but she was anything but innocent.
My jaw clenched as I inhaled to keep my composure, trying to think of literally anything but fucking Eliza, because the last thing I needed right now was to be rock hard on Main Street.
“I could so go for a margarita,” Eliza said as we climbed the stairs. “I can make two and we can have them up on the rooftop?”
I’d need a cold shower before we did that, but I didn’t say anything. Relaxing with Eliza and a drink sounded like the perfect way to end the night.
“Yeah, that’d be great. See you up there in fifteen?”
“Perfect.” She flashed me a grin before stepping into her apartment.
It took me a few minutes to get inside my apartment. Mainly because I stood there dumbfounded, wondering how I’d gotten lucky enough to be on the receiving end of a smile like that.