40. Chapter 40
Chapter forty
Cooper
T wenty-four hours.
That’s all the time I’m willing to give Sutton before I march over to wherever she’s hiding out and demand she stop being an idiot.
I was crushed last night when she drove away. But I thought she would come home after a few hours and we could talk about it some more. That she would come to her senses.
But she didn’t, and my heart broke at the thought of not being with her.
She thinks we’re done. That I’ll accept that and walk away from her without a fight.
No.
Sutton is worth fighting for every day.
And I plan to do just that.
I had been lying in bed for three hours last night, alternating between staring up at the star-flecked ceiling and tossing and turning. Feeling too hot under the blankets without my little thief beside me. It was wrong. Everything without Sutton was wrong.
It wasn’t until I was on my fourth hour of trying to sleep that my phone lit up with a new message.
I reached for my phone so fast, I knocked it off the nightstand. I glared at it for a moment, contemplating getting out of bed and picking it up. Instead, I got it into my head that I could attempt to reach it without climbing out of bed. With my legs on the bed, I reached down, stretching my torso and arms as far as I could. My fingers splayed out, inching further and further until I could almost reach it.
I grazed the case and slid the phone half an inch closer to me.
“Victory,” I shouted, pulling it closer.
And then I fell.
My chin hit the rug, followed by my chest as my arms did nothing to help my descent to the floor.
The skin on my chin burned as I rolled onto my back, still clutching my phone in my hand.
My heart was galloping as I lifted it, hopeful to see her name.
Instead, I saw my best friend’s.
Nate
Please explain to me why I am currently lying awake in the guest room of my own home while my wife and unborn child are snuggled up in our bed with your woman.
A second later, another text appeared.
Or is she no longer your woman?
Cooper
Oh, she is still very much mine.
Does she know this?
Yes. Whether or not she has accepted it yet is questionable.
What the hell happened?
Dillon the Douche did.
Classic d-bag. But why is she here?
She spooked when things got rough. Oh, also, I’m at her house.
Why didn’t she send you packing to your apartment?
Maybe she forgot I had one.
Or maybe she knew your lovesick ass wouldn’t leave easily.
True… Is she okay?
Define okay… She cried. That’s about as much as I know because I gave her and Viv space.
My heart squeezed as I imagined the strong woman I love crying.
Thanks, man. But also, WTF! Why didn’t you text me the moment she showed up?
Well, first, she walked in on Vivian and me having sex. And then I had to take a cold shower. And then she was crying, and I felt like the last thing she needed was you storming over and demanding she speak with you.
…She caught you guys in the act again?
The woman doesn’t ever knock. Just barges in.
Just like she barged into my heart.
Save the cheesy lines for Sutton.
You think she’ll listen?
We can only hope.
I waited all night for her without a word. No text, no call, no nothing. She hadn’t come home for her stupid-expensive luxury skincare routine she did religiously or to trade in the ankle-breaking high heels she had been wearing when she left yesterday.
As the clock strikes 10 a.m., I’m still sitting on the couch, pouting as I wait, when I receive the phone call I’ve been waiting on from my office. Admittedly, I thought it would take them more than one day to decide my fate, but I guess not.
Putting on my favorite suit, I head into the office to meet with my boss to discuss their final decision regarding me.
I’m not feeling too confident when I walk through the building’s rotating door. Familiar faces greet me with smiles and hellos, all seemingly unaware of the shitstorm that’s my career.
Halfway through the lobby, on my way to check in with Mr. Avery’s personal assistant, I hear my name being called.
“Cooper, wait up.”
I spin around to find Mr. Tillan power walking his way over to me.
“I’m not too late, am I?”
The color drains from my face. “Did we have a meeting today? I-I’m so sorry, I must have completely forgotten. And actually, I need to be honest with you, I think I’m about to lose my job.”
He studies me. “Cooper—”
“Not from any mistakes or miscalculations in my work,” I quickly add. “But from a bending of the truth about when my relationship with Sutton began.”
“Cooper.” He places a hand on my shoulder. “I know. Sutton informed me of your predicament.”
“She did?”
His lips form a somber smile. “She did last night. She also asked me to speak on your behalf.”
“She did?” I ask again, stunned by this turn of events.
Mr. Tillan squeezes my shoulder. “She did. That girl loves you so much she was willing to light a fire under my ass to help you.”
“She shouldn’t have done that.”
“Maybe not, but she did. And she was right. You’re great at what you do, and your personal life and relationship status should have never been a factor in your career.”
I swallow. “Thank you.”
“Now, I want you to know I made a few calls to some colleagues of mine regarding your situation.”
“And?”
“And they can’t fire you over your relationship status. They have no other complaints on you, so they have nothing to use against you.”
I let out a relieved breath.
“Don’t get too excited. What they can do is demote you. Take away your clients. And make your life miserable until you decide to quit.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah, it’s not ideal.”
“So, what do I do?”
“You listen to the alternative offer I have for you.”
Ten minutes later, I walk into my boss’s office with my head held high, prepared to tackle whatever he throws at me.
Sitting behind his desk once again, he doesn’t even glance up as I move across the room. “Please have a seat,” he says, still not giving me the decency of looking at me.
I sit in the same chair across from him as I did yesterday. Only this time, I know what’s coming.
I sit there for thirty seconds before he finally gives me the time of day.
“So, Cooper, I’m sure you are champing at the bit to hear what we’ve decided regarding your fate here at the company.”
“I am, sir.” I straighten my spine, gripping the armrests with my hands as I brace.
“To say I was disappointed to hear you had lied to us about your life outside of the company would be an understatement. But after a long and hard discussion with the partners, we have come to a decision that I am sure you will find more than fitting.”
Blood rushes through my ears as he gives a dramatic pause before continuing on. “Do you want to say anything?”
“Will anything I say change the decision that has already been made?”
His lips form a thin line. “No, but—”
“Then I’m good.”
He blinks at me, shocked that I’d turn down a chance to hear myself talk as if I’m like all the other finance bros who live for the sound of their own voices.
“Okay, then let’s get to the meat and potatoes. Cooper, we have decided against termination.”
I let out a relieved breath. I’ve never been fired from a job, and I don’t want to have to explain why I was let go to potential future employers.
“Don’t get too excited, son. We did come to a group decision that, while lying about your relationship might not be fireable, it isn’t the behavior we want associated with an accounts manager.”
I bop my head a few times. “I understand.”
After leaving the office, I run a few errands to kill time before her twenty-four hours are up.
The moment her grace period ends, I’m in my truck and on my way to her.
I don’t knock. I throw open the front door to Nate’s house and stride inside like I belong. Nate glances at the door from where he’s sitting in the living room sketching. He tosses up a two-finger wave as I pass him, making my way down the hall to find Sutton and Vivian camped out under a pile of blankets in Viv and Nate’s bedroom. Popcorn is strung out all over the bed, and there are half-empty water bottles scattered all over the floor.
“Cooper.” Sutton jumps out of bed. “What are you doing here?”
I keep my mouth shut as I continue to stride to her.
Sutton places her hands on her hips as she waits for me to explain.
Stopping directly in front of her, I kneel, toss her over my shoulder, and wrap my arm around her legs.
“Put me down,” she demands, pounding at my back.
“Not happening.” I dip my chin at a grinning Vivian still lying in bed as she shoots me a thumbs-up and mouths, Good luck .
“Put—” Pinch . “Me—” Poke . “Down.” Punch . Sutton’s hands inflict as much torture as she can imagine on my back, hips, and butt.
Some of it has me hissing through my teeth as I walk out of my best friend’s house and across the paved driveway to my truck.
I pull my key from my pants and unlock the doors. With one hand, I open the passenger door and bend to dump her into the front seat. While she’s scrambling to sit up, I flip the child locks and shut the door, running around to the driver’s side and climbing in as fast as possible.
She’s already tugging at the door when I shut mine.
“What the fuck,” she yells. “Let me out.”
“No.”
“Women don’t like being kidnapped, Cooper.”
“Really? Because all those smutty little books on your shelf suggest otherwise.”
Her face reddens, and the corner of her lips curl up for a fraction of a second before she schools her features into a scowl that isn’t meant to melt me from her cuteness, but it does.
I smile to myself as I put my key into the ignition. “Pout all you want, baby opossum, but you and I are going home to have a heart-to-heart.”