by Amanda Ashby
He stopped his pacing. “So, you do like me?”
“It’s complicated.”
“It’s not.” He shook his head. “We’re hardly kids, Pepper. If there’s something between us why can’t we explore it? Why are we doing this dance?”
“Because last night I bumped into a school friend of Bec’s. Louise someone.”
“Taunton.” Coop frowned. Louise was a couple of years younger than he was and looked like she collected rainbows for a living. “What did she say?”
“Nothing really. Just that it was nice of me to help you recover from your heartbreak.”
What the hell?
“My heartbreak?” He sat back down. “What heartbreak?”
“Over Bec. Louise was saying how you’ve been waiting all these years for Bec but now she’s pregnant and with Lincoln, it’s like you’ve finally had to accept you were going to be single forever.”
Coop opened his mouth and shut it again.
Yes, half the population of Sunshine expected him and Bec to get together. But that had never been an option. Not for either of them.
“You really think I’m pining for Bec?”
“Aren’t you?” She tilted her chin leaving her neck exposed. It was about the most vulnerable he’d ever seen her. His pulse quickened.
“God, no. You know better than most what Bec’s like. I’ve never seen anyone who can handle her apart from Lincoln. I’m happy they’ve found each other,” he said before understanding slammed into his chest. “Pepper Watson, are you jealous?”
“What? No. Absolutely not.” The cell phone tumbled to the ground. She bent to retrieve it and then leaned back, as if being in his airspace was dangerous. “It’s humiliating. That’s why I wanted to leave.”
“I see.” A slow smile spread out across his mouth. “Just to clarify, you didn’t get jealous over the idea I might be in love with Bec.”
“No more than you might be jealous I was friends with Simon.” Pepper flung at him before her hand flew to her mouth. “I’m sorry. There was no need for me to bring him up.”
Coop swallowed hard as his body hummed with pent up energy. “It’s fine. I’ll never forget him, why should you?”
“Still, it was a low blow. This is why I normally avoid talking to you. No good comes from it.” She gave an angry shake of her head as she reluctantly sat back down next to him. “I came down here to make a wish. To figure out a way we could coexist without driving each other crazy.”
“I guess it’s no surprise it didn’t work,” Coop said and she looked at him with interest.
“I thought you would’ve believed in the power of the bridge. I know Emmy does and Bec’s a recent convert.”
“I’m pleased for them, but I can’t say it’s ever worked for me.” Coop stared at the covered bridge, the wood faded with age. The last time he’d walked into the middle was a month before his brother died. When he was so desperate he wanted a dumb bridge to fix his problems.
“Simon.” Pepper’s face softened in understanding. “You came here to wish for Simon.”
“Like a bridge could stop cancer.” Coop turned away as frustration pounded through his temples.
“Or bring back my parents.” Pepper sighed, studying the ground below. Coop sucked in his breath. Bec spoke about their parents from time to time, how she wished she could remember more about them, but Pepper had never mentioned them. Not even when Simon had died. Up until now.
“Do you miss them?”
A streak of pain crossed her face, so stark it was like a punch. “More than anything. Our life in Seattle was pretty much perfect. They liked to laugh a lot and always seemed to have time for the three of us. They made us all feel special. I know Bec doesn’t remember much about them, but sometimes I think that’s a blessing. I remember everything. How great it was. Then, they were gone and suddenly my entire life was different. But you already know how that feels. How one tiny thing can change your life forever. A car crash. A cancer diagnosis. One thing and it’s all over.”
Coop’s mouth dropped. It was like he was watching a director’s cut of a movie. She was always together. Like she always knew what she was doing. Like she couldn’t be hurt.
How did I not know this?
“Is that why you’ve always hated it here?”
“Partly.” She shrugged, suddenly looking unsure of herself. Like she regretted saying anything. “It was more I was stuck here, with no say in my life. I tried to run away, you know. Three times.”
“I didn’t know.” Coop rubbed his brow, trying to imagine a world were Pepper ran away. It was difficult though. The Pepper he’d always known was fearless and she never backed down from anything. It gave him new understanding into just how much she must’ve hated her life in Sunshine.
“Charlie stopped me two times and Simon found me the third. Stupid really. I’d finally figured everything out. I had money, bus timetables. Everything. Apart from some hiking boots. I twisted my ankle before I got past the second paddock. Simon had been trail biking nearby and saw me. It’s how we met.”
His mind whirled. Visions of his brother rescuing Pepper. Carrying her back to the farm filled his mind. Of Pepper being vulnerable. Scared. Sad. And Simon being her hero.
No wonder they were friends.
“He never told me that. I guess we do have something in common after all. We’ve both wished for impossible things.”
“I guess,” she agreed as the air between them hummed with energy. It was so loud Coop was surprised the birds around them didn’t take flight. All he wanted to do was reach out and touch her. Connect the space between them. “Have you heard from Morgan yet?”
“No, though I did get an email from his CEO asking if they could visit my set up,” he said, trying to figure out how she could be even more gorgeous with her hair scraped back, no makeup and her lips chapped from the cool weather.
“I’m happy for you.” She nodded her head. They were so close if she leaned forward, she’d be touching him. God. “I hope it all works out.”
“And I hope it works out for you. Bec told me about the phone call. Well, she said mysterious call. But I’m assuming it’s for an interview.”
“It is.” She nodded.
“I’m happy for you, Pepper. I really am. But you need to start letting people in. Why not tell your sisters what’s going on? Why not—”
“Why not what?” she said in a hoarse voice. “Let you seduce me?”
“Would that be so bad?” he said as the buzz of energy raced between, creating space alive with unanswered questions. He drank in her face, eyes widened and lips parted, he couldn’t resist the pull. He lifted a hand and trailed a line along her check and watched her eyes flutter in response. God. He lowered his mouth to hers, still tentative, but as her hot breath met his, the uncertainty passed.
Blood hammered in his temples as her body pressed into him, her lips soft and sinful. He lifted his hands to her cheeks, her skin like velvet as he continued to kiss her. His hand tugged at her shirt and she let out a moan just as her cell phone beeped.
Pepper stiffened and drew away, a guilty flush staining her cheeks while Coop silently cursed the fool who’d ever invented cell phones.
“I-I should get this.” Pepper studiously studied the screen before jumping to her feet. She turned her head and without another word held the cell phone up to her ear as she headed toward the track. Coop waited until she was out of sight before lying back on the bench. So much for hoping that coming to see her might break the spell she had over him. Nothing had changed.
Chapter Seven
“Do you think I’d sound too much like a bridezilla if I asked for it to be taken in a fraction more?” Emmy asked as she stared at her reflection in the mirror they’d dragged into the living room. “I feel bad because at the last fitting I said it was fine.”
“It’s not a problem.” Pepper shook her head and picked up her list, making a note to speak to Myra—knowing Emmy would never muster up the c
ourage to mention it to the old seamstress who also worked in the post office. Emmy was probably afraid she’d ruffle feathers and not get her mail delivered.
Nothing in Sunshine made sense. Why should a person have to worry about their mail just because they wanted their antique lace wedding dress taken in? And why couldn’t another person simply go down to the wishing bridge and take a photograph without running into the one guy that they didn’t want to see?
She dragged her attention back to all the little ticks on her long list. One of the positive outcomes of her military approach to denial was she’d gotten through a week’s worth of work in three days and still managed to brush up her interview skills for her flight to Chicago in the morning.
The interview Coop inadvertently helped her get.
“Hmmm, I’ll consider it,” Emmy said as she tugged at the fabric one last time before her turning her attention to the blue dress Pepper was currently wearing. “So, what do you think about yours? I wanted to make sure it was something you’d feel comfortable in.”
“You did a great job,” Pepper said truthfully as she paused to study her reflection. The dress was navy blue with no frills or flowers, just clean lines, making it simple and elegant. It was obvious her sister had put a lot of thought into it. “Thank you.”
“No. Thank you.” Emmy brushed away a piece of imaginary fluff from Pepper’s shoulder. “There’s no way we’d get everything done in time if you hadn’t been here to help and I know you think it’s crazy Christopher and I are getting married so quickly, but it just feels right. Like a pull that can’t be ignored. Does that even make sense?”
No.
Okay, yes.
Pepper squared her shoulders. “If getting married in three weeks makes you happy, then that’s good.”
“If she waited any longer there’s no way I could wear my bridesmaid dress.” Bec skipped into the room and did a twirl to reveal the long slits in what had originally appeared to be a sedate skirt. “Do you like it?”
“It’s perfect.” Emmy clapped and Pepper had to agree. Made in the same fabric as her own dress, the only thing they had in common was the color. And, as well as the paneled skirt, it had a gypsy style top that revealed Bec’s brown shoulders, making her look even more like a feral pixie than ever. It was also one hundred percent Bec.
“It is.” Pepper agreed, noticing Bec was holding a tub of ice cream with what appeared to be pickled ginger on the top of it. She quickly removed it. “No eating in the dress until after the ceremony. Plus, gross.”
“Don’t judge me. I’m pregnant.” Bec folded her arms and pouted.
“You know you can’t use that excuse forever,” Emmy said, which was as close to scolding as she’d ever go.
“Yeah, but it’s good for the next five months.” Bec shrugged, giving the ice cream a wistful look as Pepper carefully carried it back out to the kitchen just as a delivery van pulled up outside. The driver retrieved an oversized vase of blood red roses out of the backseat and walked toward the kitchen.
Pepper put the ice cream away and frowned. Who had ordered so many roses? She turned to her sisters, who had both followed her through.
“What’s going on? I didn’t think our next delivery was until Friday for the Taylor’s engagement party.”
“I’ve got no idea.” Emmy shook her head as she opened the door for Stan.
“Delivery,” the driver announced as he staggered into the kitchen and put the flowers onto the table. There was at least three-dozen of them, and the huge cut glass vase looked like it had cost a fortune. “For Pepper.”
What?
“For me?” Pepper lost her poise as a hundred images crashed through her mind. All of them starting with Coop. Her cheeks heated up as she scrambled to make sense of it. But it was impossible. Why would he do that?
To humiliate me?
Because he likes me?
It caught her by surprise and her heart pounded at the idea.
“Pepper has a mystery admirer?” Bec squealed as she picked up the card attached to the vase. “I wonder who it is?”
“Bec, we’ve talked about this. It’s none of our business,” Emmy said in a tight voice as she plucked the card out of her sister’s hand and passed it over to Pepper.
“Yes, and it’s ridiculous. She’s been back two and a half months and hasn’t told us a thing. And now dozens of roses turn up—looking like they cost more than my car—and we’re just expected to say nothing?” Bec said, the color mounting in her cheeks. Pepper ignored it as she reluctantly opened the card, wishing she could’ve had some privacy.
Pepper,
I made a mistake and I’m sorry. Come back to work. The partnership is yours.
Paul.
Pepper sat down as her brain scrambled to make sense of it, but her mind was like a whirlpool. Moving too quickly for anything to settle.
She’d known Paul for two years and couldn’t remember him ever saying sorry.
And he was offering her the partnership. Everything she’d always wanted. Her life in Seattle back on track. But why was he doing it? There were only two reasons and both of them led back to her interview. He knew she was having it and was worried her clients would follow. Or that I’ll bad mouth him.
She pinched her nose to cut out the overwhelming perfume of the flowers.
“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. But we’d like to help if we can,” Emmy said in a soft voice.
“Yeah, and all this guessing is very bad for my baby,” Bec chirped in before Emmy shot her a silent glare. “Or not,” she quickly corrected.
Pepper closed her eyes as the fight started to leave her.
She hadn’t intended on blocking her sisters out. It was just she’d spent the last eight years building a new life for herself. One where she was in control. Which meant sharing and confiding weren’t part of her day-to-day routine. Then she remembered Coop. You should open up to your sisters. Tell them what’s going on.
She opened her eyes and walked over to the cabinet where Ivy had kept the liquor. There was a bottle of whiskey Christopher had brought back from his last trip as well as the non-alcoholic ginger beer Coop had brewed especially for Bec. Her sister might not be able to have a stiff drink, but it didn’t mean she had to miss out.
She carried it all over to the table and nodded.
“If you want to know what’s going on, I’ll tell you. But it might take a while.”
“We’re not going anywhere,” Emmy quickly said as Bec shuffled to get glasses and they all sat down. Once the drinks were poured, Pepper took a sip of the whiskey. The malty alcohol teased her tongue as she took a deep breath and told her sisters about her engagement to Paul. The breakup. His vendetta that stopped her from getting another job and what triggered her extended stay on the farm. Even the part where Paul turned up and wouldn’t take no for an answer until Coop acted as her pretend boyfriend.
Once she had finished, Bec leapt out of her seat and wrapped her arms around Pepper’s shoulders. Normally, she hated when her sisters got soppy but it was strangely soothing and the tension in her shoulders lessened.
“Pepper, I’m sorry you had to go through all that alone,” Emmy said once Bec had untangled herself and returned to her seat. “Your life was imploding while I was rubbing my happiness in your face.”
“And me,” Bec said, her blue eyes filled with guilt. “I was rubbing too.”
“Stop. The pair of you. That’s exactly why I didn’t say anything.” Pepper toyed with her empty glass. “I didn’t want to bring anyone down. Besides, it was for the best. Imagine if I hadn’t found out what Paul was like until later?”
“Good point,” Emmy said before her mouth tightened. “Though I hate you were worried about money after we decided not to sell the farm. Is that why you sub-let your apartment? And didn’t buy any new clothes?”
Pepper nodded. “It seemed crazy to sit in Seattle twiddling my thumbs and bleeding money. I just had to wait it out.”
“Absolutely.” Pepper gave a vigorous nod of her head. “He knew how important the partnership was to me and yet he took it off the table without even discussing it first. That’s not the kind of man I can spend my life with. Or work with. Regardless of what happens at the interview, I’ll be turning down Paul’s offer.”
“Well, if you need money from the farm, we’ll figure out a way. Okay?” Emmy said, sounding surprisingly fierce.
“Thanks,” she said.
“Look, who’s here,” Bec suddenly said as a familiar car drove up and they all watched Coop come to a stop and walk toward the kitchen.
“I hope I’m not disturbing you guys,” he said, his voice doing sinful things to her stomach, at the same time letting Pepper know she was no closer to forgetting about the kiss than she had been yesterday afternoon. Then he frowned as he took in the roses and the whiskey bottle. “Okay, scrap that. I’m definitely disturbing you. Should I come back?”
His voice sounded light and casual but Pepper couldn’t help but notice the way his fingers clenched at his sides. Was it because of the flowers, the whiskey, or her? Wait, don’t answer.
“No, it’s fine,” Bec assured him. “Pepper’s just received some flowers from Paul. Don’t worry, she’s told us everything.”
“Everything?” Coop raised an eyebrow and gave her a curious glance.
“Everything they needed to know,” Pepper clarified, as her jaw tightened.
“Including how you stepped up and played Pepper’s fake boyfriend, and that you took her to the ball to help her get a job. It’s lovely you helped her out.” Bec beamed, oblivious to the sub text going on.
“It was no big deal.” Coop shrugged as if it he’d just let a neighbor borrow a cup of sugar. Then again, that’s probably what it was to him. He had just helped her out like he helped everyone out. The golden boy of Sunshine. Who kissed like a dream. “Why did Paul send flowers?”
