by J. Sterling
Katherine wondered why, in the moments where she should be completely consumed in all things Cooper, she couldn’t stop her thoughts from drifting to the boy from her dream. The very thought of him snapped her into some subconscious world. It was as though she could literally feel him all around her. She knew that seemed crazy so she snapped to, making a conscious effort to try to enjoy the life that was happening right in front of her.
“We’ll see you guys later tonight,” Taylor said as she leaned in to give Danny a quick kiss on the lips.
“Don’t forget about those shirts,” Katherine joked while she mimed pulling one over her head.
“Mmm, they do look good,” Taylor said as she glanced back at the two guys in the lifted Jeep. “They probably have seat belt tans.”
“I bet you’re right. We are so asking them later!”
“And make fun of them relentlessly if they do.”
“Of course.”
“Did I tell you that Cooper’s parents have a lake house?” Taylor suddenly remarked.
“No. Where?”
“Oh, it’s in northern Jersey. Right on the shore. Apparently it’s super nice. I think they have a couple of other houses too. I think his parents are loaded.”
“That’s cool,” Katherine said nonchalantly.
“That doesn’t impress you?” Taylor said with surprise.
“Not really. I don’t really care about that kind of stuff.” She hesitated and then asked, “You don’t either, do you?”
“Oh, please. Danny’s broke as a joke. I couldn’t care less.”
Katherine nodded in agreement. “It’s not about money. I was surrounded by people like that back home. As if having a ton of money made up for having a crappy personality.”
“I know, right? Why are rich people such a bore?” Taylor snorted.
“’Cause they don’t have to be fun—they’re rich!” Katherine laughed.
“You can’t buy chemistry.”
“Agreed!” Katherine said. “I just want that feeling you get when you know without a doubt that you’re supposed to be with someone. That connection, that no matter what you do, can’t be denied.”
“Do you feel like that with Cooper?”
Katherine’s cheeks burned. “I do. But I also felt it with the guy from my dream.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Sorry, I hate that I keep doing that.”
Taylor cocked her head to one side. “Doing what?”
“I’d like to be over the guy from my dream, but I’m not. It’s like he won’t go away. Every time I think he’s gone, he reappears. Whenever I try to think about only Cooper, Dream Guy pops into my thoughts. I feel like he’s planting himself in my mind so I won’t forget about him.”
“I’m sure he’s not doing that.” Taylor eyed her sympathetically.
Frustrated, Katherine took a deep breath. “Taylor, I’m making a conscious decision.”
“Well, that’s a first,” Taylor responded in her typical sarcastic tone. “What exactly are we so conscious about?”
“I have to put the guy from my dream behind me. He has to just go back to whatever part of my subconscious he came from. I can’t keep waiting for him to show up at Starbucks or something!” she said with a huff. “And I have to give Cooper a chance. He’s really nice and a good guy. I’d be an idiot to let him walk away because I’m holding out for some guy I saw in a dream once. Right?” She looked at Taylor imploringly, eager for her opinion. Katherine knew her feelings seemed crazy and it was difficult to admit how much of her subconscious Dream Guy owned, but she had to take control.
“Yep, you’d be an idiot all right. But I still sorta think your dream guy could exist.”
“Taylor!” Katherine pleaded, her voice exasperated. She needed support in letting him go, not holding on to him.
“Fine, fine. Yes, you have to give Cooper a chance. Your country would want this. If you don’t date Cooper, the terrorists win. Happy?”
“Perfectly.” Katherine smiled at Taylor and knew what she had to do. She had to get dolled up for the date tonight and really open her heart to Cooper. It wasn’t like she didn’t want to. If there were no dream guy, she was certain she and Cooper would have already been together. She was very aware that she was setting the pace for this relationship…or whatever it was.
“I’m so excited!” Taylor squealed.
“Why?”
“Because! I’ve been waiting for this day to come. Cooper is awesome. You’re going to love him. If you want to talk about dream guys…well, Cooper is one.”
Taylor turned on some music to play in the background while they got ready for their dinner date. Katherine laughed as Taylor broke out into a crazy little dance at one point, wearing nothing but her sexiest bra and matching undies. Forcing herself to get serious and cut out the horseplay, she tore through her closet, unsure of what to wear and tried on four different tops before she agreed with Taylor which one looked best.
Peering at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, Katherine pulled at her straight brown hair and twisted it around the hot curling iron. She watched as fat curls fell loosely around her face, then added a shiny gloss to her lips and puckered.
“Tay, are you almost ready?” she called out when she was done.
“Ready when you are.”
They headed out of the building and into the still evening air. Giant trees lined the pathway they strolled on, leading them away from campus. Streetlights flickered on, illuminating the cement pathway. Their destination was a small one-story brick restaurant, nestled between two larger, more contemporary buildings.
“You know they wanted to pick us up, right?” Taylor asked as they walked side by side.
Katherine perked up. “No. Did you tell them they couldn’t?”
“I told them that we could walk. Plus, we’re not going to be able to for long. We actually have winter in this state.”
“That cold, huh?” Katherine asked, wondering if the sweatshirts she’d brought from California were going to be warm enough.
Taylor snickered. “Oh yeah. You’ll probably die.”
Katherine gave Taylor a little shove. “You suck.”
The restaurant where they were having dinner that night was owned by an older Italian named Dominic, who was a gentleman in every sense of the word. Every time the girls walked in, he would greet them with hugs and kisses on each cheek, greeting them with, “Ciao, bella.”
Every so often he would slip and speak to them excitedly in his native tongue, forgetting that the girls had no idea what he was saying. Katherine always loved when he did that because she thought the language was so beautiful.
When they entered the restaurant, they saw Cooper and Danny sitting at a table in the back. Dominic was speaking with a waitress, and when he saw them walk in, his eyes lit up. He rushed right over and greeted them with his usual flair, addressing them in his accented English that the girls had grown to adore. “You two are here with the nice boys in the corner, sì? They look like perfect gentlemen.”
“Sì!” Taylor said back. “You know, Dominic, you really should teach us more Italian so we can sound just as sexy as you do.”
The old man huffed and tried to hide his pleasure as he led the girls over toward their table. “Stop it, bella. You make an old man feel silly.”
“Aw, Dom. You know we love you,” Katherine said as she slid her arm around him and gave him an extra tight squeeze.
“You girls are the best. You both look fantastico tonight! Have fun.” He put his two fingers and his thumb to his lips and kissed them as if the girls were a perfect dish he had just created for royalty.
Katherine couldn’t help but notice how Cooper’s eyes also lit up at the sight of her. She wondered if she’d ever get used to the way he looked at her, and then she secretly hoped she wouldn’t.
It didn’t escape her that he made her feel things too. From the moment she looked over and saw his face, she hadn’t been able to stop smiling. A
nd she started to get that familiar feeling she got whenever she was near Cooper Donovan. Her pulse raced and her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. If her body told her anything, it was that it really liked this Cooper character.
Danny hopped out of the booth and Taylor jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist in the sweetest display of affection Katherine had ever seen. Everyone in the restaurant turned to stare, some grinning while others glared, but the couple didn’t seem to notice or care. They gave each other a kiss before Danny gently placed Taylor’s feet back on the restaurant floor.
“My lady,” Danny said with a bow as he directed her to get into the booth.
“Kind sir,” Taylor responded with flair as she scooted in.
Katherine moved into the booth so that Taylor was on her left and Cooper was on her right.
“Your hair looks really pretty,” Cooper said as he admired her curls, and Katherine found herself blushing.
“Thanks,” she replied as calmly as she could muster.
Cooper looked at her and smiled. Every time she looked into his green eyes, she felt herself unable to look away. She couldn’t help it; they were easy to get lost in. She focused mostly on the one with the speck in it. Maybe that’s his only flaw, she mused.
“Are we going to eat or are you two just going to stare into each other’s eyes all night?” Taylor interrupted.
“Shut up,” Katherine said in response.
“Actually, I’m fine with doing either,” Cooper said as he bit his bottom lip. Of course, that was just one more thing Cooper Donovan did that seemed to drive her completely crazy. Her armpits tingled as she began to sweat again, and she cursed under her breath.
“What was that, Miss Johns?” Cooper teased.
“Nothing. You just…well, it’s just that…you make me sweaty,” she finally blurted out, and then looked at Taylor, horrified. She couldn’t believe she had actually said that out loud.
Danny laughed as he turned to Taylor and asked, “Do I make you sweat, Tay?”
“Not if I can help it,” she replied sweetly.
“I can’t do anything right,” Danny said with mock disappointment. “I hate you, Donovan.”
Cooper’s brows drew together as his lips twitched. “Stop being such a wimp in public. It’s embarrassing.”
“Ah, come on, Danny. Stop. Maybe my sweat glands just don’t work the same as Kat’s do. She is from California and all. Maybe she has like movie star sweat glands or something?” Taylor said.
Cooper leaned over in the midst of all the playful laughter and whispered into Katherine’s ear. “I like that I make you sweat. It means you like me.”
His breath was warm on the side of her face and she felt tingly as she struggled to maintain her composure. She never knew that a whisper could make her feel that way; it almost stopped her from functioning at all. She had to remind herself to keep taking in air because breathing no longer came naturally.
She turned her face toward him and said softly, “Don’t do that to me.”
“Don’t do what?” His smile was virtually irresistible and he looked at her as though he could read every thought she had ever had with just one glance. “Have I ever told you that you have gorgeous eyes?”
Her mind whirled. She wasn’t ready to be complimented by him; she wasn’t ready for anything when it came to him. “No, you haven’t. But thank you,” she said, her breath catching.
They placed their dinner orders with the friendly waitress and Katherine’s mind raced as they waited for their food. She beat back thoughts of Dream Guy and focused solely on Cooper and the reason she was here. She wanted to get to know the handsome guy sitting next to her better. Time for a little Q&A, she thought.
“I have to ask you about your Jeep,” she started off.
“My Jeep? What about my baby?” Cooper angled his body toward her, giving Katherine a full view of his muscular chest underneath his shirt.
“I was just wondering. Did you do all the work to it yourself, or are you the type of guy who pays someone to do all the hard things for you?”
Danny and Taylor both exclaimed “Ouuuch!” in unison. Katherine winced; she wasn’t trying to be rude, she just wanted to see what kind of man Cooper Donovan really was.
He smirked. “For your information, I did everything to that Jeep myself. My dad helped with some things when I needed an extra set of hands, but otherwise, I did it all. It took me months to take it apart and rebuild it,” he said with pride.
“I’m impressed.”
He winked at her before saying, “Me too.”
She shifted a little, uncomfortable with his attention before taking a drink of water from her glass. “So…how long have you been playing hockey?”
“I’ve been playing since I could lace up my skates and get on the ice. My dad encouraged me at first, but then I fell in love with it.”
Relaxing a little, questions began to come to her quickly. “Do your parents pressure you to play? Do you get along with your parents? Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Katherine shot questions at him like a rapid-fire interrogator, which caused Cooper to lean back and chuckle.
“Geez, Detective…slow down,” Taylor teased before she turned to give Danny a quick peck.
Cooper laughed in response before saying, “I don’t mind. I’ll tell you anything you want to know, Katherine. My parents don’t pressure to me to play at all. While my dad definitely encouraged playing as I was growing up, if I didn’t love it, he wouldn’t want me to keep playing.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “They just want me to be happy, and if that means playing hockey, then so be it. I have a great relationship with my parents, but I don’t need to see them all the time. I like keeping them at a distance. Not because I don’t enjoy them, but I just prefer to be on my own. Does that sound terrible?”
Katherine smiled, sensing that for once, maybe Cooper wasn’t so sure of himself. It was the first time he actually seemed vulnerable since she’d met him all those weeks ago. “No. It doesn’t sound terrible. I can totally relate. My parents are great, but I don’t feel like I need to see them or talk to them all the time. I love them and all, but I love myself and my freedom more…you know?”
“Exactly,” Cooper responded enthusiastically. “I feel the same way. And yes, by the way, I have two brothers and one sister.”
“Holy cow. Big family.” Katherine was an only child, so she thought any more than one was a lot. She couldn’t imagine that many kids under one roof.
She felt an elbow in her ribs as Cooper joked, “We are Irish,” and she couldn’t help but giggle. Katherine had forgotten for a moment she was on the East Coast where Irish and Italian families were prevalent, typically large with family members that lived close by, with frequent family gatherings. Not at all like her home life in Southern California.
“It’s so different here than back home,” Katherine mused.
Their waitress came up with a tray loaded with steaming plates, and Cooper asked, “Good different or bad different?” as their food was being handed out to them.
“Definitely good different. Probably because it’s all new to me. Everything is different out here—the people, the buildings, the trees, and even the food.” Katherine closed her eyes and took an appreciative whiff of her dinner, then glanced up before she continued. “But I love it and I totally appreciate everything that is different from what I’m used to.”
“You’re different from what I’m used to,” Cooper remarked, giving her one of his special looks. Then he threw his arm around the back of the booth and his fingertips gently brushed Katherine’s shoulder. She glanced back to make sure it wasn’t her imagination playing tricks on her. Nope. Those were definitely Cooper Donovan’s fingers resting against her bare skin.
She tried to concentrate on breathing again. The effect he had on her was foreign; it intrigued and excited her, but it also annoyed her. The last thing she wanted to do was to come off like anoth
er one of those girls who couldn’t contain themselves in Cooper Donovan’s presence.
Cooper pulled his arm away in order to concentrate on his dinner. “So, California, any more questions?” he asked politely while cutting a giant stuffed ravioli in half.
“Actually, I do have one more.” Katherine looked at Taylor, whose expression told her she couldn’t wait to hear this one. “Why does everyone treat you like a god or something? What is the deal with you?” She spun fettuccini noodles on her fork before taking a bite.
Danny and Taylor laughed out loud. “It’s true, bro. The girls are ridiculous when it comes to you!” Danny blurted out before taking a bite of his crunchy garlic bread.
Taylor grabbed the saltshaker and held it under her chin, playing like a reporter with a microphone. “Yeah, Cooper, why are you New Jersey’s freaking royalty?” She held the shaker in Cooper’s direction, awaiting his response.
Cooper’s gaze swept around the table and he fell silent. He gave Katherine a long glance before he let out a deep breath and said, “I guess it’s the hockey thing.” He shrugged his shoulders. “People think I’m going places and I think they just want to come along.”
“You are going places, Donovan,” Danny added and then turned to Katherine. “He’s probably the best this college has seen in the past ten years. He’s going pro and everyone knows it.”
Katherine smiled at Danny’s enthusiasm. “Is that true?” she asked him while taking another small bite.
Cooper removed his arm from behind Katherine’s shoulder, then leaned back and crossed them both in front of his chest. “That’s the rumor. But we’ll have to wait and see.”
“Is that what you want to do?” Katherine asked.
Cooper smiled. “No one ever asks me that. They always just assume that I do.”
“So, do you?”
“I don’t know,” he said nonchalantly, and leaned over to concentrate on his pasta.
Danny’s eyebrows swept up nearly to his hairline. “What do you mean, you don’t know? Coop, come on. If the Rangers called you up right now and said they needed you to start playing for the team tomorrow, you wouldn’t go?” He shook his head as he admitted, “I’d give anything to be in your position.”
