Faithful

by S. A. Wolfe

  The building sits behind the Blackard Designs factory, next to the employee parking lot and the basketball half court that was installed recently so employees can burn off steam during breaks and after work.

  When Lauren sees that the building has received a new paint job as well as the large Imogene & Lauren sign crafted out of metal and wood affixed above the front door, she slams the car into park and jumps out. She flails her arms in excitement and runs towards the door.

  “I love it! I love it!” She jumps up and down.

  “You’ve made someone very happy,” I say to Cooper as he gets out of Leo’s truck.

  “What do you think?” he asks, gauging my response as I take in the small building that has been given a shiny, new facelift. The gray exterior has been transformed with a light blue paint job, something clean and bright that offsets it from the rustic, dark contemporary look of the furniture company that dwarfs it.

  “It’s amazing. I don’t even recognize it. The windows look new and all the weeds and broken concrete are gone.”

  “We power washed everything and had all the debris out front hauled away. Wait until you see the inside.”

  Lauren is trying to hug and kiss Leo as he and Carson carry in the large craft table from the truck to the building. Cooper and I follow with more boxes, and when I step inside our new studio, my mouth drops open and I let out a breathy wow.

  It’s immaculate and smells like fresh paint and sawdust. They did more than clear a space; they installed cabinets below all the windows around three walls and hung high intensity pendant lighting over additional worktables they custom built. The dingy concrete floor that was cracked and discolored has been repaired, stained, and polished. The interior is painted in an off-white color, giving a very bright effect along with all the natural sunlight pouring through the windows.

  As Carson, Leo, and Dylan unload the trucks and open up all of the boxes on the three large tables in the middle of the room with Lauren instructing them this time, Cooper takes the box from me and places it down before taking my hand.

  “Come see this.” He pulls me across the room to show me the half bath that has all new modern fixtures.

  “All it needs is a bowl of potpourri on the toilet tank!” Lauren exclaims as she pops her head between us.

  Cooper laughs and then shows me the only other room with a door. Fortunately, Leo calls Lauren away, leaving me alone with Cooper.

  “We built a windowless office in this corner so you can keep a computer here and the vault that Carson put under the desk,” Cooper says, pointing to the small safe.

  “I don’t know what to say.” I shake my head in disbelief. “I thought you guys were just going to clean out the furniture Carson was storing here and maybe you’d sweep the floor. This is a complete renovation, and you made us furniture and installed new lighting.”

  “We wanted to do it right.” He gives my hand a squeeze.

  Carson has always been a generous friend; however, I have to wonder how much of this extra work was initiated by Cooper. How do I begin to thank him for once again stepping up to help me? If I was younger, I would immediately assume his grand gesture is a sign he’s trying to win me over, although then I remember this isn’t only about me. There’s a lifelong bond between Lauren, Carson, Dylan, and myself, and Leo will do anything for Lauren. Cooper has joined a circle of men who are my constant reminders that not all men are selfish jerks, those men whose kindness and affections wane considerably once the relationship clock starts ticking.

  With the others unpacking boxes in the main room, I have Cooper to myself; therefore, I seize this moment to brave the question I would normally avoid.

  “Did you do this for me?” I study his steely gray eyes for any fight-or-flight response.

  He steps closer and circles his hands around my waist. I slide my hands up his strong arms, enjoying the contact and the reaction from my brain, command central, sending out flares to awaken every single enthusiastic nerve.

  “Carson offered us the use of this little building, and he mentioned some basic repairs and clean up,” I say, “but this is much more than that. Those are brand new built-in cabinets out there and custom worktables. You put in a lot of work here in a very short time, and these are not things Leo would ever think of on his own, so I have to wonder if you came up with this.”

  “I may have made some suggestions.” As he leans down to kiss my cheek, I can’t take my eyes off his unflinching gaze.

  “Suggestions?” I ask. “This cost money and time. It must have cut into the guys’ workload at the factory.”

  “I was very persuasive. I may have strongly suggested we do things a certain way. After seeing your set up at the house and how you and Lauren work, I thought I could make some improvements in this space to make your job easier.”

  “So this was your idea? I know you’ve been friends with Lauren long before I would even serve you a meal… that I hadn’t eaten off of”—this makes him grin—“but did you go above and beyond because of me?”

  “You were definitely my motivation, yes.”

  “Gosh, if we’re comparing notes on who is more awesome, you’re hitting it out of the park. I can’t keep up with your gifts. All I did was make you a stupid egg sandwich.”

  “It’s not a competition.” He strokes my cheek.

  “I have to be honest,” I say hesitantly, “if you keep doing things like this, I’m going to think you’re my quasi-boyfriend and not just my date for the wedding.”

  “Oh, good. I’ve been promoted from date to quasi. Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m aiming for, a homely hunchback,” he deadpans.

  Once I give him a nice hard nudge in the groin with my knee, he bowls over, laughing and embracing me harder.

  “If you keep doing that, I’ll be your quasi-invalid, and I won’t be able to deliver.”

  “Let’s get something straight, Cooper. I’m serious, if we’re—”

  He interrupts my speech with a kiss, parting my lips until his tongue takes full control of my mouth. Holy heck, my knees just want to give away. I want him to have his way with me across our new, freshly stained pine desk!

  When he releases my lips, I feel like I just got a hit of too much nitrous oxide at the dentist. Cooper should come with a warning label.

  “I’m tired of you being serious, Imogene. Serious to you means doubting everything. Stop doubting me.” He’s gruff as he holds me against him.

  “I’m trying.”

  “Try harder. I haven’t done anything that should make you question my motives.”

  “Maybe that’s what makes me nervous. You seem a little too perfect. No one is this perfect; everyone has faults, and mine are obvious.”

  “We see what we want to see, so maybe you’re having so much fun with me that all you see is something that scares you. I’m not perfect, and I do have faults, like anyone else. We like each other a lot, so there’s no reason for us not to be together.”

  “So help me, Cooper, if you end up dumping me like Jeremy did, I will shoot your kcuffing balls off.”

  “Please don’t compare me to that dope, and please tell me you don’t own any firearms.” He smiles.

  “I don’t, but I saw your gun cabinet in your bedroom closet.”

  “It’s locked and indestructible, so don’t get any ideas that you can open it with a paper clip.”

  “I give one warning. And I can do a lot of damage with a fork and a coffee pot. Believe me.”

  “Oh, I believe you. Does that mean I’m your quasi-boyfriend?”

  “We’ll start with quasi and work our way up from there.”

  “Okay, I’m your quasi-something.” He scowls. “Let’s get this place set up and go have lunch.”

  I suspect Cooper planned on having a quiet lunch alone with me, but after we finish unpacking boxes, filling the cabinets, and watching Lauren do a few happy dances around the new studio, everyone joins us for lunch. Since
Cooper and I drove in with other people and had no vehicle of our own, Dylan made everyone head into the diner where Jess and Emma joined us.

  I sit at a booth with the women while Cooper sits across the diner with the men. He glances my way occasionally, clearly anxious to escape our friends for a change.

  “How long have you two been seeing each other?” Emma asks me.

  I drag my gaze from the other side of the room and look at her, sitting across from me. “Almost every day for fourteen months, according to Cooper,” I reply tight-lipped.

  Lauren snorts.

  “How long have you been dating?” Emma clarifies while Jess and Lauren watch me intently.

  “Officially dating? Three days.”

  Lauren laughs. “Please, they’ve been spending oodles of time together since your wedding night, Emma. They’ve been shopping together, hiking together, having dinner at our house together, and they had a date.”

  “How long have you been hot for him?” Jess’s tone is studious. I expect her to start dictating notes to herself on her phone, which is a funny habit we catch her doing frequently.

  “I suppose for a few weeks. Maybe closer to a month.” My demeanor is cool to avoid getting carried away with flighty joy.

  “Ha!” Lauren interjects. “More like six months or longer.”

  “If you think you know so much, why don’t you answer their questions?”

  “I will,” Lauren says inches from my ear. She turns to face Jess and Emma. “She actually likes him and has for a while. Imogene is having a little power struggle with herself.”

  “I am?”

  Lauren glares at me. “Yes, it’s obvious to everyone.”

  “It’s not obvious to me,” Jess adds, looking confused.

  “Nothing is obvious to you,” Emma responds, patting Jess’s hand. “You are one of the most clueless women I have ever met when it comes to men. With the exception of Carson, that is.”

  Jess considers this for a moment, and then she and Emma both laugh. “And you are as tactful as your husband. Fine, I missed the signs between Cooper and Imogene.”

  “Imogene pretended to miss the signs, too,” Lauren says with a mouthful of fries.

  “Does this mean you and Cooper are officially a couple and Carson doesn’t have to bring an extra tent next week for the camping trip?” Jessica asks.

  “That damn camping trip,” I mutter.

  “You have to go. Leo says it will be the last big bonding moment for all of us.” Lauren reaches for my unfinished turkey sandwich. I assume she’ll regret it later when I have to hold her hair as she throws up … again.

  “Leo is a fatalist and thinks everything we do is our last time together. What’s with him?” I ask.

  “I think it’s impending fatherhood that has him feeling nostalgic, and don’t change the subject. I am very happy to see you and Cooper together. Finally,” Lauren says as she starts picking fries off Emma’s plate. “Answer Jess’s question. Two tents or one?”

  All three of them wait for my response.

  “This is exactly what I don’t want, to live this relationship out in public like it’s a sleazy reality show. This is too new, and I don’t know where it will end up. I can’t discuss details like we used to.” I look down at my unappetizing food. “You have the important stuff … I like Cooper, and that’s about all I know.”

  “Is this you being scared or is this you being evasive?” Jess’s confused expression is almost comical.

  “Wow.” Emma arches her eyebrows. “I’ve never seen you scared about a guy. This is a first.”

  “I’m not scared. I’m being cautious. All of you have done the same, so don’t lecture me.”

  “I wasn’t cautious with Dylan.” Emma shakes her head. “No way. I dove right in.”

  “Okay, you’re the exception.”

  “I wasn’t very … cautious,” Jess stammers. “I was …”

  “Oh, stop,” I say to her. “It’s painful just reliving that whole thing with you and Carson. You were so kcuffing clueless about him. You had that thing with Dylan because your head is wired differently. No offense, I love you, but you missed every signal Carson was sending out. That whole summer should be labeled ‘What Not To Do With Men,’ so please, don’t try to compare that to my situation.”

  Jess looks a little hurt, so Emma puts an arm around her. “Ignore her, Jess. Imogene is always meaner when she’s hiding something.”

  “Really, I’m not hiding anything. Lauren has made some very good points. Yes, I thought Cooper was kinda hot when he first showed up in town. And, yes, I’m aware that he was paying extra attention to me for a while, and I probably put too much effort into being rude to him. On some level, I liked him, and on another, I wasn’t ready to get involved with any guy. That’s it. Big deal. We’re dating and will see where this goes, but I’m not going to indulge you and the rest of the town in a play-by-play of my love life, especially since it has a way of making me look like a loser in the end.”

  “Jeepers, don’t be so optimistic.” Lauren rolls her eyes.

  “No one has said jeepers since 1942,” I say.

  “My grandmother says it all the time,” Lauren retorts.

  “My point exactly.” I throw my napkin on my plate. “Jess, tell Carson one tent. And, now, that is the end of the Q and A, everyone.”

  “God, I hope you’re nicer to Cooper,” Emma mumbles into her napkin.

  “I’m sorry.” I bury my face in my hands and sigh. “Everything is happening at once. Cooper, Lauren’s baby and wedding, our new building. And, starting tomorrow, Lauren and I will be employers. That freaks me out a little.” I look at their concerned faces. “I shouldn’t take any of this out you guys, but it’s so damn easy when you hound me with questions.”

  “It’s nice having someone else do all the freaking out for me. I have a few crying jags here and there, but I’m kind of in la-la land over all of this.” Lauren shrugs.

  “Rest assured, Leo’s doing his own freak out for both of you,” I add with a smile.

  “I may not be the most astute observer when it comes to people, but I think we’re all a little excited about you and Cooper. We just want to share in your happiness. That’s all,” Jess adds defensively.

  “Thank you. All of you. And I’m sorry for the bitchy dig, Jess.”

  “Apology accepted,” she replies softly. “I wish I had Cooper’s intuition about people, but at least I can read Carson.”

  “And how does the book of Carson read?” Emma asks.

  “He’s easy,” Jess explains. “Sex, sleep, sex, food, sex, work, sex, walk the dog, sex, movies, sex, and so on.”

  “Do you two ever talk?” Emma grins.

  “Carson is the strong silent type,” Lauren explains.

  “Are you kidding?” Jess exclaims. “Carson talks nonstop with me. It’s like he saves it all up, and when he gets home from work, he can’t stop talking. Sometimes, I have to ask him for quiet time, and he actually watches the clock, waiting until he can talk to me again.”

  Everyone laughs. This is a side of Carson none of us have been privy to, and it’s funny and sweet coming from nerdy Jessica. Her tangled, long, red hair frames her blushing face, giving her an adorable look.

  I glance over at the men to see Cooper is already heading my way. My heartbeat quickens and a smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. I leave the booth, telling Lauren I’ll meet her at the car and then say goodbye to my parents and grandmother.

  “Longest lunch of my life,” Cooper says, putting his hand on my back as we walk out the door.

  Outside in the humid heat of the mid-day sun, I want nothing more than to go some place more cool and comfortable to be alone with Cooper.

  “I just spent an hour pretending to my friends that you and I are no big deal. I was lying.” I look up at him, feeling like I have betrayed us. I want this to be the beginning of something very good.

  “Ah, I
mogene, everyone knows you’re full of shit. Your friends can see right through you.” He leans down and gives me a soft kiss on the lips. “This town is like living in a fish bowl. It’s hard to escape all the questions and gossip.”

  “Do the guys ask you about us?”

  “Nah. Guys don’t give a crap about that stuff. At least not the details. All Carson wanted to know is if he needs to bring an extra tent next weekend.”

  I start laughing and Cooper grins with a confused expression. “I love how direct guys are. I can totally see Carson asking for a number count on tents and absolutely nothing about you and me. Meanwhile, I get the third degree on you every day.”

  “Let it happen.” He caresses my arm, sending more happy tsunamis my way.

  “So, you don’t mind living in a fish bowl?”

  “In terms of people prying in my life, it’s not much different than what I had in Brooklyn.”

  “What fish bowl?” Lois asks, surprising us from behind. She’s dressed in her yoga attire and her pretty, silver hair is styled in a perfect chignon. She is slender and tone, resembling a graceful, aging ballerina.

  I throw my hands up. “You’re the fish bowl. You and everyone else. This fish bowl we live in, where everyone feels entitled to know everyone’s personal business.”

  “It’s our favorite past time,” Lois says, as if this is a perfectly acceptable answer.

  “It is when you’re not at the center of it,” I say.

  Cooper snakes his arm around my shoulders for a protective squeeze.

  “Sweetie pie, when a love story hits town, you better believe people are going to talk about it. Hera’s population is sixty percent female, and with all the grisly news on TV, dang tootin’ we’re talking about romance whenever we can.”

  Cooper smiles. “Sweetie pie. How about that one?”

  “Don’t even try. Only Lois can get away with that one.”