by Nia Arthurs
When she remained silent, Cooper sidestepped her and strode toward the gym again.
“No, listen.” She grabbed his hand and dug her boots into the dirt to keep him from storming away. “It was me. Ryan warned me not to drink it fast. That it was strong. And I didn’t listen.”
“It doesn’t matter if you drank a lot or not. If you didn’t give your consent, he had no right to touch you.”
“That’s the thing.” She winced. “I don’t know if he did. My memory stops right after I emptied the bottle.”
Cooper raised his chin. “Then let’s find out.”
“Cooper!” Erin struggled to match his long-legged strides. Cooper made it to the gym in under a minute and thrust the doors open. They banged against the walls, drawing the eye of the students playing a game in the middle of the court.
Erin’s gaze swept the bleachers. She found Ryan, one leg cocked up on the bench and the other planted on the ground. He had an earphone in his ear that he popped out when he saw them.
Cooper stopped and glanced over his shoulder. “You don’t have to watch if you’re uncomfortable.”
“This is my problem,” she hissed. “I’d like it if you didn’t intervene.”
“So you’d prefer to never know what happened?”
“I don’t see what that has to do with you,” she snapped.
Cooper frowned at her. Erin glared right back. She didn’t remember giving her childhood bully permission to meddle in her private affairs. It was embarrassing enough to live life not knowing if her first time having sex had happened or not.
“Erin.” Ryan stopped in front of her. He sent a curious gaze Cooper’s way. “I’ve been trying to call you.”
“I know.” Her gaze slid to the ground.
“Let’s talk,” Cooper said. “Outside.”
Ryan’s dark brows slanted together. For a minute, Erin feared he would argue and start a fight right there in front of everyone. Thankfully, he nodded and held a hand to the small of Erin’s back. “Let’s go.”
They stepped into the sunshine. Erin squirmed away from Ryan’s touch. He noted her expression and offered a small smile. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head. Erin noted Cooper’s rigid shoulders and knew she wouldn’t be able to pry him away from them, even with a crowbar.
Ryan nodded. “What’s his deal?”
“Uh… he’s just… having a rough day.”
“He’s being weirder than usual.” Ryan tilted his head.
Cooper stopped beneath a coconut tree sprawling over the lawn. Its leaves bobbed beneath the weight of the wind. Half-grown coconuts bunched near the tree bark. Cooper spun and pinned Ryan with a look. “Whether you die today or you live is going to depend on this conversation.”
Erin swallowed.
Ryan flinched.
Cooper turned to Erin. “I’ll be in the gym.”
Her jaw dropped as Cooper turned and walked away. She hadn’t expected him to be that sensitive. The fact that he hadn’t rammed his fists into Ryan’s face was personal growth. She applauded him.
But as soon as he left, Erin kind of wished Cooper would come back.
Awkwardness descended between her and Ryan. He shuffled his sneakers and leaned his hand against the trunk of the coconut tree. His eyes squinted in the blasting sunlight. He wore a blue shirt and jeans. Handsome as ever.
Unfortunately, standing near to Ryan like this still didn’t spark a memory.
“How are you feeling?” Ryan asked.
Erin gulped. “How should I be feeling?”
“After what happened Friday night—”
Her heart skittered. “What? What happened that night?”
“Don’t you remember?”
“Would I be standing here looking like this if I did?”
“That’s why you’ve been ignoring me.” Ryan snaked his arm over his chest. He smiled secretly. “What do you think happened?”
“Stop playing games. The last thing I remember is drinking with you and then most of it is just fragments. I need you to help me piece my memories back together.”
“Well, we kissed.”
Her heart rocketed to her throat. “Did you… were you the one who undressed me?”
He nodded.
“Did we go further than kissing?”
He grinned, his white teeth gleaming in the sunlight.
Erin slapped his arm. “Come on.”
“No.” He shook his head. “No we didn’t. Trust me, I had every intention of deflowering you, but you started crying and asked me to stop. So I did.”
“Really?”
He looked offended. “I’m not a rapist, Erin. Geez.”
“I’m not accusing you of being one.” She cleared her throat. “But I know you were a little out of it too.”
“So. I heard when you said to stop and I did. I’m not a jerk.” He rubbed the back of his neck and admitted, “My sister was raped in college.”
“She was?” Erin’s expression softened. “Ryan, I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “We went to court and everything. The guy got off with a fine. But my sister… she can’t even look a man in the eye anymore. I watched her turn into a shell of her former self.”
“Ryan.” Erin placed a hand on his arm.
“Look, I know we’ve only been dating for a couple of weeks, but if you think I’m the type of person who would force myself on you when you’re unconscious, then maybe we shouldn’t be together.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Erin tugged on her ear, feeling foolish for putting herself in this position. “I do want to date you.”
“Then what’s with him?” Ryan jutted his chin toward Cooper who stood in the doorway of the gym, watching them.
“He’s just…” Erin didn’t know what Cooper’s deal was. The word ‘overprotective’ came to mind, but he was so hot and cold with her that she didn’t feel like it was appropriate. “He’s Cooper.”
“But you’re with me now.” Ryan took her hand in his. “And yeah, maybe we didn’t sleep together Friday, but we will eventually.”
I don’t know about that, buddy.
Ryan’s black eyes gleamed with passion. “I’m not saying you can’t be friends, but the closer we get, the more boundaries you’ll have to put in place. You don’t see me spending tons of one-on-one time with other girls since we started dating.”
“What about those girls you were dancing with on Friday?” She frowned at the memory. Ryan hadn’t exactly set his boundaries with them.
“That was just dancing. It didn’t mean anything.” When Erin remained unconvinced, Ryan drew her into his arms. “I like you. There’s no other girl in the world for me. Those girls knew we were just having fun, but Cooper’s… obsessive. It bothers me that you still give him the time of day.”
Erin sucked in a deep breath. Ryan had a point. She could be firmer with Cooper. And with herself.
No more would her heart flutter when he popped up with an umbrella. Or when he laughed at her jokes. Or teased her about her appetite. Her heart had been waffling lately, but it was time to tug it back where it belonged.
“So… we’re good?” Ryan asked.
“Yeah.” She bobbed her head.
“Great.” He brought her knuckles to his lips and kissed it. “I have to get back.”
“I have class.” Erin sheepishly pointed over her shoulder.
“I’ll see you later?”
“Sure.”
Ryan grinned confidently. “It’s a date.”
Erin watched him sprint to the gym. A mix of relief and disappointment mingled in her chest. Ryan’s story about his sister made her feel closer to him. It was the first time she’d gotten a glimpse of who he was beyond the cute guy she’d had a crush on in primary school.
Why had it taken this long to have an honest conversation with him?
Erin realized they hadn’t really talked at all. Was that the relationship she wanted?
20 Cooper
; He felt like his heart was bleeding. That’s what Erin Marshall did to him. She was the only woman who could tear his heart out of his chest, hold it in her slender fingers and crush it at a moment’s notice.
As he walked slowly behind her, Cooper found himself wishing that they’d never met. That this pounding, throbbing, desperate love would go away and plague someone else. That he could love someone else.
He seemed to have a thing for loving people who tolerated his presence at best.
Like Dad.
Cooper knew his father didn’t care for him. At least, not in the way that most parents did. Money was no object. Cooper grew up with a silver spoon shoved into his mouth. That was the way Brandon Lawson showed his affection.
Through the years, Cooper had gotten used to it. Family was… eternal. He couldn’t choose to leave his father behind. Not when Lawson blood ran through his veins.
But Erin… she was different. Cooper fell in love with her, despite knowing that she hated him. And now that they had met again, he was constantly fighting to show her he was a different man. One she could choose to love back.
And yet again, she’d chosen Ryan.
Cooper was tired. So tired he could fall flat to the ground, let the sunshine bake his face a darker shade, and sleep for a week.
A moment like this forced him to question whether his love for Erin was worth it. Whether the pain and the rejection was worth it. Whether her admonishments and accusing eyes were worth it.
And Cooper entertained, briefly, the thought of trying to move on. A notion that was immediately shot down by the part of him that demanded he never let Erin Marshall go. Even if doing so would be better for both of them.
Erin glanced over her shoulder and saw him. She quickened her pace, disappearing in the crowd of students heading to class. Cooper didn’t bother catching up. They were going to the same place anyway.
Just for today, he’d take a break from chasing her.
Cooper walked into class and sat in the back row. Erin had taken a seat in the middle. Her usual. Cooper sunk lower into his chair and laid his head on the desk.
He should be relieved. Since Erin worked things out with Ryan that meant his teammate hadn’t assaulted her. At least that’s what he hoped. Cooper didn’t think Erin was stupid enough to get back with a man who raped her.
She hadn’t shared any details and he hadn’t asked. There was a part of him that didn’t want to know the truth. Especially if the truth was she’d given another one of her ‘firsts’ to Ryan.
To be fair Cooper didn’t own her virginity. It wasn’t any of his business to dictate who she could and couldn’t sleep with.
Even if it hurt like hell to think of her getting intimate with someone other than him.
“Hey, Cooper.” Someone dropped into the seat beside him. It was Kay. She opened her textbook and flipped to a page. “Did you talk to Erin?”
He clamped his lips shut.
“Don’t worry. My friend isn’t the type to gossip. No one else knows about what happened Friday night except us.”
Cooper moaned. “Kay?”
“Mm?” She leaned over until her nose was on top of his elbow.
Cooper straightened and shook her off. “Stop. Talking.”
Kay made a face and promptly dismissed his instruction. “I meant to ask you earlier but… why do you look like you got run over by a truck? Did you fight with Ryan?”
“No.” He sighed wearily.
Kay reached out and slapped her hand on his forehead. “My gosh. You’re burning up.”
He grabbed her wrist and smacked it down. “I’m fine.”
“You should see the nurse.”
“I said I’m fine.”
Kay shut up when the professor walked in, but she kept shooting him worried looks throughout the session. After the lecture, Cooper rushed through the door and headed to the parking lot.
As he drove back home, he grabbed his phone and called Dennis. The captain picked up on the third ring. “Lawson.”
“I can’t make it to practice today.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Not sure. I think I may be coming down with the flu or something.”
“The flu? That’s too bad. Hope you feel better soon, Lawson.”
“Thanks.”
Cooper’s headache worsened when he hung up and tossed the phone on the passenger seat. He pulled over and rested his head against the steering wheel, squeezing his eyes shut and waiting for the pain to pass.
Maybe he should have listened to Josiah and checked himself into a hospital after the Santino gang was through with him. But that wasn’t right. He hadn’t felt this bad after the attack on Friday.
He clutched his chest. This… this was an Erin-related sickness.
Cooper drove to the pharmacy and dragged himself inside. The air conditioner made him shiver. He swiped a couple of flu packs from the shelf and scattered them on the counter.
The pharmacist eyed him warily. “You okay, sir?”
He nodded.
She accepted his money and took her sweet, slow time giving him back his change. Cooper snatched it out of her hands and bagged the items himself.
The woman pushed her glasses further up her nose. “Mister, do you need to sit down?”
He shook his head ‘no’ and left before she could ask any more questions.
Cooper had no idea how he drove back to his apartment, walked up the stairs or opened the door. The moment he got inside, however, he lumbered to the kitchen and took his pills.
His energy expired in the living room. Instead of pushing to make it to his bed, he flopped into the couch and passed out.
What felt like a minute later, Cooper heard a knock at his door. He debated ignoring it and turned on his side but, when the person insisted, he forced himself to get up and let him in.
To his surprise, Dennis and Rolando stood in the doorway. The captain had taken out the cornrows and was back to his usual afro. Three worry lines pinched the skin between his bushy eyebrows.
Rolando stood beside him. The shorter man frowned when he saw Cooper. “Dude, you look like crap.”
“Thanks.” Cooper winced and returned to the sofa to sit down. At this point in time, it didn’t matter why Dennis and Rolando were here. If they came to rob him blind, he’d kindly show them to his wallet.
“He looks really bad,” Dennis whispered loudly to Rolando.
“What if we catch it?” Rolando replied.
Cooper just grunted.
“Dude,” Dennis rounded the couch, “do you need anything?”
“No.”
They exchanged nervous looks. If Cooper didn’t feel like he was knocking on Death’s door, he would laugh.
“What do we do?” Dennis moaned.
“I don’t know. I’ve never nursed a sick guy before.”
Dennis chewed on his bottom lip. “Let’s google it.”
The men pulled out their phones. Silence settled on the room as they researched. Cooper dosed off in the quiet.
When he woke up next, a savory scent filled the air. He cracked his eyes apart and almost bawled out when water dripped into them. His hand rode up to his forehead and he picked off a wet rag that someone had placed there.
Cooper struggled to sit up and glanced around for Dennis and Rolando. He spotted them in the kitchen. Rolando wore Josiah’s white apron and stirred something bubbling in a small pot. Dennis was crying over a cutting board.
What were they doing?
His movement drew both their attention.
Dennis slapped Rolando’s chest. “He’s up.”
“Check his temperature, man,” Ronaldo said.
Dennis frowned. “I can barely see because of these stupid onions. You do it.”
“Does it look like I have time to check his temperature? I’m already making the soup. You do it.”
“Guys, it’s fine.” Cooper grabbed the thermometer dangling on the edge of the coffee table and put it under his arm
pit. “I’ll take my own temperature.”
Dennis wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt and then slid his cutting board over to Rolando. He walked into the living room, his gaze pinned on the thermometer’s screen. “Where you at?”
“Not sure yet.” Cooper blinked at both men. “What are you doing?”
“Nursing you back to health,” Dennis said matter-of-factly.
“I’m—”
“Fine.” The captain tilted his head. “You were gonna say ‘fine’, right? Well, guess what, Lawson. I’m not stupid and, as hard as those damn onions tried, I’m not blind either. We can tell you’re jacked up right now and we’re not here to ask where you got those bruises or why you think you can’t talk to us about it. We’re just here to make you some soup and get your temp down.”
“For the team!” Rolando hollered from the kitchen.
Dennis pumped his fist. “For the team.”
Cooper was blindsided by a wave of emotion. He blinked rapidly, willing himself not to cry like a pansy just because someone cared enough to make soup for him.
The thermometer beeped, giving him something else to focus on. Dennis wrenched the gauge away. He studied the screen. “Nice going, man. Your fever’s going down a little. Rolando! Is the soup finished?”
“Why are you ragging me?”
“The man needs to eat before he takes his pills.”
Cooper shook his head. “It’s alright. I can take them now.”
Dennis glowered at him. “Google told us you have to eat first, so that’s what we’re gonna do.” Dennis twisted his body around. “Rolando!”
“I’m coming.” Rolando spooned the soup out of the pot and into a bowl. He used oven mitts to bring it into the living room and set it on the coffee table. “It’s hot so be careful.”
Cooper stared suspiciously at the broth. “What is it?”
“It’s the best soup you’ll ever have in your life. My mama taught me that recipe before she died.”
“I didn’t know your mom died, Rolando.” Dennis frowned. “I thought you said both parents were alive.”
He shrugged. “My dad remarried a few years later. Even though Sharon’s my ‘step-mom’ in name, she treats me like she carried me for nine months so she’s my mother.”
“My parents are divorced,” Dennis shared.
