by Ryan, Kaylee
“Yes.”
“Thank God for travel insurance,” she quips, standing and picking up her carry-on. “I’m excited it’s my first time out of the country.”
“Mine too.”
“Are you disappointed that you’re missing Hollywood?” she asks.
“Not even a little bit. That was all Hunter. He wanted to see the Hollywood sign, and shop on Rodeo Drive.”
“It was your honeymoon too, you know?”
“I know. When he brought it up, he was so excited I didn’t have the heart to tell him no.”
“You know what I think?”
“What’s that?” I ask, taking another step forward in the boarding line.
“I think that you knew deep down it’s not what you wanted. I think that Cooper coming to you was the best possible outcome. Regardless of how things turn out for the two of you, I think your decision to walk away was the right one. That’s why you let him make all of the decisions. That wedding wasn’t you, Reese. Not one single factor, other than you being there, had any of you in it. Your heart and soul weren’t into it.”
“Miss,” the attendant calls for my attention. I step forward and hand her my ticket and passport. She does her thing and sends me on through. I step forward and wait on Tessa to join me.
Once we’re in our seats, and our carry-ons are put away overhead, I turn to look at her. “How did I let it all get so out of control, Tess?”
“Do you want me to answer honestly or tell you what’s going to make you feel better?”
“Both?” I say, then immediately reply with, “Honestly.”
“You love him. It’s as simple as that, and by him, I mean Cooper. For years you secretly held onto hope that the two of you would one day be together. You can’t just turn it off, Reese. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t. I think Hunter was… is,” she corrects, “a nice guy. He was safe and comfortable, and he was there when Cooper wasn’t.”
“Oh, God.” I cover my face with my hands. “I’m such a terrible person.”
“No, you’re not. However, you’re going to have to talk to Hunter and Cooper eventually. We can’t hide out in Mexico forever. I have a wedding to finish planning, and I intend to be there from start to finish.” She leans into me, a smile playing at her lips.
“I’m happy for you. You and Nix have it all together. Talk about relationship goals.”
“Honestly, you could have the same thing. You kind of already do with Cooper. Sure, it’s been a bumpy road getting to this point, but you both love one another. It all hinges on if you want to make it work.”
“I know he loves me. We’ve been in each other’s lives since we were kids.” He loves me, but the jury is still out on if he is truly in love with me. There’s a big difference between the two.
“It’s more than that.”
“Is it? Why, all of a sudden, is it okay to jeopardize our friendship when it wasn’t a year ago? Okay, it’s been longer than a year, but you get my point. Why now?”
“I have my suspicions, Reese. However, I’m not the one you need to be asking these questions to. It’s Cooper. He’s the only one who can give you the answers.”
“A week from now, he’ll realize it was a mistake. All of it. The confessions of love… last night. By the time we’re back home, he’s going to have realized his misstep.” Tessa mutters something under her breath that sounds like stubborn. I open my mouth to ask her, but the flight attendant begins her speech.
Once we’re up in the air, we both decide a nap will do us some good. It takes me a while to fall asleep, but when I do, it’s no surprise that it’s Cooper I see in my dreams.
* * *
Mexico is beautiful. When our plane landed, there was a limo driver holding up Tessa’s name. She immediately called Nixon, and he told her that since she and I were only planning a spa day the week of their wedding, she could consider this her bachelorette party.
“I mean, it’s not really a party if it’s just the two of us,” I tell her as we’re sipping our fruity alcoholic drinks on the beach outside our villa. Yes, villa. Nixon went all out.
“It’s all the party I need. It’s more than I wanted, but I have to admit. A week with my bestie on the beach before embarking on married life is just what the doctor ordered.”
“Look at us. Me running from marriage and you running toward it.”
“I wouldn’t say you’re running from marriage. You’re simply changing lanes. Whether you’re ready to admit it or not, we both know Cooper is where your heart has always been. If I’m being honest, I’m excited to see how this plays out.”
“What?” I turn to look at her.
“You’re in denial. The two of you have switched roles. For years you held out hope that the two of you would be together, as lovers and as friends. Now, he’s on board, and you’re worried he’s lost his mind.” She laughs. “It’s going to be fun.”
“I’m glad my life amuses you.”
“Oh, it does,” she says teasingly. “I’ve been around for the Cooper and Reese show for years. I’ve been rooting for the two of you. Hell, we all have. Now, it’s time for the two of you to cheer for yourselves. It’s time for you to decide what you want and allow your heart to accept that you can have the man of your dreams.”
“What did they put in that drink?” I ask. “You know as well as I do he’s going to regret this.”
“What is this exactly?” She smirks. “I still don’t know why you needed clothes or how that dress of yours got ruined.”
My face heats, and it’s not from the hot sun beating down on us. “Things got… interesting.”
“Interesting as in you finally slept together?” It’s not a question she needs the answer to. I’m sure my flaming blush of embarrassment is answer enough. “It’s been five long years of foreplay that we’ve all been sitting front and center for. I’m kind of disappointed I didn’t get to see the grand finale.”
“Tess!” I scold, and she throws her head back in laughter.
“You’re not denying it.” She points a long, manicured finger at me and takes another sip of her fruity alcohol.
“He ripped it off me,” I confess.
“Seriously?” she asks.
“Yep.”
“That’s fucking hot, Reese. It’s all that pent-up sexual tension the two of you have been passing back and forth over the years.”
“He just didn’t want it to be Hunter.”
“You’re right, and you’re wrong,” she tells me. “He doesn’t want you with Hunter because he loves you.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Actually, I do know that.”
“How?” I’m sure it’s just her suspicion, but maybe, just maybe whatever she has to say will help me work all this out in my head.
“He told me.”
“What do you mean, he told you?”
“The day of the rehearsal. Nix and I found him sitting in the parking lot waging a war with himself on whether or not he could go inside. Nix called him out on his feelings for you, and he told us he loved you.”
“Because of the wedding. You know as well as I do that Cooper has always been protective when it comes to me, to a fault. Like my father, he thinks that no man will ever be good enough for me.”
“Yeah, but your dad was willing to give you away. Cooper, on the other hand, was not.”
“He didn’t protest. He had the chance. He was there in the back row and didn’t say a peep when the preacher asked if anyone objected.”
“What would you have done if he did that, Reese? How would you have acted?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you want him to stand up and declare his love for you?” Her voice is soft.
“Is that so bad? He comes to me and says he loves me… not just that he loves me, but he’s in love with me. It’s done behind closed doors. That night in his room at the house, that was behind closed doors, even though he pushed me away. Last night was again behind clo
sed doors. He says he wants me, yet it’s all words, Tessa. I want to believe him. My heart is screaming at me to believe him. My head, well, that’s another story.” I pause and finish off my drink. “My head tells me the facts. That I’ve loved him for years, and when I offered him more, he refused. Now, all of a sudden, when I’m set to be married and live happily ever after, he wants me. Tell me that doesn’t sound like he just wants something he can’t have?”
We’re both quiet as we stare out at the ocean. I want to believe he loves me. I want to believe we can ride off into the sunset, but I know that if I let myself think that way, if I let my heart wrap around his, that when he decides to push me away again, I will never survive it. I know this. I know my heart can’t take thinking he’s mine and losing him all over again.
“I hear what you’re saying and agree with you. Although, I know it’s different this time. I see it in him, in both of you. It’s easy for me to say this as an outsider looking in.”
“I don’t know where to go from here, Tess. I’m at a loss with how to move forward. My heart and my head are at battle, and I don’t know what to do.” My voice cracks as the emotions I’ve been trying to hide shine through.
“It’s simple,” she says, finishing off her own drink.
“Oh, yeah? Care to enlighten me?”
“You make him work for it.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Make him work for it. You’re worried he’s going to change his mind. You’re worried he’s only telling you he’s in love with you because he doesn’t want to lose your friendship. So make him show you. It’s more than just the words; it’s also the actions.”
“I get what you’re saying, but how do I do that?”
“Tell him the truth. That you want him, that your heart wants him, but you’re scared. Leave the ball in his court. See what he does.”
“I don’t know if I can do that and still not get crushed.”
“Let me ask you this. If the two of you don’t end up together, romantically, do you still want him in your life?”
“Yes.”
“Then you have to find a way. You have to look past the fear and the hurt, and you have to give it a shot. I know you, Reese. I know he is the only man you want. You have to take a risk.”
“Take it slow,” I say, repeating her earlier words.
“Yep,” she says, popping the p. “Tell him your fears. The only way any relationship is going to work is with honesty. You never told him how bad he hurt you, and he never told you how pushing you away hurt him.”
“I know we need to sit down and talk.”
“And let him woo you.” She grins. “See just how serious he is. Sure, you kept the fact that he hurt you to yourself, but you offered yourself to him, and he refused. He needs to prove he’s ready for more.”
“Do I tell him that?”
“No. Tell him the truth. The pain you’ve been hiding and that you want to take things slow. See how he acts. If your theory of him wanting what he can’t have is true, he’ll get bored. If he loves you, like I know he does, he’s going to show you.”
“You sound pretty confident.”
She shrugs. “I am. Like I said, I’m an outsider looking in. I can see past the issues to form my own opinion. I’m right, by the way. In case you were wondering.”
“I hope so,” I say softly, just as my phone rings. I reach for it on the towel beside me and show her the screen.
“How many times is that today?”
“I’ve lost count.”
“He’s worried. You should answer him.”
I nod and hit Accept on the call, placing the phone to my ear. “Hello.”
“I miss you.” His deep voice washes over me.
“It’s been a day,” I counter, but I can’t help the way his words cause my heart to race.
“A day too long. You having fun?”
“Tess and I are on the beach.” It’s the first hint I’ve given him since our conversation yesterday at the airport.
“I can hear the waves.”
“Yeah. It’s peaceful. Nix said we can call this Tessa’s bachelorette party.”
“Is she not having one?”
“This is it.”
“Thanks for texting me to let me know that you made it there okay.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Can you do me one more favor while you’re there, wherever there is?” he asks.
“What’s that?”
“Don’t let another man steal you away from me before I’ve had the chance to fight for you.”
His words cause my belly to flip. “Is that what you’re going to do?”
“Yes.” There is no hesitation, only absolute certainty, in his voice.
“Okay.”
“Okay you won’t let someone else take you away from me or okay I’m going to fight for you?”
“Both.”
He exhales loudly. “Good. I’ll let you get back to what you were doing. I just wanted to hear your voice. If you change your mind about me being there, let me know. I can be on the next flight out.”
“You don’t know where I am.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’d be there.” We’re both quiet for several heartbeats. “I love you, Reese. Tell Tess I said hello.”
“I will.”
“Bye, baby.”
“Bye,” I say, and hit End on the call.
“Well?” Tessa asks.
I relay my brief conversation to her, and she smirks. “Told you so.”
“We’ll see.” I say the words, but inside, I’m screaming that I want her to be right. I want Cooper to fight for me. For us. I want to see this is more to him, that he really does love me. Not just the thought of me, or the me he thinks he can’t have. I want him to love all of me. One thing’s for sure. Tessa’s right. Only time will tell. I need to give him the chance to prove it to me and still hold on to the few shreds of my heart that are remaining.
Chapter 5
Cooper
Tossing my phone on the bed, I stare up at the ceiling of my childhood room. I left for college five years ago, and it still looks the same as the day I left. I wonder when Mom is going to change it? I checked out of the hotel yesterday, and this is where I ended up. Nixon and I hung out for a couple of hours before he decided he was going home to Louisiana. He offered for me to go with him, but I knew that both my parents and Reese’s had questions. I owed them answers.
It was late when I got in, I texted my parents that I was headed their way, and they left the front porch light on for me, just like they did when I was a kid. Using my key, I snuck inside a little before midnight and went straight to my old room. I’ve been hiding here ever since. I’ve been up since six, and I’ve called Reese a few times. Okay, more than a few since then. I’m surprised she answered. I needed to hear her voice. Not just that, but I needed her to know I’m going to fight for us. I’ve done nothing but think since I woke up in that hotel room all alone, and it’s a feeling I never want again.
I know Reese better than she knows herself, and I understand she’s scared. I meant what I told her, that I’m going to fight for her. For us. Whatever it takes for her to be by my side, I’ll do it. Tossing the covers off me, I stand. It’s after ten. It’s time for me to face the music. Grabbing some clothes, I take a quick shower, and head downstairs.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” Mom says from her seat on the couch.
“Morning.” I take a seat next to her. Resting my elbows on my knees, I rub my hands over my face. I have no idea how this is going to go, but I have to do it.
“Rough night?” Dad chuckles.
I lift my head to look at him. “Rough year.”
“Tell us all about it.”
“I will. However, I think Eve and Garrett need to hear it too. Do you know what they’re up to today?”
“No, but we can call them.” Dad reaches into the pocket of his jeans and pulls out his phone. “You want them to come over?”
&n
bsp; “Yes.”
“Wait.” Mom holds her hand up, and Dad stops what he’s doing. “Tell us what this is about.”
“Reese.”
“Is she okay?” Mom asks. There is true concern in her voice. She loves Reese like her own. They both do. If I have my say about it, she will be mine, ours, a part of this family for the rest of her life.
“I’m in love with her.” I blurt the words, needing to get the truth off my chest. The room is silent as my eyes dart between my parents. “Say something.”
They look at each other and at the same time say, “We know.”
“What do you mean, we know?” I ask.
“We’ve known for years. It wasn’t our place to interfere, so we kept it to ourselves,” Mom explains.
“Son, it was something you needed to realize on your own. You needed to feel it here,” he says, laying his hand over his chest.
“Everyone keeps saying they knew,” I mutter under my breath, causing them both to laugh.
“I take it you have something to do with Reese running out on her wedding yesterday?” Mom asks gently.
I nod. “I told her that I’m in love with her at the rehearsal.”
Dad whistles. “Talk about timing.”
“Yeah. Anyway, I know Garrett and Eve have questions, and I feel as though I owe them answers.”
“Does Reese know you’re going to talk to her parents?”
“No. She’s… out of town with Tessa.” Mom nods, which tells me she already knew.
“You know what? I’m just going to go over there.” I stand and wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans.
“What exactly are you going over there for?” Dad asks.
“I need to explain why she walked out, that should fall on me. I’m the one who dropped this on her the day before her wedding.”
“Reese is her own person, Cooper. You didn’t make her walk out of that banquet hall,” Mom says gently.
“No. You’re right. I didn’t make her, but I’m damn glad she did. I think they need to know that as well.” Dad nods, and Mom has a small smile tilting her lips.
