The Truest Thing - Hart's Boardwalk

“Coop …” Jack’s voice was hoarse.

“So, she’s not a part of us anymore. I’m letting it go because you deserve a second chance.” Cooper sipped at his coffee again, giving Jack time to control his emotions. “As to your question … yeah, I think Dana has been pissed at you a long time, and it would not surprise me if she took it out on Em by spreading shit.”

“If I warn her off, I give her the attention she wants.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“Em wants to know what’s behind no one coming to her store. I told her I’d tell her if I found out.”

“She doesn’t need that stress.”

“But maybe she needs to be the one who stands up for herself.”

Cooper smirked. “I will not lie—I’d like a front-row seat to shy Emery Saunders tearing Dana Kellerman a new one.”

Jack chuckled at the thought. “Me too.”

“How are you? You scared shitless like me?” Cooper asked.

He grinned. “You know it.”

“Our kids will be almost the same age.”

Something warm moved through him. “They’ll grow up together?” He didn’t mean it to come out a question, but it did.

“Yeah, they will,” Cooper promised. “And you and Em? You said you loved her.”

“There are some people in this town who will think that I don’t. That I just used her. But they’re wrong.” Jack rubbed a hand over his head, feeling a little exhausted. “I love her, Cooper.”

“I believed you the first time you said it. I think I believed it that first night she walked into my bar, and you looked like a fucking angel had fallen from heaven just for you.” That was just like Coop. To know his friend so well. To know Jack had been taken with Emery from the moment he saw her. “Did you feel that way about Jess?”

A small, satisfied smile prodded Cooper’s lips. “We ran into each other in the rain, right outside the bar. And I got that funny feeling on the back of my neck.”

Jack grinned. He knew about all Cooper’s “funny feeling.” While Jack had great gut instincts about people, Cooper had a weird sixth sense. Anytime something important was about to happen in his life, he got a strange tingle down the nape of his neck. “So you knew, huh?”

“I knew it meant Jess wasn’t just a gorgeous tourist passing through. I knew it meant I should make an effort to get to know her. And I’ll never ignore that feeling again.” He took another sip of his coffee. “Have you told Emery yet? About how you feel? Did you write that letter Bails suggested?”

“Nah. Em doesn’t trust me. If I said that now, whether to her face or in a letter, she wouldn’t believe it. I have to show her. She thinks I just want to be friends. So we can co-parent. I told her I want to be at every appointment and that we’re going to hang out. Become best buds.”

Cooper’s grin was slow and wicked, and Jack knew he understood. “You’re in it for the long game. Stealth attack.”

Jack grinned back. “You know it.”

“I’ve just realized I can’t tell Jessica any of this shit, can I?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Fuck.” Coop made a face. “The woman can smell it when I’m keeping something from her.”

“Then wear more cologne.” Jack narrowed his eyes. “They’re best friends, Coop. Jess can’t tell Em what I’m planning or Em will run in the opposite direction.”

His friend heaved a giant sigh. “I won’t tell her. I promise. But you owe me.”

“So every time we have a secret from our women, we owe each other for not telling them?”

Cooper burst out laughing.

“What?” Jack frowned.

It took awhile for Coop’s amusement to die down and then he stood, smacking Jack on the shoulder as he passed. “It’s cute you think you’ll have secrets from Em once you’re together.”

Jack rolled his eyes at his buddy’s smugness. But it didn’t bother him. Not at all. Because his friend seemed certain he and Emery were a sure thing … and that gave Jack the reassurance he needed.

There was a part of him that still wondered if he should leave Emery to some guy who deserved her more.

But if Coop, the best guy he knew, could forgive him and still think he was worthy of Emery Saunders, then Jack didn’t feel so selfish about it anymore.

After all, he couldn’t imagine anyone could love Emery the way he loved her.

With every molecule of his entire existence.

And he was already far gone for the kid growing in her belly.

Scared? Yeah. Worried about starting over with a new career at his age and having enough money to care for his new family? Definitely. But excited.

And so fucking in love he could barely stand it.

31

Emery

The next day, during lunchtime, when my place was usually busy with locals looking for their caffeine fix, only tourists popped into the store to buy books. When Jess and Cat walked through my door, I struggled but won the fight against bursting into worried tears.