“Whatever. Make that girl yours, once and for all. I want grandchildren, and I’m not getting any younger.”
“Mom, if you say that to Hadley tomorrow, it’s your war.” I hold my laughter at bay. Hadley and I aren’t solid yet, but I know once we are, my parents will stop at nothing to see us married with two or three children toddling around us at Sunday dinners.
“She’d agree with me. You two fools may not see what’s right in front of you, but these old eyes can see it from a mile away. I’ve just been waiting for you to get your head out of your ass.”
“You’re so smooth with words today, and that’s my time to tell you, I love you and I’ve gotta go now. Have fun pestering Dad. I’ll call you tomorrow if we’re going to make it over,” I tell her. If we keep talking, she’ll continue giving me a ration of shit.
“I love you too, but you know I’m right.” She hangs up, getting the last word in. I know she’s right. Doesn’t make it any easier when Hadley isn’t here. I stand up, head to my bedroom to grab a shirt, and go after the girl who’s stolen my heart right out of my chest. I was going to go after her no matter what, but what Mom just said solidifies it further. I’m going make sure Hadley knows we’re in this together, for-fucking-ever.NineHadley“Tyler, I hate to do this, but I have to go.” I walk behind the bar top. It’s been kind of slow here today, or I wouldn’t have said what I just did.
“I’m shocked you lasted this long. You and Coop need to work through this. The job is yours, but something tells me you won’t need it for too much longer.” He winks at me while I’m grabbing my purse.
“Thanks, you want me to cash out?” I offer, even though I’m dying to leave right this very second.
“Nah, don’t worry about it. Nothing we can’t figure out later on. I’ll catch up with you with your check.” I give Tyler a quick hug goodbye, not bothering taking off the hoodie I confiscated. I’m lucky The Alibi serves food, or I’d be smelling much worse than alcohol and food. Tyler smokes, but I couldn’t imagine working in a place where smoking is allowed. I’d have to wash my hair daily, and I am not about that life.
I scurry out the bar and take a left, heading for our apartment. The entire way I’m contemplating about what I’m going to say to Cooper. How we’re going to make this work, if we even can. In a matter of minutes, I’m walking into the building using my key, which is unusual. But our doorman isn’t working today, something about the weekends and needing time off to be with his wife. I guess management hasn’t found his replacement yet. I could always apply for the job. That thought causes me to snort.
“What has you laughing?” I stop short. Cooper is standing right in front of me. He’s looking devastatingly handsome, but I can see the worry lines marring his beautiful face.
“The fact that I could apply for the weekend job and be a doorman. Funny, right?” I try to break up the heaviness that’s surrounding us. His head is tilted to the side. He’s lost deep in thought. My gaze moves from his tousled hair, to his frown lines, then his beard he hasn’t shaved today, and stops at the clothes he’s wearing. Cooper isn’t put together. Not even close, which is saying something because even though he dresses down on the weekends, never to this extent. His black shirt is a wrinkled mess, his jeans are probably his oldest pair that he wears when his dad needs help around his house, and he’s wearing flip-flops.
“Darlin’, that shit is not funny. You’re way too good for the likes of Gardener’s. Hell, you’re too good for the likes of me, but I’m not letting you go.” Cooper walks towards me, slowly. Not trying to exude the dominance that he’s putting off, but I know damn good and well he’s never been one to wear kid gloves.
“Oh.” My eyes look over his shoulder at the painting on the wall. “I, um, yeah. I guess I’m screwing things up.” My hand moves to my chest, my other covering my mouth that’s open in a state of shock.
“Nah, it takes both of us to make or break it.” My body has a mind of its own. It feels like a gravitational pull as I move closer to him. Cooper’s hands slide down my arms until I drop my own. He brings our hands together, kissing my knuckles. It causes a whole new sensation to tingle down my body. This isn’t even sexual. Apparently, my body doesn’t care, though, with the way my nipples tighten into hard pebbles, and not for the first time am I thankful for the sweatshirt I nabbed from The Alibi.