“Come on, let’s go upstairs.” Sasha tries again.

“No.”

“I bet if she wanted to go, you would,” she sneers.

“You’re right. I would. Do you know why?” He doesn’t give her time to finish. “She’s my best friend. The most important person in my life, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you treat her like she’s anything less than that.”

“Are you fucking her?” She gasps.

Cooper heaves a sigh. “No. I’m not fucking her. Not that it’s any of your business.”

“We’re dating.”

“We were dating. Now we’re just acquaintances. If you can’t respect Reese, you’re not welcome here.”

“Are you serious right now? You’re never going to meet someone who’s going to put up with her place in your life. I was willing to overlook it, but I deserve better.”

“How exactly is giving her dirty looks and being a bitch to her overlooking it? And I don’t want someone in my life who doesn’t accept my family. Reese is family.”

“Fuck you, Cooper Reeves. I can have any man I want.”

“Then go find him. Because this one doesn’t want you.”

“Tell him.” I hear Sasha say. “Tell him that I’m better than her. That she’s going to hold him back.” The room is deathly silent. “Fine, who wants to go get drunk and laid?” Again, she’s greeted with more silence. “Fuck all of you.” She storms off—if the pounding of heels against the hardwood floor is any indication.

I scurry to the fridge and gather what I need. I feel him before he speaks. I’ve always been able to tell when he’s near.

“Hey. Sorry about all that.”

I turn to face him. “It’s not a big deal. We knew this would happen, right? People don’t understand our friendship.”

“I don’t need anyone in my life who is not going to accept you.”

“You prepared to be a single man for eternity?” I joke, trying to lighten the mood.

“Reese.” He reaches out and pushes my hair off my shoulders. “I’m sorry.”

I shrug. “I better get these out there.”

“Let me help you,” he offers.

“No.” I spin away out of his reach. “I’ve got it.” I rush back to the living room and pass out drinks, taking a seat on the floor and propping my back against the love seat where Tessa and Nixon are cuddled up. Hank puts on a movie, and we all settle in. I can feel Cooper’s eyes on me, but I refuse to look at him. I’m not mad at him, but he confuses me. He’ll stand up for me, put me before anyone else. While I appreciate that, my fragile heart, the one that belongs to him, takes it as a mixed message. That’s on me, not on him, and I get that. However, it doesn’t make it any easier for me to handle.

When the credits roll, Nixon stands. “We’re calling it a night.” He offers Tessa his hand.

“Come on, party poopers. Watch another one with us,” Trey says.

“Nope.” Nixon picks Tessa up, tossing her over his shoulder. Her laughter fills the room as he takes her upstairs.

“My room’s ready for you whenever you’re sleepy,” Levi says. “I even put clean sheets on this morning.”

“Reese.” Cooper says my name reverently. “Can we talk?”

“Sure.” I shrug like it’s not a big deal. It shouldn’t be. My heart just didn’t get the memo.

He stands from the couch and offers me his hand. I take it, letting him pull me from the floor. “Let’s go to my room.” I don’t say a word as I allow him to lead me upstairs to his room. “I’m sorry,” he says once the door is shut.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I hate that she talked about you, about us like that. I know she wasn’t nice to you. I saw the looks.”

“It’s fine, Coop. We’ve been defending our friendship for years. I’m used to it.”

“No. It’s not fine. I should have kicked her ass to the curb a lot sooner.”

“You’re allowed to date.”

“I know, but that person will respect you and who you are in my life, or it’s not going to work out.”

“Okay.”

“Okay? Is that all you have to say?”

“I don’t know what you want from me, Cooper.”

He sits on the bed next to me. His arm settles around my shoulders, and he pulls me into his chest. “I want you to tell me that we’re okay. I can’t lose you over this.”

“You’re not going to lose me.”

“Promise.”

I hold up my pinky finger. “Pinky promise.”

He smiles, linking his pinky with mine as there’s a knock at the door. “Come in.”

“Hey,” Levi says, his eyes only on mine. “You ready for bed?” Cooper tenses beside me.

I look up at Cooper, and he shakes his head. “Stay, we have a lot to talk about.”

“Thanks, Levi, but it looks like this one plans on being chatty Kathy tonight.”

He nods. I see understanding and maybe… pity in his gaze. “If you change your mind, I’m just down the hall.” With that, he closes the door.

Tags: Kaylee Ryan Entangled Hearts Duet Romance
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