The Off Limits Rule (It Happened in Nashville 1)

Hearing the word girlfriend makes me nearly choke on my own tongue. He asked his question so convincingly, like he had no idea in the world that Brent, once upon a time, ripped out my heart and stomped on it. He also added that special inflection men do on girlfriend (we’ll get to freaking out over that word in a minute) that conveys a territorial caveman warning. Next, he’ll get out a giant club and start waving it around.

Brent lets out a small, incredulous laugh. “She’s…well, Lucy is…that is, Levi is my son. I’m assuming you know who Levi is?”

Cooper should be in a movie. The shocked expression on his face is so believable I want to laugh. I love being on this side of the curtain. “No way. You’re that Brent? What are the odds?”

“Slim, I’d say,” Brent says, a hardness to his voice I don’t recognize. Is he…jealous? No. Never. Not Brent. “Lucy, I didn’t realize you were dating anyone.”

I shrug and smile, afraid to say much because my acting skills don’t come anywhere close to Cooper’s, and we all know it. “Just sort of happened. We met through Drew.” It’s best to stick as closely to the facts as possible when lying.

This moment is so thick with awkward tension I’m afraid we’re going to need someone with a rope to pull us out. Poor Ashley; she feels it too and is unsure what to do. I raise my hand and tap a knuckle against Cooper’s chest while hitching my head a little toward the door. Somehow, he speaks my silent language and understands me. “Oh, Ashley, you can go. Thank you.”

She’s relieved to exit this Jerry Springer episode and scurries out the door. Brent does not look happy that Cooper and I do not have to use words to communicate. Would it be too gloaty if I did a little nana-nana-boo-boo dance and stuck my tongue out at him? I’m not even into Brent anymore, wouldn’t date the man if he begged me to. It’s just that it feels good to feel wanted by someone in front of him—the man who found me undesirable except for when he was using me.

“Come in and have a seat,” Cooper says, gesturing toward his office chairs. “I’ll walk Lucy out to her car, and then we can get down to business.” We’re moving toward the door now, and Cooper looks like my bodyguard, escorting me away so the fans don’t get too handsy. I need some sunglasses and a big floppy hat.

Brent steps in our path. “I can walk her out. It’ll give me a chance to get caught up on this relationship between you guys.” Oh no. No, no, no. I’ll spill my guts with the truth that Cooper and I aren’t really a couple yet, and this whole empowering charade will backfire, making me look even more pathetic.

I look up in time to see Cooper’s easy smile. “Maybe she could call you later and get you up to speed? I’d like to walk her out, if you don’t mind.” The strength and finality in his voice tickles my spine.

Brent takes in a breath through his nose and lets it out while nodding slowly, thoughtfully. “Sure. I guess.” He’s not quite ready to let me go yet, though, and turns his attention square on me. “So, where’s Levi if you’re here?”

Okay, hello, I do not care for the accusing tone he’s using. He does realize I’ve spent nearly every single day with our son since I birthed him four years ago, right? That I’ve sacrificed absolutely everything to love my child well? He doesn’t get to talk to me like that.

I speak through lightly clenched teeth. “He’s with my mom, and after this, she and I are taking him to fly a kite at the park. Have you ever flown a kite with him before, Brent?” Yeah, no one was expecting that jab to come out there at the end, least of all me. I’ve never said anything like it to him before, and honestly, it’s not totally warranted. Brent is a good dad when he has Levi. He’s attentive, caring, fun, and never fails to be there if Levi asks him to. It’s strictly me Brent strings along, ignores, uses, leaves, rinse-and-repeats. I’m just taking my years of frustrated rejection out on him in the form of questions about kites.

“Yes,” he says, slowly drawing out the word like he’s both confused and amused by my intended sting. “Several times, actually. Don’t you remember I took him to that kite festival a few months back too?”

“Oh…right.” I’m a popped water balloon, confidence spilling out all over the place. “Good. Yeah, he loved that festival. Okayyyyy, well, I better be going. I’ll call you later, Brent.” I tuck my tail between my legs and speed toward the door so fast I’m sure my feet look like roadrunner-sized dust circles.

“Wait, Lucy, what are you guys doing tomorrow night? Maybe we could all go out to dinner—you two and me and Tanya—so I can get to know Cooper better? Since it seems he’s going to be in your life and Levi’s.” Brent gives me a meaningful look this time, saying You have no choice.

I don’t have a choice, because I have insisted on going out to dinner with him and every single one of his girlfriends before I would allow Levi to stay with him for the weekend. I was never comfortable with the idea of my son spending time with some random woman, so it helped to at least get a sense of them over dinner first. Now he’s throwing my rule back in my face. But…I guess it makes sense. I can’t really fault him for it.

Except for the tiny detail that Cooper and I are not actually together and, just five minutes ago, were making a pact to remain strictly friends until Drew is on board.

“Umm, well, I think Cooper has—”

“I’m free,” Cooper cuts in unhelpfully then turns to look down at me. “Maybe we could ask your mom if she’s free to come over and stay with Levi?”

Careful, Cooper. Your paternal instincts are showing, and it’s super attractive.

“Sure. Okay.” I look to Brent and smile. “I’ll text you with details.”

“Nah, I’ll text you with details,” says Brent, and I want to stomp on his toes because I know he assumes I would make reservations at Chuck E. Cheese.

We finally give awkward goodbyes, and Cooper tells Brent he’ll be right back, his hand landing on the small of my back, guiding me all the way to the elevator. He has to guide me because I’m not conscious anymore. My brain is lost in a fog of what just

happened, everything zooming past me as we walk like we’re moving at warp speed.

We get in the elevator, and the moment the door closes, Cooper lets go of me. That snaps me out of my trance, and I turn my eyes to him. “What in the world was all of that?”

He backs up and leans against the elevator rail. “You said you wanted a confidence boost.”

I feel the feminists of the world whispering in my ear, so I recite their words. “I don’t need a man to give me confidence.”

“Yes, you do.” Cooper grins when my mouth opens in disbelief that he just said that. “You shouldn’t need a man to give you confidence because you are an incredible woman all on your own, but for some reason, you do. We’re working on building your self-esteem back up, but in the meantime, I offered myself up as tribute to help you flaunt a little in front of your ex.”

I can’t help but chuckle. “So selfless of you.”