The Off Limits Rule (It Happened in Nashville 1)
I extract my lips from Cooper and pry my eyes open, taking in his lopsided smile, and honestly, I want to dive right back in. Maybe if I ignore Brent, he’ll just go away?
Cooper leans forward and kisses my forehead briefly before turning to face Brent and his girlfriend, Tanya. “Sorry, man. It’s tough to be around Lucy and not kiss her.” Does he really mean that? It’s not just part of the fake-date act, right? I hope he and I are on the same page that this is a fake fake date and that I’m taking to heart every little thing he says; otherwise, I’m going to be crush
ed when this is all over.
Brent clearly has no idea what to do with that statement because he’s never once felt that way about me, so he turns the conversion to Tanya and introduces his runway-model girlfriend to Cooper. Just kidding, she’s not a model. She’s actually a bio-engineer who LOOKS like a model, so you can imagine how hard it is for me to feel incredible in this moment. Should have worn the lace. Luckily, I really like Tanya. She’s sweet and has always been kind to me.
After awkward introductions, the hostess takes us to our table with Brent and Tanya leading the way. I’m trying hard to stay positive about my newfound sense of pride with Tanya’s firm booty swaying in front of me, and I would say I do a moderately good job of it. I’m jolted out of my self-criticism, though, when Cooper’s hand leaves mine and, before I can register what’s happening, he lightly pinches my left butt cheek. I gasp and look up at him with wide eyes, my melancholy from a moment ago erased and laughter buzzing through me.
Cooper gives me the most overly innocent eyes and helpless shrug I’ve ever seen. “What? It’s what I’d do if we were really together. Got to stay in character.”
I can’t hold it in. I laugh and lean into him, wrapping both of my arms around his bicep, walking like this the rest of the way to the table. He kisses the top of my head with a smile on his mouth, and I can’t help but wish this moment could be permanent.
Maybe it can be.
I want to kill Brent. My hands are itching to wrap around his neck with how frustrating and terrible he’s been to me all night. First, he asked how Cooper and I met, and when Cooper told him the story of me jumping off the cliff, Brent made an obnoxious comment, insinuating I must have been drunk, because I would never do something fun like that. Then, he tried to act like a buddy-buddy man’s man with Cooper and nudged him across the table, asking him if he’d seen my usual look yet. He insinuated heavily that the way I look tonight is nothing close to how I look on a daily basis. Cooper—bless him—responded, saying he was actually disappointed I didn’t wear my dinosaur pants tonight. I wanted to put my hands in his hair and kiss him into oblivion.
The dinner proceeded just like that, with lots more tiny little digs at me from Brent that felt so out of place I almost couldn’t believe it was happening. He never treats me like this—putting me down in front of other people. He and I truly have always been like two platonic-friendish people raising a kid together, so the hostility he’s shown me this evening makes no sense. It feels intentional and personal.
“So, Cooper, I know we’re already briefly acquainted through work, but tell me more about yourself outside the work world,” Brent says like he actually cares while dabbing the corner of his mouth with his napkin. I try to hide an eye roll, because I know he doesn’t care about Cooper. I’ve proved myself able to make good choices where Levi is concerned enough over these past four years, so he’s not really doing this out of a need to know that Levi is safe. I think this is his way of getting revenge because I’m the one who doesn’t trust him to make good choices about what company he keeps.
“Sure,” says Cooper, with an easy smile that makes my insides melt. He drapes his hand over the back of my chair and rubs a soft line up and down the back of my neck while keeping his attention focused on Brent. My world is spinning. “What do you want to know?”
“What do you like to do for fun?” Brent’s eyes follow Cooper’s hand as it tenderly caresses my neck, and then something odd happens. He lifts his arm and wraps it around Tanya’s shoulders. Am I nutty, or does that seem a little competitive?
“In the summer, I like to wakeboard”—Ah! I know this!—“and the rest of the time I’m pretty easy. I like to read, watch movies, maybe go hiking occasionally.”
“Hiking,” Brent scoffs. “Good luck getting Lucy to do anything outdoorsy with you.” I frown at Brent because it’s annoying that he’s acting like he knows me when he doesn’t, and also that he’s trying to make me look bad in front of Cooper.
“I’d actually love to go hiking with you.”
“Yeah? I’ll take you any time you want, Luce.”
Brent snorts again, and I have no idea where this is coming from, but let me tell you, I’m sick of it. “Sorry, I’m just not buying it.”
Cooper’s hand falls from my neck to rest on my thigh. It’s not meant to be seductive; it’s comforting. His glare across the table, however, is terrifying. “Well, it’s a good thing it’s none of your business then, isn’t it?”
Brent frowns and leans forward to rest his elbows on the table. “As long as you’re around my kid, you and the mother of my child’s business becomes my business.” He did not just say that. Someone hold my earrings! This man suddenly trying to act like he is devoutly devoted to Levi rather than an occasional part of his life is really getting on my nerves.
“So, what’s this really about, man?” asks Cooper, his voice calm but with an edge to it that has me covering his hand where it rests on my leg. Cooper is tall with a powerful build, and I’ve never thought of it as dangerous before. But with that sharpness aimed at Brent, I see he is not a man you’d want to mess with.
“Excuse me?” Brent shoots back, adding his own taunting inflection.
Tanya interjects by waving the drinks menu in the middle of the table like a flag. “Who wants another drink? I’m thinking maybe a white wine this time? What about you, Lucy? Cocktail?” She gives me a happy smile, and—sweet darling—she really thinks that’s going to distract the guys from whatever is boiling between them.
“I’m just wondering why you seem to be shooting down everything Lucy has said tonight. Seems odd to me for a man who’s never been in a relationship with her to pretend he knows her so well.”
I tug on Cooper’s sleeve a little, trying to figure out how to stop this train that has clearly left the station. I’m afraid I’m going to have to throw my body in front of it—and not in a sexy way.
Brent rolls his shoulders a little and nods toward me. “I just think this whole thing is odd. One minute, Lucy’s single and living with Drew, and the next, you two are all over each other anywhere I turn. I’m making sure whatever this is you guys have going on is healthy and that Levi is not going to get hurt in the mix.” Well, I could tell him that, technically, Cooper and I are nothing right now, but I don’t because I think that would make things worse.
“No, that’s not it.” Cooper’s smile is cunning and sort of tingles my spine. “We both know why you’re acting like a d-bag tonight, and it has nothing to do with your concern for Lucy or Levi.”
Brent’s eyebrows fly up, and he looks to me like I should be his backup. When he sees I’m not coming to his defense, he sinks back in his chair and steeples his fingers in front of him. “Well, by all means, tell me since you seem to know already.”
Cooper’s smile falls, and now his face looks like beautiful stone. His eyes flare as he locks them on Brent. “If I had to guess, I’d say you’ve always kept Lucy as your backup option.” I wince at Cooper’s words, feeling the uncomfortable truth in them. “She was having your child, but you weren’t ready to commit, so you tossed her to the back burner. From what she’s told me, it sounds like you’ve tried to string her along all these years, which supports my backup-option theory. Seems like you try to keep a spark of hope alive in Lucy so when you’re ready to settle down, she’ll be there.”
Is Cooper right? His words are alcohol on a wound I didn’t know I had. Did Brent think I was only back-burner material? Somehow, that feels worse than him just not having feelings for me.