The Truest Thing - Hart's Boardwalk

That was the part Jack didn’t get. He knew Cat was treated like shit when she got pregnant with Joey out of wedlock, but only by a small pocket of the most conservative members of the community. Hartwell, in general, was not a conservative place. It was strange that no one would venture into Em’s store because of this.

Concern niggled at him.

“I’ll look into it.”

“You think there’s something more going on?” She worried her bottom lip, drawing his attention to her mouth.

He needed to get out of there before he did something stupid, like kiss the anxieties right out of her. “We’ll see. Stop worrying. I’ll take care of it.”

“If someone is trying to sabotage me, Jack, I want to know. They think they can walk all over me because I’m quiet, but they can’t. And they should know that.”

Jack knew that for a fact. “When I find out what’s going on, I’ll let you know. And we’ll take care of it the way you want to take care of it.”

Em’s expression softened and she gave him a small nod of thanks. “Coffee is on the house.”

His chest ached with the urge to kiss her. The ache traveled into his throat and choked a response right out of him. Instead, he lifted his cups to her in thanks and got the hell out of there before he ruined his stealthy plan of attack.

And even though Jack was running late for a meeting with his hotel manager, and that wasn’t exactly the impression he wanted to give his staff first week in, Jack knocked on Cooper’s door. The bar wasn’t open yet, but Coop was sometimes there early doing inventory and cleaning up.

It was Jack’s lucky morning that Coop was the one who opened the door.

He held out the second Americano to his friend. “Got a quick minute?”

Cooper took the coffee and gestured Jack inside. The bar’s air-conditioning offered relief from the sultry morning.

“What’s wrong?”

“No one is at Em’s. It’s like they’re boycotting the place. Have you heard anything?”

Cooper grimaced. “There’s been gossip. I know we have some conservatives in town who wouldn’t like her being pregnant out of wedlock but not enough she wouldn’t have any customers. It’s not like she’s the first unmarried woman in Hartwell to get pregnant.”

Yeah, exactly Jack’s thoughts. “Em heard three women gossiping yesterday in Lanson’s. Some wondered if I was after her money and deliberately got her pregnant—others are thinking she tried to trap me and failed.”

Cooper sighed in exasperation. “Yeah, that’s the shit we heard too. I had to stop Jess from marching through town with a megaphone screaming her outrage. It’s got her stressed so I can’t imagine how Emery’s feeling, and the last thing we need is our pregnant women worked up right now. Thankfully, a scandal only lasts until the next one comes along.”

“My family has given this town plenty to chew over these last few months.” Jack followed Cooper as he pulled a chair out at a table. He took a seat across from him, disbelieving how easily Cooper had let him back into his life.

The problem was, he suspected something, and he was afraid airing it might sour things between them again.

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. “I hate to ask this, Coop, but it’s too important.”

“Ask what?”

Jack forced himself to meet his friend’s gaze. “Dana was one of the women bitching yesterday. She was spreading it around that there was no way I’d be interested in Emery, that she couldn’t satisfy me, and Em was trying to trap me.”

Cooper’s expression darkened. “Why am I not surprised?”

“I … man, I hate coming to you for your opinion on this, but do you think Dana might spread that shit far and wide? Vilifying Em? I gotta say, I was surprised by how many people seemed to come to my side after the shit with Ian went down. Maybe someone is telling them Em took advantage. Is that a stretch?”

“One—” Cooper took a sip of coffee as if to gather his thoughts. “Dana is a part of our history. We’ll never get past that if we tiptoe around any mention of her. She doesn’t deserve the awkwardness or the tension. Truth is, Jack, I feel like I was married to her in another life. I’m so disconnected to that time now. Going forward, I’m just holding on to the memory of the guy who beat the shit out of an older kid for beating the shit out of me. To the guy who took care of my mom’s funeral arrangements because I was too fucked up. Who stood at my side and cried with me at her funeral.”

Jack’s throat tightened.

“I’m holding on to the memories of the guy who was once the truest man I’d ever met. Because I believe he’s still in there.” Cooper pointed at Jack’s chest. “Or I wouldn’t be sitting here with you.”