by Mercer Scott
“A different shirt, I can do!” I say cheerfully, happy to be able to finally have something to contribute.
“Come on. I guess we’re picking out a different shirt.” Cooper takes my hand and tugs me towards his bedroom, before calling back to his mother. “We’ll be a few minutes.”
“Take your time, darling,” Lillian answers, waving us away. “I’m just going to have my assistant make a reservation.”
Neither of us says anything until Cooper shuts the bedroom door closed behind us with a loud click. Then I can’t stop the words from flowing out of my mouth.
“Cooper, oh my god! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry for what I thought… for what I did… for everything.”
“Hey, hey, come here.” Cooper pulls me into his arms. “It’s okay. I know what you thought, or at least I figured it out right about the time your knee connected with my nuts. And I’m sorry that I lied to you about being sick. But honestly, I didn’t want my mom to find out about you. My parents have a tendency to meddle, and I was trying to keep them away from you. Away from us. Do you forgive me?”
I nod slowly up at him. “Yes, but remember what you said about being an open book. Just tell me the truth next time. If you need space or whatever, just tell me that.”
“I will, I promise. My mom just showed up here yesterday, and I panicked. I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too. I’m so sorry.”
Cooper leans back and smiles down at me. “You can make it up to me later by examining my balls real close to make sure they’re okay.”
“Are they not okay? Do you think there’s permanent damage? Pull your pants down, so I can take a look.”
“They’re fine. Barely even hurts anymore. And as much as I want to be in a room naked with you. I really don’t want my mother to be on the other side of the door.” Cooper gives me a big smile.
“You’re sure you’re okay? Really? You promise?”
“I was a Navy SEAL, so you can’t hurt me with those pointy knees. But I’m still going to let you examine me later just to be sure. And I expect a very thorough examination.”
I shake my head at him, but I can’t help the smile that tugs on my lips. “I’m really sorry.”
“I know you are. And I know what you thought. But you don’t have to worry about that with me. Cheating isn’t really my style. One woman is enough to drive me crazy. When it’s over with a woman, I tell her and move on.”
When it’s over… Cooper doesn’t seem to realize what he just said to me. He said that this is going to end. It has to. Of course, I know that. I have to go back to my real life in San Francisco. And Cooper has to start the next chapter of his life after his years in the military. Maybe he does that here on Maui. Maybe he does that in New York. With the Hamilton money, he could go anywhere and do just about anything. But maybe I’m starting to wish it didn’t have to end. And that terrifies me more than anything.
“No man would admit to cheating being their style. But look how many men cheat.” It’s easier to fight about cheating than what’s really bothering me now.
Cooper takes my face in his hands, and nudges me gently until I look up at him. “I can’t change what you’ve been through. I can’t change what he did. All I can do is prove to you that I’m not him. I care about you. And I’m never going to do something that intentionally hurts you like that. It’s just not going to happen, babe.”
“Most people don’t intentionally hurt other people. They just do.”
Cooper frowns down at me. “We better get moving before my mother comes looking for us. Can you pick a shirt? I know from nearly thirty years of experience that whatever I pick is going to be wrong.”
“Sure, but I’m not sure my odds are much better. Your mother and I have very different styles.” I run my hand over the shirts hanging in Cooper’s closet. “Do you know where we’re going for dinner?”
“No idea. Probably some place with fancy food in tiny portions. That’s the kind of place my mother loves. We’re going to need to get burgers afterwards.”
“Hmmm…” There aren’t all that many shirts to choose from and none are particularly dressy. But Cooper isn’t really a dressy kind of guy. I can’t resist running my hand over the rich navy-blue suit hanging at the end of his closet. It feels silky and crazy luxurious. I have no idea how much a suit like this cost, but it seems a shame for it to go to waste hanging in the closet of someone who’s never going to wear it.
“Are you ever going to wear the suit your mom bought you?”
“Don’t tell me you want me to wear the damn thing now? You said that you couldn’t even picture me in a suit, and you’ll never have to if I have anything to say about it.”
I turn to see him lying on the bed, his arms behind his head, watching me.
“No, I know that. I like how you look in jeans and one of your dumb t-shirts. I was just thinking that it’s a shame for you to have such a nice suit hanging in a closet when you’re never going to use it. You know those programs that offer free clothing to people who are struggling with employment and housing? They get dressed up in nice clothes for job interviews and it helps them to get back on their feet. You should donate it to something like that…”
“First, my t-shirts aren’t dumb. They’re awesome. And second, that’s a great idea. My mother’s going to hate it.” Cooper lets out a clipped laugh.
“Maybe don’t tell her it was my idea then?” I smile back at him and then turn back to my job of picking him a shirt to wear to dinner.
There really isn’t anything but the suit that you could call fancy. Or Cooper’s dress uniform. But that’s not an option for him anymore.
“How about this one?” I ask, pulling out a black Hawaiian shirt with blue and white flowers on it.
Cooper frowns. “You know that Marcus got me that shirt as a joke, right?”
“No, but that makes sense. It doesn’t exactly scream you. There’s not really much else that has buttons… The only option is the black t-shirt with the stupid tuxedo drawing on the front.”
“Stupid? I got that t-shirt in Vegas. It’s a classic. It has buttons on it, and most importantly my mother’s going to hate it.” Cooper stands up off of the bed. There’s only a slight wince as he bends his hip and stands up. He’s made so much progress since I met him.
“I don’t know. I doubt that your mother considers fake tuxedo buttons on a t-shirt to qualify as something with buttons.” I glance nervously back at the door. Lillian Hamilton is an intimidating woman, and she told me to get Cooper into a shirt with buttons.
“Then she should have been more specific, shouldn’t she?” Cooper walks over and kisses me on the forehead. “Don’t worry. She knows I was never going to dress up like she wants.”
“Did she really bring her assistant from New York all the way to Maui just to make restaurant reservations?”
“She would. But I don’t think she did this time.” Cooper’s voice is muffled as he pulls the t-shirt over his head.
I can’t help but smile. “You look like a total dork.”
“A sexy dork?” Cooper pulls me against him. “You’re totally into dorks, aren’t you? You probably can’t wait to get this shirt off me and have your way with me?”
“I’ll try to restrain myself at dinner, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to. You in that shirt is just too much for any woman to handle.” I smile up at him, as he holds me tight.
“I understand. That’s just the kind of pure sexual magnetism I have going on. I don’t blame you one bit.” He leans down and kisses me on the tip of my nose.
I want a real kiss. I want to fall onto that big bed with him and show him how sorry I am about earlier. I want him to show me that he forgives me. But his mother is fifteen feet on the other side of that door. So, it’s not going to happen. At least not until after dinner.
“So, your mother called her assistant in New York to make a reservation for us here on Maui?” I ask, still trying to work this out.
“Exactly. And that’s Lillian Rutherford Hamilton in a nutshell. You ready?”
“Not even close.” I shake my head as Cooper laughs at me and leads me back out to face his mother.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Natalia
“His mother? Lillian Rutherford Hamilton? Is here? On Maui?” Cassie leans towards me across the sofa in Lara’s living room, like she can’t actually believe it’s true. She’s passing through Maui on her way to Bangkok to chase down a story.
I nod back at her, uncomfortable that once again everyone seems to know more about Cooper’s family than I do.
“She’d make such a great interview, not that she gives interviews. Ever. But she’s been everywhere. Done everything. She knows everyone. And you better believe she knows their dirty, little secrets, too.” Cassie looks like she would do almost anything to interview Cooper’s mom.
“Like who? What secrets?”
“Like everyone. Socialites, moguls, movie stars, royalty. She knows everyone in New York, London, Paris. You name it.”
“Well, she also now knows me… and I’m not sure exactly how happy she is about that.”
Cassie looks immediately pissed. “Why wouldn’t she be happy to know our little Nit-Nat Bar? You’re amazing! And her son is lucky as hell that he ever met you.”
“You’re my friend, so you have to say that.”
“I am one of your best friends, and I don’t have to say that. Just because I’m your friend, doesn’t make it any less true. So, tell me what happened already. Ooh, was she horribly judgmental? Most of these people really aren’t interested unless you have nine zeroes behind your name.” Cassie stares at me impatiently until I start talking.
“Off the record, right?” I eye her suspiciously.
“Of course, it is. How many times do I have to tell you that?” Cassie waves her hands in the air in frustration. “And since when did all of you decide that your lives are sooo interesting that I would even want to write anything about you?”
“I guess a few more times. And I guess since I’m apparently dating the son of a woman you just said that you’d love to interview for your big, fancy, newspaper. I just don’t want to do anything to screw this up.” Even though I know it can’t last, I don’t want to think about not being with Cooper anymore.
“Things are getting serious with this one, huh?”
“Don’t give me that look. We’re just dating or hanging out. I don’t know. He told his mom that I was his girlfriend. I really like him, but I know that it’s not going to last. I mean how can it? But I just… really like him.” Saying those words out loud to one of my best friends somehow makes it real. I do really, really like Cooper. “So, I just want to enjoy being with him as long as I can. And I don’t want to do anything to ruin it.”
“Do you mean ruin it like you ruined things with Dr. Dick? Because you didn’t do anything wrong, Nat! how many times do we need to tell you that? Maybe splattering the hospital lobby in chow mein and sweet and sour sauce wasn’t ideal, but you’re not the one who messed things up. Dr. Dick was cheating on you. He’s the bad guy in this situation, not you.”
“Maybe I need you to tell me that a few more times?” Rolling my shoulders, I try to release some of the tension. I feel like I’ve been in a full-body clench since Cooper texted to cancel on me the other night. Thinking he was cheating on me and then meeting his mother don’t exactly foster a state of Zen.
“So, what happened at dinner with Lillian?”
“Nothing really. There was no big blow-up or anything. But I felt like Lillian was staring at me disapprovingly all night long. I’m sure that I didn’t order the right thing, and I know that I wasn’t wearing the right thing. She called her assistant in New York to make a reservation for us on Maui. Who does that? And it was at this really fancy place. I was totally underdressed. And Cooper flat-out refused to dress up. She was nice enough, I guess. But honestly, I don’t think I had any idea about the world that Cooper comes from until I came face to face with his mother. I’m just so tense, I can’t relax.”
“I can think of one way for you to ease all that tension.” Cassie smirks at me. “And I’m sure Cooper would only be too happy to assist.”
“Hahaha – he was only too happy to assist last night. There may have been a brief break in my tension. Well, actually three breaks. But I don’t think I’ll feel normal again until Cooper’s mom goes back to New York. Cooper seems like a normal guy. Even once he told me about his family and all their money, he was still just Cooper. But when Lillian is around, I can see the Cooper that she wants him to be. And I don’t have anything in common with that version of him. I like my Cooper. The one who is obsessed with fried shrimp and garlic fries. The one who wears jeans and dumb t-shirts.”
“So, don’t create a problem that doesn’t exist. Cooper could have that life if he wanted it. Trust me, he could be one of Manhattan’s most eligible bachelors if he wanted to be. His brothers definitely are. His sisters, too. But he doesn’t want that life. He wants you!”
“For now. He wants me for now. His whole life is up in the air until he figures out what it’s going to look like without being a Navy SEAL. I know what that feels like. Not the Navy SEAL part, but the rest of it sounds pretty familiar. He has his whole life to figure out, and I’m not sure how long I’m going to fit into it.” As much as I hate the words, I know that they’re true.
“He may not know exactly what he’s going to do with the rest of his life. But from what I can tell, he wants you. And I don’t see that changing anytime soon. My one piece of unsolicited advice is to not let the past – his or yours – mess anything up. Life’s too short, so just enjoy it.” Cassie smiles at me. That’s exactly what she would do. Just enjoy being with Cooper and not let all the whens and the what ifs get to her.
“Easier said than done. So much easier. Everything used to be easy with Cooper. From the first moment I met him, well maybe not right from the first moment. Because the first moment that I met him, he completely pissed me off. And then he pretty much just kept annoying me for weeks. After what happened with Dr. Dick, I didn’t want to let anyone in again. But Cooper stuck around until he was somehow my friend, and then he became… more than my friend.”
Cassie is staring at me intently down the sofa. “Have you told him that you love him?”
“What? No, I don’t!” I say immediately. “I like Cooper. But I definitely don’t love him.” Do I? No, I can’t love him. Because falling in love with Cooper when I know that we don’t have a future together would be even stupider than trusting Dr. Dick.
“You can lie to yourself, but you can’t lie to me, Nit-Nat Bar. I’ve known you too well and for too long. I get that you’re afraid. Who wouldn’t be after Dr. Dick? He’s literally the worst human being on the entire planet. But like I said, Cooper isn’t Dr. Dick. Tell Cooper you love him and see what happens.”
“It’s too soon. I can’t.” Shaking my head frantically, I don’t want to believe that what Cassie is saying could possibly be true. I can’t love Cooper. And even if I did, I definitely couldn’t tell him.
“Look, I’m no expert. But isn’t love about taking risks? I’d rather jump out of a plane than fall in love, but the general consensus seems to be that falling in love is worth it.” Cassie gives an exaggerated shrug before taking a giant sip of her wine.
I do the same, taking a giant gulp of my own. I’m ready for a change of topic. “Enough about my Cooper drama. How long are you staying on Maui?”
“I need to be in New York in about…” Cassie looks down at her watch. “Forty-eight hours to catch a flight to Dubai. Then on to… I can’t say. But it’s going to be good. And don’t think I don’t know you’re just changing the subject because you don’t want to talk about the fact that you love Cooper anymore.”
“I admit nothing! I’m just trying not be a good friend.” I smile sweetly and take another sip of my wine. Having rich friends is really ruining me for all the delicious swill
I used to drink. I don’t know how I’m ever going to go back to the under ten dollar bottles I’m used to.
“You’re an amazing friend. The very best. Maybe just try to be as nice to yourself as you are to all of us. The next time you’re beating yourself up over Dr. Dick just imagine what you’d say if it was one of us.”
“So, what is going on with your sex life at the moment? You’ve been exceptionally quiet since things ended with Mr. Oz. You ever going to tell us what happened? Inquiring minds and all that.”
“That’s my line. And eventually. Maybe you all just haven’t got me drunk enough to spill my guts about that whole debacle? Want to try for it tonight?” Cassie lets out a morose laugh before taking another sip of her wine.
“Definitely. But you know I can’t keep up with you! When is everyone else coming back from the beach?”
“Should be any minute now. Let’s go raid Deacon’s wine cellar and get a few more bottles!” Cassie gives me a mischievous smile.
“Ummm, yes! How have we not done that already? Who has an entire wine cellar… in their basement?”
“Lara, apparently.” Cassie stands up and heads towards the small elevator that leads down to the basement.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
Why does my phone choose now to ring? When I’m hung over and warm and cozy in Cooper’s arms.
“I should get that…”
“Do you have to?”
“I should…”
Cooper grins at me. “You should stay right here…”
“I want to… but I’ve got to get it. It could be one of my friends.” I jump out of Cooper’s bed and race into the living room to grab my phone from my purse.
Knowing that it’s the last ring before the call goes to voicemail, I answer without even checking to see who it is.
“Hello?”
“Natalia? Is that you?”