25
Stefi
Cooper leans over and drops a little kiss on my shoulder blade. “Your back’s red.”
I roll off my stomach and sit up on the pool lounger. “Do you mind getting it?”
“No problem.” Cooper grins, reaching eagerly for the sunblock.
It’s another sweltering hot afternoon at Legacy Inn. I finished my shift two hours ago and Cooper and I have been hanging out by the infinity pool, studying and topping up our tans.
Well, he’s been topping up his tan. I’ve just been getting progressively redder.
“How’s your SAT prep course?” I ask as his palms gently rub sunscreen across my upper back.
“Riveting.”
“Oh come on, it can’t be that bad.” I laugh as I reach around to swat his arm. But then, my eyes meet his and I get lost in my favorite dark, sparkling gaze.
“I can think of a million things I’d rather do,” Cooper says cheekily. He drops another little kiss on my shoulder, and my stomach explodes into butterflies.
“Studying first, then kissing.” I wag my finger like a teacher, my smile betraying my stern tone.
“Yes, Miss Clark,” he responds in a singsong voice. He pops the top back on my sunscreen and gives me a quick kiss before turning his attention back to his book.
It’s been two blissful weeks since our first kiss, and Cooper and I are closer than ever. We’ve spent every possible moment hanging out together in the penthouse, cooking, tanning and watching Jeopardy!
And kissing. Lots of kissing.
I bite my lip and return to my essay notes. My rather sparse essay notes. The only downside to hanging out with Cooper so often is that I never have time to get to my essay. Which is why I insisted that we study this afternoon. Plus, the more we study, the higher he’ll be able to get his grades next semester. It’s a surefire way to earn more of his parents’ trust.
I sneak a sideways glance at Cooper, sprawled in the lounger next to mine. His nose is wrinkled in concentration, and he chews the end of his pen as he reads. His dark eyes are wide and alert as they scan the page. His hair is damp and tousled from our last swim break.
It takes everything in me to turn away. I could look at that boy all day.
We study in silence for a while, and I get lost in my list of personal growth moments from the summer. I write a full list, wanting to adorn my essay with every experience and memory. There are so many exciting things that Cooper and I have done together, so many crazy, ridiculous moments that I never would’ve entertained just months ago.
I’m grateful for each and every one.
Cooper sighs and gets to his feet. “I’m thirsty. Want a La Croix?”
“Sure.” I grin. My stomach hasn’t bothered me at all this summer, and I haven’t needed to guzzle ginger ale every day. It’s a welcome change.
“And I’ll see what snacks I can find.” Cooper throws his book and cell phone onto his lounger before heading inside.
I smile at his retreating figure and my gaze falls on his textbook. What’s he been so focused on today?
I lean over and crack open the book. I turn to a dog-eared page and I’m surprised to see that he’s been taking an SAT practice test.
I quickly skim his answers, and my eyes widen.
I’ve always known that Cooper is intelligent — his quick wit, clever comebacks, and ability to remember even the most mundane facts confirms that. But, I didn’t know just how smart he is. Most, if not all, of the answers that he’s selected are correct. With this practice exam, it’s clear that he has a chance at an excellent SAT score. All he needs to do is increase his GPA this year and he has a real shot at getting into a decent college.
My brain spirals into a fantasy where I get admitted to Harvard, my top school. Cooper could get his grades up enough to get into UMass or Boston College. We’d live close enough to see each other all the time — we’d eat hotdogs in Fenway Park, visit the penguins at Boston Aquarium and sample international cuisines in Faneuil Hall. We’d spend summers visiting his dad and my family in Montana, and then fly to LA for Christmas to see his mom.
Buzz.
I’m shocked from my fairytale by the sound of Cooper’s phone. I glance at the screen, assuming the message is from Kade, but I catch sight of a different name. And, below the name, words that drop my heart into free fall.
Lila: I miss you, Coop! You’ve been gone too long. When you’re back we should...
Horrified, I flip the phone over so the screen faces down. My cheeks feel warm and the blood pumps loudly in my ears. I feel like I’ve unwittingly snooped on something private, something I was never meant to see.
Lila.
What a beautiful name. Who is she? A friend?
Or, maybe, an old girlfriend?
She and Cooper are obviously close enough that she’s planning a hang-out well in advance — Cooper’s not due back in LA for another four or five weeks.
I frown and my stomach shifts uncomfortably. I haven’t let myself think about this. Think about what will happen in just a few short weeks. When Cooper leaves Legacy, leaves his life in the penthouse. He’ll return to his real life in California.
I hadn’t really considered how many girls must be interested in him there. He could have his pick of anybody. After how close we’ve gotten, how much he means to me, it’s weirdly shocking to hear of this side of his life. A life that I know nothing about.
A life that I’m not a part of.
We’ve never discussed what’ll happen to us when the summer’s over. Of all the things we’ve talked about, I’ve been afraid of asking him about his immediate future plans. What kind of life is he going back to for his senior year of high school? And what does he really want longer term?
I can fantasize about college together all I want. But, in reality, could anything like that ever happen?
Cooper Monroe is a billionaire. A child of A-list celebrity and privilege.
I’m just plain old Stefi Clark. Straight-A student. Model daughter. Safe, predictable and unchanging.
“Hey!” Cooper steps on the patio, his smile wide and beaming.
My heart flips, but it’s bittersweet. I love that smile. I’ll miss it so much.
“Do you want to stay for dinner tonight?” Cooper asks, oblivious to the sadness creeping through my veins. “Dad’s not coming home — some work thing — so I was thinking we could skip cooking and order Korean food? I want to introduce you to bulgogi.”
We still have five weeks together, Stefi. Make the most of it.
“I’d love to try it,” I say, forcing an extra bright tone. “But I don’t think there’s a Korean restaurant in the Edendale area.”
Cooper shoots me a grin. “There isn’t. But I know a guy.”
Of course. When you’re a billionaire, the proximity of restaurants is just a minor deterrent. Every wish is your command — including getting Korean food delivered to rural Montana.
I smile as wide as I can. “Sounds good.”
26
Cooper
I stand on the rooftop of the penthouse. The sun is setting, bathing the world in beautiful muted light. I wipe my slightly damp palms on my pants as I survey the scene before me.
Table for two? Check.
Candles? Check.
Flowers? Check.
Private chef? Double check.
I admit, I may have gotten a tiny bit carried away. I pulled out all of the stops in planning this dinner. I’m just so excited to show Stefi another taste of my Korean heritage. I hope it’s not too much.
“Ready, Cooper?” Ji-hoon adjusts his chef’s hat and fires up the Korean BBQ grill resting atop the table. Ji-hoon is a close friend of my mother’s, and the owner of some of the best five-star Korean restaurants in LA. We’ve known each other since I was a kid, and he used to babysit Brody and I before his restaurants took off. One phone call was all it took to get him here.
“She should be here at any minute.”
I plug my phone into the penthouse music system and click on the playlist Stefi and I made together. Robbie Cohen begins to croon softly through the speakers.
I sigh happily. The rooftop looks almost exactly as I envisioned it — complete with twinkling fairy lights and candles to light the scene when it gets dark. Ji-hoon and I even moved the table to the patio so Stefi and I would have the best view of the mountains for sunset.
All that’s missing now is the girl.
I hear a knock at the front door and my heart picks up speed. I’d asked Stefi to come back at 7pm, and she’s right on time, as usual. I love that she could’ve used her keycard to come in, but instead, she knocked.
There are so many little things that I love about Stefi.
I approach the front door and take a deep breath, an excited smile plastered across my face. Then, I fling open the door.
Stefi looks radiant. She’s wearing a soft lilac sundress that complements her fair skin and dark hair. Her eyes are slightly made up and she’s even wearing contact lenses. Two strands of her hair are braided and tied behind her head, emphasizing her beautiful, open face.
Her hazel eyes go wide as she scans my body slowly, taking in my blue, button-down shirt and khaki dress pants. I even put on shoes. “You look… great.”
“And you look gorgeous,” I tell her sincerely.
She bows her head shyly and steps inside. I take her hand and we climb the stairs to the main level. Almost immediately, her gaze darts towards the rooftop deck. “I thought we were ordering takeout?”
“Kind of.” I shrug bashfully, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. The lighting, the music, the chef… maybe it is too much. Maybe she hates it.
I swallow loudly as I open the French doors for her, and her mouth pops open in shock.
“Remember when I said that I know a guy?” I gesture to a smiling Ji-hoon next to the candlelit table. “Well, this is him. Ji-hoon is a good friend of my mom’s. He’ll be cooking for us tonight.”
“Oh!” Stefi’s hands fly to her mouth. “This is amazing. Hello, Ji-hoon, nice to meet you.”
She extends her hand and the chef grins at her before shaking it.
“Likewise, Stefi,” Ji-hoon says. “Cooper has told me an awful lot about you.”
I elbow Ji-hoon jokingly. “He means that I’ve told him a normal amount about you.”
“Oh, yes.” Ji-hoon’s eyes sparkle. “An extremely normal amount, of course.”
We all laugh, and my tension begins to ease. I gesture to our table, and place my hand on the small of Stefi’s back. “Right this way, milady.”
The smile she gives me shines brighter than all of the fairy lights in the world.
27
Stefi
Wow.
That’s all I can think as Cooper and I take a seat at the beautifully lit table.
I was expecting greasy containers of noodles and fried meat. I was expecting to eat on the couch together. It was a frantic, last-minute decision that had me change out of my shorts into a sundress. And I’m so glad that I did.
Because Cooper Monroe’s version of takeout is a world away from mine.
The penthouse rooftop is almost unrecognizable. It’s now a beautiful, intimate restaurant for two, complete with a Michelin star chef. I keep thinking that, eventually, I’ll get used to Cooper’s imaginative, creative ways of thinking. But he keeps on surprising me.
I lean forward on my elbows and stare into Cooper’s dark eyes. “Thank you so much, Cooper. This is unbelievable. I feel guilty that you’ve gone to all this trouble for me.”
He takes my hands. “It was no trouble. I actually worried that I’d gone a bit overboard. That you’d think it was too much.”
I open my mouth to respond, to tell him that this is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me, but Ji-hoon comes over with two glasses. “Banana milk — a Korean tradition.”
“Thank you.” I accept the bubbly, frothy concoction gladly.
“A toast.” Cooper raises his glass. “To you, Stefi. And everything you’ve taught me. I’m so happy I met you.”
His words melt my heart. I hold up my own glass, my body buzzing. “Likewise.”
Cooper’s eyes are like melting dark chocolate as we clink our glasses. I take a long sip of the thick liquid, letting it wash down my throat. The drink is cold, sweet and delicious. I feel like I’m beaming with happiness.
Cooper doesn’t take his eyes off me. “I’m glad you like it. It was my favorite as a child.”
Ji-hoon appears next to our table with a tray of raw marinated beef. He explains to me how to cook the meat over the little barbecue grill at the center of our table.
As soon as Ji-hoon returns to the kitchen, Cooper deftly picks up a piece of beef with his chopsticks. He lays it on the grill and there’s a satisfying sizzling noise. Not used to chopsticks, I gingerly pick them up and poke at the meat. Soon, though, I abandon the chopsticks in favor of my fork, feeling entirely uncultured.
“You’ll learn,” Cooper says with a hint of a smile, his tone reassuring.
I nod in response, trying to ignore a nagging little thought in my head. I wonder if Lila knows how to use chopsticks.
Over the next couple of hours, Cooper and I are treated to a variety of Korean dishes — from the beef bulgogi and pork galbi we grill ourselves, to gochujang fried chicken, kimchi, and Korean pancakes filled with seafood. The meal is to die for and, after devouring the last bite on my plate, I feel completely satisfied.
Until Ji-hoon appears with two huge sundae dishes of bingsu — a Korean shaved ice dessert. I scarf that down, too.
After Ji-hoon clears our plates — to a chorus of thanks from both me and Cooper — I sit back in my chair. The sun has long since set, but I’d barely noticed the time passing. The rooftop deck is alight with fairy lights and, above us, the stars are coming out in hordes. I’ve never felt so happy.
Cooper looks at me over the candlelight. He smiles wide as he reaches for my hand.
“Thank you so much, Stef.” His voice cracks slightly.
Confused as to why he’s thanking me, I tilt my head. “For what?”
“For being here. For being so open to trying this. I know that this is kind of new to you, and I appreciate you doing this with me. I don’t spend near enough time connecting with the Korean part of my heritage, and I’ve never known anyone who was eager to explore it with me.”
I smile weakly, feeling bad for my thought about Lila earlier. Cooper did all of this because he wanted to share another part of himself with me. He did it to be more open with me.
And that means the world.
“Thank you,” I tell him sincerely. “I can’t thank you enough for sharing this with me.”
“There’s nobody I’d rather do this with.”
Cooper’s cheeks tinge pink — it’s one of the only times I’ve seen him blush. My heart feels warm and happy. I’m so touched by all of this.
But, at the same time, a shiver of dread crawls up my spine.
We only have a few short weeks left together. I don’t want to imagine life after Cooper. I don’t want to think about how it’ll feel when he goes back to LA. Will he forget about me? Will he continue on with his life like this summer never happened?
I stare into his kind, wide eyes but I can’t ignore the uncomfortable racing of my heart. The truth is that with every moment I’ve spent with Cooper this summer, I’ve fallen a little further.
I’d never considered that I might fall so far that getting back up after he leaves could be near impossible.
28
Cooper
It’s midnight and I’m wide awake, smiling at the ceiling of my room. Every time I close my eyes, I relive my magical evening with Stefi. Everything about it was perfect. From Ji-hoon’s amazing food, to the stunning sunset, to watching the stars together after we’d finished eating.
I think about her beautiful hazel eyes, her wide smile, her enthusiasm for the food and appreciation for my effor
ts. Some girls may have been scared off — Lila, and a number of my ex-girlfriends, made it abundantly clear that they had no interest in eating anywhere but at Hollywood’s hottest restaurant of the week.
But Stefi isn’t like other girls.
Sometime over the course of dinner, it hit me like a kick to the chest — I have well and truly fallen for this girl.
Stefi makes me laugh. She challenges me and makes me want to be better in every way. My heart speeds up every time I lay my eyes on her. And I’d trust her with my life. I’ve never felt like this... About anybody.
Every girl I got close to in LA seemed to have a cookie-cutter idea of who they thought I should be. They wanted the life of fame and luxury, of movie premieres and private jets. Stefi doesn’t care about my money or my famous dad. I love taking her places and spoiling her a bit, but she’s just as happy watching Jeopardy! on the couch. Whether we’re eating home cooking together, or going on helicopter rides and dining on five-star cuisine, my life is simply better when Stefi‘s around.
She’s what I’ve been looking for all along — someone who makes me feel accepted for being myself.
A light knock on my bedroom door startles me. “Coop, you awake?”
I sit in bed. “Come in.”
Dad walks into my room, still dressed in his work clothes, and sits on the edge of my bed. He has deep, dark circles under his eyes, and he looks exhausted. He’s nearing the end of production on his movie and he’s doubling down on work now more than ever. I never knew what crazy hours he works. He has to be one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met.
This summer has made me realize that there’s a lot I never knew about my dad.
“Hey, kiddo. I saw that your light was on, so I thought I’d come in and say goodnight.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I smile and relax into my pillows. One of the unexpected side effects of my summer at Legacy Inn is the improvement in my relationship between my dad. We may not be the model picture of father-and-son just yet, but I’d like to think that we’ve grown closer. There’s an understanding between us that we didn’t used to share. “How was your day?”
The Complete Legacy Inn Collection: Four Sweet YA Romances Page 43