by Taylor Hart
She squinted at him, looking thoughtful. “That’s not in your book. Or online in any interviews.”
Feeling pleasure at the fact she’d done her homework, he looked away. “No, it’s not.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s good.”
He didn’t say anything.
“It’s good and you know it and you didn’t use it. Why?”
He met her pointed stare. “Because it’s mine.”
For a second she didn’t move, then she nodded and blinked.
“Personal pain.” He scoffed. “That’s what it’s called. And, yes, I know I recommend people share their pain to release it. They should.” He insisted. “But…I guess I haven’t been able to let it go.”
Cocking her head to the side, she seemed to evaluate him. “It’s okay, my dad always told me that if you look hard enough at your trials…you’ll eventually find the seed of good that wouldn’t have been able to get planted any other way.”
Cooper gave her a half smile. “Spoken like a true farmer.”
She nodded.
Once again, everything seemed slow and sticky between them and he wondered if all the pain in his life had somehow brought him here. To this moment. With her. To deflect his thoughts, he refocused the conversation. “Plus, you have your new guy.”
Quickly, she shook her head. “You’re right.”
That nagging suspicion that she was lying to him wouldn’t go away. He wanted to demand she be honest, but he stayed silent.
Silence reigned, and they stared into each other’s eyes.
All Cooper wanted to do was demand answers from her. He’d never felt this kind of attraction and empathy for anyone in his whole life so quickly. He licked his lips. “So you still believe in God?”
Confusion filled her face. “Why would you ask that?”
“Well, because you obviously don’t feel like things worked out. Or maybe you do with the new guy,” he said quickly. “But you were hurt. Dillon hurt you. Why would God let that happen?”
She shook her head. “Our life is to be tested. Part of that is not knowing why. You should know that. You’re the guru.”
The center of his heart warmed. “I guess. After Nadia’s … after she left the first time, I was heartbroken. When she came back, I began looking for answers. I actually still believed in a God then. In a father who cared for his children. But after she died, I just … I just felt like if there is someone in charge, it can’t be a father. It can’t be a man. Because he would know it hurts. Too much. He wouldn’t be able to do that. So I guess that’s why yoga feels so good. If we are all just here to have an experience, like it’s impersonal to our creator, that feels … possible. We’re all connected as energy. I can handle that.”
She cocked her head to the side. “So do you pray now?”
He flashed a grin. “I manifest.”
She smiled back. “Right.”
“You don’t believe me.”
Hesitating briefly, she let out a breath. “At your talk on manifesting, I kept wondering why I manifested a fiancé that left me.”
The answer was clear to him, but he didn’t want to say it. He bit his bottom lip and looked up into the dark sky.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“What were you going to say?”
Cooper couldn’t stop himself. “Whatever we manifest, we feel. So the feelings of losing him must have been buried deep inside of you.”
She narrowed her eyes. “So you manifested your wife leaving you and dying?” The way she said it showed she clearly felt angered by his statement.
He shrugged. “I guess I did.”
More anger and passion filled her eyes.
He loved watching her emotions fluctuate across her face. “Obviously, you don’t agree.”
“I don’t agree.”
“Then what? An angry God did it?”
Waiting for a few seconds, she held his eyes. “No, a God who loves us. Who might not like what happens to us but knows it’s part of our experience and it will make us better people.”
He rolled his eyes. “Sounds sick to me.”
She threw her hands up. “You’re telling me it sounds better to believe we’re just manifesting what we’re feeling? How is there order to that?”
Mimicking her, he threw up his hands. “Why does there have to be order to anything?” Man, he wanted to grab her and kiss her. His adrenaline was rushing through his system. He liked debating with her.
She stood. “I need to go.”
All the fun of it disappeared. He stood. “No, don’t leave.”
She moved over to the chairs next to the fire pit he had for his meetings with the Junto boys.
“Sit.” He pointed to a chair. “Please.”
She looked at the chair and then back to him. “Why? So you can mock God some more?”
“Whoa, I’m sorry.” Cooper put up both hands defensively. “You’re right. I crossed the line. Guess I was just having too much fun arguing with you.”
London crossed her arms. “You can have your own beliefs, and I don’t even mind arguing, but there are things I won’t sit for.”
“That should be chapter ten: ‘Stand For What You Stand For.’”
The smile returned to her face. “You’re gonna owe me so many stinking royalties.”
Cooper reached down and pushed the ignition button for the fire pit. “Stick around, London Bridges falling down...”
“You don’t know when to quit,” she said with a chuckle.
“Fine, I won’t call you that for the rest of the night if you sit down.
“I’ll stay if you tell me more about you,” she said as she sat.
Cooper took a chair and slid it close to hers. “You’ve read it. My dad left, my mom went from relationship to relationship.”
She pointed at him. “An article in People magazine said you ran track in high school, but you were known for your relationship advice even then.”
Poking at the briquettes, Cooper thought back. “I wanted to fix my mother. Then my two older sisters, then I wanted to figure out how to get dates.”
She laughed.
Relaxing, he smiled back at her. “I read all the early books on the powers of the mind and how to attract the things you want.”
She concentrated and said slowly, “It’s like planting an acorn and watching it grow. You plant it and the tree’s energy attracts what it needs.”
That was pretty much a direct quote. “Wow. I’m flattered.”
“So I cyberstalked you a bit.”
He liked it. Especially because she wasn’t the kind of woman he usually met at the seminars who fell all over themselves and praised him at every turn. If anything, she hadn’t wanted to be around him. Well, strike that, she had just made it clear she didn’t want a relationship with him. “Fair’s fair. Tell me more about you.”
She got quiet then leaned forward. “I would, but then I’d have to kill you.”
“Overused line.” He gave her a bored look.
She smiled.
“Besides, you already have to kill me. Remember, London Bri—” He caught himself in time and let her name hang there.
“You do have a point.”
Wanting to needle her, he asked. “Unless you think your boyfriend might get jealous if you answered the questions?”
She shook her head. “I guarantee my boyfriend won’t get mad. He’s far too confident in himself to be jealous.”
Giving her a slight grin, he nodded. “Of course he is.” He turned to her. “So you grew up on a farm.”
“Yep. My parents still farm and ranch.”
“Where?”
“Nebraska.”
“Do I get in trouble if I call you a cornhusker?”
London’s chin lifted slightly. “I’m proud of my heritage.”
“Why’d you leave?”
“Enough questions.” London held her hands out to the fire. “My turn.” She
looked straight at him, and the fire flickered in her eyes. “There was another reason you asked me to come up here, wasn’t there?”
Cooper couldn’t hold her eyes without leaning forward into them, and if he did that he’d probably kiss her again.
As if reading his thoughts, London added. “Just as friends, remember?”
Casually, he said, “You read my mind, London B.”
“I knew it. So shoot.” Instead of holding her hands flat toward the flames, she fidgeted with them.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to answer.” Cooper put his feet up on the rim of the bricks that surrounded the fire pit. “It’s about your nonprofit.”
London’s hands went still. Without turning her head, she shifted her eyes to study him.
“I just want to know if your organization would benefit from some philanthropic billionaires I know.”
Chapter 11
London’s mouth fell open. This was the opportunity she’d been waiting for since … since she’d been in her freshman year in college and had done a report on the human trafficking going in and out of this country. When she’d first discovered that most pornography consumed comes from women and young children being captured and forced by drugs or coercion from other family members who were also captured.
She couldn’t believe it.
The way he stared at her with those green eyes made the center of her chest melt. All of the lies she’d told flowed away, and the words that would confess the truth gathered at the back of her throat.
She couldn’t do that. Cooper Harrison had just taken everything between them way beyond a flirty fling. The resources his group had at their disposal could change hundreds of lives. Thousands. Maybe more. He’d never hand over money to a dirt-digging journalist who had told him nothing but lies.
“Are you serious?” Phew. Those words were safe enough.
Cooper nodded. “As a heart attack.”
“Miss.”
Both of them turned. Mira was coming toward them. “It appears someone is at the front desk looking for you.”
Bewildered, she pushed the chair back. “Oh.” Could it be Marcia?
“Your boyfriend?” Cooper pushed back and stood next to her.
“Maybe.” The cool night had gotten uncomfortably warm. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Who in the heck could be here? And why had anything gotten in the way of Cooper Harrison talking about giving money to her organization?
Cooper gestured to the stairs. “Let’s go find out.”
London saw him before they even got to the stairs. After all, her brother Tom was pretty identifiable with his cowboy hat on and his military duffel bag flung over his shoulder. Plus, he was a tall man at six four, six five with his boots on.
A hotel employee was with him. The man nodded proudly as soon as he saw London and Cooper.
Tom looked up and met her eyes, a giant grin on his face.
Then he was rushing up, taking the stairs two at a time.
Sincere happiness filled her. Racing down the stairs, she almost fell.
They met halfway, and Tom tugged her up and into a tight hug. “I missed you!”
Tears filled London’s eyes. She tried to talk but found it impossible
So many nights she’d prayed for him, hoping he’d come back in one piece. This was no cosmic manifestation. God had heard those prayers. She let out a half cry, half laugh.
Tom pulled back, and London saw tears in his eyes too. “I decided if you couldn’t come to me, I’d come to you.”
From behind her, Cooper said, “Well, you do seem happy to see him.”
Tom looked up. After a quick glance back at London, he put out his hand. “Hey.”
With narrowed eyes, Cooper glanced at her and then back to Tom. The side of his lip tugged up, and she saw his dimple appear. “Hey.”
Letting out a nervous laugh, London introduced them. “Tom, Cooper. Cooper, Tom.”
Cooper still looked back and forth between her and Tom. “Nice to meet you.”
Tom pulled his hand back, nodding. “You too.”
“You’re in the military?”
“Yep, only a couple of days left. I couldn’t go back over there without seeing her.”
Cooper smacked his lips and said, “Let’s, uh, get off these stairs.”
London was thankful for the chance to hide her flaming red face and collect her thoughts. She led Tom down to the landing where he took her by the shoulders and looked into her face. “What’s wrong? Are you mad I came?” He jerked his thumb back to the hotel. “I got my own room, so I won’t be in the way of your work.”
“What?” Cooper asked.
The sound of her cover up laugh sounded weird to her. “Ha, ha, ‘My Boyfriend Has Boundaries.’” She smiled up at him. “Chapter Seven.”
For a second, Tom stared at her, obviously confused. Still, his look was the same kind they used to give each other when they were kids and they both knew they were lying to their parents about something. It confirmed he knew he had had to cover for her. He cleared his throat and turned back to Cooper. “Right. You know writers.” Tom smiled at Cooper. “Okay, are you the Cooper Harrison? The guy in charge of this whole place?” Tom glanced around, letting out a low whistle.
Cooper kept his narrowed eyes trained on her for a second, looking confused. Then he refocused on Tom. “In the flesh.” He hesitated. “You’re going to sit in on some of the classes, right?”
Tom shook his head. “Nah, I haven’t paid for it.”
Waving a hand into the air, Cooper shook his head. “Nonsense, you’re welcome to enjoy it all. In fact,” he put a finger up in the air, “why don’t you forget your hotel room and come stay at the house as my guest?” He spread his hands.
Never able to refuse something free, Tom let out a ripple laugh. “In four days, I’ll be sleeping on an army cot. I won’t turn down any sort of luxury.”
“It’s the least I could do for one of our military.”
Tom nodded and gave Cooper a soft pat on the shoulder. “You’re not a bad guy, Cooper.”
Cooper didn’t acknowledge the comment, just gestured to the party. “Please, mingle. Enjoy yourself.”
“Well, I think Tom and I will want to talk for awhile,” London said quickly, unsure why Cooper was being so kind and rational about all of this. Her nerves were jumping in her gut, and all she knew was she didn’t want to face the music with Cooper at the moment. Seeing Tom after a year on opposite sides of the world was worth almost any price. Hopefully, it wouldn’t cost her a chance to help women and children all over the world.
Cooper nodded. “Okay.”
Tom had already spotted a woman, and London could see where it was heading. Putting his arm around London, he squeezed her. “Hon, don’t you want to stay down here and dance? I’m all wound up.” He gave her the look that said, I don’t get to be around single women like this and you know it.
Cooper was already waving over one of his staff. “Please take his duffel bag to my guest room, and alert the staff he’ll be my guest for the next couple of days.”
Putting her hand to her head, she faked a grumpy face. “I do feel a headache coming on, but let’s dance first, and then we can go up.”
Her heart raced. She could do one dance with Tom, give him the lay of the land and then head up to bed and leave Tom on his own. It wasn’t like Cooper watched every guest, did he?
“Great.” Tom freely gave up his duffel bag and let out a laugh, catching her eye. “Let’s dance.”
Before she knew it, he had her swinging around the floor to a country tune, taking her in and out of complicated steps. Her parents had insisted both of them learn to dance, and they’d been dance partners while growing up.
Tom slowed it down and pulled her in, taking her into a two-step. “So that’s the guy you’re trying to hustle?”
She sighed, but couldn’t help smiling at him. “You look good, bro.” She gave his hand a squeeze.
Pulling her in fast
and then whipping her into a pretzel move, he let out a low laugh and then went back to the two-step. “You look good too.” He glanced at Cooper, who still stood on the sidelines watching them.
London saw two girls walking up to Cooper. One was tall and blonde with long hair and heels six inches high. The other had black, A-line cut hair and a short, tight miniskirt.
Cooper’s eye caught hers, and her heart fluttered. She looked away, knowing she was blushing.
Tom sighed. “The guy is interested in you.”
London accidentally stepped on Tom’s foot. “That’s why you’re playing the fake boyfriend.” She couldn’t help letting out a happy laugh. “And I missed you!” She pulled him in, feeling more gratitude. “Even though you just complicated everything, I’m glad you’re here.”
He grinned wider and turned her faster. “So give me the details on our relationship.”
“Oh, we met last week, and you’re leaving soon.”
He grunted. “You’re pathetic. You concocted your brother?”
She kicked him in the shin when he spun her around his back. “Shut up.”
He laughed.
Giving him a pointed look, she tried not to sound overly naggy. “So don’t flirt with too many girls tonight.”
He gave the crowd a veiled scan. “After you get a headache, I’ll dance with a couple and then retire.” He grinned. “But I had to come see you. I had some close calls last time.”
Her heartstrings pulled. This was news to her. “What?”
He nodded. “I didn’t write home about it, but there were a couple of times I felt like … like God was protecting me.” He paused, and his face got more intense. “’Cause I’m telling you, sis. I could feel the bullets graze by.”
She shuddered, hating to think about it. Tom never spoke about it.
She frowned. “So are you here because you think your luck is running out?” She sounded angry, but she really was just scared. It wasn’t lost on her that now she really did feel a headache behind her left eye.
Tom pulled her into a hug. “No. No, sis.” He pulled back. They had stopped dancing. “I’m fine. I just … when you are constantly reminded of life ending, it gives you perspective on what’s important.” He took her back into the dance moves. “You’re important. Spending time with you is important.”