“The Disney movie.”
“I don’t watch a lot of movies.”
He wrapped his arm around my waist and shook his head in disbelief. “Jesus Christ, Doc, I’m a thirty-six-year-old bar owner and even I’ve heard of Frozen.”
“That’s just depressing.” I sighed. “Is it good?”
“Not after the fifty-sixth time, no.”
I threw my head back in laughter. “Clearly Joey thinks it’s good.”
“Yup.” He looked over at his nephew, who was laughing at whatever a surprisingly animated Emery was saying. “She likes kids.”
“I thought she might.” I studied her. “So, she looks like a character from Frozen, huh?”
Cooper smirked. “Actually, yeah. I didn’t see it until now.”
I chuckled and burrowed closer to him. “I like your nephew, Cooper.”
“He’s easy to like.”
After a moment of silence, he said, amused, “What about Cat?”
Hmm.
It wasn’t that I didn’t like her. “She doesn’t trust me. But it’s only because she loves you.”
“She’ll come around.” He kissed the side of my head. “Just give it time.”
The scary part was that for him . . . I was ready to give it all the time in the world.
NINETEEN
Cooper
Jess laughed at something Dahlia said and Cooper watched the two women together, transfixed. She laughed with her whole body. Pure joy.
It made standing in the middle of Main Street, holding shopping bags, surrounded by a ton of tourists, a lot easier to handle.
Two weeks had passed, and he and Jess had spent every spare moment together. Same as he’d done when he was married to Dana, he’d given Jace and Riley more management responsibilities so he could have time off to spend with Jess. It was music festival day in Hartwell, and Main Street was filled with stalls—people were selling music memorabilia, food, and arts and crafts, while band after band each did a set up on the bandstand.
Cat and Joey were with Jess at Dahlia’s jewelry stall, Joey standing in between his mother and the doc, holding their hands. Cooper couldn’t even put into words how much it meant to him that Joey had taken such a shine to Jess. And it meant a lot to him that Cat was at least trying, despite her reservations over the good doctor.
Not that Jess was a doctor anymore.
And that still didn’t sit right with him.
For the past two weeks she’d been working closely with Bailey at the inn, but Cooper could feel her floundering. Jess loved the inn, but he didn’t believe it was her calling in life. He was just waiting for her to wake up and realize it.
As for her new boss, Bailey loved music festival day, but she’d given Jess the day off so she could enjoy it with him and his family.
And Jess was more than enjoying it.
She was coming alive here. In his town. With him and his people.
A rush of possessiveness moved through him.
Cat broke away from Joey and Jess and sauntered over to him, smiling. “Thought I’d come and relieve you of those.” She took her shopping bags back, leaving him with Jess’s.
They both watched in silence for a moment and he shot his sister a look out of the corner of his eye. She was wearing a soft smile as she watched Jess hug a laughing Joey into her side.
He grinned.
Then she shot him a look out of the corner of her eye when she caught his expression. “What?”
He shrugged.
She turned to him, wearing an exasperated look. “What?”
He gave her a grin that said, You know what.
Cat huffed, rolling her eyes, but he caught the smile quirking the corners of her mouth. “Okay, okay. I like her.”
“I know you like her.”
“I’m still cautious, though,” she warned. “I don’t want you and Joey getting attached to someone who might pick up and leave.”
Feeling affectionate, he hooked an arm around Cat’s neck to draw her close. He kissed the side of her head. “Okay, Mom.”
She pushed him away playfully, huffing the whole time. “Whatever. You know, Aydan’s pretty annoyed at you. Apparently you told her you weren’t interested in dating her because you weren’t interested in dating anyone. She was surprised to hear about Jessica.”
“Jessica was a surprise to me, too.” He searched her eyes. “Aydan’s not really pissed, is she?”
“Nah.” She shrugged. “You know Aydan. And anyway, I told you before that you were the last on her . . .”
But Cooper didn’t hear the rest of what she had to say because he felt an odd sensation on the back of his neck and turned around to look for whoever was staring at him.
Through the crowd of tourists and locals his gaze collided with Dana’s. She was standing with her sister. Watching him.
Fuck.
He whipped back around, his whole body tensed. Since the night he’d thrown her out of his bar, he hadn’t seen or heard from his ex-wife. Cooper thought that meant he’d finally gotten it through to her that they were over.
Now she was watching him with those goddamn puppy dog eyes again.
“Shit.”
“Jesus Christ,” Cat snapped, glowering over his shoulder. “Has she been bugging you again? Because if she’s bothering you again, screw it. I’m throat punching her.”
Cooper grunted, knowing his sister was only half joking. “You cannot afford to get arrested. You have responsibilities.” He pointed to Joey, who was now standing at the next stall from Dahlia’s, laughing hysterically up at Jessica, who was currently sporting a long, curly wig for his amusement and making devil horns with her hands.
“God, she’s a goof.” Cat smirked.
He grinned, his annoyance with Dana far outweighed by the tenderness he felt for Jess. “Yeah, and she’s all mine.”
“Ugh, when did you become such a sucker for romance?” She nudged him, feigning disgust.
He shrugged. “I have no qualms admitting I like the woman who shares my bed.”
“No talk of beds.” This time she shoved him.
“What? Are you five?” He laughed because as hard as she shoved him he hadn’t budged.
She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest as she scrutinized Jess and Joey again. “She’s really good with him. Does she know?”
“Know what?”
“The rest of the story? Yours and Dana’s?”
“No.”
“Huh. I’m surprised this lot have managed to keep their mouths shut about it.”
“Sometimes they know when to be discreet.”
“Apparently.”
They both chuckled as the stall owner demanded the wig back from Jess, gesticulating at her, presumably asking her to pay for the thing if she was going to insist on wearing it. Cat sobered quickly as she turned back to him. “Are you going to tell her?”
“I’m sure it’ll come up.” He didn’t see the point in laying out all the problems he’d had with Dana. Not yet. Not until it was time for that conversation.
Jess and Joey were moving back toward them, having to push through the small crowd around Dahlia’s stall, when Jess, who was too busy yapping to Joey, was suddenly knocked back by a man who hadn’t been looking where he was going, either.
The guy gripped her arms, steadying her, and as they turned to apologize to each other, Cooper’s blood immediately overheated.
Jack Devlin.
And he was smiling down at Jessica.
Cooper was moving before he could stop himself, ignoring Cat saying his name urgently behind him. As soon as he reached them, he shoved in between them, gently pushing Jess and Joey behind him.
“Cooper,” Jess said, surprised. And annoyed.
He ignored her annoyance and stared at Jack.
Don’t you even fucking think about it.
Something flashed in Jack’s eyes. If he were the old Jack, Cooper would have recognized that “something” as regret. But he didn’t know this Jack. This Jack lifted his hands in surrender and stepped back. “I was just apologizing for bumping into her.”
Cooper kept a tight lid on the desire to punch the guy, unable to speak for fear he’d say more than the current situation warranted.
Jack’s gaze moved over Cooper’s shoulder. “I heard you’d moved on. I’m glad for you.”
Choked with anger, Cooper stayed silent.
His old friend gave him a taut nod of his head and just walked away.
What the hell?
He stared after Jack, wondering if he’d make sense of that particular Devlin ever again, and as his gaze moved past Jack, Cooper caught sight of Dana.
She was too busy watching Jack to notice Cooper watching her.
“What was that?” Jessica was suddenly in his face, scowling at him.
He glanced to his side to see Cat had Joey in hand. His sister was visibly concerned. “I’m fine,” he told her.
“Cooper?”
Jessica stepped into him, touching his chest to get his attention. He curled his hand around her wrist and brought her knuckles to his lips for a kiss. “It was nothing.”
“It was Jack Devlin,” Cat said.
Jess’s mouth formed an O shape and sympathy he couldn’t bear to see lit her eyes. “Coop,” she whispered.
He pulled away, not wanting sympathy from anyone. In that moment he regretted admitting to her how much it had stung to lose Jack. He handed Jess her shopping bags and turned to his nephew for distraction. “How about some ice cream from Antonio’s?”
“Yeah!”
He swung Joey up onto his back and the boy wrapped his arms around Cooper’s neck and held on.
Relief moved through him as they walked through the crowds, his nephew’s chatter filling his ears, and helping him forget the fury that had scored through him at the mere sight of Jack talking to Jessica.
TWENTY
Jessica
The inn was a beautiful place to work. It could be peaceful. It could be busy and fun. There were downsides—where customers were involved there were always downsides. Some people weren’t as friendly or as easygoing as others. Some made being particular into an art form. But it was nothing I couldn’t handle. And I liked working with Bailey, although to be fair we actually saw less of each other now that I was working for her.
Another downside.
The biggest downside, however, the one that scared me, was the niggling voice in my head that whispered that hospitality really wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life.
Okay, so I knew that running an inn probably wouldn’t turn out to be a permanent thing, but knowing only two weeks into it that I didn’t have the passion for it that Bailey did was scary stuff. Because that meant I needed to start thinking about what the heck I was planning to do with the rest of my life.
Trying my best not to think about that, I was in the middle of helping Mona close up the kitchen for the night when my phone vibrated in my pocket.
Cooper’s name flashed on the screen and with it came the butterflies.
Still.
I wondered if and when the excitement of being with him would go away.
I was hoping never, because it was a pretty awesome feeling.
“Hey, you.” I smiled as I answered the phone.
“Doc, I got a problem,” he said without saying hello.
I immediately went on alert. “Oh?”
“Archie is here. He’s not drinking, though. Just sitting at the bar, looking depressed as all hell. It’s something about Anita, and I’m guessing you have an idea what’s going on. Any chance you could get away to come down and talk to him?”
Obviously things with Anita were as I’d suspected. “Of course. I’ll be right there.”
“Everything okay?” Mona said as I got off the phone.
“I’m not sure. Do you mind if I head out for a bit?”
“No problem. I’ll get finished here and lock up front for you.”
“Thanks, Mona.” I gave her shoulder a squeeze. Despite her control-freakery in the kitchen, she’d turned out to be a pretty cool lady.
I hurried out of the inn and down the boardwalk, my heart pounding faster the closer I got to Cooper’s. My fear was that nothing could be done for Anita, that her cancer had progressed too far, and Archie was in the first stages of grief.
Inside the dimly lit bar, my eyes met Cooper’s first and he gave me a tender look before nodding his head toward Archie. The place was packed, but unlike most nights, when Archie found someone to chat with, he was huddled up on a stool in the corner, staring forlornly into a full draft of beer.
My stomach twisted with sympathy for him as I slowly made my way over to him. When I placed a hand on his shoulder he turned to look at me.
His gaze softened. “Hey, Doc.”
“Hey, Archie.” I leaned in to him. “Do you feel like taking a walk with me? It’s a beautiful night.”
He shot Cooper a look. “You called her?”
Cooper didn’t say anything.
“You called her.” Archie heaved a deep sigh and then to my surprise moved off the stool with little prodding. “Alright, Doc, let’s take that walk.”
He walked close by my side and it was the first time I’d really noticed much about him. Although it would be fair to call Archie an alcoholic, he was certainly a functioning alcoholic. He was immaculate, for a start. From head to toe. The crisp, fresh scent of soap clung to him, his hair was combed and styled, his shirt and pants ironed with perfect crease lines, and his black leather shoes were gleaming they’d been shined so well. I wondered if it was all Anita’s doing.
Looking at him, at his well-trimmed gray beard and warm brown eyes, I could see he’d been a handsome man, and by some miracle he’d escaped the wrath of alcohol on his physical appearance.
I stopped us near the bandstand by leaning on the railing to look out at the dark waters. “So . . .”
Archie came to a halt beside me, his sad gaze following mine to the gentle surf. “I guess you know about Anita.”
“I don’t. I just know what I suspected when I told her to go see her doctor.”
“Cancer.” He looked at me now, anguished. “It’s not good, Doc. They told her weeks ago. She only just got up the courage to tell me.”
Sorrow for him and Anita tightened my chest and I couldn’t help but reach for his hand. “I’m so sorry, Archie.”
“They say she’s got a chance. But it’s going to be a tough fight.”
“Anita seems like a tough woman. If anyone can do it, I’m sure she can.”
“Ah, Doc.” Archie sighed heavily. “That woman is the strongest woman I have ever met. But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t got lots of soft in her. She’s cut up about this. She needs me.”
“So you’ll help her.” I squeezed his hand.
In answer he yanked away from my touch. “She needs me,” he snapped. “And do I look like the kind of man she can depend on? I’m all she’s got and I’m going to fail.”
I considered my options. I could pander to him, tell him everything would be alright. Or I could be blunt.
I went with my instincts.
“The next year is going to be the toughest year of Anita’s life. From what I’ve heard she’s a good woman. You need to step up, Archie.”
“How can I look after her when my priority has been the drink this long?” He shook his head. “I’ve had a lot of shit happen to me . . . and the drink has always been there for me. Now it’s going to cost me.”
“Anita gets that, doesn’t she? About you and the drink. She’s never tried to change you or take it away from you.�
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He turned his head to stare at me, surprised perhaps by my understanding. “Never, Doc. Not once. She took me as I am.”
“Then you owe her. She needs you. Don’t take you away from her. Not now.”
Fear darkened his face. “I’d need to kick it—to really be what she needs. How the hell can I do that in time, Doc? There’s no way.”
It was true that rehabilitation was an extremely hard and long road for addicts, but sometimes things happened in life that made us more capable than we’d ever imagined. According to Cooper, Archie hadn’t drunk a drop all night. Anyone would reason that the first thing Archie would have done was drown his sorrows in the drink.
He didn’t.
I leaned in to him, speaking from my heart. “People can do extraordinary things to save the ones they love.”
Watching Archie walk away, I was suffused with melancholy. Archie had accepted my comfort, and I’d like to think I helped a little.
For a start he was going home to Anita, rather than returning to the bar.
But he had a hard road ahead. They both did. And I was sorry for them.
A pall hanging over me, I decided to head back into the bar to tell Cooper I’d sent Archie home, but also because I needed a Cooper hug.
I was not amused, then, upon strolling back into the pub to find a woman in jeans so tight they looked painted on sitting up on the bar counter, her red stilettos settled on a stool. She had her fingers curled in Cooper’s shirt and was looking at him with sex in her eyes.
Cooper had been trying to gently loosen her grip on him.
When Ollie clapped him on the shoulder and gestured to me, Cooper scowled and yanked the woman’s hand off him.
She pouted and tried to grab a hold of him again.
I could feel the regulars’ eyes on me, obviously excited for a show, as I hurried over to Cooper. Of course I wasn’t going to give them a show, but I was going to get this stranger out of my man’s bar.
“Come on, Coop, why you acting so tense?” I heard her say, and I bristled at her familiarity with him.
“May I help you?” I said, stopping at the bar.
The One Real Thing (Hart's Boardwalk) Page 25