by Laura Farr
After a minute or so of singing and wiggling my hips as I stand at the stove, someone clears their throat behind me. I scream and drop the spatula I was stirring the Bolognese with onto the tiled floor. Spinning around, I feel my face flush as I see Cooper leaning on the doorjamb, a huge smile on his face. My eyes drop from his face, taking in just how good he looks. He must have come straight from work, his white company t-shirt pulled tightly across his chest. His tanned, inked arms bulge from the sleeves of his t-shirt, and I can’t stop staring at him, even though I’m sure I look like an idiot having been caught singing and dancing around his kitchen. I have no idea how long he’s been standing there. The music is so loud, neither me nor Bailey heard him come in. My eyes finally make it back up to his face, only to see his eyes roaming my body.
Suddenly, I feel self-conscious that I’m not wearing much, just tiny jean shorts and a short, strapless top that shows off my flat stomach. Realizing that the radio is still blaring out music, I drag my eyes off him and turn around to switch it off.
“Shit. You scared me.” Grabbing a cloth off the side, I kneel down to wipe the floor, only to see that Bailey has cleaned it for me. Standing up, I lean against the counter, watching him as he walks toward me.
“Don’t turn it off on my account. I was enjoying the show.” He winks before reaching around me and turning the radio back on, though he lowers the volume.
“I, erm…wasn’t expecting you yet? Don’t you have to get Bella?” I ask, trying not to let him see how affected I am by how close he’s standing.
“I finished a bit early. It was quiet. I wondered if you wanted to come with me to collect her. There might be times I can’t get out of work and I need you to pick her up. If you’ve been and met the staff, they’ll let you pick her up.”
“Okay, I’d love to. I’ll just turn the stove off. I can heat this up later.”
“It smells great, Lex.” He reaches into the drawer for a spoon and steals a mouthful out of the pan before I can stop him.
“Hey!” I chastise. “You have to wait until later!” I smack him lightly on the arm and he laughs. I try not to think too much about the fact he just called me Lex. It’s because his sister does, not for any other reason.
“Mmmm, this is good.” He goes to put the spoon in the pan again, but I’m ready this time, and grab it from his hand.
“Cooper Matthews. Step away from the Bolognese.”
He bursts out laughing. “Did you just full name me?”
I nod. “I’d have used your middle name, too, if I knew it.” A smile pulls on my lips, and I love how easily the banter flows between us.
“Well, I’m not telling you or you’ll be middle naming me next time!” he jokes.
I roll my eyes and throw the spoon into the sink. “I’ll ask Bella,” I tell him with a smirk. “I’m going to fetch my shoes. Stay away from the dinner! I’ll meet you out front.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he shouts and salutes.
I laugh as I jog outside and up the steps to my apartment. Pulling my flip-flops on, I lock the door behind me and head down the side of the house to the driveway. Cooper’s sitting in the truck with his sunglasses on, and I swallow as I walk over, suddenly feeling nervous to be around him. Climbing into the passenger side, I flick my eyes across to him.
“Good day?” I ask, trying to get my feelings for him under control. I’m going to be seeing a lot of him and I can’t be checking him out and lusting after him every time I see him.
He nods. “Yeah, actually, it was. We quoted for a big job last week and found out today that we got the contract.”
“Hey, that’s great! Congratulations. What sort of job is it?”
“It’s the library in Oceanside. It’s relocating to a larger building, but the space they’ve chosen needs a complete remodel.” We pull up at a stoplight and he turns to look at me. “We’ve been looking for a big project like this for a while. It will be great for the business. It’ll really get our name out there.”
“I’m pleased for you, Coop.” I try out shortening his name, liking how it sounds. The lights change and he focuses his eyes back on the road, turning left and pulling onto the parking lot of Bella’s preschool.
“We’re a little early yet. Shall we stay in the truck for a bit? It’s warm out today.”
“Sure.” I tell him, enjoying the cool breeze of the air conditioning on my hot skin.
“Are you officially moved into the apartment then? Can Maddie get her couch back now?” he asks with a smile as he removes his seat belt.
“I am! I moved the last of my stuff today. Maddie is more than welcome to her couch. God, that thing is uncomfortable. I swear, I’ve got a permanent crick in my neck.” I roll my neck from side to side and groan as I hear it click. “My new mattress is amazing, though. I almost can’t wait to go to bed.” He bursts out laughing and shakes his head.
“You should try a cot in Afghanistan, then you’ll know what it means to have a shit night’s sleep. Maddie’s couch is a dream compared to those things.”
“Well, yeah… I’m sure it wasn’t as uncomfortable as that. I never understand why they make you sleep in those shitty cots. How could you do your job if you never got any sleep?”
He shrugs and shifts around in his seat until his body is facing me. “Your body gets used to it real quick. You’re so exhausted from being on high alert all the time, you’ll sleep anywhere. By my third deployment, I could pretty much sleep standing up.”
“Do you miss it? The Marines, I mean. Not the sleeping standing up.”
“Sometimes. I miss the guys I worked with. But when Emerson died, there was no way I wanted to stay in the service. I wanted to be at home with Bella. She needed me, and I needed her. Leaving was the only option.” He sighs and drags a hand through his hair. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked. I don’t want to upset him. I’m about to change the subject when he continues. “I love working with Alex now, though. Before I joined the military, I worked for a construction company. When Alex wanted to start his own business, it was an easy decision to go in with him.” I breathe a silent sigh of relief that my question hasn’t upset him. “Alex is my best friend, and if my hunch is right, I’ve no doubt he’ll be my brother-in-law one day, too.”
My eyes go wide, and I grin. “You think?”
“Don’t you?”
“Yeah, I guess. They seem great together, and Maddie adores him.” I groan inwardly and instantly know I’ve broken some girl code. “Shit! Please don’t tell Alex I told you that. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“My lips are sealed. Although it’s pretty obvious how much they like each other.”
I nod and pull my phone from my back pocket as I feel it vibrate with an incoming message. I frown and let out a sigh when I see a text from Greg. He’d been messaging me on and off for the past couple days. I’d ignored them all, but he hadn’t taken the hint that I didn’t want to communicate.
“Everything okay?” Cooper asks, concern evident in his voice.
Deleting the message, I slip my phone back into my pocket. “Yeah. Just a message from my ex.”
“Is he bothering you?”
“No more than normal.” I smile, hoping he won’t ask me anything else. I don’t want to tell him what an idiot I’d been. “What time does Bella come out?” I ask, eager to change the subject. He watches me, his brows furrowed in concern.
“In a few minutes. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. Honestly.”
“Okay, if you’re sure. Let’s get out and wait for them to open the door.” After climbing out of the truck, we walk across the parking lot. A small group of people gathers by the building and we join them. “When they open the door, they let the kids out one by one when they see their parent, or whoever is picking them up.” I nod just as the door swings open and a woman about my age comes out. She holds the door open with her body, her eyes flicking around the faces of the parents. As her eyes move around the group, she begins
to call names out, beckoning for the children to come forward. When her eyes land on Cooper, she looks him up and down before smiling and calling Bella’s name.
“I think you might have a fan there,” I tell him, going up on my tiptoes to whisper in his ear. He turns to me and rolls his eyes.
“Yeah. She’s asked me out a handful of times. Never gonna happen.”
“Not your type?”
“No, not really.” His gaze holds mine, and I feel my face flush. I want to ask him what his type is, but I can’t get the words out. There are quite a few pictures of Emerson dotted around the house. I’ve seen how beautiful she was. He could have his pick of whomever he wants. With his looks and personality, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets asked out all the time.
“Lexi!” Bella cries from the doorway, and I’m forced to look away, my eyes finding Bella as she barrels toward us. She’s carrying her bag, which she drops on the ground when she reaches me, throwing her arms around my waist.
“Hey, Bells. Surprise!” I cry, picking her up and swinging her around.
“Are you going to pick me up every day, Lexi?” She puts her arms around my neck and squeezes me tightly.
“Not every day, but maybe sometimes—if that’s okay with you?”
“Yay!” she exclaims, wriggling out of my arms. “Come and meet my teacher, Miss Black.” She takes my hand and tugs me toward the pretty blonde who’s still holding the door open. I look over my shoulder at Cooper, who’s chuckling as he follows us. As we reach the open door, Miss Black smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. I guess she’s seen me with Cooper and thinks we’re together.
“Miss Black, this is Lexi. She’s going to look after me at home,” Bella explains, her hand still holding mine.
“Hi, Lexi,” she says, holding out her hand. “The staff have heard a lot about you.”
“You have?” I ask in surprise.
“Oh, yes. You’ve made quite an impression on Bella. We wondered if we’d get to meet you. Are you going to be picking Lexi up instead of her dad?” Her eyes flick past me to Cooper, and this time, the smile she flashes him lights up her face. I’m obviously not considered a threat any longer. Before I can answer her question, I feel Cooper come and stand behind me. His arm comes around my waist, his fingers resting on the bare skin of my side.
“I’ll still be collecting Bella, but Lexi will pick her up occasionally when I can’t.” His thumb rubs circles over the skin just above the waistband of my shorts, and goose bumps erupt on my body from where his fingers caress me. What feels like little shocks of electricity shoot up my spine, and I can barely concentrate on the conversation that’s happening around me.
Miss Black’s eyes drop to Cooper’s hand, and she frowns slightly. “Well, it’s good to meet you. I’ll let the other staff know and will add you to Bella’s collection sheet. Have a good weekend.”
With Cooper’s arm still around me, all I can manage is a smile and a small wave of my hand, but even that gesture takes more effort than it should.
“Let’s go.” Cooper says, turning me and placing his hand on the small of my back. I hold Bella’s hand across the parking lot as Cooper guides us to the truck. His palm remains on my back until we reach the truck, then he removes it to open the door. I’m silent as I climb in and watch him over my shoulder as he fastens Bella into her car seat. He kisses her gently on the head before closing her door and climbing into the driver’s seat.
It’s a short drive back to the house, but thankfully, I don’t have time to analyze what just happened. Bella talks the whole way home, filling us in on her day and what activities she’s done. When we pull onto the drive, I excuse myself and head for the apartment. I need a few minutes alone to process my thoughts.
Flopping down onto my bed, I run my hand over my face. I’d been with Greg for six years. I’d lost touch with the rules of flirting or the signs that a guy is interested. Did the touching and the hand holding and the lingering stares mean he might be interested? What if he isn’t? What if he is just being friendly and I am completely reading everything wrong? There is no way I can make the first move. If I am wrong, I’ll mess everything up.
After ten minutes, I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed. Knowing I need to get dinner finished, I force myself to stand up and head down the apartment steps. There is shouting and laughter coming from the back yard, and as I push the gate open, I see Bella and Cooper in the pool. Cooper is throwing Bella across the pool and she screams before she hits the water, disappearing underneath. When she surfaces, she laughs before swimming over to Cooper, her floaties keeping her buoyant. I watch them for a few minutes before I walk into view and head for the doors that lead into the kitchen.
“Come into the pool, Lexi,” Bella shouts as she sees me walk past.
“I’m just cooking dinner, sweetheart,” I call back. “Are you hungry?”
She nods her head and climbs out of the pool.
“What are you cooking?” she asks, walking toward me, the water dripping off her body. Bailey is lying in the sun by the pool and he gets up when he sees Bella moving. Padding over to her, she strokes him as she waits for me to answer.
“Spaghetti Bolognese. Your daddy tells me you like that.” I glance over to the pool to see Cooper floating on his back, his eyes closed. The sun glistens off his ripped abdomen and my eyes are drawn again to his tattoos.
“Lexi,” Bella says, tugging on my arm. My gaze snaps from him and I realize I’ve zoned out.
“I’m sorry, sweetie. What did you say?”
“Are we having garlic bread? That’s my favorite.”
“Oh, sorry, hunny. I didn’t get any garlic bread. Maybe next time.”
She nods and runs back to the pool, jumping in. Watching her, I laugh as she splashes Cooper with water.
An hour later and we’ve eaten dinner. After cleaning up, I head back to my place. Cooper and Bella asked me to stay, but I’m distracted. My phone has been going off with messages all evening. I looked a couple of times to see who it was. After I saw Greg’s name, I kept my phone in my pocket on silent. I’ve been ignoring his messages for days, but they still keep coming. Climbing the stairs to the apartment, I reach into the back pocket of my jeans and pull out my phone. I groan when I see thirteen unread messages. I delete them all without reading them. I know what they say. He wants another shot with me. There isn’t a chance in hell I’m going to give him that, so there’s no point replying.
It’s been a long week, and I haven’t slept well on Maddie’s couch, leaving me exhausted. After taking a quick shower, I climb into bed, lying face down across the mattress, arms and legs spread. The bed is so comfy, and I lie there remembering how good Cooper’s hand felt on me earlier. If I weren’t so tired, I’m sure I’d be questioning what it meant, but my eyes feel heavy and before I know it, I’m fast asleep.
Cooper
It’s Friday, and Lexi’s first week of looking after Bella has flown by. I have to admit, she’s spoiling us. She’s cooked dinner every night, and I’ve found myself looking forward to coming home. Halfway through the week, I tried to tell her that dinner wasn’t expected, but she waved me off, telling me she loved to cook. I wasn’t going to insist she stop. I hadn’t eaten this well in years.
She always left not long after dinner, even though I’d asked her to stay more than once. I think she thought she was intruding on family time, but I know we’d both be more than happy if she stayed. She must be bored in the apartment. She doesn’t even have a TV yet.
Pulling up in the parking lot of Bella’s preschool, I decide I will insist she stay after dinner tonight. It’s Friday, after all. She can’t sit in on her own. I climb out of the truck just as the door to Bella’s classroom opens. Jogging over, I catch the eye of her teacher and she acknowledges me, calling out for Bella. She comes running out of the door and I scoop her up, kissing her face.
“Mr. Matthews, could I have a word, please?” Miss Black calls out from the open doorwa
y. I nod and groan inwardly as I wait for all the other children to be dismissed. I have a feeling I know what’s coming, and it’s going to be fucking awkward. I hang back with Bella, asking her about her day until all the children have left. Looking across to the door, I see Miss Black walking toward us.
“Is everything okay?” I ask as she comes to stand in front of me.
She puts her hand on my forearm and smiles. “Everything’s fine, Cooper. I just wondered if you’d changed your mind about getting that drink?”
I blink as I stare at her, anger bubbling in my stomach. This is about the fifth time we’ve had this conversation, and each time I’ve said no. I have no idea why she thinks today will be any different. I take a small step back, and her hand drops from my arm. I see the smile falter slightly on her face as I shake my head.
“I’m sorry, Miss Black. As I’ve said before, I don’t think dating my daughter’s preschool teacher would be appropriate.” Turning to Bella, I see her eyes go wide. I’m beyond pissed that this conversation is happening in front of her. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to be somewhere.” I turn and walk away before she has a chance to reply. Pulling open the door on the truck, I gently place Bella in her seat. I’m furious, but I don’t want her to see it.
“Don’t you like my teacher, Daddy?” Bella asks, her chubby hands pulling my face to hers.
“Of course I do, sweetheart,” I lie, leaning in and kissing her cheek. Putting her seat belt on, I close the door, taking a minute to calm down before I get into the driver’s seat. Bella is obviously more perceptive than I give her credit for, and it seems even at four, she understands a little about what dating is. I don’t want to have a conversation about this with her and decide that distraction and bribery is the best option to get me out of this mess.
Climbing into the truck, I start the engine as I glance at Bella in the rear-view mirror. “Hey, shall we go to the aquarium tomorrow?” I ask as I pull out of the parking lot and onto the highway.