That got Tessa’s attention, but she didn’t say anything. Cooper must’ve realized she was surprised by his request because he crawled up on the bed, hovering directly above her.
“I’d like to see what they think of the plans. Maybe they can give us some ideas.”
His explanation made her feel better, and she laughed. “You don’t know the half of it.” Izzy wouldn’t hesitate to add her two cents, especially if someone was asking for her input. “Are you sure? I don’t want Dalton to panic if she’s ogling him from across the table.”
“I’m sure he can handle her. If not, I doubt Eric has any problems keeping her in line.”
Tessa laughed so hard, tears came to her eyes. “Right. You don’t know her well, do you?”
Cooper grinned, and the crooked smirk made her bones turn to mush. When he leaned closer, his mouth pressing to hers, she put her arms around him. “I wish we could stay here a little longer.” The thought escaped through her mouth without her permission.
Opening her eyes, she met Cooper’s intense gaze and what she saw there had her heart leaping in her chest.
“I promise, we’ll be doing plenty more of this in the near future,” he replied, his rough finger trailing down her jaw. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you, Tessa.”
God, she really hoped that was true.
Chapter Twenty Nine
Cooper didn’t have much time to do anything productive when he got home. After leaving Tessa’s, he had called Dalton to find out that the guy had, in fact, slept in his truck, in front of Cooper’s house the night before. He apologized profusely for leaving him stranded, but when he met up with Dalton at his house, the grin on Dalton’s face had assured him he didn’t mind. Apparently, he’d gone out for an early breakfast with Katie after The Rusty Nail closed.
Cooper had spent an hour or so trying to straighten the house as best he could, considering he was still living out of boxes. It wasn’t that he didn’t have the time to unpack, but with everything else going on, he had pushed that to the lower part of his priority list. He still didn’t consider it important, except that he was expecting company and wanted to ensure his guests could move around when necessary.
“You get the stuff on the list?” Cooper asked Dalton when his buddy walked in the back door.
“Got it,” Dalton said matter-of-factly.
Grabbing two of the overstuffed paper bags from Dalton’s hands, Cooper started putting things away. When Dalton just stood in the kitchen staring back at him, Cooper turned to face him.
“What’s up?”
“You mind if I invite someone tonight?”
“Not at all. Who’d you have in mind?” Cooper had a pretty good idea, but he didn’t jump to conclusions these days.
“Katie,” Dalton replied shyly.
Interesting. Cooper wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Dalton act like that when it came to a woman. In fact, Dalton had never been the type of guy who went out with the same girl more than once. At least Cooper didn’t think he did.
“Not at all. Izzy and Eric are coming over as well.” Tessa had called to let him know she had to run a couple of errands, but she had confirmed that Izzy and Eric had accepted his invitation for dinner.
Glancing over at the clock on the stove, Cooper knew he needed to kick it into high gear or he’d be the worst host in the history of the planet. Taking the steaks from the bag and the sauce he had asked Dalton to get, Cooper got down to business.
A few minutes later, the steaks were marinating in the refrigerator, and he was sitting on the back porch with Dalton drinking a beer.
“So, when are you gonna have that thing torn down?” Dalton asked, his head tilted toward the old barn that was an eye sore more than anything.
“I’ve got a demolition crew coming next week to knock it down and haul it away. There are a few other things out in the back forty that need to be hauled off.” Cooper hadn’t had the time to go over the land with a fine tooth comb yet, but he hired someone who would go out and see what all was out there.
“You plannin’ to move quickly with this?” Dalton asked as he stood from his seat, moving to lean against the rail that wrapped around the outer portion of the porch. Cooper’s mind drifted to the night Tessa had come over. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to look at that railing without thinking of her.
“Hopin’ to,” Cooper confirmed. “I want to do a lot of the work myself, but I’m not gonna lie, I need help.”
“Well, that’s what I’m here for.” Dalton glanced his way. “From what Katie tells me, that lady of yours has a lot of resources too. Did you know she’s a youth counselor down at the church?”
No, Cooper didn’t know that. He wasn’t sure how happy he was that Dalton had been in town less than twenty-four hours, and he knew more about Tessa than Cooper did. “I know her goal was to build a farm to work with disabled children and troubled youth.”
“That’s what I heard, too. Pretty noble if you ask me. Does she live on some land now?”
The question was a sore spot for Cooper. No, Tessa didn’t have property to do what she had been planning to do because Cooper had come in and stolen it right out from under her. He busied himself with drinking his beer so he didn’t have to answer the question. Thankfully, Dalton moved on quickly.
“The two of you serious?”
Well, shit. More personal wasn’t the direction Cooper was hoping this conversation would go, but he didn’t want to shrug Dalton off. His buddy had come down from Nashville with the intention of helping him get this dream off the ground so to speak. Singing at The Rusty Nail was just an added bonus – for both of them.
“I’d like to think so, yeah,” Cooper answered, staring out at the barn that would soon be replaced with something much more modern. He could actually see himself sitting out here with Tessa on warm summer nights, or working in the stables alongside her during the day. Indefinitely.
“I heard her husband died a few years ago,” Dalton said seemingly ignorant to the fact that he knew more about Tessa than Cooper because he had spent time with one of the women who worked for her.
“He did.” Cooper didn’t like talking about her when she wasn’t there, felt like it was a sort of betrayal, but this was his closest friend. Despite their lifestyles and how often they were on the road separately, Cooper and Dalton kept in touch often. They were each other’s sounding boards when it came to music and ultimately, Cooper knew Dalton was a loyal friend. “He was a police officer. He died in the line of duty.”
Cooper hadn’t actually done any digging to find out more about Tessa’s husband’s death. He didn’t want to invade her privacy, but now that he thought about it, he wondered if he should have. Getting to know her had been a slow process and there were so many things he felt she was keeping from him.
“Sucks, man.” Dalton paused. “Katie told me they lost a baby.” Dalton’s voice reflected the sadness one would expect with a story of loss.
Cooper tried to keep his expressions masked, but he knew he couldn’t do it. Pushing to his feet, he forced himself to move. She’d lost a baby? She never told him that. The idea of Tessa having to go through anything so painful tore at his heart. He wanted to hold her and protect her from all of the cruelties that the world had to offer.
Then again, she’d done the same for him earlier that morning. When he thought he was going to be a father, he was elated. Not even the awkward situation had been able to deflate the joy that had filled his heart. And to find out from the jackass boyfriend that Tabitha was lying to him had been a crushing blow.
Would Tessa want to try to have kids again? She was young and healthy, and he couldn’t see why not, but he knew from his own experience how hard it could be to get emotionally attached and have it pulled from his grasp.
“Man, I’m sorry. I thought you knew.” Dalton’s firm tone caught his attention, and Cooper realized he’d been pacing, his hand thrust in his hair.
“It never came up,” he e
xplained. He paused briefly, staring out at the countryside and then back to his friend. “She’s the strongest woman I know, Dalt. I’ve never felt like this before.”
And maybe that was more information than he should’ve shared with anyone, but he felt better saying the words out loud.
“I can tell.” Dalton’s voice was louder, as though he moved closer. “I think the two of you might have something here.”
Dalton knew what Cooper had been through. And apparently he’d known what Tessa had been through as well. So to hear someone confirm that they might stand a chance renewed his faith that something might come out of this. Well, if he could get Tessa to jump on board with the idea it would.
“What time is everyone coming over?” Dalton asked, obviously trying to change the subject.
“Six.” And that wasn’t going to come fast enough.
“Well, you’ve got about fifteen minutes to get this place spruced up. What can I help with?”
Fifteen minutes? Shit.
Cooper pulled his cell phone from his pocket and glanced at the time as though he didn’t believe Dalton. Sure enough, fifteen minutes until six.
“We should get the grill fired up,” Cooper stated firmly as he turned back toward the house. “You get that started, I’ll grab the rest.”
Chapter Thirty
Tessa was enjoying Cooper’s impromptu party more than she wanted to admit. They had finished eating about an hour ago and found themselves sitting on the back porch watching Havoc and Harmony trample around the yard, checking out the new scenery. She had hated leaving them home alone, so she called Cooper, and to her delight he had agreed she should definitely bring them.
When she arrived, she’d been almost stunned to see Katie there with Dalton. Not that she didn’t want Katie to find all the happiness in the world, but she wondered whether the woman knew what she was getting herself into. Tessa didn’t have a lot of experience, but she had dated Chad. And now Cooper. Granted, those two guys were like night and day from what she could tell and she had to wonder whether the fact that Cooper had actually made a name for himself in country music was the difference.
Chad never did make it big, although his ego seemed to be one step ahead of reality. Even the nights he would sing at The Rusty Nail hadn’t been all that profitable because they never brought in the crowds like he had insisted they would. But, that was about the time Tessa realized he was using her.
Not wanting to dwell on that painful part of her past, Tessa focused on the conversations going on around her. She had taken a seat on the steps that led down into the yard while everyone else sat up on the porch. They must’ve realized she needed some space because no one had yet to join her. Not even Katie or Izzy.
Now that she thought about it, Katie had been acting weird ever since she showed up. At first, Tessa thought she was just nervous, but her interactions with Dalton seemed friendly and not as reserved as Tessa would’ve thought.
She heard the group talking about how Katie had gone out with Dalton after The Rusty Nail closed, which meant they had apparently ventured to the IHOP in the neighboring town because nothing in Devil’s Bend stayed open that late.
“How long have you two been married?”
Tessa turned to glance behind her, noticing that Dalton was talking to Eric and Izzy. Obviously. No one else was married. The thought actually depressed Tessa, but she didn’t want to bring down the mood of the party, so she turned back to focus on her dogs as they sniffed the ground around the porch.
“Almost six years,” Eric answered easily. “We got married a few months after Tessa and… Oomph!”
Despite her heavy heart, Tessa smiled, picturing Izzy elbowing Eric in the ribs to get him to stay quiet. “It’s ok, Izzy,” she called out, not bothering to look back.
“Sorry, Tess.” Eric’s apology wasn’t needed. Her friends had loved Richie as much as she had and although talking about him was still hard for her, she wanted him to be remembered.
Twisting to lean against the tall post so that she could face the group, Tessa pulled her knees up close to her chest. “Eric and Izzy got married two months after Richie and I did. The only reason they waited was because high maintenance over there insisted on this huge wedding.”
The group laughed, including Izzy. “So not true,” she said in a mock defensive tone. “He’s the one who wanted a big wedding.”
“Ok, so that was mostly true,” Tessa added with a laugh.
“Do you guys have kids?” Dalton asked, his attention still focused on the couple sitting across from him.
Tessa immediately glanced out at the yard, her heart pounding erratically. The pain of losing her baby was still there, although she tried to ease the discomfort by telling herself that Richie was cuddling their little one up in heaven these days. It helped, but not nearly as much as she would like it to.
“No kids. Not yet. We’ve been talking about it though.”
Tessa’s head jerked back to Izzy. They were? She had no idea. The idea made her heart double in size, happiness filling her for her friends. “It’s about time,” she told them. “I’ve wondered if you two would ever get with the program.”
The solemn look on Izzy’s face told her exactly why she hadn’t known about this. Her friend was so careful to ensure she didn’t hurt Tessa’s feelings or rouse memories that would make her grieve. But that was life. As much as she didn’t want it to sometimes, it moved on. Her losses, although she felt were cruel and pointless, had made her a stronger person. Even if she would prefer to be weak if it meant she hadn’t had to experience them.
“Do you want to try to have kids again?” Dalton asked.
For a second, Tessa didn’t realize he was talking to her. Her head felt like it was attached to her body by a bungee cord as she swung her gaze in his direction.
How did he know? Oh, God. She looked over at Cooper and noticed the sadness in his eyes. Or was that pity? Did he feel sorry for her?
Pushing to her feet, Tessa all but ran from the porch, heading around to the front of the house in a full on panic attack. Her dogs, loyal followers that they were, fell into step beside her. She had to get out of there. Her chest felt like it was caving in.
How did Dalton know? And Cooper?
Tessa had to stop, unable to drag air into her lungs. She was leaning over, her hands resting on her thighs as she fought for breath when strong arms came down on her shoulders. She refused to cry, but the tears were trying to ignore or specific instructions to stay back.
“Darlin’,” Cooper said as he turned her and pulled her against him.
She was angry and hurt and confused. She hadn’t wanted him to find out about how miserable her life had been. Not only had she lost their baby, but she’d lost Richie as well. And she knew it was her fault. All of it was her fault. She’d been rebellious and foolish, and no matter who tried to talk to her, she hadn’t been able to stop herself. There for a while, she had even convinced herself that her father had left because of her.
“Tessa, look at me.” Cooper’s voice was a loud crack in the silent night.
Tessa jerked her head up, realizing she was still heaving, trying to force oxygen past the immense boulder resting on her chest.
“Stop it!” he ordered, and she stopped cold.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
“What are you sorry for?” he asked, confusion lacing the words.
“It’s all my fault.” Why was she doing this? He didn’t need to know about her life before him. She was supposed to be enjoying the time they had together, knowing full well that Cooper would move on with his life, and she would be left to pick up more pieces than had been there before he arrived.
His strong finger curled beneath her chin, and he forced her to look up at him.
“We can’t control the outcomes, Tessa,” he said softly.
“That’s not true. Everything I’ve done in my life has brought me to this place. If I’d been…” She knew she shouldn’t be
telling him this, but she suddenly couldn’t stop herself. “If I had walked the straight and narrow and not been so reckless, none of this would’ve happened.”
“You really think that’s true?” he asked, the incredulity in his voice making her shudder.
“Yes,” she said without conviction. She had no idea what she believed. When it came down to it, she knew everything happened for a reason. She had done so many things wrong in her life and losing everything was her punishment.
“How’d you meet Richie?” Cooper asked.
Tessa jerked away from him, not wanting to tell him. The answer to that question would give away even more about herself that she wanted to keep hidden from him.
When Cooper laced his fingers with hers and pulled her back toward the house, Tessa started to try and break free.
“Stop fighting me, Tessa,” he warned. “We’re going to sit right here.” He was pointing to the front porch, so she let the fight drain out of her arm. At least she wouldn’t have to face everyone else.
Glancing up, she noticed there were several cars parked out on the main road. Reporters, she knew. They were stalking Cooper.
Once they were seated on the steps, Cooper pulled her against his side, his arm a comfort she needed more than anything right then.
“Ignore them,” he whispered against her hair. “Talk to me. How’d you meet Richie?” he repeated.
Tessa swallowed hard. With the press in town, there was a chance that all of this would be dredged up anyway, so Tessa decided she might as well come clean. She didn’t know what it would mean for her relationship with this man, but at least she’d be the one to tell him. If he walked away from her, she wouldn’t have to guess as to why.
“I was a sophomore in high school,” she began, her head resting against his shoulder. “One night, I did something incredibly stupid.” No one knew that she had stolen Texas Shadow except for Richie and Mr. Deluth. Luanne hadn’t even known the details. Mr. Deluth had been too worried about the legal consequences if the sheriff found out, so he’d told her to keep quiet. As for Richie, well, he’d never told anyone either.
Chasing Dreams (Devil's Bend) Page 26