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He laughed again. “Have I told you how fucking sexy it was to see you go head-to-head with my brother?” Without waiting for a reply, he continued, “I want you to know, I didn’t chime in because I thought you needed help. I chimed in because the asshole wasn’t going to stop. When he sniffs out blood, he goes right for the kill, and I wasn’t going to listen to another second of it.”
I watched him open a few drawers until he found my spices and he added garlic and other seasoning to the meat.
“I don’t stop either, Cooper. Haven’t you realized that about me yet? Like the other night in Canada, that wasn’t the first time I’d brought up that topic. It was just the first time you responded to it the way I wanted you to.” I grinned.
“Mmm, yes. And I love that about you.”
“Honestly, Brady and Rhett are almost the same person, so I know how to deal with them and keep them from showing their fangs. But I appreciate you stepping in. It shows me you have my back, andthatis sexy as hell.”
He washed his hands and added water to the large pot, prepping it with salt for the pasta. “About that shitstorm … I told them.”
I was about to pour myself a refill but froze. “Told who what?”
“My family.” He added heat underneath the skillet, and the gas began to hiss. “After you left, I told them you’re the same woman I met in Canada over Christmas—they had known I met someone there I liked, they just hadn’t known it was you. Now, they do.”
I rubbed my lips together, like I was wearing lip gloss but I wasn’t. “And how exactly did you explain our situation?”
“I told them we’re figuring things out.” He turned around, letting the meat cook behind him, to lock eyes with me. “And that I really like you.”
I felt my lids widen. “Wow.”
“Too much?”
“No.” My head shook. “The perfect amount.” I took a moment before I continued, “How did they take it?”
“Are you sure you want to hear?”
My heart began to pound. “Yes. No. But yes.”
“Macon is so easygoing. He doesn’t have love for the Coles quite yet, but he doesn’t have a problem with us.” He took out the bag of fresh pappardelle. “As for Jo, she gave you several compliments, she likes you. And she gets it better than anyone, probably due to the way her relationship started with Jenner—a story I’ll tell you someday.”
A story I couldn’t wait to hear.
It was no coincidence he’d left the best for last.
“And Brady?” I exhaled. “I’m sure he had plenty to say.”
He placed the few veggies he’d brought on a cutting board and found a knife to chop them with. “Nothing will ever please him. I stopped trying a long time ago. It’s just who he is, and I’ve accepted that. Still, I saw no reason to hide what’s going on from any of them.”
He had known Brady was going to give him an earful, and he’d still gone through with it. And what that showed me was that he wanted more.
He wanted …
I stared at him in awe. “You’re that sure of … us? Huh?”
His actions were enough; I just wanted the words too.
He came closer, and when he reached me, he cupped my cheeks, tilting my chin until I was fully facing him. “I think you know that if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have said anything to them. I also wouldn’t be here right now.”
I one million percent knew that.
But I still had questions.
“Why, Cooper? What caused this change?”
“It’s not the remarkable answer that you’re probably looking for.”
I scanned his eyes. “I just want the truth. I don’t care what that looks or sounds like.”
