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There must be a silver lining in that, at least.
“He’s a client. And I’m helping him out,” I explain, keeping to my stern tone.
“By going on a date with him?” Cooper scoffs indignantly.
“No, by accompanying him to a gala so he could network and meet people.”
What I don’t tell him is that for the past month or so, I’ve been on more dates with Nathan than I have with Coop since he moved to New York.
He’s already pissed enough. There is no need to add more fuel to that flame.
“Not cool, babe. You could have at least given me the heads-up. Everyone now thinks you’re two-timing me behind my back. I really don’t appreciate looking like a fucking cuckold.”
I bite my inner cheek at the insult.
“I’ve never given you any reason to doubt my loyalty.”
Another scoff.
“Are you questioning if I’ve been unfaithful to you? Is that what this call is really about?”
“Should I be questioning it?”
My cheeks instantly heat up at how insulting he’s being to me right now.
“I’m going to hang up now, Coop. You’re being absurd. And I don’t have time to stroke your ego just because you got it in your head that I’ve wronged you somehow.”
“I’m being absurd!? Babe, everyone we know back home has probably seen this picture of you and your so-called client together. Can’t you understand how demeaning that is for me? For people to even think that about me? That my own girlfriend could do that to me? It’s fucking embarrassing.”
“Wait… are you calling me because you honestly think I’ve been unfaithful to you or because you don’t like the optics of it?” I ask, completely astonished.
“Babe, I know you. Of course I know you haven’t messed around with anyone behind my back. But if you go out with dumb jocks and get your picture taken, then the rest of the world will assume as much. And that’s a difficult position to be in. Just put yourself in my shoes. Will you?”
Though it pisses me off to no end, there is a part of me that thinks he’s right.
If the roles were reversed, and I saw Coop out with another girl, I probably wouldn’t like it either.
But if Coop told me that they were just friends or that she was his client, I’d believe him and be okay with it. I wouldn’t care what people thought as long as we were okay.
Apparently, Coop isn’t as understanding.
But then again, we’re not okay.
We haven’t been okay in years.
And that’s the real problem here, even if Cooper isn’t ready to acknowledge it.
“Are you going to go out with this neanderthal again?” Coop asks once I’ve gone quiet.
“Like I told you before. I’m helping Nate. He’s a client. I’ll do whatever it takes for him to find love.”
“Just as long as that person isn’t my girlfriend. Because from this picture, it kind of looks like it is.” He snarls, making my shoulders tense up with the accusation.
“As I said, Nate is a client, but he’s also becoming my friend. I’m sorry if my relationship with him is uncomfortable for you. Still, I won’t apologize for making friends or being good at my job,” I retort evenly, thankful that my voice remained strong.
“As long as that is all it is,” he says, making sure I hear the warning in his tone.
“Of course it is. There is no reason for you to think otherwise.”
