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Walking away is the best choice for me.Chapter 15CooperMy hands are fisted at my sides, my chest rising and falling as I try to catch my breath, and my eyes, they’re locked on Reese as she disappears into the kitchen. “She fucking walked away,” I grumble. I don’t really care if Nixon and Tessa are listening. The words needed to be said. We’ve never argued like this. Never. Not even when we were kids. We just… don’t fight.
“Do you blame her?” Nixon asks. “You’re acting like a jealous boyfriend.”
“What?” I whip my head away from staring at the door Reese disappeared behind to look at him. “That’s insane.”
“Is it? You saw that she was drinking too much, so you stopped.” He points at the water bottle in my hand.
“How is that a jealous boyfriend? I’m being a good friend looking out for her. Reese never drinks like this. In fact, this is maybe the third time it’s ever happened.”
He nods. “I get that. But what about the way your eyes watched her no matter where she was in the room? What about when that guy offered her his hand and led her out there to dance, you pushed off the wall and was ready to fight? How do you explain that, Cooper?”
“He’s a stranger.”
“Cooper.” Tessa’s soft voice breaks into our heated exchange. “You’re her best friend. We get that. But you have to remember that you’re leaving. You’re not going to be there to scare off some guy who you don’t know that talks to her. She has to live her own life, Cooper. She’s lived in your shadow for years. For the last four years, I’ve watched you protect her, scare guys off before they even have a chance to utter a single syllable to her. You’re leaving, Cooper. You’re leaving, and she’s not. You have to let her live her life.” Her words are soft, gentle, as if she’s trying to calm an angry bear and, in a way, I guess she is.
“Fuck.” I run my fingers through my hair, letting her words sink it.
“She’s been trying not to think about it,” Tessa adds.
“That’s all I’ve been able to think about. I’ve considered asking her to come with me a million times.”
“Think about that, Reeves. Don’t you want her to be happy? Fuck, man, it’s not all about you.”
“I know that,” I grind out. “I know it’s not all about me, but I also know Reese and my leaving is going to be hard on her. Hell, it’s going to be hard on me. I didn’t say I was going to ask her to come with me, just that I thought about it.”
“I think the two of you need to talk, Cooper.” Tessa gives me a soft smile.
“You should tell her,” Nixon says pointedly.
“I know. I’m going to apologize.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” Nixon stares me down.
“Fuck, not this shit again.” I know exactly what he’s thinking, and he’s wrong. I don’t know what I have to do to prove that to him.
“What did I miss?” Tessa asks Nixon.
“He’s in love with her.” He says the words casually, as if we’re discussing the damn weather. As if it’s a foregone conclusion.
“Oh.” Tessa’s eyes grow wide. “Is that true?”
“Yes. I love her.” Tessa opens her mouth to speak, but I beat her to it. “She’s my best fucking friend. Yes, she has a pussy, but I’ve never been privileged to see it, and I don’t plan to. That’s because she’s my best fucking friend,” I say again. I don’t tell them that I’ve fantasized about seeing her pussy, feeling it, tasting it, but I’m a guy. I’m young, and it’s been… a while since my cock has seen any action. A long fucking while. Reese is beautiful and sexy, and even though she’s my best friend, I’d be blind not to notice. Who am I kidding? I’ve always noticed when it comes to her. I just learned to keep that shit in check.
“Cooper,” Tessa starts again, but I hold my hand up.
“I have to go find her. I need to make sure she’s okay.” Without another word, I take long strides as I make my way to the kitchen. I find Reese sitting on the floor in front of the dishwasher with a bottle of vodka in her hands. She’s drinking right out of the bottle.
“Hey.” I crouch down to face her.
“Hey.”
I point to the bottle. “How much of that have you had?”
“Just… a couple of drinks.” She hugs the bottle to her chest like she knows that I’m going to take it away from her. She would be right.
“Why don’t you let me take that?” I reach for the bottle, and she hugs it tighter.
“No. I’m not done with it.”
“Reese.” I move a wisp of hair from her eye, tucking it behind her ear. “Remember the last time you were miserable.”
