“I wanted a better goodbye than this,” he says when we reach my white Prius. “I’m going straight to the airport.”
I throw my arms around him, hugging him tight. “Call me when you’re taking off,” I say.
“Can we go out when I get back?”
“Coop, I don’t think we’re supposed to?—”
“I don’t think I care.”
My stomach flips. I’m not sure how much I care, either, but we’re standing in the middle of a blizzard. “Call me and ask me out once you’re home safe, okay?” I kiss his cheek, and he picks me up and lifts me so our cheeks are touching and my feet are dangling.
“I’m safe right now,” he says in my ear.
I laugh and swat him. “I mean it.” We let go and I give him my biggest smile. “Bye, Coop. Merry Christmas.”
“It’d be a lot merrier if you said you’d go out with me!” he says as I unlock my Prius and climb in.
“You heard me!” I say. I close my door and then hold my thumb and pinky out like a phone and put them up to my ear, mouthing,Call me.
He mouths,I willand then runs to his Jeep.
I turn on my car, both happy and disappointed. I’ve engaged in so many different Christmas activities this month—the escape room, a work Christmas party, decorating cookies, and now a charity event (that I could do anytime of the year, but doing it at Christmas always feels more special)—and I was able to getthrough each without the pervasive loneliness that’s plagued me since my mom died.
And it’s because of Coop.
It’s hard to believe how wrong I was about him.
He’s not the selfish, cocky jerk I thought he was.
I’m about to back out when my phone rings with a call from Kayla Carville.
I put the car back in park to answer. “Kayla! Hey, how are you?”
“Liesel! I’m so glad you answered. I’m sorry to make this short, but I had to tell you the good news: I just offered a huge cash consideration for a trade I’m freaking out about, and I think the team’s going to take it.”
“That’s cool! Who is it?”
“Your brothers! I’m getting them from the Nashville Outlaws, you know, the Firebirds’ Triple-A team? Can you believe it?”
A chill sweeps over me. “You’re acquiring my brothers?”
“Yes! I heard I needed to do everything I could to get great pitchers, so I’m offering an exorbitant amount of money to get them from their affiliate. I’ve had to talk to both owners, but apparently if you throw enough money at a problem, you can solve anything!” She laughs. “Isn’t that exciting?”
“Uh … wow. My brothers are going to another minor league team! That’s so unexpected!” I say with as much enthusiasm as I can feign. “How did you even hear about them?”
“Your friend!”
The chill becomes subarctic. “Cooper?”
“Who else? He put them on my radar the first time we talked, somybrothers looked into them, and they said he’s spot on. Also, did you know we both have a brother named Logan?”
“You don’t say?” My voice doesn’t sound as weak as it feels, and I’m glad. Kayla hasn’t done anything wrong.
Cooper Kellogg, on the other hand …
“Now you’ll have a reason to visit me inMullet Ridgenext season. Go Mudflaps!” Kayla says. “And no, I can’t believe I said the words ‘mullet’ and ‘mudflaps’ out loud, either.”
My chuckle is faker than Cooper’s ‘honesty.’ “That’s … so crazy! I can’t believe it.” I say. “Listen, there’s a big storm in Chicago, so I need to get on the road before it gets any worse. But can we talk later? I really would love to chat when I have more time.”
