Jules
*Three laughing emojis*
Lily and I had speculated for years about what could have happened between Cooper and Jade, but we hadn’t been able to figure it out. Usually, we could go to Louise or my grandma for the town gossip or to see what rumors were floating around, but this was different. There were no rumors, and we weren’t about to start something that would get the whole town talking.
Jade hadn’t visited Golden Falls in at least a couple years—we didn’t want to give her any reasonnotto come back.
His phone lit up with another text from the same contact.
My eyes locked with Cooper’s, and I raised my brows but didn’t say anything. Because I was a nice sister. Cooper slid the phone into his pocket and rubbed the back of his neck.
“I should get back to the kitchen and get prepped for the weekend.” Leo nodded in that direction and then took off.
“Wanna play that game of pool?” Cooper asked Wes.
“Let’s do it. Faster we play the faster you can kick my ass and then I can get home to my girl.”
“I’m feeling generous today. I might even let you win.” Cooper clapped his hand on Wes’s shoulder as the two of them walked away.
There wassomethingbetween Cooper and Jade. There had to have been. I just didn’t know what.
11
LEO
As much asI didn’t want it to, my mind kept going back to the rooftop with Eliza, and even further back to the phone call with my brother.
Colin had complained that Eliza had takenforeverto tell him about her parents and what happened to them. One moment remained engraved in my brain that was a prime example of why he didn’t deserve her opening up to him.
I wish I’d brought it up when I talked to him on the phone, but I doubted he’d remember, anyway.
I couldn’t forget it, though, and my mind easily went back to the memory.
“Eliza, you’re being dramatic,” I heard my brother say as the door closed behind him.
My teeth ground together, but I kept my head down, minding my own business. Or, at least, trying to.
“And you’re being a prick.” I didn’t have to look to know the voice belonged to Eliza.
Words were muffled as they unzipped their coats, but I could tell the conversation hadn’t gone well over the last few minutes when Eliza scoffed and said, “I’m going for a walk.”
“But dinner?—”
“I’ll only be gone a few minutes. Need to cool off.”
My brother sighed, and I imagined him carelessly shrugging. Would he watch her leave, follow after her, or come straight to the kitchen? I got my answer when he strolled in casually, opening the fridge and grabbing a soda.
“You’re not going to go check on her?” I asked, setting my knife down on the cutting board and turning toward him.
“Nah.” Colin hitched a shoulder, bringing the can up to his lips, like he had all the time in the world. “She said she’ll only be gone for a few minutes. She gets this way sometimes. Better to just let her do her thing.” He nodded toward the direction of the door. “I’m gonna go find Mom. You think she set the table already?”
I poked the side of my cheek with my tongue, knowing he was askingnotbecause he wanted to help but because he was hoping hewouldn’thave to help. That our mom would have done it for him. Like a lot of other things in his life. “Yeah, she set the table already.”
Colin walked out with a grin, calling for our mom.
I drummed my fingers on the marble counter, my fingers flexing to pick the knife back up to finish the salad I was making, but…I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.
I pushed off the counter, grabbed my coat, and stepped outside before it was even on.
