Page 166 of Rhodes

“He also thinks I took advantage of you.”

My eyes open.

“Of course he does.”

“I told him that wasn’t what happened.”

“Thank you.”

For a while, neither of us says a word. Then he clears his throat. “Do you want me to talk to him again after he cools off? I can let him sleep on it and call him in the morning.”

“About what?”

“Ask him to keep it between the three of us. I know you don’t want your whole family knowing.”

I look toward Libba’s front window.

“No. I'll talk to him.”

“You sure?”

I take a breath. "Yes, I'm sure. It's something I need to do. Thank you for calling me tonight.”

We hang up. I stay on the porch for another few seconds, letting the cold get through my sweatshirt before I turn toward the door.

Libba is exactly where I left her, except now the television is muted and her phone is facedown on the cushion beside her. She looks at me the second I walk in.

“Well?”

I close the door behind me.

“Cooper knows.”

Her mouth drops open.

“What?”

“He saw Rhodes and me kissing in the shed this afternoon.”

Libba stares at me. Then she points at me. “You kissed him?”

I pull my sleeves down over my hands.

“That is somehow not the biggest problem I have right now.”

"Well, you left that out when you told me about the day. I'd say that is a pretty big development. Are y'all going to try again?"

"I don't know, Libba. That's why I didn't say anything to you earlier. I don't know if it means anything or not, and I'm damn sure not ready to consider trying again with him. It just happened."

Libba is still staring at me when I pick my keys up off the side table. “You’re going over to Coop's now?”

“Yeah.”

She throws the blanket off her legs and stands. “I’ll come with you.”

I shake my head. “No. I need to do this alone.”

“Tilly.”