Page 88 of Falling for the Grinchy Bad Boy

The disappointment that hit me was surprisingly strong, though I tried to hide it behind a casual expression. I’d been looking forward to seeing Joy again, maybe convincing her to come over for a sleepover.

“Sounds like a hoot,” I managed.

“Oh, it will be.” Katrina’s grin widened. “I imagine we’ll drink too much and talk shit about you for at least half the evening.”

“Oh, great. And is that your list of all my character flaws?”

“No, but that’s a fantastic idea.” She studied my face with that twin intuition. Twintuition. “You’re disappointed you won’t see her tonight.”

It wasn’t a question, and there was no point in denying it. “Maybe a little.”

“Cooper.” Katrina’s voice gentled, taking on the tone she used when she was about to say something important. “Can I ask you something?”

I settled into the chair across from her, recognizing the signs that this was going to be one of our serious conversations. “Shoot.”

“Are you happy?”

The question surprised me in its simplicity. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, are you happy? Really happy, not just content or getting by, but actually happy?” She leaned forward, her expression earnest. “Because I haven’t seen you like this in, damn, Cooper, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you like this.”

“Like what?”

“Humming Christmas carols. Smiling at your phone when you think no one’s looking. Volunteering for community events instead of finding any excuse to escape.” She gestured toward me. “You’re different since Joy came back. You’re lighter.”

“Just to be clear, I didn’t volunteer. Chief made me safety coordinator. And I’m not humming.”

“Not now, but you were,” she said.

“Well, I guess I am happy,” I admitted.

“Good.” Katrina’s smile was bright like she just won ten bucks on a scratch ticket. “Because you deserve to be happy, Cooper. You deserve to find someone who sees how incredible you are and wants to build something real with you.”

“And you think Joy might be that someone?”

Katrina was quiet for a moment, considering the question with the seriousness it deserved. “I think Joy cares about you. I think she sees the real you, not just the professional facade you show most people. And I think she makes you remember who you used to be before…” She trailed off, but we both knew she meant before Lynn had ripped my heart out, stomped on it, and then attempted to cremate what was left.

“But?” I could hear the qualification coming.

“But I also think you need to be honest with each other about what you want. About whether she’s planning to stay, about whether you’re ready for something serious and all the practical details that matter when feelings get this intense this quickly.”

She was right, of course. The conversation I’d been avoiding with Joy was the same one Katrina was gently pushing me toward now. We couldn’t keep floating in this bubble of attraction and possibility without eventually addressing the reality of our situations.

“I know,” I said. “We’ll talk. Soon.”

“Good. Because, Cooper, if this is real—and I think it might be—then it’s worth fighting for. It’s worth taking the risk.” Katrina reached across the table and squeezed my hand, the gesture carrying all the love and support that came with being twins. “But if you’re going to fight for it, you need to know what you’re fighting for.”

She was right about that too. I needed to figure out what I actually wanted from Joy, what I was hoping this relationship could become. And I needed to be brave enough to find out if she wanted the same things.

“Thanks,” I said.

“Anytime, Cooper.” She stood up, gathering her notes and coffee cup. “Now, I should probably head home and get ready for tonight. These nails won’t paint themselves, and I promised Joy I’d bring the good wine.”

“Be nice to me in your shit-talking session,” I called as she headed toward the door. “Make sure to mention I have nice hair.”

“I make no promises,” she replied with a laugh. “But I’ll try to be nice.”

I groaned. “And no bringing up embarrassing childhood stories. If you tell her about that stupid snake prank when we were camping, it will be game on. I will post that video of you when you got your wisdom teeth pulled.”

She stopped dead in her tracks and slowly turned to look at me. “You wouldn’t dare. You told me you deleted that.”

I shrugged. “Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t. Only one way you’ll find out.”

She held her hands up in surrender. “Truce?”

“Truce.” I nodded. “Now go have fun at your slumber party, butthead.”

She stuck her tongue out at me and walked away.