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As the three of us left the apartment, Ryder gave him a farewell pat on the back that was a little harder than necessary, missing Coop’s amused smile. Turning to me, Ryder kissed my cheek and gave my nape a territorial squeeze. “You really do look beautiful. But then, you always do.” The smooth bastard then strode off.
Coop gave me one of his conspiratorial smirks. “He did not like that you and I are going out again,” he said once Ryder was out of earshot. “Though I don’t think he’s worried I’ll steal you out from under him.”
“I’m not his to steal.”
“Technically, no. But he’s possessive of you. If he thought there was a chance that this date would end with sex, he would have tagged along or done something to ruin it. But he’s not taking us dating seriously. I’m not even sure he takes your interest in me seriously.”
I was pretty sure Coop was right on that, given Ryder’s remarks that Coop wasn’t my type and didn’t ‘fit’ me.
As we took the elevator to the first floor, Coop went on, “I’m guessing you two didn’t … you know … before I got there, because he had the look of a sexually frustrated man.”
“We didn’t … you know,” I confirmed.
“He asked what my intentions were toward you.”
I gaped. “He what?”
“I told him that I thought you were a special person and I wanted to get to know you better. He said you are special, and that he’d pound my face into the ground if I stepped a foot wrong,” said Coop, grinning. “He had the whole ‘don’t touch my woman’ vibe going on—a guy always senses that vibe. Even the kiss and nape-squeeze was all ‘yeah, Coop, you can look but no more.’”
“How can you be smiling right now? He threatened you. And he’s being ridiculous. You know what, I don’t even want to talk about him anymore.” Outside the building, I added, “He wasn’t the only person to show at my place tonight. Derek also came.”
Coop did a double-take. “Derek? What did he want?”
I relayed all that his ex-boyfriend had told me.
Coop frowned thoughtfully. “Do you believe him?”
I shrugged. “I believe Arlo wants you for himself. As for the rest? I just don’t know.”
Coop lapsed into silence, not breaking it until we reached the Italian restaurant. “Maybe I should hear Derek out next time he tries to talk to me. Then I can maybe get a feel for how honest he’s being. What do you think?”
“I think it’s up to you.” It was only as we stepped inside the restaurant and saw Beatrix standing at the hostess station that I remembered she worked here.
Coop leaned into me. “You know, Beatrix has tried to talk with me a few times as well,” he said quietly. “I’ve always brushed her off, but maybe I should listen to whatever it is she has to say.”
“If you want to,” I said.
“Would you mind if we did it now? I know we’re on a date—”
“It’s fine, we can totally do it now. I’d like to get to the bottom of all this.”
Crossing to the hostess station, I smiled. “Hello, Beatrix.”
“Hi, Maya.” Her smile faltered as she glanced at my date. “Good evening, Coop. Do you have a reservation?”
“It’s under my name,” he replied. “I booked a private room.”
Beatrix glanced at her tablet. “I see, yes.” She grabbed two menus and gave us a bright smile that was just a little forced. “Follow me. I’ll show you to your room.”
We followed her through the restaurant, passing tables and booths and servers. She showed us into our private room, set our menus on the table, and informed us our waitress would be with us shortly.
“Maybe you could stay and talk to us a moment,” said Coop when she turned to leave. “You’ve been trying to speak with me for a while now.”
Tensing, she twisted her fingers and cast me a brief look.
“I can leave if you’d like,” I offered.
“No, it’s fine.” She dropped her arms to her sides, straightened to her full height, and turned to face Coop. “I wanted to apologise to you. For the part I played in Derek … betraying you, I mean. I have no excuse. I won’t offer up any. I just wanted you to know that I was sorry.”
“Derek claims it didn’t happen,” said Coop. “He said you two haven’t slept together in over a year.”
Her eyes flashed with hurt. “Yes, it’s often his story. He makes me out to be this crazy person who’s obsessed with him and can’t stand for him to be with anyone else. But if that was true, he would have had me leave The Hollow, wouldn’t he? He hasn’t asked that I be banished from the island so he can live his life without my interference.”
