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“Right on time.” Jessie looked impressed, and with a wink, she headed to the kitchen, assuring Cooper everything was in order. He waited at the cash register and had his credit card ready when Jessie appeared, a large basket in her arms. She set it down in front of him.
“I’ve double-packaged everything so the hot will stay hot and the cold will stay cold.”
“Thanks, Jess. I appreciate it.”
She grabbed his card and, while the payment processed, leaned against the counter, her gaze direct, her expression questioning.
“So news around town is that you and Morgan had dinner in Dunn Harbor.”
Cooper had heard small-town gossip moved faster than the speed of light, but even he was impressed with just how quickly Jessie had gathered her intel.
“Rick recommended that Italian place.”
“Did he?”
Something in her tone had his head jerking up so fast, he had to blink a few times to clear his vision. A small frown crossed Jessie’s face as she gave him the payment slip to sign. He grabbed it and quickly scribbled his signature.
“You got something to say, Jess. Have at it.”
“Can we be frank?”
Okay. He liked Jessie. He really did. But Cooper had the feeling that whatever the woman was going to say wasn’t something he was going to particularly like hearing. That being said, the woman had always been nothing but kind and generous to him, so he was willing to have a listen.
“Of course.”
“How well do you know Morgan Campbell?”
Yeah. He definitely didn’t like where this was headed. “Well now, Miss Jess. We’re just getting to know each other. Ask me that again in a month.” He kept his tone light, but he stood a little straighter now.
“Glad you brought that up.” She grabbed a rag and started dabbing at invisible crumbs on the counter. “You think you’re going to be here in a month? Two months? The summer?”
“I don’t usually look that far ahead,” he admitted after a few seconds.
“And that’s fine.” Jessie offered a small smile. “Look, it’s none of my business, and Lord knows that girl deserves happiness. But with Nathan and Christy back in town, I’m afraid she’s looking for a distraction.” She tossed the rag. “You’re the kind of distraction that could bite her in the ass. She’s been through a lot. She’s fragile, and I just…” She sighed. “I don’t want to see her hurt again.”
The warning was obvious, and if it had been anyone else shoveling it out, Cooper might have taken offense. As it was, he grabbed the basket and took a step back.
“I appreciate the concern, but we’re good.” He gave a quick nod. “Thanks for the food, Jess.”
Cooper tossed the basket into the back and slid in beside Morgan, who was singing along to some country song he’d never heard before. He glanced at the dashboard. No wonder. She was listening to the oldies.
Her eyes widened mischievously as she reached for a particularly high note and failed to reach it with an epic flourish. He’d never seen her this playful.
He pulled out of the parking lot. “Hate to tell you this, but you might want to invest in some singing lessons.”
“Oh, I took singing lessons when I was seven.”
“You did?” He tried to hide a smile but wasn’t very successful.
“Darn right I did. I went five or six times.”
“And?”
She shrugged, that soft smile still playing around her mouth. “And Mrs. Ansel told my mother never to bring me back. She said I was hopelessly tone-deaf.”
“Ouch.” He turned right at the last set of lights in town. “What did your mother do?”
Morgan chuckled, and her eyes got a faraway look in them. “She told me to never let anyone tell me what I can and can’t do.” She giggled then, a soft musical sound that was in direct contrast to her vocal capability. “And then she very kindly, very gently, suggested I take up dance.”
