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ChapterSeven
Harley
Cooper follows me into the café and takes a seat at the counter while I head into the kitchen to get everything started. There’s a big window in the middle of the wall so we can still see each other while I make all of the pastries and baked goods that we’ll sell today. I need to get them all finished before people start coming in and ordering breakfast.
I pull out all of my ingredients and wash my hands while I ask Cooper about his time in Charleston and what the police academy was like. I listen to him, chuckling when he tells me about one of his drill sergeants who had seen Police Academy one too many times.
I put the first couple of trays into the oven and set the timer while I head back to roll out some more dough. He asks me about Peyton and my plans for the future and I get lost in telling him about what we want to do to the Beachside Café and the Bakery next door. We discuss if it should be a full coffee shop as well and what type of color schemes we were leaning towards while I take out the first batch of baked goods and slide in the next couple of trays.
I put a couple of different types of pastries on a plate and bring them out to Cooper. He devours them so fast that by the time I make it back to the kitchen to take out the next batch, his plate is empty. I laugh and offer him some more.
I’m just finishing taking the last batch out of the oven and organizing the others in the display cases when the first customers start to trickle in. The morning shift waitresses came in a couple of minutes ago and they seat everyone while I start to prep the rest of the breakfast menu.
I look out the window at Cooper and see he’s already staring at me.
“You taking off?” I call out to him.
“Yeah, I need to run some errands. What time do you get done?”
“Peyton should be here about 2 and we need to go over some paperwork. I should be finished around 3.”
“Ok, I’ll be back to pick you up then.” He says and he stands up to go.
“Wait!” I call out, brushing my flour-dusted hands off on my apron as I push out the kitchen door to meet him.
He’s standing at the edge of the counter and I walk right up to him, wrapping my hands around his neck so that I can pull him down to me. Our lips meet and I waste no time in pushing my tongue into his mouth. I want to claim him now so that word spreads by noon that Sheriff Cooper is taken. I want everyone to know that he is mine.
We break apart when we start to hear cheering and I smile as I look around at the group of young women who are clapping for us. Cooper chuckles behind me before he leans down to whisper in my ear.
“Looks like you’ve made your point. Everyone will know that I’m yours now.”
I turn around to look up at him.
“Do you know that you’re mine?” I ask as I lean into him.
“Yeah, baby. I’ve been yours since the day I saw you. There’s never been anyone else for me and there never will be.”
“I love you.” I blurt out, laughing. “Jeez, I wanted to say that for years now.”
Cooper laughs with me. “I love you too, Harley. Always.”
We kiss again and this time I really don’t want to stop but I know that I have to get back to work. Cooper pecks my lips once more before he pulls back, taking a step away from me for good measure.
“I’ll pick you up at 3, baby. You can get ready then.”
“Ready for what?” I ask, confused.
“For our first date.”
