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“She wanted to get together tonight,” Coop admitted. “But I had plans with you guys.”
The sudden banging on the back door interrupted us, and I let out a shaky breath.I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry. The chant sustained me as I brushed past him and headed to the kitchen. I didn’t have to guess who it was, so I opened the door and the other three were just there.
Jake, in a black t-shirt and jeans, looked like he just rolled out of a bad boy magazine with his dark hair and pale blue eyes. Bubba dressed in a blue t-shirt with the logo of some defunct television show on it and jeans. His hair was wet and his smile wide. Archie was right behind them, requisite rock band t-shirt tucked into his jeans and an iced coffee in his hand which he presented to me like a bouquet of flowers.
As one, their smiles faltered then Jake looked from me to behind me. The frown on his face deepened into a scowl. “What the fuck did you do?”
He pushed past me and stormed through the kitchen to the living room where Coop stood. “I didn’t do…” But Jake had him by the shirt and Bubba was right after him. Archie pressed the coffee into my hands and moved so he was between me and the guys.
“Stop,” I said, but Jake shoved Coop once, twice—the third time Coop stumbled and there was a crash.
“Let them handle it,” Archie told me, but I shook him off. Dammit, why didn’t they listen?
“Coop didn’t do anything,” I yelled and put the coffee on the counter as I got around Archie and into my living room. Bubba was already trying to get between Jake and Coop, but Coop’s zen had evaporated. Anger filled his eyes, the likes of which I hadn’t seen in a long time.
“What the hell did you do?” Jake demanded. Even Bubba being there didn’t seem to dissuade the argument. I had to catch Jake’s arm to keep him from striking Coop. That shoved me between all three of them.
“Stop. It.” I screamed each word. The neighbors were probably calling the cops.
Jake glanced at me. “Frankie…” The heavy concern in his voice didn’t make up for charging inside or breaking the coffee table.
“Don’t you Frankie me.” I’d had it. With all of them. “This is myapartment. Ilivehere.”
As one, they each backed up, save for Archie who stood in the kitchen doorway. His eyes were narrowed, and he looked from me to Coop and then back again.
The table was in pieces. Coop had bits of wood clinging to his shirt and there was a cut on his arm. Bubba raked a hand through his hair. Concern radiated off him, but it had nothing on the anger pouring off Jake. Coop didn’t help it with the guilt staining his own reactions.
“Your shirt is torn.” Jake said, motioning to me. I glanced down. The strap on the right—sure enough—the lace had a tear in it. The solid bits were wrinkled. “You look like you’re ready to cry… and your hair…” Jake finished on a hint of a growl as he glared at Coop again. “What did youdo?”
“We were wrestling over her phone,” Coop admitted. “I’d never fucking hurt her.”
“Wrestling? You’re a foot taller than she is! Why the hell would you be wrestling with her?” Jake demanded not seeming appeased one iota.
You know, it would be almost cute that he wanted to defend me, but I wasn’t helpless. “Stop. It.” Repeating myself had already grown old. “Coop didn’t hurt me.”
“You looked upset when you opened the door,” Bubba interjected, his tone cautious. Unlike Jake, he focused on me and not Coop.
“We were goofing around. I didn’t take Frankie seriously when she said to give her phone back and—we wrestled. I’ll pay for the shirt, Frankie.” Apology hung in the crease of his every word.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jake dismissed Coop like he wasn’t there, and I ran a hand over my face. How was I supposed to explain the broken table to my mom? As it was, I’d have to replace it.
All of this because Coop wanted to read my messages? Or was teasing about it? Because the guys couldn’t…
“You guys need to go,” I said abruptly.
“Frankie,” Archie said as he finally entered the fray. “We can take care of the table. The guys are gonna clean it up. Just tell me where you…”
“I don’t know where Mom got it, Archie. We’ve had that table my whole life. So—who knows? You can’t just buy a new one and replace it. Money doesn’t fix this stuff. And—right now, I just want you guys to go.”
“We got tickets for the escape room,” Coop said slowly. “You know for our project?”
“Then go and have fun, because the only room I want to escape is the one without all of you in it.” My comment stung Bubba, and he didn’t cover his swift frown.
I would not cry. Maybe it wasn’t their fault but…
“Fuck, Frankie—” Jake raked a hand through his hair and nudged some of the broken pieces aside before he caught my hand. “I’m sorry. You looked upset and your hair is a mess and your shirt is torn… think about what it looked like. I… I’d kill anyone who hurt you.”
“Maybe that’s the problem,” I told him and pulled my hand out of his. “It’s not your job to protect me. Even if helping was the goal, you didn’t even wait to find out what happened. You just attacked Coop.”
