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Okay, get it together, Quinn.You are smart and strong and are fully capable of talking to a gorgeous, sexy man. Thank god I learned how to mask my facial expressions in law school.
"Hey, it's nice to meet you," Cooper says, stretching out his hand to shake mine.
As soon as I touch him, I feel this electricity shooting up my arm. Cooper's eyebrows furrow as though I'm not the only one who feels the odd charge. He holds on to my hand as I stammer, "Hi, yeah it's, uh, nice to meet you too."
Shit. I sound like an idiot. I turn to look at Hailey, desperate for a reprieve from my whirring thoughts and complete stupidity. She seems as cool as a cucumber as she says hello and shakes his hand.
"Is everyone ready to eat? The burgers are done," Cooper says and looks at the group around the kitchen. He looks back at me, and a shudder moves through my body. I've never had such a physical reaction to someone before.
Sure, I've met plenty of attractive men throughout my life, but none of them have ever thrown my entire body and mind into such chaos like Cooper did with one touch.
He shakes his head as if to get rid of whatever thoughts he was having and steps back as everyone starts filing outside with shouts of hunger and excitement to eat. Once we’re outside, we fill our plates in the outdoor kitchen, and everyone finds a place to sit between the dining table and living space.
I'm having serious backyard envy right now. Megan and Todd have obviously put a lot of time into their space with perfectly placed greenery and flowers around their fenced-in yard, and the entertaining space looks like it came from a magazine.
"Holy hotness, Batman. Can you believe that Cooper guy?" Hailey whisper yells to me as we sit down on a loveseat. "He is like sex on a stick. Almost makes me want to stay here."
"Shhh... he'll hear you," I admonish.
"I don't care if he hears. A guy doesn't walk around looking like that and not know he's sexy." I look over at Cooper who is talking with Levi, Megan, and Todd. She has a point.
He is definitely sex on a stick, but there's something about the way he carries himself that exudes a confidence I would never be able to emulate.
I’ve always envied people who are able to stand in a room and know exactly how they fit into it. It usually takes me a significant amount of time to figure out the dynamics of the group before I feel comfortable. I will say, it’s made me a great listener because I end up wanting to hear people’s life stories instead of talking about myself.
"So, where's the coolest place you've lived outside of the U.S.?" Natalie asks, interrupting my thoughts. She sits down in a chair across from the couch Hailey and I are sitting on while we eat. She has beautiful auburn hair that hangs in soft waves around her face. Freckles dance across her nose, and her gorgeous green eyes sparkle with life and humor as she smiles at me.
"That's a tough question for me to answer. I've lived in some really neat places. The farthest away I've lived was Sydney, Australia for a year while my parents did a lecture series at the university, but I think Florence and London are a couple of my favorites."
"What kind of doctors are your parents?" Sara, who has soft brown hair and hazel eyes, asks.
"My dad is a cardiologist and my mom is a family practitioner. They discovered a genetic disorder about thirty years ago, and since then, they've traveled across the world researching and presenting their results. They also do some clinical work to help medical centers set up diagnostic and treatment practices," I respond, mostly by rote memory at this point. I've shared this story so many times throughout my life.
People are always so fascinated by my childhood, but they usually don't understand the toll it took on me. As a young kid, it was incredibly difficult trying to fit into a new place all the time.
"Wow, that's pretty intense. I can't imagine living in all of those different places. How long did you live in New York?" Sara asks.
"I lived there for a little over twelve years. Initially, I moved there to go to NYU, and then, being the black sheep of the family, I stayed for law school. After I graduated, I practiced family law where Hailey and I worked at a firm together," I respond.
"Yeah, this one's a real ball-buster, but I love her anyway," Hailey teases.
"Hey! I wasn't that bad."
"No, of course not. You just make it so easy to tease you." She winks.
"Don’t I know it," I tell her with a roll of my eyes.
“How are you settling into small-town life?” Natalie asks.
“It’s been a lot smoother than I anticipated. Hailey has helped a ton with unpacking, and the people I’ve met have been incredibly nice, albeit a little nosy. It’s super refreshing compared to New York though.”
“That’s so good to hear. I’m sure everyone is just excited there’s a new person in town, but don’t worry, something else will happen, and they’ll move their attention away from you,” Natalie says.
"I honestly don’t mind too much, but that’s good to know.” It’s been a huge adjustment having people come up to me and want to talk; New Yorkers do not do idle chit-chat. One day, I spent an extra hour at the grocery store because a couple of ladies started asking about my life. Hailey thought I got lost when I didn’t come home.
“I’m going to get another drink, does anyone else need anything?" I ask, getting up off the couch. They all shake their heads, so I walk back inside to the kitchen. It's amazing how quickly I’ve felt comfortable in this space and with these people. It's only been a couple of hours and I’m more relaxed here than I have ever been in a social setting. Even talking about myself hasn't bothered me like it normally does.
I start perusing the wine selection, picking up the pinot Hailey and I brought because it's one of my favorites. As I'm pouring my glass, I hear the door open and turn to see Cooper striding inside. Everything inside me tenses up.
