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TUCKER
Watching Natalie work the event tonight has been both an eye-opener and torture. She’s amazing. I am seriously blown away at her ability to switch from a competent businesswoman to an easy-going librarian to a quiet listener all within the span of a few different conversations.
I am also so turned on by her I’ve had to discreetly adjust myself several times over the course of the night. I’m ready to just yank her away from the event and rip her gorgeous green dress off her body.
Fuck, she looks beautiful tonight.
“How’d the rec center fire turn out?” Max asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
We’re standing in a group with drinks in hand. The girls are on the dance floor together, and because we’re a bunch of hapless men, we’re standing on the outskirts watching them. But observing these guys around their women makes me feel a million times better about how I feel around Natalie.
Each one of them is the epitome of an alpha male, but when their woman comes up to them, they turn into puddles. It’s both hilarious and seriously comforting. I thought I might've been losing my man card for how wrapped up in Natalie I am, but seeing these guys have the same type of relationship has me feeling so much better about it.
Having zero experience in the dating world, I didn’t know what was normal and what wasn't. After the guys at the station were razzing me for being a love-struck teenager, I was worried about Natalie having the upper hand. After tonight, I don’t think it’s a bad thing.
I just want her to be happy, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her that way.
“Not good,” Cooper replies. “We think someone set it on purpose.”
“The blaze was ugly,” I chime in.
“Damn. Who would do something so awful?” Levi asks.
“I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out,” Cooper says.
“Did you still want to meet next week?” I ask, wanting to double-check.
“Yeah, I’ll have Carly, my secretary, send you the details.”
I nod my head in response.
"How has she been handling the fallout from a few months ago?” Levi asks.
“She’s been a real trooper. People keep coming in to get the scoop on what happened,” Cooper replies, shaking his head. I can’t imagine the busybodies of Sonoma would let the idea of a murdering lunatic go without trying to gouge him for more information.
“How's the wedding coming along?” Max asks Cooper, changing the subject.
“Good, I guess. I just want to be married already. It fucking blows we had to push it to March in the first place.”
“Dude, you’re such a whiny baby. You have no patience when it comes to Quinn,” Levi teases.
“You’re damn right I don’t. I need to make sure she’s locked down before she realizes how much better she can do and leaves.”
“She’s already locked down, you moron,” Levi quips back. I’m feeling a little lost because I’m not sure what this is about exactly, but at least I’m not the only one who feels like they aren’t good enough for their woman.
Cooper’s one of those guys who people gravitate towards because he’s so steady and dependable. His not feeling good enough for Quinn makes me feel like I really don’t deserve Natalie while also making me feel less alone for having those doubts.
“Cooper has been impatient about Quinn since they first met,” Todd leans in to tell me. “When he asked her to move in with him, they had to do a bunch of renovations to his house, and he was like a cat on a hot tin roof. He couldn't stand having to take an extra week to move her in.” Now I understand why Levi was teasing Cooper so much.
“I mean, if I asked Nat to move in with me, I think I’d feel the same way.”
“Is that where this is going?” Max asks.
“I sure as hell hope so. I’m not used to the whole relationship thing, though, so I don’t know what’s normal and what's not.”
“Welcome to the club, man. You just gotta do what’s right for you guys, not anyone else,” Cooper says, smacking me on the shoulder.
I nod my head because I don’t know what else to say.
