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Riley: Oh brother
Me: Tell me why I’m doing this again
Riley: Because despite pretending otherwise you still care about him and you would be doing him a favor. Besides that, I’m sure the money doesn’t hurt with everything your mom’s been going through.
Me: Did you tell him about her?
Riley: No. I promised I wouldn’t. But would it really be so bad if you did?
Me: Oh shit. He’s here
Riley: Then stop texting me
Me: If I keep texting you I don’t have to talk to him
Riley: Bye, Cooper
WESLEY
I let out a deep breath as I close the door of my red Mini Cooper (yes, I’m well aware of the irony) and make my way into the restaurant. Riley set the whole thing up for us, letting us each know when and where to meet. And honestly, part of me was hoping that Cooper wouldn’t be here. Then I could forget the whole thing. The idea of seeing him after all this time is making me nauseated. But as soon as I pulled into the parking lot, I spotted it. His signature ride. The black and green 2007 Honda Shadow he paradesaround on. The same one he’s had since he was seventeen. I still can’t believe his mom let him get that thing. It terrifies me – the idea of being on a motorcycle, so much so that I never rode it with him. I like the idea of being snug andsafe in my compact car. Sure it’s tiny, but I’m not a big guy, so it fits me perfectly.
I take a deep breath and square my shoulders before heading inside. When I see the tall, well built man in the corner booth, his dark hair impeccably styled, his fingers flying over the keys on his phone, brows furrowed, I swallow.
Coop.
Cooper.
My Cooper.
Except he hasn’t been my Cooper for a very long time.
I move closer, and Cooper looks up, setting his phone down on the table, his gaze meeting mine. My breath catches in my throat, because, shit. Cooper might be my sworn enemy now, but damn if he hasn’t gotten even more gorgeous in the last nine years. Same brown eyes, thick full lips and high cheekbones, same dark hair. The dusting of stubble over his jaw makes him look rugged and a bit like a bad boy, which I am totally not getting hot and heavy over, and he’s filled out more. His black T-shirt is snug, showing off his toned upper body and I notice the tattoo of a snake that starts at his wrist and extends to his elbow, coiling around his right forearm. That’s new. Well, new for me. What’s not new are the three earrings in his right ear. He’s had those since he was sixteen. Today he wears a silver cuff in the top and middle piercing, and a black stud through his lobe. When he stands to shake my hand I notice just how form fitting his jeans are. They hug his thighs and his ass, and my cock is taking notice no matter how much I don’t want it to.
No, I hate him. He’s not fucking gorgeous, I remind myself.Okay, he is fucking gorgeous, but I still hate him. And you are not coming out to play, so stop it,I reprimand my dick.
And then Cooper speaks, and I feel myself go weak in the knees. His voice hadnotbeen that deep in high school.
“Hey, Wes,” he says, and I feel a shiver go down my spine. My dick, which had just begun to deflate, starts to stiffen again in my jeans.
Shit. I hate him.
“Cooper,” I say, stiffly, nodding and shaking his hand back. I can’t help but notice how firm his grip is, the familiarity of his rough, warm hands. Hands that used to know me so well.
Cooper is staring at me now like I’ve lost my mind because I’m just standing at the table not moving and he’s been sitting down for I don’t know how long. Fair enough. I do appear slightly manic. And seeing as this entire get-together is for the express purpose of me paying him to be my boyfriend I haven’t really got a leg to stand on.
I clear my throat and sit down.
“So, it’s, uh...it’s been a while,” Cooper says, biting his lip.
“Yeah,” I reply, taking my napkin and placing it on my lap. Cooper hasn’t touched his. His silverware is still rolled up. He’s got a mostly empty glass of water in front of him.
“You look good.” His gaze flits over me and he smiles.
I scowl at him. “Seriously?”
He clears his throat. “Right. Look, before we say anything else, I know things are...messy between us. But it sounded like you were willing to put that aside for the sake of...whatever this is you needed help with.” He gestures between the two of us with his hand. “So, I’m hoping that means we can be around each other without causing an international incident.”
“Yeah, I hope so too.” I cross my arms over my chest, still scowling. Honestly, if anyone causes trouble it will be him. He’s the reason things turned out the way they did in the first place. But I remind myself it’s just one meal. I can tolerate Cooper for just one meal with my parents. Then I never have to see him again.
