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“I don’t know what to tell you to make you realize what you deserve,” he says slowly. “What I do know is that you’re smart, you’re wicked talented, and one day, I’d love to call you my sister-in-law. If you decide that’s what you want too, then I hope you find a way to work things out with him.”
I wipe at my eyes. “Thanks, Seb.”
“Believe in him,” he says. “He wouldn’t have done it if he thought you weren’t.”
Chapter 44
James
Cooper comes into my bedroom without knocking, flopping himself on my bed. I suppress an eye roll.
“Hey,” he says, poking my thigh.
“Hey.” I don’t look up from my computer. “Didn’t we talk about knocking after that time you walked in on me and Bex?”
“It’s not like she’s around right now.”
That makes me look at him. “Seriously, man?”
“You’ve been moping for a week. Why haven’t you gone to talk to her?”
“Because she won’t listen.” I scrub my hand over my face. I’ve had this exact conversation with myself a million times since Atlanta, so repeating it with Cooper isn’t high on the list of things I want to do right now. “She said she wanted space, so I’m trying to give her space.”
He peers over at my computer. “Um, what the hell is that?”
I shove at his shoulder. “Stop being so fucking nosy.”
“A master’s program? To become a teacher?” He looks at me with emotion blazing in his blue eyes. “Tell me you’re not about to fucking do what I think you’re about to do.”
“If I have to pick, I’d pick her. So maybe instead of football, I can teach and coach somewhere around here. If she really wants to stick with the diner, I’d rather be there with her than off somewhere else alone. Playing football isn’t worth losing her. It just isn’t.”
Cooper starts shaking his head before I finish speaking. “No. Come on.” He shuts my computer and walks over to my closet, taking out my coat and tossing it at me. “Let’s go.”
“Go where?”
“Home.”
I scramble to my feet. “I’m not talking to Dad right now.”
“Maybe not, but you should talk to Mom.”
“What?”
“Let’s go talk to Mom.” He checks his phone. “If we leave now, we’ll get there in time for lunch. Come on. You’re not becoming a fucking teacher or working at a diner or whatever the fuck you think you’re going to be happy doing.”
Part of me—a big fucking part of me—wants to resist further, but I know Mom likes Bex. Maybe there’s something she can say that will help me get her back. And honestly, I miss her. I haven’t seen her since Atlanta.
“Fine. But I’m doing this because she always wants us to visit more.”
“Uh-huh. Whatever you say.”
We roll up to the house in time for lunch, just like Cooper predicted. Dad is actually away—a fact Cooper knew but neglected to mention, the ass—playing a charity golf tournament in Arizona, so it’s just Mom in the house. She opens the door with surprise written all over her face, pulling us into one gigantic hug, and ushers us to the kitchen.
“Do you want soup?” she says. “It feels like a soup kind of day. Shelley made these delicious little rolls, too.” She pats Cooper’s beard, tutting. “You should cut this, honey.”
“I’m a hockey player,” Cooper protests. “This is my natural state.”
“At least trim it.”
