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“I’m not. I take full responsibility. You asked what happened and I’m trying to tell you.”
“You’re saying that’s why you avoided the family? Because you were attracted to her?”
It was so much more than attraction. But no way was he throwing that out there. “Yes.”
His mom gave an angry huff. “I can’t believe you’ve done this. I can’t believeshe’sdone this. How could she come between two brothers like that?”
His heart gave a hard squeeze. “It was my fault, Mom. Please don’t hold this against Katelyn.”
Her gaze sharpened on him, a frown furrowing her brows. “How can I not? There were two people in that lip-lock, Cooper.”
And what a lip-lock it had been. He winced at the errant thought. He was a terrible person. “I let things go too far. I thought I could just be friends with her. I thought I could... control myself. She cares about Gavin. She didn’t mean to hurt him or our family. Don’t hold this against her. She’s not like us—she doesn’t have a family.”
Mom’s eyes slowly widened and her lips went slack.
He’d given away too much with that request. He turned to stare out the window, trying belatedly to hide his feelings. Better to play this off the way Gavin believed. Cooper was just an egomaniac out to prove he could have any woman he wanted, and Kate had been his victim.
He faced his mother. “You should stay out of it, Mom. Kate and Gavin can still work things out.”
“You’re in love with her.” Her flat tone rang with certainty.
Cooper tried for a casual tone. “Don’t be ridiculous. When have I ever fallen in love with anyone?” His pulse raced, throbbing behind his eyes.
She was quiet so long he thought she might let it drop.
“I should’ve known. You’d never hurt your brother for some passing fancy.”
“Don’t blow this out of proportion. I made a mistake but Gavin will have to forgive me eventually, right? Once he and Kate straighten things out this will blow over.”
He hollowed out at the thought of it. Would Kate stay with Gavin? And if she did, would he ever be able to come around his family without this crushing feeling in his chest? “I’m sorry I caused a ruckus in the family, Mom. That was never my intention. I won’t rest until I fix it.”
“Some things can’t be fixed, Cooper. And you’re not fooling anyone here—least of all me.”
He pressed his lips together. She wasn’t getting a confession from him. That wouldn’t do anyone any good. “Let it go, Ma. Please.”
She studied him for a long, painful moment before she gave a resigned nod. She rose slowly to her feet, defeat in her stooped posture. As she walked toward the door, he wished for angry-mom back. Because the distress coming off her in waves was so much worse.
36
How could one little kiss cause so many problems?
Katie balked at the wordlittlebecause there’d been nothing small or insignificant about that kiss. It had been the best one of her life. And if it hadn’t completely turned her world upside down, she’d be savoring it over and over. But there was no point in doing that—unless self-torture counted. Because that kiss had cost her everyone she cared about.
Katie turned onto her back and pushed off the covers. As much as she dreaded facing Gavin, she hated being in this state of flux. Once she broke up with him, there would be no going back. She’d lose him and the Robinsons for good. But there was no help for it now.
She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and checked the time. Well after eleven at night and she was wide awake. As if irresistibly drawn to the forbidden, she opened her photos and flipped through them until she came to the ones she was searching for. She and Cooper on the trails. One of him filling his water container ata creek. A selfie of them in front of the shelter. One of him standing on a ledge that overlooked a beautiful vista. And one of her after he swiped her hat. She was reaching for it, laughing, as he snapped the shot with her phone. Then there was his collection of goofy selfies, taken when she left her phone unattended. She couldn’t help but smile even as her eyes stung with tears.
She should get rid of these. They represented something she could never have. Looking at them would only bring heartache. Her thumb hovered over the Delete button, her heart kicking against her ribs.
The phone buzzed in her hand, startling her. A notification appeared on the screen. Gavin.
Are you awake?
Her pulse found a new gear. It was time to face up to what she’d done. She thumbed in her reply.
Yes.
His response came a few seconds later.
