Chapter Fifteen
Becca loved Sunday mornings at Novel Idea. She opened the store at ten a.m. and it was always quiet for the first couple of hours. It was a good time to think. Although on that morning, thinking was the last thing she wanted to do. She had thought for way too long the night before and frankly, she was tired of her thoughts.
Fran didn’t work Sundays so Becca was in charge that morning. Which meant she had control of the music pumping over the sound system through the store. She flipped to a country station and turned it up a bit. The store was empty aside from her and one of the high school clerks, Tyler. Most of Snowy Ridge was either at church or sleeping in she supposed. Or maybe they were leisurely eating their way through massive Sunday brunches with their families. Her parents liked to go to church and then brunch with friends on Sundays. Becca was relieved she worked Sundays so they never asked her to join them.
Becca walked to the front window and looked out onto Main Street. Another beautiful summer day. She loved the bright yellow and pink flowers nestled in pots that the town hung off of every street lamp. It certainly made everything look pretty. It was quiet outside too. Though she could see a few people leisurely walking down the far end of the road.
Fran had left her a list of work to do but Becca’s heart wasn’t into it yet. She knew she should dive in. She needed the distraction. But her mind kept returning to the night before and that amazing kiss with Cooper. It was only for a few minutes but in those minutes, it had felt like everything had changed. Becca couldn’t figure out how Cooper hadn’t felt it too. It was making her feel kind of crazy. Was it all in her head? Did it really even happen?
Her heart had practically leapt right out of her chest when he’d taken her by the hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. She didn’t know how badly she had been wanting that moment to happen until it did. And now that it had, was she supposed to forget about it? Or just pretend it didn’t happen? The next time she saw Cooper in town or at the pub, was she supposed to give him a cheery hello and breeze on by like he was some ordinary customer? Being fake like that was so against everything in Becca. She didn’t know if she could do it.
Becca went over the scene probably twenty times in her head last night after she’d left the dance and it still didn’t make any sense to her. She didn’t remember saying or doing anything that could have spooked him. He was the one who approached her. She needed to talk to someone about this. Becca picked up her phone and texted Luci.
Do you have time to meet for a quick coffee this afternoon? I get off at two p.m.
Luci wrote her back just moments later.
Of course! MoonBeans? I meant for Evan and me to walk you home last night but we couldn’t find you. Everything okay?
Was everything okay? No, Becca thought. But she wasn’t going to go over it in text.
I’m fine, she sent to Luci. I just decided to go home a little bit early and didn’t want to bother you guys. I do need to talk to you though. 2p.m. See you there.
Okay hon’, Luci texted back.
Becca sighed and stood up. She’d better start working on Fran’s list before people started to come in to shop. She wanted a new display of romances near the front of the store that customers would see as soon as they walked in. A summer heat type of display. Romance books were the last thing Becca wanted to see right now. She straightened up a few books that had spilled over on a nearby shelf and then headed for the back to retrieve a rolling cart.
Becca was finishing up the display with cover after cover of bare-chested men. It seemed to be a common theme in this particular steamy genre. She was staring at the six-pack of one of the men when she heard someone behind her.
“Becca?”
She practically jumped out of her skin and dropped the book on the table. It was Cooper’s voice. She turned around slowly, trying to quickly decide what her feelings were on him being in her store just now. Was she angry? Hurt? Sad? All of the above? “Hi, Cooper.”
He ran a hand through his hair and glanced around the store. It was still pretty quiet. Tyler was sitting behind the register playing a game on his iPhone.
Cooper placed an aluminum-foiled package into her hands. “Here,” he said, nervously.
Becca eyed the package suspiciously. It was long and rectangle. And it smelled pretty good. She looked at Cooper, waiting for an explanation.
He gave her a lopsided smile. “It’s an, ‘I’m sorry, peace, banana bread.’ I made it myself. I sort of like to bake, too,” he added.
Becca wanted to remain tough, and a little angry with Cooper, but she could feel her heart softening faster than ice cream on a hot pan. This was so sweet. No guy had ever baked her a banana bread before. Especially not a big, strong, tough mechanic. It was completely adorable. She smiled up at him. “Thank you. It smells really good.”
“I’m really sorry I ran out like that last night at the dance. It was completely awful of me. I instantly regretted it. I,” he paused and looked like he was carefully considering his words, “I never should have kissed you.”
“I actually kissed you,” Becca countered.
“Well, we were both at fault,” he returned.
Becca looked off to the side and muttered, “Just like our car accident.”
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing. You were saying?”
“We shouldn’t have kissed and I shouldn’t have torn out of there the way I did. I didn’t want you to think it had anything to do with you. You’re so wonderful and sweet and beautiful and I’m a big idiot.”
Becca studied his face. He really did seem sincere. He looked concerned and like he hadn’t slept very well the night before. Not to mention he had apparently gotten up early that Sunday morning, on his day off no less, just to bake and bring her a banana bread. It was such a touching and lovely gesture. Becca wanted to believe him that he hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings. And they had been hurt. Why shouldn’t they have kissed? He talked about it now like it was some horrible thing they’d done…kicked a puppy…robbed a bank…kissed. She had walked back to her table that night and sat alone, feeling completely rejected. Her girlfriends were all dancing and having a good time, Amber had gone on home to continue her phone chat with Nick, and Becca had sat by herself wondering what it was that she had done to make him run away from her like that. She was both humiliated and devastated. But Cooper was in front of her now, apologizing, and she should forgive him. Not to mention she did really like hearing again that he thought she was beautiful. She still was curious, however, as to what the problem was then if it wasn’t her. “What happened?” she asked.
He sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s hard to explain.” He looked around the store again before returning to her.
Cooper and Becca had talked so freely to each other that night she’d made him dinner. She didn’t see why he couldn’t confide in her now. “Try,” Becca pressed.
Cooper took a deep breath and looked like he was rolling around in his mind what he wanted to say.
Becca was a little surprised that whatever it was, was so hard for him to get it. What could possibly be such a big deal?
“I just,” he begun and then stopped to regroup. “I have a lot of family responsibilities and work obligations and my focus needs to be on those things and not relationships. I was hoping we could be friends, though.”
Oh, she thought. So, this was a brush off. He brought her a banana bread to accompany a letting her down speech. Great, just what she needed to hear that morning. Becca thought his reasoning sounded ridiculous. Who didn’t have work and family obligations? That seemed like a silly reason. You can’t not date your whole life because you have a business. But she wasn’t about to change his mind. If that was how he felt then that was how he felt. It hurt her, but if all they were going to be was friends then that would have to do.
“Friends?” he asked, holding a hand out to her.
She glanced down at the banana bread and then locked eyes with Cooper. “Sure. Friends,” she agreed and placed her hand in his.
Becca felt a jolt of electricity run through them. How was he not feeling this? Her mouth was agreeing with him but she knew she didn’t mean anything she was saying. Becca longed for him like she hadn’t for anyone else for a long time. But Becca also had pride and it had kept her from doing a number of stupid things in the past.
The two shook hands and before Becca let go, she slowly ran her thumb along the back of Cooper’s hand.
This friend thing wasn’t going to be easy.