Chapter Eight
Kate
The “something big” hung in the air, more intimidating by the second. Cooper seemed to be deep in thought, that little crease between his eyebrows that formed when he went into Mr. Serious mode on the lake showing up. I didn’t dare interrupt, hoping genius had just struck. Especially if it was the kind of genius that’d help me not feel like such a failure when it came to my prom plans.
I also hoped it wouldn’t be scary. Big sounded scary. Plus, like I said, Mr. Serious face, and that usually meant barked orders.
Finally his gaze returned to the present day and my room. “There’s a party tomorrow night. You’re going to go with me. And we’re going to act like…”
I’d never liked cliffhangers, not on my TV shows, not in books—especially when the sequel’s release date was months to years away—and definitely not in my real-world conversations. “Like what?”
“Like we came together, but not as a couple. As in a casual thing.” He ran his hand over his jaw and then rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you think you can do that?”
The amount of oxygen I took in thinned and my gut tightened. “So I’d go with you and just play it cool?”
“Yeah. But also, I might put my arm around you, or stand really close. Maybe make it look like we could be more than friends, but not like we’re in a relationship.”
“That seems like a very odd limbo to be in.” I frowned at the idea of being tugged around like that, thinking a guy was into me, only to find out he acted like that with other people, too. But that was what everyone did these days, right? It certainly fit in with Mick’s usual MO. He and the girls he “dated” were together one night, not the next. Sometimes they were even hanging on other people or kissing them in the halls within the same week.
“We can try to think of another way if you’d be uncomfortable,” Cooper said.
“No.” I put my hand on his arm, vaguely noticing it was, in fact, as firm as it looked when I sat behind him every day on the lake. “I’m overthinking, as usual. It’s just pretend, so it’s not like it matters.”
He nodded. “Just pretend. Once we take some of that serious edge off, then guys will see you as the easygoing chick they’d like to take to a party.”
“And then to the party.” I needed to hear the end result, because the part of me I didn’t realize was so opinionated hated the thought of people thinking I skipped from guy to guy so easily.
Eyes on the prize. I just need Mick to see me first. I’m sure if he met the right person he’d want more, and that person’s going to be me. This is the way we’ll be able to get to know each other and get to that point.
I pulled my notebook to me and scribbled “Mick and I go to prom together” in giant letters. Staring at them helped soothe my nerves.
Then I looked up at Cooper, whose hazel eyes were fixed on me. That made another calming wave rush over me. It wasn’t like it’d be hard to act like I found Cooper attractive. Flirting with him would be almost natural, like how natural it was for my mom with complete strangers. Maybe I needed a guy I trusted on the other end of my pretend flirting, but practice made perfect, right? In no time, I’d be managing it with the guy who rendered me incapable of speech with one of his sexy smirks. Or you know, by simply looking my way.
“Let’s do it,” I said.
With that out of the way, I figured we could get on with our Friday night. I flipped my notebook closed and tossed it aside.
“So that’s that?” Cooper asked.
“For now.” I glanced at the time. I hardly ever had plans on the weekend. Even Mom had gone out tonight—I’d practically had to shove her out the door, but I knew she needed nights out with her friends. She was more of an extrovert than I was. As much as she accidentally flirted, she never dated. For her sake, I wanted her to move on, but for mine, I was glad I hadn’t had to deal with it yet. I wasn’t ready for some strange guy to come in and change everything; to make that feeling of Dad never living here again that much more permanent. “Did you have somewhere else you needed to be?”
“Need? No.”
Ever since the pretend-we’re-more-for-the-party discussion, the vibe had turned a bit weird, and I wanted back the easy one Cooper and I normally shared. “We could watch a movie or something? But if you’ve got more exciting plans, or—”
“I’m down for a movie.” One corner of his mouth kicked up, way too mischievousness in the curve. “But I get to choose it.”
My fingers curled around my remote protectively. “Giving out movie choosing privileges isn’t something I do lightly.”
“Well, I don’t hang out with the Mother of Dragons lightly. Especially when the dragon’s been giving me dirty looks for the past five minutes.”
I looked down at Klaus, who did look quite disgruntled about not getting all my attention. “Down, boy. Wait to blast him with fire until we hear what movie he’s going to make us sit through.”
Hesitantly, I extended the remote.
Cooper took it from me, his callused fingers brushing mine, and the vibe changed again, this time more electrically charged. Which had to be a mix of anticipation and anxiety over what movie he’d pick—yeah, that was definitely why my stomach crawled up to kiss my ribcage.
He scrolled through the options, pausing on movies I planned on protesting against a few times, only to move on. The cover for Terminator: Salvation filled the screen. “This was what I was thinking.”
“I haven’t seen it.”
“I think you’ll like it. And I’m saying that as your trusted secret keeper.”
“I guess we won’t roast him quite yet,” I said to my bearded dragon, who simply stared at me. I glanced at Cooper and thought about asking if he’d add the fact that I talked to my pet to my secret list, but figured it was understood. Not to mention awkward to bring up in the first place.
I stood and put Klaus in his cage, tossing in extra food before settling next to Cooper again.
He’d been texting someone, but I didn’t see who and was doing my best not to be nosey. He pocketed his phone, leaned back on the headboard next to me, and hit play…
About thirty minutes in, I went to shift and groaned. Usually I tried to stifle sounds like that, but I couldn’t help it. “Everything hurts whenever I move.”
“So don’t move,” Cooper said, as if never moving again was an effective, realistic solution for having muscles so sore you wanted to cry.
“Does that mean I don’t have to be at practice tomorrow, coach?”
That got his full attention. “Oh, you’ll be at practice, and if you complain, I’ll make you drop and give me twenty.”
“I couldn’t even do one push up, much less twenty.”
“Then I guess you better be at practice.”
I stuck out my lips, not above pouting if it’d give me one day of rest. “But I’ll need time for party prep.”
“We’ll row at noon and go for a couple of hours. That gives you plenty of time to prep.”
I let my head fall back against the headboard and gave a dramatic fake cry. “I need a day off. My muscles need a break, or by the time we get to the party, I’ll just be crying every time I move, and that doesn’t seem like a very casual, cool thing to do.” When he didn’t immediately give in, I brought my hands into prayer position, despite the pain it caused. “Please, please have mercy on my muscles and give me a break, Coach Grouchy Pants.”
His brow furrowed. “Fine. But Sunday at noon, your ass better be on the lake.”
I saluted him, then groaned again, because it hurt my arm, which only made him laugh. Smacking his arm made pain shoot through my shoulder, but it was worth it.
I expected him to launch into a cheesy sports speech about pain and gain, but instead, he handed me the pillow he’d been using. “I’m tough enough to not need any sissy cushions.”
“That’s because your body is used to all the rowing.”
He shot me a sidelong glance, the colors from the TV dancing across his features. “My ripped body?”
“If it wouldn’t hurt, I’d smack you again.” I added the pillow on top of the one cushioning my back. Obviously Cooper was super scared, because when I twisted back around, he waggled his eyebrows. “Okay, adding the eyebrows just bumped you up to a nine on the Kanye Douchebag Scale. I should’ve never told you that you got ripped. It went right to your head.”
“Oh, I already knew.” He cracked a grin and put his hands behind his head as a rest, his elbows out to the side, creating the picture-perfect image of relaxed, confident dude. Who was, in fact, ripped.
I crossed my ankles, glad at least my legs functioned without pain. “I like this movie and all, but there’s not really a couple for me to ship. Unless we’re talking shipping me and him, because talk about ripped.”
Cooper shook his head. “Are you one of those people who talk through movies?”
“When it’s not one of mine, yes. Otherwise, I do sometimes talk, but mostly just to Klaus, who completely agrees.”
“Naturally.”
I laughed, but did my best to be quiet through the rest of the movie. I thought nothing was as good as an empty weekend stretched before me, lots of hours to binge watch. But having Cooper watching with me? Well, a girl could get used to that.
Although, not really. As soon as Mick and I got together, I probably wouldn’t have as much time for hanging out like this. A twinge of sorrow went through me, and I told myself to stop being overdramatic about something that hadn’t even happened.
The sound of the door opening broke through the music that accompanied the credits rolling up the screen.
“Sounds like my mom is home,” I said.
Cooper shot up, his back stick straight. “Will she be upset that I’m in your bedroom?”
I hadn’t really thought about it, and it wasn’t like I had a lot of experience with boys in my room, but I couldn’t see her caring. “Nah. If anything, she’ll be surprised. We should really shock her. Put your hand on my knee and we’ll act like we were just making out.”
Cooper couldn’t look more horrified by the prospect, which made me worry we’d never be able to pull off tomorrow night’s plan. I tried to smother the offense that automatically drifted up because I was only joking and had my sights set on someone else anyway. But would it kill him to act like the idea wasn’t totally repulsive? My confidence with boys was shaky enough as it was.
“Kate?” Mom called. “I’m home, and I have some crazy stories for you. I have no idea what’s wrong with guys these days. Nadine’s doing the online dating thing, and she’s already had three guys send her pics of their—”
“I have company!” I shouted before Mom could finish. Judging from the heat in my cheeks and the flush in Cooper’s, it was too late to avoid veering into awkward territory. So much for shocking her—she definitely got the jump on that.
Mom stopped in the doorway. She was flushed as well, but more in the way that meant she’d had a few drinks and had done some dancing. “Oh. Hey, Kate’s company.” Her eyebrows scrunched up as she glanced from me to Cooper, and then back to me. Then she beamed at him like he was a puppy, and she hoped I’d keep him. Clearly she’d had too much to drink to be subtle.
“Mom, this is my friend Cooper. Cooper Callihan.”
“Callihan.” She pressed her lips together. “Your father’s a lawyer, right?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Cooper said, his usual light-heartedness gone. Almost like he thought Mom might interrogate him or perhaps ask him for legal advice.
“Please don’t call me ma’am. Makes me feel old. Call me Melanie. Or is that improper? I never know what the damn rules are with that kind of thing. I suppose I could settle for Ms. Hamilton, but I’d still prefer Melanie.” She swung her arm, and I noticed her heels were in her hand instead of on her feet. “Anyway, you guys have fun. But not too much fun.”
“Thanks, Mom. Good night.”
She tapped the door. “I feel like I should say something parental, like this stays open. At least until we can discuss this friendship more.” She winked at me and giggled. Then her expression turned as serious as she could get it under the circumstances. “I’m not usually like this, or even drunk at all, I swear.”
“Remember to put aspirin and a glass of water by your bed. In fact, you should probably take one now.”
“Good idea.” Mom’s smile widened. “I love having a smart daughter who thinks ahead.” Her gaze moved to Cooper. “Which is why I’m a tad protective of her. Just so you know.” She stage-whispered. “See? I can totally pull off being all mom-like.”
“You’re definitely rocking the mom thing right now,” I said with a laugh, while also wishing she’d hurry and go to bed before she said anything else.
With a final wave, she was gone.
“Okay, I thought my mom wasn’t very embarrassing, but that…” I placed a hand on my cheek, hoping it didn’t look as pink as the heat radiating from it suggested. “Well, that was embarrassing.”
“It’s kind of nice, actually. I can see how much you guys care about each other.” Cooper stood. “I better get going.” He squeezed my shoulder, and while it made my sore muscles scream a little, the zips of energy counteracted it enough to make me want him to do it again. “Thanks for the movie.”
“Thanks for helping me with my operation.”
“Right. The Operation. Of course.” He lowered his hand, his fingertips dragging down my arm. “I’ll pick you up for the party tomorrow at seven. Since we’re going big, you might want to wear something a little bolder and flashier than usual.” Once he reached the doorway, he paused and glanced back at me. “But if you change your mind, we don’t have to go through with the plan. Just putting that out there.”
Dad and I used to go on missions all the time together. Like while we were shopping, he’d tell me to keep an eye out for a guy with a fedora—he wasn’t to be trusted. And we’d look until we found some random guy who had one on and plot our plan of attack. Not real attack, of course. But our hypothetical operations were detailed and epic.
Then there were the real ones, like cleaning the house as fast as we could before my mom came home, or surprising her with dinner, or buying her the perfect present for her birthday.
Real or fake, we used military lingo and acted as if our lives depended on our success. This entire operation brought back some of those good memories and the rush of making a plan of attack, and like back then, failure wasn’t an option. So bold, flashy clothes and attending a party where I pretended to be a little more than friends with Cooper? I could totally handle that.
“I won’t change my mind,” I said.