Chapter Six
“Hi Trudie, I’ll have a coffee and a slice of coconut pie. And Charlie will have a hot chocolate and lemon meringue,” Pepper said the following morning as she leaned against the counter of the diner. The place was busy with a combination of locals and tourists and a gentle hum of conversation floated through the air. She would’ve preferred to have barricaded in her bedroom, getting her emotions under control but Charlie had other ideas and had dragged her out to run errands with him.
“Coconut?” Trudie made a clucking noise and shook her head as she studied Pepper’s face. “I don’t think so. If ever a person needed caramel apple, it’s you. As for Charlie, he’ll be having a serving of key lime, and if he has a problem with that he can see me.”
Pepper opened her mouth to protest before shutting it again. Obviously, her emotions weren’t quite as under control as she’d hoped, since Trudie only gave caramel apple to someone whose life had hit dumpster levels. As for giving Charlie key lime, Pepper had no idea what kind of new idea he had to embrace, but she knew better than to argue with Trudie about it.
“Sounds great,” she said under Trudie’s watchful eye and her old boss nodded in approval.
“Good girl.” Trudie lifted the glass lid off the pie and cut out a generous piece and then repeated it for Charlie before sliding them over to her. “Now, take your pie and I’ll bring the coffee. And Pepper, don’t over think this one, okay?”
“Trust me, that’s not a problem,” Pepper promised as she threaded her way to her favorite booth where Charlie was waiting for her. Especially since she’d decided to wipe the whole thing from her mind.
“Is the key lime for me or you?” Charlie raised an eyebrow as she reached him. She wasn’t the only one who knew how Trudie worked.
“You. Any big decisions you need a hand with?” Pepper teased as she handed it over.
“Not apart from whether to use three-inch or four-inch bolts on that fence this afternoon,” Charlie said as he took the pie with good grace. Then he looked at Pepper’s pie and frowned. “As for you, just remember that sometimes pie is just pie.”
“Thanks, Charlie.” Pepper had no idea how much he knew about last night, but whatever it was, he was keeping it to himself. And for that she was grateful.
She hadn’t planned to become friends with the old guy who worked on the farm with Ivy. But he’d been the one who’d found her walking along the highway the first time she’d tried to runaway. There had been no judgment or lecture, more importantly, he hadn’t mentioned it to her great aunt. He just said next time she wanted to go, he’d be happy to help, as long as it wasn’t harvest time. Which was how he’d become the closest thing to a friend she had in her new home.
“Don’t thank me. You’re paying for it.” He grinned as he unrolled his fork from the napkin and stabbed it into his pie. “By the way, I heard a whisper that your ex came around the other day. Sorry I wasn’t there.”
“Probably better you weren’t. You’re far too old to be getting into fist fights,” Pepper said, trying to keep her voice light. When she’d first moved back to the farm two and a half months ago, Charlie had been the only one she’d told about the disastrous U-turn her work and love life had taken. It wasn’t her intention, but somehow he’d figured it out. As Ivy used to say, for a slow old boy, not much got past him.
“Still don’t like it. Not after what he put you through.”
“Yeah, I didn’t like it either. But it’s all sorted now and don’t worry, I won’t make the same mistake again. Paul’s history,” Pepper said, not quite up to telling him about Coop’s part in it all. Especially the part where I can’t seem to stop kissing him.
Not that it would be a problem from now on.
“I was never worried. I’ve known you a good long time, Pepper and there’s one thing for certain. You don’t make the same mistake twice,” Charlie said as he took a bite of his pie, indicating that he considered the conversation finished.
They finished off their meal in silence before Charlie headed in one direction to wrangle over the cost of fence bolts with Evan at the hardware store, while Pepper waited for Emmy to arrive. Her sister had been meeting with a potential bride and then she and Pepper were going flower shopping.
“Sorry I’m late.” Emmy hurried toward her, her soft brown hair in loose curls around her face. “Did you bring me pie?”
“As requested.” Pepper lifted up the brown bag Trudie had given her. “But she wouldn’t let me see what she’d picked for you.”
“Well, as long as its not brownie fudge. I swear the last time I had that I had three bad things happen to me all in one day, and with the wedding coming up…”
“Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure you’re not going to get jinxed by some pie,” Pepper assured her just before someone began to shout out from across the road.
“There she is. My hero,” Stan called out and Pepper glanced over to where he was proudly cleaning the windows of his taxi, which now had a large sign saying Absolutely No Curry Smells In This Vehicle running along the side.
“I think he wants you to go over to him,” Emmy whispered, heroically trying not to laugh as they crossed the road. “He’s not stopped talking about you since you helped him.”
“I’m just pleased it worked.” Pepper had given up trying to explain to people that she’d just provided a bit of common sense. Even Coop had fallen victim to it. Don’t go there. “And we can’t stay too long because you still have to look at flowers. And this time you are going to pick some.”
“I know I should but I had no idea it would be hard to make decisions,” Emmy said as they reached Stan who immediately gave Pepper a hug.
Okay, that’s new.
Not that she cared. Anything was better than thinking about the hot mess her life had become. Still not going there.
“Pepper, I’m pleased you’re here. I have something important to discuss with you,” Stan said before looking at Emmy and lowering his voice. “Of a legal nature.”
“Right, the thing is that I still can’t give you legal advice,” Pepper reminded him.
“Of course.” Stan winked. “Completely off the record.”
Pepper resisted the urge to groan. “How can I help you?”
“It’s about Miss Dottie,” he said, as he tilted his head toward his cab where Miss Dottie was sitting in the back seat, her face hidden by black sunglasses, like a Mafia boss. Well, if Mafia bosses wore purple turbans and pink dresses.
For as long as Pepper could remember Miss Dottie had run the eccentric bed and breakfast on the other side of Clive Square, but after selling it to Bec and Lincoln she’d moved into a more modest cottage not far from where they were standing.
“What about Miss Dottie?” Emmy piped up before giving Stan an apologetic look. “Sorry.”
“You should be. This is private lawyer client business,” he retorted as Pepper sighed again. Still not a Connecticut lawyer. “After hearing how you helped me, she wants to talk to you. She’s worried about what will happen to her doll collection when she passes to the great beyond.”
Pepper opened her mouth and shut it again.
She’d wanted a distraction from thinking about what had happened last night, but this wasn’t quite what she had in mind. Especially since she remembered Miss Dottie’s collection and it was terrifying.
She licked her lips. “The thing is, Stan—” she started to say but was cut off by her cell phone. “Can you excuse me for a moment?”
Stan gave a wave of his arm while Emmy looked at her with interest. Pepper stepped away and answered the call.
“Pepper Watson? Hi, this is Katrina from Ritzman and Unger. Sorry to disturb you on a Saturday, but Mr. Ritzman was adamant we contacted you. We’d like you to come to Chicago and interview. Would Wednesday suit you?”
An interview?
Thank God.
“Absolutely,” Pepper said, not bothering to check what she had going on. Whatever it was, it could wait. “Can I ask what position it’s for?”
“Mr. Ritzman would prefer to discuss it on the day,” Katrina said. “But I’ll send you our pre-employment information and if you could email me with your flight details, we’ll be happy to reimburse them.”
“Thank you,” Pepper said before finishing the call. After getting caught up in the drama of last night, this was exactly what she needed. A reminder of what was really important. Getting my life back on track. She grinned as she walked to where Emmy and Stan were waiting.
“Everything okay?” Emmy asked, but since Pepper hadn’t told her sister about what had happened with her job, she wasn’t quite sure how to explain this.
“It’s fine. Great.”
“Excellent.” Stan gave an enthusiastic fist pump. “Will you talk to Miss Dottie? It would set her mind at rest.”
Of course not. I don’t specialize in scary porcelain dolls. Or do business from the back of a taxi. Next to her Stan was nodding his head, as if hoping it would convince her and Pepper couldn’t help but laugh. Oh, what the hell. She’d always liked Miss Dottie and Stan didn’t seem to understand what the word “no” meant. She might as well help while she could.
“Sure. Lead the way.”
…
“How can you not know what happened?” Bec demanded as she sat down on the old office chair he’d dragged out of the study and proceeded to raise it up and down, like she was six. Anyone else probably would’ve looked stupid. Especially while wearing denim dungarees, orange boots, and winter roses in their hair. But on Bec it was just normal.
It did nothing to improve Coop’s mood.
How was it he could understand Bec so well, but be completely clueless when it came to Pepper?
He turned his attention back to the grapefruit he’d been peeling for his latest brew. Normally, spending time in the barn with his three brewing pots sitting on their wheeled metal frames, helped give him a sense of calm. Of purpose. But right now they weren’t working. He put the peeler down and walked over to Bec, who’d thankfully stopped fiddling with the chair and was content with sticking her hands out to the portable wood stove he used to warm the barn.
“One minute we were getting on fine—” code for, I thought we were going to end up in bed “—and the next minute she came storming out of the restroom and said it was time to leave. Here endth the story.”
“Perhaps you mentioned cheese. She doesn’t eat dairy.”
“No mention of cheese.”
Bec frowned some more. “Okay, well did you bring up Florida? She had a bad vacation there. I think hives were involved.”
“No Florida, no hives. No, nothing,” Coop said with a sigh. “Your sister’s a mystery.”
A really hot mystery.
There was one very obvious thing that came to mind but he was trying not to think about that. That she looks at me and sees Simon.
“Yes, she is, and it’s very annoying.” Bec crossed her legs and pouted. “Getting information out of Pepper is damn near impossible at the best of times, but this morning when I went around, she was like a steel trap. All we can hope is Emmy has better luck.”
“Or you could just consider leaving her alone,” Coop said which earned him a soft punch on the arm.
“Benjamin Cooper, it’s like you’re telling me not to breathe. Something’s going on with Pepper. It’s been going on from the time she came back, and it’s driving me nuts. Oh, and get a load of this. Emmy was out with her yesterday and she got a mystery phone call and then said she had to go to Chicago on Wednesday.”
Chicago? Wednesday?
She got the interview.
The interview for the job that he technically didn’t know about. “Did she say why she’s going?”
Bec gave him a confused look. “Er, no. That’s what makes it a mysterious phone call. Oh, but she did sit in Stan’s taxi for half an hour giving legal advice to Miss Dottie about her doll collection. God, I hope she doesn’t leave them to me.”
“Or me,” Coop said as he returned to his bowl of grapefruit peel and carried it over to his workbench. “I need to get this finished if I want to fill all my orders.”
And thinking about Pepper isn’t going to help.
Especially the part where he’d told her the truth about his parents. He’d trusted her and he thought she’d understood. That they’d shared a moment. Correction, we did share a moment. Stuff passed between us. Unspoken stuff. And then something happened to piss her off. As to what that was, he didn’t have a clue.
“My cue to leave.” Bec got to her feet and rubbed her belly, as was her habit ever since she’d discovered the news she was going to be a mom. “Because while I love you like the brother I never had, smelling that stuff will probably make me puke.”
“I’d be offended if I hadn’t seen you turn green when we walked past the bakery yesterday,” Coop said. “If the smell of cupcakes makes you sick, then anything can.”
“No one’s more annoyed than I am. I thought morning sickness was supposed to go away at this point, but mine’s getting worse.” Bec pulled a face, but her glow suggested she was wildly happy. At least one of us is. “If you remember anything you might’ve done to cause her bad mood, let me know.”
“Will do, Sherlock. Though, I hate to tell you, you’re becoming more and more like a Sunshine resident every day. Next you’ll be exchanging secret handshakes with Myra at the post office.”
Bec grinned. “Who’s to say I don’t already know the secret handshake? Besides, you were the one to tell me being back home wasn’t so bad. You should be pleased I’m adjusting.”
“I am,” Coop assured her as the cool weather rushed out to greet them. Bec shivered as she climbed in to the driver’s seat of the sensible family car Lincoln had insisted on buying. For the last five years Bec had wandered the world, flitting in and out of his life like a butterfly, so no one was more surprised than he was when she returned home and announced she was staying. It was a transformation no one had seen coming, but suited her. And if Bec could move back, then—
Don’t even go there.
Pepper’s leaving as soon as she can.
And I’m the fool who helped her get there.
He turned his attention back to Bec. “I’m pleased you’re back here.”
“Me too,” Bec said. “Now go and make that beer.”
“Yes, sir.” Coop gave a mock salute and waited until she’d driven away before returning to the barn. He then spent the next two hours carefully preparing his brew, refusing to focus on anything that wasn’t Winter’s Night Grapefruit Ale. After he checked that the pots were air locked, his curated thoughts crumbled and his mind once again boomeranged back to Pepper. It was like a well-trodden path and before he could even catch his breath, last night’s party slammed through his brain.
Screw this.
He stood up so quickly that the chair fell back to the ground.
Dammed if he was going to let it happen without a fight.
Ten minutes later, he pulled into Wishing Bridge Farm, adrenaline surging through him as he scanned the empty kitchen. It was obvious by the washed dishes and how the ancient wooden table was clear of the normal wedding debris, Pepper had been there. He almost laughed. God, why’s she consistent in all other parts of her life except when it comes to me?
He turned from the kitchen and was just crossing the courtyard to the old barn where so many of the wedding receptions were held, when Charlie appeared. He was wearing the same winter coat he’d had on since the first time Coop had met him, the only difference was the lines on his face, once like faint spider webs, were now ridged from age and weather. His eyes were as bright and alert as always.
“She’s down at the bridge.” Charlie came to a halt and leaned against the yard brush he’d been holding.
“I’m not here to see Emmy,” Coop said, knowing she was the only one who liked the bridge. He had a sneaking suspicion Bec had grown fonder of the farm’s namesake, but Pepper avoided it like the plague.
“Good, because I’m not talking about Emmy,” Charlie countered and Coop got the distinct feeling the old man wasn’t talking about Bec either. “Oh and tell her Miss Dottie called and said thank you for the advice.”
He opened his mouth but Charlie just shrugged and ambled toward the barn, whistling as he went. Coop watched him and frowned. Okay, that happened.
All he cared about was confronting Pepper. For calling her out on blowing hot and cold. For burning his insides with blazing embers before dousing them with glacial frost, leaving not even a spark behind.
There were two ways down to the bridge. One was a more sedate journey the wedding guests used, the other was the path Bec had trail-blazed in one of her adventures. He took that one, sure-stepped as he walked down to where the slope flattened out and the bridge came into view.
It wasn’t large as far as covered bridges went, but it was picturesque with the slow-moving creek underneath and neatly pruned roses flanking the entrance. To the right, Pepper was holding up her cell phone, snapping pictures.
Her hair was scraped back into a tight knot at the back of her neck and there was no sign of the figure hugging sweaters she’d taken to wearing.
I definitely didn’t misread the mood last night.
He sucked in his breath and strolled forward. He tried to never show the effect she had on him and dammed if he was going to start now. As he got closer, he coughed and raised an eyebrow.
“Hiding in plain sight, I see?”
“What’s that mean?” she said as she lowered her cell phone and folded her arms.
“This is the last place I expected to find you, which makes me think you came here on purpose. Avoiding me, Pepper?”
“Absolutely not,” she was quick to reply but she couldn’t quite hide the tension in her flickering jaw. Coop wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing he’d ruffled her, but he wanted an explanation. Something to help him put this crush to bed once and for all. “I’m working. If you don’t mind, I need to get these photos taken before the light goes.”
“I do mind.” Coop took a step closer, his eyes never leaving hers until she finally she let out a sigh and nodded toward a narrow bench Charlie had built many years ago.
“Fine. You have five minutes.”
“What happened last night?” Coop tried not to be offended at the way she jumped as his thigh came within touching distance of her leg. It was like they’d taken two steps forward and six million steps back.
“I told you, I don’t want to talk about the kissing. It’s just a weird byproduct of opposites attracting. That’s all there is to say,” Pepper said, her gaze firmly fixed on the cell phone in her hands.
“Oh really.” Annoyance flared up him. “And what about the part where I told you about my parents. Where we talked. Where I thought you listened. How does that fit in to your story?” Coop said and then swore. He’d planned to go slowly, smoothly. No wonder she preferred my brother. “Hell, Pepper. Something happened last night, and then it all changed.”
She finally put down the cell phone and rubbed her face. She looked tired. He frowned. Pepper never did anything by accident. Even if it was dumb. Which meant something had happened last night and she’d chosen not to talk about it, until he’d come marching in.
Slick, Coop. Real slick.
Not to mention pointless. The Pepper sitting next to him was nothing like the girl in the navy dress last night. There was no light or shade. Just hard edges.
He got to his feet and began to pace. “Look, forget about it. I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
The space between them hummed with tension before she finally broke it with a sigh. “You’re always going to bother me, Coop. That’s the whole problem.”
He stopped his pacing. “So, you do like me?”
“It’s complicated.”
“It’s not.” He shook his head. “We’re hardly kids, Pepper. If there’s something between us why can’t we explore it? Why are we doing this dance?”
“Because last night I bumped into a school friend of Bec’s. Louise someone.”
“Taunton.” Coop frowned. Louise was a couple of years younger than he was and looked like she collected rainbows for a living. “What did she say?”
“Nothing really. Just that it was nice of me to help you recover from your heartbreak.”
What the hell?
“My heartbreak?” He sat back down. “What heartbreak?”
“Over Bec. Louise was saying how you’ve been waiting all these years for Bec but now she’s pregnant and with Lincoln, it’s like you’ve finally had to accept you were going to be single forever.”
Coop opened his mouth and shut it again.
Yes, half the population of Sunshine expected him and Bec to get together. But that had never been an option. Not for either of them.
“You really think I’m pining for Bec?”
“Aren’t you?” She tilted her chin leaving her neck exposed. It was about the most vulnerable he’d ever seen her. His pulse quickened.
“God, no. You know better than most what Bec’s like. I’ve never seen anyone who can handle her apart from Lincoln. I’m happy they’ve found each other,” he said before understanding slammed into his chest. “Pepper Watson, are you jealous?”
“What? No. Absolutely not.” The cell phone tumbled to the ground. She bent to retrieve it and then leaned back, as if being in his airspace was dangerous. “It’s humiliating. That’s why I wanted to leave.”
“I see.” A slow smile spread out across his mouth. “Just to clarify, you didn’t get jealous over the idea I might be in love with Bec.”
“No more than you might be jealous I was friends with Simon.” Pepper flung at him before her hand flew to her mouth. “I’m sorry. There was no need for me to bring him up.”
Coop swallowed hard as his body hummed with pent up energy. “It’s fine. I’ll never forget him, why should you?”
“Still, it was a low blow. This is why I normally avoid talking to you. No good comes from it.” She gave an angry shake of her head as she reluctantly sat back down next to him. “I came down here to make a wish. To figure out a way we could coexist without driving each other crazy.”
“I guess it’s no surprise it didn’t work,” Coop said and she looked at him with interest.
“I thought you would’ve believed in the power of the bridge. I know Emmy does and Bec’s a recent convert.”
“I’m pleased for them, but I can’t say it’s ever worked for me.” Coop stared at the covered bridge, the wood faded with age. The last time he’d walked into the middle was a month before his brother died. When he was so desperate he wanted a dumb bridge to fix his problems.
“Simon.” Pepper’s face softened in understanding. “You came here to wish for Simon.”
“Like a bridge could stop cancer.” Coop turned away as frustration pounded through his temples.
“Or bring back my parents.” Pepper sighed, studying the ground below. Coop sucked in his breath. Bec spoke about their parents from time to time, how she wished she could remember more about them, but Pepper had never mentioned them. Not even when Simon had died. Up until now.
“Do you miss them?”
A streak of pain crossed her face, so stark it was like a punch. “More than anything. Our life in Seattle was pretty much perfect. They liked to laugh a lot and always seemed to have time for the three of us. They made us all feel special. I know Bec doesn’t remember much about them, but sometimes I think that’s a blessing. I remember everything. How great it was. Then, they were gone and suddenly my entire life was different. But you already know how that feels. How one tiny thing can change your life forever. A car crash. A cancer diagnosis. One thing and it’s all over.”
Coop’s mouth dropped. It was like he was watching a director’s cut of a movie. She was always together. Like she always knew what she was doing. Like she couldn’t be hurt.
How did I not know this?
“Is that why you’ve always hated it here?”
“Partly.” She shrugged, suddenly looking unsure of herself. Like she regretted saying anything. “It was more I was stuck here, with no say in my life. I tried to run away, you know. Three times.”
“I didn’t know.” Coop rubbed his brow, trying to imagine a world were Pepper ran away. It was difficult though. The Pepper he’d always known was fearless and she never backed down from anything. It gave him new understanding into just how much she must’ve hated her life in Sunshine.
“Charlie stopped me two times and Simon found me the third. Stupid really. I’d finally figured everything out. I had money, bus timetables. Everything. Apart from some hiking boots. I twisted my ankle before I got past the second paddock. Simon had been trail biking nearby and saw me. It’s how we met.”
His mind whirled. Visions of his brother rescuing Pepper. Carrying her back to the farm filled his mind. Of Pepper being vulnerable. Scared. Sad. And Simon being her hero.
No wonder they were friends.
“He never told me that. I guess we do have something in common after all. We’ve both wished for impossible things.”
“I guess,” she agreed as the air between them hummed with energy. It was so loud Coop was surprised the birds around them didn’t take flight. All he wanted to do was reach out and touch her. Connect the space between them. “Have you heard from Morgan yet?”
“No, though I did get an email from his CEO asking if they could visit my set up,” he said, trying to figure out how she could be even more gorgeous with her hair scraped back, no makeup and her lips chapped from the cool weather.
“I’m happy for you.” She nodded her head. They were so close if she leaned forward, she’d be touching him. God. “I hope it all works out.”
“And I hope it works out for you. Bec told me about the phone call. Well, she said mysterious call. But I’m assuming it’s for an interview.”
“It is.” She nodded.
“I’m happy for you, Pepper. I really am. But you need to start letting people in. Why not tell your sisters what’s going on? Why not—”
“Why not what?” she said in a hoarse voice. “Let you seduce me?”
“Would that be so bad?” he said as the buzz of energy raced between, creating space alive with unanswered questions. He drank in her face, eyes widened and lips parted, he couldn’t resist the pull. He lifted a hand and trailed a line along her check and watched her eyes flutter in response. God. He lowered his mouth to hers, still tentative, but as her hot breath met his, the uncertainty passed.
Blood hammered in his temples as her body pressed into him, her lips soft and sinful. He lifted his hands to her cheeks, her skin like velvet as he continued to kiss her. His hand tugged at her shirt and she let out a moan just as her cell phone beeped.
Pepper stiffened and drew away, a guilty flush staining her cheeks while Coop silently cursed the fool who’d ever invented cell phones.
“I-I should get this.” Pepper studiously studied the screen before jumping to her feet. She turned her head and without another word held the cell phone up to her ear as she headed toward the track. Coop waited until she was out of sight before lying back on the bench. So much for hoping that coming to see her might break the spell she had over him. Nothing had changed.