The One Night(11)

“I would love honesty.” I sip my beer.

When Earl drops off the drink, I’m surprised when Cooper closes the space between us, climbing to the stool next to mine. Instead of facing the bar, he turns toward me, knocking our knees slightly. It’s in this moment that I get a close-up look at his steel-gray eyes. I remember the first time I noticed his eyes—I was just a kid visiting Watchful Wanderers, his family’s outdoor goods store on Marina Island. He was chasing his sister, Palmer, around the hiking boots display. I was watching them curiously as they laughed, knocking over boots. It was the booming, chastising voice of Martin Chance that startled Cooper, freezing him in his tracks and making his eyes wide. I can still vividly see the look on his face, and I remember being . . . mesmerized by the color.

A color so light that his eyes almost felt unreal.

Now that he’s a grown man, his hair has darkened, and his symmetrical face is lined with thick scruff. His eyes have slightly aged, probably from the worry he carries, but it only heightens the intensity in his gaze. And his face has thinned out, carving his jaw in a more prominent line, any portrait artist’s dream. Even though I probably shouldn’t, I can honestly say he’s probably one of the most handsome men I’ve ever laid eyes on.

Pair his looks with the gruff attitude, the grumpy disposition and . . . hell, what am I even saying? I shouldn’t be internally commenting on any of this, on his looks, on his raw sexual magnetism.

Did I say “sexual magnetism”?

Wow, okay.

Deep breaths, Nora.

You can’t possibly be breaking out in a light sweat.

There is no way your heart is pounding a little faster with one glance from him.

And there is no way his voice feels like a warm blanket wrapping around you during a chilly night.

Nope.

Mentally nibbles on lip

Oh God.

I find Cooper Chance attractive—dangerously so.

As this realization sinks in, I force myself back to the matter at hand and focus on the man beside me. With his hand gripping his new glass of whiskey, Cooper twists it against the bar top as his gaze falls to the paper I’ve been writing on.

“My siblings are single. Did you know that?”

“Haven’t really kept tabs on them. All I know is Ford is leading the charge with the family business, and Palmer spends most of her time overseas, blogging about it.”

“That’s incredibly accurate,” he answers. “But my parents never bother to ask them why they’re not with anyone.”

“Do you think it’s because they don’t spend Friday nights in dive bars with Peggy and Martin?” I joke.

He chuckles. “Possibly.” He sips his drink, this time not downing it. “But what’s humiliating is that I think my parents believe I’ve got nothing going for me, that since I’m divorced, there’s no future for me. And they’re trying to make up for that.” He moves his hand across his jaw. “I think they see me as the loser son.”

“Oh my God, Cooper, you can’t possibly think that. I’ve known your parents for a good deal of my life, and they would never ever consider any of their children losers—despite the trials and tribulations they’ve been through.”

“Hearing you say that makes sense, but in here”—he taps his heart—“it doesn’t feel like that. They’re worried about me. They think the only thing that’s going to make me happy is being with someone.”

“Is it?”

He shakes his head. “No one, single individual should ever be responsible for someone else’s happiness. Your happiness is all dependent on you, no one else. Being with someone is not going to bring me happiness. Even if it’s the right person.”

“Well, that’s very enlightened,” I tease. “So, what will bring you happiness?”

He scratches his cheek. “Still trying to figure that out.”

“But you’re trying to figure it out . . .”

He nods. “I have some thoughts on the matter.”

“Then it seems like you’re not as bad off as you’re claiming to be, like maybe you’re just playing the Debbie Downer card for attention.”

“Excuse me?” he asks, brows raised, humor in his eyes. “You think I’m playing the Debbie Downer card?”

He’s playful. I always thought he was stiff, possibly unapproachable, when he was with Dealia. But seeing him here in the bar, whiskey in hand, a light tug on those sexy lips . . . I’m totally into this right now.

I uncross my legs and lean forward. Holding my hand out, I tick reasons off with my fingers. “You’re acting like, ‘Woe is me, my parents wanted to hang out with me tonight.’ You’re saying you’re humiliated. You say you think your parents think of you as a loser, but . . . lo and behold, you have a solution to all of that—you claim you’re creating your own happiness. So tell me, Cooper, which is it? Are you playing morose so you can pick up the ladies? Or are you truly in a devastated slump and attempting to get out of it? If it’s the former, I will tell you right now, any woman would find it more enticing to be set up by a pair of meddling parents than offer pity to a man who just wants some attention.” I fold my arms over my chest and hold back a smirk as he sits taller in his seat and blinks a few times.