Beach House Reunion (Beach House #5)(68)

Linnea put her tray on the table and showed off the adorable pleated white top with red piping and the crisp red cotton skirt. “It was Lovie’s. Isn’t it amazing?”

“Really?” He laughed. “Only you . . .”

“Only me what?”

“Only you could pull that off.”

“Thank you very much,” she said, not sure if that was a compliment. As she sat, she glanced at Cooper’s plate. Philly cheesesteak, fries, a chocolate fudge brownie, and sweet tea. Despite his clearly healthy appetite, he looked like he’d lost some weight, and his skin was as pale as paper.

“How are you doing?” she asked.

“Okay.”

“I’ve been expecting you to show up at the beach house, but summer’s half over and we haven’t seen you.”

“I’ve been busy,” he said as he bit into his cheesesteak.

“Come to the beach,” she implored him. “You look like you could use some sun.” She held out her arm on the table next to his. “Next to me, you’re a paleface.”

“How are you so tan?”

“I’ve been surfing.”

Cooper’s sandwich stalled before it reached his mouth. “Surfing?” he asked incredulously. “You?”

She would’ve been insulted, except that his reaction was spot on. At least for the old Linnea. “Absolutely! I’m getting pretty good, too. John’s been teaching me.” When she saw his brows knit, she added, “He’s Emmi’s son. He’s living next door for the summer. And Cara gave me Brett’s old board.”

“No way. That board is sick.”

“I call him Big Blue. I go out whenever there are waves. John said he’ll teach me kiteboarding next.”

Cooper set down his sandwich. “Okay, now I’m getting jealous.”

“Don’t be. Come out and join us. You’re a good surfer.”

Cooper scoffed at that. “Not really. I’m probably not as good as you now.”

“You just need practice. Come on.”

“I’ll try to get out there.”

His voice had a lackluster tone that told her he would not. She was filled with a sudden fear for her brother. His pale skin, lost weight, lack of enthusiasm for life . . . He was dramatically changed from the buoyant, popular boy she was used to being with.

“Coop,” she said in all seriousness. “What’s the matter? You’re not yourself.”

“Come around more often and you’d know.”

That was a deliberate slap and it stung. She had been lost in her own world on the island, her worries for her brother on the back burner.

“I deserved that. I’m sorry. What’s going on?”

He pushed his plate away. “It’s a freaking nightmare at home, that’s what’s going on. Don’t let Dad know I told you this, but the business is going under. Sales are down, and he’s not getting any new orders. And he’s drinking more than ever.”

“That might explain why he’s not getting new business.”

“Maybe. I don’t think so. He’s still on board every day at work. He’s good at what he does. But his heart isn’t in it. Something else is going on.”

“What?”

“Hell if I know. He doesn’t confide in me.” He grabbed his iced tea. “I’m only his son.”

“What does Mama say?”

“Mama? She’s MIA. I mean, she’s there in the house, but it’s like she’s some ghost. She sneaks around, walking on eggshells when he’s drinking. And when they’re together?” He shuddered. “It ain’t pretty. They scream at each other like it’s World War III.”

“Mama? Screaming?” Linnea couldn’t imagine it.

“It sucks. You wouldn’t recognize home.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry? You couldn’t change anything.”

“I feel like I abandoned you.”

“No, you got out. I don’t blame you. It’s every man for himself on a sinking ship.”

Linnea couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This was so foreign to the household she’d grown up in. Sure, her daddy enjoyed a drink at night, but nothing like this. She felt frightened, not only for her parents, but for Cooper.

“How do you deal with all that?”

“I leave as often as I can. I go to my friends’ houses, the hunting lodge.” He shrugged. “I don’t think they notice.”

Linnea pushed his plate back toward him and shifted the conversation back to surfing. She’d heard enough to know that she had more digging to do, and to feel relieved she’d escaped. If she’d stayed at home, she would have been fighting with her father too. Probably screaming like her mother. And that was not the woman she wanted to become.

“Cooper, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. You’re taking a few days off and coming to the beach house. For me. It’s our last summer as kids, right? We’re both going off again, you to college, me . . .” She shrugged and laughed. “Somewhere. Please say you’ll come. This weekend. Please?”

“Yeah, I’ve got some vacation days. I’ll come.”