Intercepting Love (Second Chances #5)(68)

“All right, I think I have enough to go on. I’m sorry you and Kate have to go through this. Trust me, I had my own version of this going on a few months ago. It wasn’t fun, and it nearly destroyed me. If this woman is coming after you two because her son is dead then what makes you think she’s going to stop now? What’s her goal? If she wants you two apart and this didn’t work, don’t you think she’s going to come back?”

“Fuck,” I hissed. “You’re right. She’s not going to give up when she sees us together.”

“The question is … what are you going to do about it? Is this girl worth your career?”

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and hung my head. “She’s worth way more than that, Shelby. I honestly don’t know what I would do without her. I can’t let this psycho bitch tear us apart.”

“Then you have your answer, Cooper. No matter what you do, you always need to fight for those you love. I learned that lesson the hard way. Anyway, I’ll call Kevin tomorrow and get the information you need. Just be careful, okay. I know from personal experience what desperate people are capable of.”

“Thank you,” I said to her before saying my good-bye and hanging up the phone.

Desperate people might be capable of anything, but I wasn’t afraid of Marianne Easton. She could go to the press with her nonsense and I wouldn’t give a shit. I refused to see Kate hurt anymore, and if Marianne Easton thought she got rid of me she had another thing coming.

If Kate still wanted to fight I would give up everything to stand by her side. The only problem now was facing her and finding out her answer.





My brother had called about thirty minutes ago, saying he wanted me and Cooper to meet him, Brianna, and Derek in the lobby so we could leave for the airport. When neither Cooper nor I showed up, my brother came to our suite looking for us just like I knew he would.

“What’s going on?” he snapped, glaring at me as he walked in. “We have a flight to catch and I’m beyond ready to get the hell out of here.”

“Cooper’s not back yet. I don’t want to leave without him.”

Evan’s eyes went wide. “Where did he go?”

The magazine was on the table so I grabbed it and shoved it into his hands. “Take a look.”

I watched as he read it, waiting on him to say something. When he didn’t, I threw my hands up in the air, exasperated. “Well, aren’t you going to say something?”

Throwing the paper on the table, he shrugged his shoulders. “What do you want me to say? It’s a stupid tabloid magazine. The stuff about you is a joke, and anyone at home who knows you will know that it’s bullshit. I know it sucks to see it, but when you decide to date someone as high profile as Cooper you had to know it was a possibility to be in the crossfire. Do you think Scott’s mother is the one who’s responsible?”

I rolled my eyes. “Who else wants to make my life miserable? If she’s trying to break me and Cooper up, she might’ve succeeded. Once he saw the article he left and hasn’t been back. I don’t know where he is and he’s not answering his phone.”

Evan pursed his lips. “I’m sure he’ll be fine, Kate.” He paused for a second, furrowing his brows and opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it before doing it again. “Is he really the coach’s nephew?” he asked curiously.

Glaring down at the paper, I put my hands on my hips and blew out a frustrated breath. “Yeah, he is. He didn’t want that information to get out, but somehow Marianne found out and told the people at TSR. I have no clue how.”

Evan squeezed my shoulder again before letting go. “Whatever the reason was for him not wanting people to know isn’t going to matter. A lot of people aren’t going to believe it, and most people aren’t going to even care. No one’s going to believe that shit.”

“I think you’re missing the point, Evan. It doesn’t matter if people believe it or not, Marianne is going to keep trying to mess with me any chance she gets. I don’t know if I’ll ever escape from her.”

“You don’t think she’ll ever get tired?” he asked.

“I don’t know, but it’s too exhausting to even think about it.”

Turning my gaze toward the glass door that led to the private deck, I watched as the hammock Cooper and I slept on swayed back and forth in the wind. I wished with all of my heart that I could go back in time to last night when everything was perfect and I thought things were finally going to be different. I guess it was all wishful thinking.

From behind, I could hear Evan carrying my bags to the door and setting them down. When I peered over my shoulder, he stood in the doorway with his arms crossed.

“It’s time to go, Kate,” he commanded.

I’d hoped Cooper would come back in time before we had to leave for the airport, but he still hadn’t. I wasn’t even sure if he knew what time our flight departed.

“What about Cooper?” I asked frantically. “I don’t want to leave him. He’s not back yet, and I don’t want to take his suitcase if he needs it.” It was actually my excuse so that I could stay and wait on him.

“Kate, I’m sorry but I’m not leaving you here. You’re coming with me, and if Cooper is smart enough he’ll meet us there. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve grown to like the guy, but he’s a big boy. He doesn’t need you taking care of him. Now come on before we miss our flight.”