The Newcomer (Thunder Point #2)(17)

“Please,” she said. “Oh, please...”

“I don’t need a bucket for the truck, do I?”

“Don’t be silly,” she said, eyes at half mast. “I can hold my liquor!”

“Oh, you’re doing great,” Cooper said. “It’s ten o’clock.” Sarah wasn’t sure they had cleared the parking lot before she was asleep. She had vague memories of being half carried, half dragged into the house.

In what seemed like three seconds later she groaned and muttered, “Turn off the light.”

“I don’t have enough cosmic power to turn off the light,” Cooper replied. “It’s morning.”

She sat up as though a cattle prod had assisted her. The second she was upright, she groaned and grabbed her head. Slowly, very slowly, she opened one eye and looked at him. He was lying beside her on her bed in his jeans and stocking feet. “What are you doing here?”

He put his hands behind his head. “Well, by the time I put you to bed, let out the dog and filled his water dish, Landon still wasn’t home. So—I turned on the TV, laid back down and fell asleep.”

She gingerly lifted the covers. She was wearing her shirt and panties. “Great,” she said. “My brother knows you undressed me.”

“More important than that, he knows you were toasted. By the way, you sure talk a lot in your sleep when you’re drunk.”

“I wasn’t drunk, I was just...” He was smiling at her. “Okay, I was drunk. Remind me that tequila shots on top of beer is not recommended. Why did you stay the night?”

“I was tired,” he said. “Believe me, Landon knows there was no nookie. Are you going to live?”

“It’s questionable.”

He lifted one eyebrow. “Little hair of the dog?” he asked.

“Don’t talk like that. It could get messy.”

“You’re a lightweight, Dupre.” He sat up. “I should get out to the bar before Rawley shows up and reports me missing. You coming out later?”

“Maybe after I get a new head.”

* * *

Cooper suspected Sarah had gone back to sleep. It was nearly noon by the time she showed up with Ham—they’d walked across the beach. And she looked both rested and recovered. “I was afraid to call you. Afraid you might be sleeping it off.”

Right at that moment, her cell chirped. “Landon has felt no such restraint,” she said. “He made as much noise as possible getting ready for school and he thinks it’s extremely funny that I’m hungover.” Then into the phone she said, “What?”

A few moments later Cooper said, “That can’t be the first time he’s seen you a little tiddly.”

“Cooper, I was not tiddly. I was wasted. And yes, that probably was the first time he’s seen that. You’re right, I’m a lightweight.”

“And he’s punishing you with phone calls?”

“He’s between classes, calling from the men’s room—I heard flushing. They’re not supposed to make calls during school hours. So, he wants to go over to Eve’s house. And I’ll be more than happy if he does.”

“Sounds fine to me. Jeez, I have to get a better system around here. I’d buy Rawley a cell phone, but he probably wouldn’t use it.”

“What’s the matter with Rawley?”

“He doesn’t talk to me unless he has to. He didn’t show up today. He pretty much makes his own hours, which is fine. Everything we have to do gets done. But if he’s not coming at all, he should let me know. That way when he doesn’t let me know, like today, I know he’s all right.”

“Do you think he’s not all right?” she asked.

“No telling. I’ve been thinking about driving over to Elmore to check on him, but there’s no one to watch the store.”

“Cooper, I’ll keep an eye on things. How long could it take?”

He shrugged. “Almost a half hour each way, then seeing if he’s around. He takes care of his father, who is an invalid. When Rawley works, a neighbor lady who’s a nurse’s aid in a nursing home looks in on him. If I can’t find Rawley anywhere, I’ll need to call hospitals or something. Rawley is strange, but he’s pretty reliable.”

“Then just go. Will you make me dinner for me tonight?”

“Sure,” he said, pulling her in for a kiss. “I’d rather lock the doors and take you upstairs for a while. You were less than romantic last night.” He kissed her again. “But I should make sure Rawley is okay. I don’t know how old he is, but older than dirt, I suspect.”

“Just go. Ease your mind. Then if there aren’t a lot of people around later, we can make out awhile.”

“Can we make out naked?”

“No,” she said with a laugh. “What if my brother popped in for some reason?”

“Your brother. You know, I like Landon, but is it too late to put him up for adoption? We could get visitation a couple of days a week....”

“And the rest of the week?”

He nuzzled her neck. “I think you know....”

“Go,” she said. “I’ll check out the freezer and decide what I want for dinner.”