Faithful (23 page)

“Leo is a fatalist and thinks everything we do is our last time together. What’s with him?” I ask.

“I think it’s impending fatherhood that has him feeling nostalgic, and don’t change the subject. I am very happy to see you and Cooper together. Finally,” Lauren says as she starts picking fries off Emma’s plate. “Answer Jess’s question. Two tents or one?”

All three of them wait for my response.

“This is exactly what I don’t want, to live this relationship out in public like it’s a sleazy reality show. This is too new, and I don’t know where it will end up. I can’t discuss details like we used to.” I look down at my unappetizing food. “You have the important stuff … I like Cooper, and that’s about all I know.”

“Is this you being scared or is this you being evasive?” Jess’s confused expression is almost comical.

“Wow.” Emma arches her eyebrows. “I’ve never seen you scared about a guy. This is a first.”

“I’m not scared. I’m being cautious. All of you have done the same, so don’t lecture me.”

“I wasn’t cautious with Dylan.” Emma shakes her head. “No way. I dove right in.”

“Okay, you’re the exception.”

“I wasn’t very … cautious,” Jess stammers. “I was …”

“Oh, stop,” I say to her. “It’s painful just reliving that whole thing with you and Carson. You were so kcuffing clueless about him. You had that thing with Dylan because your head is wired differently. No offense, I love you, but you missed every signal Carson was sending out. That whole summer should be labeled
‘What Not To Do With Men,’
so please, don’t try to compare that to my situation.”

Jess looks a little hurt, so Emma puts an arm around her. “Ignore her, Jess. Imogene is always meaner when she’s hiding something.”

“Really, I’m not hiding anything. Lauren has made some very good points. Yes, I thought Cooper was kinda hot when he first showed up in town. And, yes, I’m aware that he was paying extra attention to me for a while, and I probably put too much effort into being rude to him. On some level, I liked him, and on another, I wasn’t ready to get involved with any guy. That’s it. Big deal. We’re dating and will see where this goes, but I’m not going to indulge you and the rest of the town in a play-by-play of my love life, especially since it has a way of making me look like a loser in the end.”

“Jeepers, don’t be so optimistic.” Lauren rolls her eyes.

“No one has said jeepers since 1942,” I say.

“My grandmother says it all the time,” Lauren retorts.

“My point exactly.” I throw my napkin on my plate. “Jess, tell Carson one tent. And, now, that is the end of the Q and A, everyone.”

“God, I hope you’re nicer to Cooper,” Emma mumbles into her napkin.

“I’m sorry.” I bury my face in my hands and sigh. “Everything is happening at once. Cooper, Lauren’s baby and wedding, our new building. And, starting tomorrow, Lauren and I will be employers. That freaks me out a little.” I look at their concerned faces. “I shouldn’t take any of this out you guys, but it’s so damn easy when you hound me with questions.”

“It’s nice having someone else do all the freaking out for me. I have a few crying jags here and there, but I’m kind of in la-la land over all of this.” Lauren shrugs.

“Rest assured, Leo’s doing his own freak out for both of you,” I add with a smile.

“I may not be the most astute observer when it comes to people, but I think we’re all a little excited about you and Cooper. We just want to share in your happiness. That’s all,” Jess adds defensively.

“Thank you. All of you. And I’m sorry for the bitchy dig, Jess.”

“Apology accepted,” she replies softly. “I wish I had Cooper’s intuition about people, but at least I can read Carson.”

“And how does the book of Carson read?” Emma asks.

“He’s easy,” Jess explains. “Sex, sleep, sex, food, sex, work, sex, walk the dog, sex, movies, sex, and so on.”

“Do you two ever talk?” Emma grins.

“Carson is the strong silent type,” Lauren explains.

“Are you kidding?” Jess exclaims. “Carson talks nonstop with me. It’s like he saves it all up, and when he gets home from work, he can’t stop talking. Sometimes, I have to ask him for quiet time, and he actually watches the clock, waiting until he can talk to me again.”

Everyone laughs. This is a side of Carson none of us have been privy to, and it’s funny and sweet coming from nerdy Jessica. Her tangled, long, red hair frames her blushing face, giving her an adorable look.

I glance over at the men to see Cooper is already heading my way. My heartbeat quickens and a smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. I leave the booth, telling Lauren I’ll meet her at the car and then say goodbye to my parents and grandmother.

“Longest lunch of my life,” Cooper says, putting his hand on my back as we walk out the door.

Outside in the humid heat of the mid-day sun, I want nothing more than to go some place more cool and comfortable to be alone with Cooper.

“I just spent an hour pretending to my friends that you and I are no big deal. I was lying.” I look up at him, feeling like I have betrayed us. I want this to be the beginning of something very good.

“Ah, Imogene, everyone knows you’re full of shit. Your friends can see right through you.” He leans down and gives me a soft kiss on the lips. “This town is like living in a fish bowl. It’s hard to escape all the questions and gossip.”

“Do the guys ask you about us?”

“Nah. Guys don’t give a crap about that stuff. At least not the details. All Carson wanted to know is if he needs to bring an extra tent next weekend.”

I start laughing and Cooper grins with a confused expression. “I love how direct guys are. I can totally see Carson asking for a number count on tents and absolutely nothing about you and me. Meanwhile, I get the third degree on you every day.”

“Let it happen.” He caresses my arm, sending more happy tsunamis my way.

“So, you don’t mind living in a fish bowl?”

“In terms of people prying in my life, it’s not much different than what I had in Brooklyn.”

“What fish bowl?” Lois asks, surprising us from behind. She’s dressed in her yoga attire and her pretty, silver hair is styled in a perfect chignon. She is slender and tone, resembling a graceful, aging ballerina.

I throw my hands up. “You’re the fish bowl. You and everyone else. This fish bowl we live in, where everyone feels entitled to know everyone’s personal business.”

“It’s our favorite past time,” Lois says, as if this is a perfectly acceptable answer.

“It is when you’re not at the center of it,” I say.

Cooper snakes his arm around my shoulders for a protective squeeze.

“Sweetie pie, when a love story hits town, you better believe people are going to talk about it. Hera’s population is sixty percent female, and with all the grisly news on TV, dang tootin’ we’re talking about romance whenever we can.”

Cooper smiles. “Sweetie pie. How about that one?”

“Don’t even try. Only Lois can get away with that one.”

“Why haven’t I seen you at any yoga classes in the last month?” Lois scolds.

“You kicked me out of the class,” I say incredulously. “Remember? You said I talk too much.”

“You do, but I didn’t expect you to never come back. You can come, too, Cooper.”

“Pass.” Cooper shakes his head. “No way.”

“I got Dylan to take the beginner yoga and meditation class. Men do attend.”

“I heard Dylan meditated himself right to sleep in that class,” Cooper adds.

“He did, but that’s not the point,” Lois continues. “The point is I got Dylan to sit on the floor and calm down. He was so calm he dozed off. When have you ever seen him like that?”

“Never,” Cooper and I both respond.

“Oh, I know you’re a very calm young man. You’re not like the others,” Lois says to Cooper. “But Imogene carries around a lot of stubborn, crabby mojo. Maybe you can work some of your magic on her.” Lois may look like a ballerina, but she sounds like pure hillbilly.

“I’m doing my best.” He pulls me in and plants a big kiss on my mouth, just the kind of display Lois loves.

“Very good.” Lois nods approvingly. “You’ll both have to come over to my house for a poker game soon.”

Cooper is enjoying the attention we’re receiving because it forces me to acknowledge our relationship. I’ll agree to anything so we can leave, even poker with Lois, who is hardcore about cleaning out other people’s wallets.

On our way back to Lauren’s car, he finds a spot alone off the main street and pulls me aside in the alley that leads to my new office. He holds my waist firmly so I face him.

“I want you to go home and pack a bag. Leo is going to drop me at my place so I can get my bike. I’ll come pick you up.”

“No. I’ll drive to your house in my own car. I don’t want us to be seen on your bike with my overnight bag, parading through town, feeding the rumor mill.”

“It’s not a rumor if you’re actually spending the night at my house, and since when do you care what people think or say about you?”

“True. Still, I’ll take my own car so I can drive to work in the morning.”

“Sure. Whatever makes you happy, my little control freak.” He smirks.

Guilt is a powerful thing, like an unstoppable freight train or an incurable illness. Any wave of happiness I thought I was riding is immediately squashed by the big G. I have been so careful in how I handle Cooper and how I talk about him with my friends, using my sarcastic remarks to brush off questions about him or the relationship developing between us. However, my caustic words are damaging and devalue what we are and what we have, and the thought of my glib comments to downplay my feelings towards Cooper leave a pool of bitterness in my gut. For once, I truly believe my big, fat, lying mouth could erode my heart and soul forever.

“I’m not really heartless,” I blurt out in a shaky voice.

Cooper studies me with a frown.

“I don’t want you to really think I’m a cold, heartless bitch and hope that maybe I’ll come around eventually. You don’t have to hope … I’m not really that person.”

“I never thought you were.” He tilts his head to the side, wondering where I’m going with this.

“It’s easier to be sarcastic and sometimes a little cruel, and I may have taken it too far with you. No, I did take it too far.”

“Imogene,”—Cooper shakes his head—“it’s me. I’m not an idiot. I told you I know that’s part of your game face. I never once thought that’s who you really are inside. Besides, I think you’re hilarious … and sexy.”

“My friends think my behavior has been unseemly—more than usual, that is. It has, and it’s because I do like you more than I’ve let on.”

“You’re not telling me anything I haven’t already figured out.”

“Good,” I say, nodding and looking down, feeling brave that I’m being forthright for once while simultaneously feeling the shame that comes with ugly admissions.

“Hey.” He lifts my chin so I look at him. “I’m not asking you to bring stuff over to my house so we can have undisturbed rolls in the hay whenever we want. It’s so we can spend more time alone together without having to be at your place where everyone likes to drop in unannounced.”

“Have you ever actually rolled in the hay?”

“No, I don’t think I’ve ever stepped foot in a barn, but since I’m living in the country now, I thought I could say that.”

“Uh-huh.” I lean away to get a view of our pretty, new building, looking for Lauren’s car.

“Ah, damn,” Cooper mutters. “You’ve rolled in the hay, haven’t you?”

I sigh, exasperated with my consistently bad timing. One minute, I’m telling him how much I like him, and the next, I’m confessing to yet another disappointing sexual encounter as a teenager.

“It was prickly and smelled like horse dung. I discovered I’m allergic to hay, and my skin itched like hell. And the sex was terrible. Really awful experience. Really, really ...”

Cooper growls some indecipherable expletive under his breath. “Stop talking. No more barns for you,” he orders. “I have to be in the city tomorrow to help Dylan set up some new showroom display. I’ll be gone for two days, and when I get back, we have to go to another damn dance class after work. So today is our day. Throw your stuff in a bag and get a move on. I expect you at my house in less than half an hour.”

“Yes, sir.” I decide not to salute him since he’s losing patience with this whole day.

When Lauren’s car rolls down the short alley and she honks the horn, I give Cooper a quick peck goodbye then jump into her car to show him that I am serious about getting a
move on
.

I watch him in the side view mirror as we drive away. He’s making some gesture with his arms and shouting something. I smile and wave, and he puts a hand to his forehead and shakes his head. I can’t believe he’s still upset about my barn story.

When we arrive home, I open my car door to find that the strap on my favorite bag is torn to bits.

“Oh,” Lauren remarks as I inspect the shredded strap. “I guess you shouldn’t have put your bag on the floor. You didn’t even notice that you closed the door on it.”

“Thank you, Miss Obvious.” My tone is snippy again.

“Then again, maybe this is God’s way of sending you a sign that you were really rude at lunch.” Lauren raises her chin, gets out the car, and slams her door.

“Right. God is always on the lookout for discounted designer handbags that he can destroy because they send meaningful messages to the dregs of humanity!”

Nineteen

It takes me five minutes to pack and another ten to apologize to Lauren. Ultimately, she’s too tired to argue with me and heads off to bed for a nap. I throw my overnight bag in the car and drive off to Cooper’s home, looking forward to having some alone time with him.

When I arrive at Chez MacKenzie, Cooper’s bike is keeping company with several cars and trucks. Music is blasting from somewhere outside, and my heart deflates a little at the thought of him having a house party and the guests who are intruding on my time.

I’m feeling a little selfish at the moment. I already had to endure an inquisition at lunch, and I was planning on maybe cooking him dinner and moving his living room chairs to the back porch so we can listen to the crickets and the babbling brook while we eat. I make it sound like one of those commercials for erectile dysfunction with the happy couple enjoying being homebodies, laughing over coffee and sharing a bubble bath. The sad truth is I would gladly take what the erectile dysfunction couple has over my sorry social life.