Chapter 3

Coop stared at Lizzie. Lizzie stared back. There was pure silence. Finally, Coop started coming in the door, which made Lizzie back up, back into the restaurant.

"What are you still doing here?" Coop asked, as he shut the door. He put his stuff back on the ground and crossed his arms across his chest.

" What are you doing back here?" Lizzie challenged. She was actually surprised he had shown back up.

" I asked you first," Coop said.

" Well, I was just sitting here thinking, and I…" Lizzie rambled on. Coop was looking at her funny, and then gave her that famous half smile.

"What is so funny?" Lizzie asked, getting a little irritated.

" Well, it's just the first time I have ever seen you speechless, as in not saying a word," Coop stated.

" Well, well, I…" Lizzie rambled on again.

" See. That is just what I mean," Coop said, with a smug look on his face. " Do I have some sort of effect on you," Coop said, pretty sure of himself.

"No!" Lizzie said. " Just shut up! What are you doing here anyway?" Lizzie continued. " You were pretty mad when you left."

" Can you blame me?" Coop asked in surprise. " You had my family evicted from our home," Coop stated. " Was I supposed to be happy?"

" It's your fault I evicted you." Lizzie said.

" What are you talking about?" Coop asked. " I didn't do anything to you except turn your offer to turn me into a Spaulding down," Coop said.

" What?" Lizzie asked in disbelief. " Turn you Spaulding?"

" Why else would you lie about my experience in the restaurant business?" Coop asked. " You lied to that guy's face, Lizzie." Coop finished.

" You don't even know what you're talking about. I was not trying to turn you Spaulding." Lizzie said. " I was trying to show my appreciation."

" Appreciation?" Coop said, surprisingly. " What did I do to deserve your appreciation?"

Lizzie walked behind the counter of the restaurant, then back out in front of the counter. She paced around the restaurant for a few minutes.

" Lizzie, are you going to tell me or not?" Coop asked, getting a little impatient. " You have paced this restaurant for the last three minutes and you're starting to make me dizzy.

Lizzie finally sat down on one of the counter bar stools. " I know what you did," Lizzie said in a soft tone.

" What I did?" Coop asked, finally calming down. He sat down on the stool beside of her, and asked, " I'm not sure I understand what you're talking about."

" I know the reason that you threw Tyler out of here the other night." Lizzie answered. " I know he was two-timing me with the waitress that works here." Lizzie finished.

" Who told you?" Coop asked.

" She did." Lizzie answered.

Coop was silent for a minute. Then he spoke. " You know, I never meant for you to find out about that. That guy was a jerk. He was going to hurt you, so I just lost it." Coop finished.

Lizzie wasn't sure, but it almost sounded as if he cared.

" Why did you care that he would hurt me?" Lizzie asked. She was dying to know. " I mean, it's not like we were ever together or anything."

Coop took a deep breath and decided honesty was the best policy.

"Look, after I took that piece of glass out of your room and gave it to Gus, and then you fell apart on the stand, I blamed myself." Coop said. " I saw how bad that guy hurt you, and I finally saw that you are not that cold monster everyone else sees you to be. I saw that you do have feelings. Then I saw Tyler two-timing you the other night, and I just couldn't let him hurt you like that again." Coop finished.

He finally stopped talking and looked at Lizzie's reaction. She was just sitting there, with a kind of blank expression. Then she shifted and sort of smiled.

" Well, just so you know, I only brought Tyler to Company so that you would get jealous," Lizzie finally admitted.

" Well, for what it's worth, your plan worked," Coop shot back. " I was jealous. I mean, I knew we couldn't be together, but I still didn't want to see you with anyone else." Coop said.

" I felt the same way," Lizzie said. "But there is something else you should know. You are wanting to know why I lied to the guy that was here the other day, well I knew my grandfather wouldn't approve of me, you know, dating you. So after an inspiring talk with Alex, I decided to try and make you into the guy my grandfather would like." Lizzie said. " But if it was up to me, I would like you the way you are." Lizzie finished.

Coop was silent for a while. Then he finally spoke. " Why didn't you just tell me that earlier? Then it wouldn't have come to this." Coop said.

" Look, about the eviction thing, I'm sorry. That was really harsh and I can't even be that mean. So, look, I take it all back. You are not evicted and you are not fired." Lizzie said.

" I'm sorry that I turned you down this afternoon. I had the wrong idea about what you were doing." Coop said. " But I can't shake what I feel for you," Coop said. " I mean, you know, and I know that we are more than friends. If that kiss on the roof of the Beacon said anything, it was that." Coop finished.

" I know. But our families will never approve of us dating, or even being friends. Well, except for my Aunt Alex." Lizzie said, sadly.

" I talked to my dad, and he is okay with it. Now Frank is a different story," Coop said, laughing. Then he got serious again. " I do want a relationship with you. I never thought I would say this, you know." Coop said, in a shy, but sexy whisper.

Lizzie got up off the stool and walked behind the counter. Coop followed.

" Coop, I don't know if…" Lizzie started, feeling a little nervous.

Coop had taken another step towards her. She didn't budge. He had gotten right in front of her. He was only inches away. He was close enough to reach her, and he did. He reached up and caressed her cheek.

"Coop…" Lizzie tried to say.

She didn't know what had come over her. She was feeling something she had never felt. He kept caressing her cheek, as Lizzie reveled in his touch. He moved a little closer.

" Coop, but.." Lizzie tried again.

" Shhhh" Coop whispered, all the while getting closer.

He finally leaned down and kissed her. It was a sweet, but gentle kiss. It didn't last long. He pulled back.

" Coop, I do want to be with you, "Lizzie said, leaning her forehead against his. " I don't see how this can possibly work."

" We are going to have to hide it," Coop said. " At least from your grandfather and my brother."

" Yeah, I guess so." Lizzie said, leaning in to kiss him again.

This time the kiss was a lot longer than before. They were really going at it, when Frank opened the door, just in time to see.

Frank was furious. He saw his brother in the arms of the granddaughter of Alan Spaulding, the man who wanted to put his sister away for life. They were like in their own little world.

" Get over here," Frank yelled, finally making his way over there. He grabbed Coop by the shirt and drug him on the other side of the restaurant.

" Frank, what are you doing?" Coop asked.

" I should ask you the same thing. What the hell are you thinking? That is Alan Spaulding's granddaughter. Have you forgotten everything he has done to us?" Alan yelled.

" Frank, calm down," Coop said.

" No, Coop, you listen to me. I don't want to ever see this again." Frank yelled even louder. " You are not to see Lizzie again, is that understood?"

" Frank, you can not tell me who I can and can not date. That is my decision, not yours," Coop said, starting to get a little angry.

" Don't you even care about Harley anymore? This is your sister. That over there is a manipulative little Spaulding who will do anything to get what she wants, and I do mean anything." Frank screamed, getting all in Coop's face.

" Don't talk about her like that. Sure she made mistakes, but she is trying to make up for them." Coop said, defending Lizzie.

" Why are you defending her?" Frank said, tightening his grip on Coop's shirt. " She is a Spaulding."

" I am so sick of hearing about your Spaulding vendetta." Coop said, yelling now. " I know Alan has done some sick and twisted things to you, but that has nothing to do with Lizzie. I would appreciate it if you would leave it alone." Coop yelled.

" I am not going to rest until I see this monster out of your life, if it's the last thing I do. I watched your sister marry Alan Michael, Phillip, and almost Gus Aitoro. They were all Spauldings and they all brought her down. I will not let that happen to you. You will not get caught up in that monster's crazy psycho family. I am glad Phillip is dead so he can no longer cause damage to our family." Frank screamed. " But even his death is haunting us. He is still hurting your sister even from the grave."

Lizzie couldn't believe what she had just heard. Frank had said he was glad her father was dead. She started to shake and began to cry. She turned and ran out the door, running straight home to her room.

" Lizzie!" Coop yelled, jerking away from Franks's grip. " Look what you did. Why did you do that? I am going to tell you one more time. I will date whoever I want to. I am not some little kid who needs to be told the facts of life." Coop yelled, one last time.

He turned and went upstairs to unpack his things and hopefully talk to Lizzie the next day. He needed to smooth this over big time.

Spoilers for Chapter 4

Lizzie asks Tammy for help

Lizzie finds out some disturbing news

We find out who Phillip's killer is, but Springfield does not.

Whitney