Thank you for all the feedback! You guys are awesome. Hope you enjoy the next part!!!!
CHAPTER 14
Do you know what I hate? Like really hate? When you ask someone something and they very obviously ignore your question. Like Cooper. Right now. I've asked him ten times about this new plan of his and he just keeps changing the subject!
"Once again," I try again, "what's the new plan?"
"Do you remember the first time we met?" he asks, doing it once again. Changing the subject, I mean. "It was right over there."
He points to the doorway connecting the living room to the kitchen. I smile – annoyed as I am – because I do remember. I remember the first time I ever saw those blue eyes, that long, dark hair and that infectious grin. I can't help it. That I smile, I mean.
The label had just signed me and I was invited to Mr. Cartwright's home for a meal! I was so excited. My excitement had only grown when I'd met his two sons. They were the two best-looking people I had ever seen in my life. There was Jordan – blonde-haired and blue-eyed. Perfect-looking… and, most importantly, closer to my age.
Cooper was the dream. A college student, a rebel (you could just tell by the way he was with his parents!), and just darker and more mysterious than the rest of the family. He'd seemed to have a chip on his shoulder… and I remember I kind of liked it. Even back then. He was very polite when we met. And oddly, I recall, every time I opened my mouth and said something, he'd seemed to get some kind of a kick out of it.
Like when I'd asked his mom why she'd put pickles and cheese on tiny pieces of toast… she'd looked ready to murder me. Cooper… he just looked like it was the most entertaining thing in the world.
"I remember you laughed at me a lot that night," I finally say.
"You were funny," he says, smiling like he, too, is back there. In that night.
"I wasn't trying to be."
"I know," he says. He looks at me and smiles in a way that makes me feel on the outside of some inside joke. "It's always been like that," he says. "You've always had the ability to completely make me laugh, and you never try. You're just you."
"I don't know why I amuse you so," I say, looking up into his smiling face, feeling calm and happiness wash over me at the familiar sight of his beautiful smile. "I don't do anything."
He just keeps smiling and shrugs.
"I could tell he liked you," he says after a moment, his smile beginning to fade. "That night."
"Huh? Oh, Jordan," I say, thrown by the change in topic. "Really? I had no idea."
"He stared at you the whole night. And… I didn't like it," he says, a little uncomfortably. "I barely knew you, but… I didn't want him with you. I didn't think you two would be a good fit at all."
His mom had pretty much said the same thing to me not a half hour ago! I laugh. "That's two of you in one day telling me that you never thought I was good enough for Jordan."
His eyebrows shoot up and his smile – what was left of it – disappears completely. "What? You think that's what I meant? That I met you that night, got an idea of what you were like, saw my brother staring at you, and thought you weren't good enough for him?"
I think about it. How Cooper had acted with Jordan and his parents. How nice he'd been to me and how amused he'd seemed by me that night. I smile. "Sorry," I say. "Defensive mechanism. I often just assume the worst."
"I've noticed," he says, crossing his arms. "Especially when it involves how I look at you."
I nod, blushing. Because he's right. I always assume I'm not good enough for Cooper. I just get used to listening to that voice in my head.
"I would think by now, you'd know better. You'd know that I've always liked you, and respected you."
"You're right. I mean, you've always been so great to me. I should know!" I look up at him shyly. "It's funny," I say. "You always made me feel so normal, like I didn't have to try to be anything with you. You still make me feel that way."
"Me too," he says, which makes me look at him curiously. "I never made sense to my family," he explains. "They never made sense to me. I just remember, I would make a joke and piss them all off – especially my dad and Jordan – and I'd look at you. You were always at my house when you two started dating. I remember, I'd look at you, and I'd see you staring at your food, a huge smile on your face."
My eyes widen a bit. I hadn't realized he'd ever noticed that I did that. When Cooper used to make those jokes that upset his brother so much, I wanted so badly to laugh out loud. But I bit my tongue, and told myself to stop staring at him. So I'd stare at my food. I just hadn't realized he'd noticed. That he'd ever looked at me at all back then.
"You got me," he says. "You got me and no one else ever did."
I smile. "Well then, sorry for assuming you meant that Jordan was too good for me."
He scoffs at that thought. "I know he did love you, Heather," he says. "But… I just felt, all along, like he was going to hurt you someday."
"You assumed that someday he'd cheat on me?"
He clenches his jaw, looking distant for a mere second. "No. That… after ten years… was ridiculous. Unforgivable. I just assumed he'd hurt you somehow. I never thought he appreciated you, or what he had with you. He acted like you were lucky to be with him. But he was the one…" he trails off, leaving the rest unsaid.
"How did you find out about what happened?" I ask. "I just remember that the day it happened, you called me. I wasn't in the place then to think about how you found out – or to care for that matter. I just accepted your offer and ran."
He takes a deep breath. "Jordan called me," he says. "He told me that if you called me, to tell you to call him. He sounded on the edge. I knew something was up. I made him tell me everything. He'd tried to make it sound like a small fight that you overreacted to. When he told me – and he did tell me everything – it took every ounce of restraint for me to not go over there and beat him up."
"It couldn't have surprised you, though. I mean, you said you figured he'd hurt me someday."
He stares at me. "I never wanted it to happen, all the same," he says. "Especially not like that.I really can't stand seeing you hurt."
Those words take me away from the memories and past and I remember what we were talking about before our trip down memory lane. Cooper's trying again to be my savior, and he's leaving me out of the loop. Ten years ago, when that man was stalking me, Cooper tried so hard to save me, to protect me. Over one year ago, when Jordan cheated, he saved me in another way, helped me to figure out who I am on my own. And now… I'm being threatened, and he's putting the whole thing – the whole case – on himself. He's not telling me what's going on.
"Tell me about the new plan, Coop. Please."
"It's nothing," he says softly. "Really."
"Coop, come on. You'd freak if I had a plan that I wasn't letting you in on."
A see a look of guilt pass momentarily over his features. He knows that's true.
"You know, you not telling me makes me think that you're going to do something stupid. Put yourself in danger. I know you want to get this guy, but… but you promised me. You promised."
He sighs. "I won't do anything stupid, Heather. I'm not… it's not a big deal. This new plan, I mean. And it might not even work."
"What is it?" I ask, my patience and resolve almost completely gone. We've been so honest with each other for the past couple of days. How can he just put this wall up now? "I really can't handle being in the dark, and with you of all people. You're all I have right now. Don't push me away. Not to protect me, not to keep me safe, not for any reason. Please, Coop."
Cooper looks past me, as if searching for strength on the wall behind me. "Barrett has reason to believe that Tad's heading back to his old neighborhood," he finally says. "He thinks he'll go back to that house that we were investigating. He's going to do surveillance across the street and when Tad goes in, Barrett and the team go in. We get him."
He doesn't look at me once while he says this plan. And… and the plan seems like something simple, something that doesn't even involve Cooper or me. So why did he change the subject so much before? Why has he been beating around the bush? It doesn't make sense.
"Sounds simple," I say, my face deadpan, because I know that there's more.
"Yeah," Cooper agrees, still not making eye contact with me. He knows I know.
"Coop—"
He opens his mouth to say something, when the front door opens and Mr. Cartwright walks in. Great. Just what I need. The man who made my life a living hell barging into my current living hell. Can't I ever catch a break?
"Cooper," Mr. Cartwright says, squinting his eyes and rocking back on his heels, scrutinizing his son the way he always does. He looks over Cooper's shoulder and his eyes fall on me. "And Heather," he says, a flicker of surprise in his expression. He smiles condescendingly. "I guess you're still looking for that label that will appreciate your creativity, because I haven't seen a new album by you just yet."
"Hi, Mr. Cartwright," I say, cheerily. Last year, a comment like that would've stung. This year… I just don't care. Music is no longer the only thing I think I'm capable of. I'm good at a lot of things. Besides, how can I let someone like him get to me when I have people like Cooper in my life, caring about me?
Cooper smiles down at me, looking like he's thinking something.
"What brings you this way?" Mr. Cartwright asks, looking just at Cooper now. "It's not Christmas. It's not my birthday. Well, not that you come around on either occasions," he adds. And for a moment, I feel kind of bad. I mean, his dad's mean and all. But I'm starting to think that he is kind of sore about the distance between him and his oldest son.
"It's a personal favor, Dad," Cooper says. "We'll be out of your hair as soon as possible."
"Good. Fine," his dad says.
They stare at each other – two strangers… and a father and a son. I wish Cooper and his parents could work their issues with each other out. I feel like they'd all be happier. Suddenly, I feel incredibly lucky to have my dad in my life. He made a lot of mistakes and for a long time he wasn't in my life. But… he turned it all around. He's… he's in my life now. And now is what matters.
And I haven't barely talked to him at all this week. We had one conversation in the kitchen, the night I last saw Tad.
"Excuse me," I say to the two Cartwright men. Cooper looks at me curiously – concerned – as I turn to leave.
"Good. Now that she's gone, I need to know. What on earth are you doing hanging out with Heather? You know she broke Jordan's heart," I hear Mr. Cartwright say to Cooper.
"Dad, I'm not going to respond to either of those comments," Cooper says, in a bored, frustrated tone.
Their voices become a low murmur as I head up the stairs, away from them, to the guest room where Mrs. Cartwright told me to put my pocketbook and other things. I walk over and grab my cell phone, realizing that I haven't used it since the night I received the threatening phone call. I plug it into the charger and power it up, dialing my father's cell phone immediately.
"Heather?" he says eagerly when he answers.
"Dad! Hi," I say, my eyes filling with tears. Tears of joy, though. "How are you?"
"Oh, honey, I'm fine. But how are you? Are you okay? I've been worried."
"Don't worry about a thing. You know Cooper's on the case," I say lightly.
"That's the only reason I feel safe bowing out right now. I would've stayed with you, honey, to help you solve this. I hope you know that. But Cooper thought it would be best if Lucy and I were out of the line of fire, so to say. You never know what a psycho will do to get to someone. They'll go after family and loved ones."
"I know. He told me that, too. It's still hard though, not seeing you. I kind of got used to our talks and just seeing you every day. And it feels so strange not seeing Lucy and feeling her licks on my face or taking her for walks in the park."
"Don't worry. We're taking walks. And she looks at your picture all the time."
I smile. "Thanks," I say, sniffling.
"You scared?" he asks, after a long, thoughtful moment.
"Kind of," I admit softly. "I mean, I feel safe with Cooper. But… every day something else happens. There's a new note or threat. Or he's throwing something through my window, lighting my room on fire –"
"I heard about that," he says, his voice grim.
"And before any of that, a man died. Because of me." I take a deep, shuddering breath. "There are times where I'm just petrified of him, Dad. I just feel like we're up against some monster. That he'll do anything."
"You know Cooper won't let anything bad happen to you, honey."
"I know," I say. "And… Dad, do you have any idea at all what his new plan is?"
"New plan?" he asks. "No. Honey, honestly, I have no idea. We've only touched base a little this week."
"Oh," I say. "Well, are his cases going well?"
He laughs. "Nice try," he says.
"I don't want to know the details," I say, rolling my eyes. I mean, honestly, why does everyone think I'm out to learn Cooper's whole story. Okay, okay, so I am, in a way. Nothing would make me happier. But it's honestly not why I've asked my dad this. "I'm just checking to make sure that when this is over, he'll still have clients and a job," I explain.
He chuckles, still. "He will. Don't worry. Hey, sweetie, someone wants to say hi to you."
"Heather!" I hear a squeal belonging to a voice I know only too well.
"Mags?" I ask, astonished. "What are you doing with my father?"
"Protection, or something. At least that's what he told me when he grabbed me from school the other day," she says.
"When who grabbed you from school?" I ask.
"Cooper," she says like I'm the biggest idiot in the world. "Your knight in shining armor."
"When did he grab you from school?" I ask, astonished. I've been with Cooper for days on end, with pretty much no interruptions. When did he sneak over to the college?
"A couple mornings ago," she explains. And then it dawns on me. That morning when I was going to go to work and he was coming back from somewhere and stopped me as I locked the door, demanding to know where I was heading. That was the day he took me to meet Barrett at the police station.
"He said it was for my protection, since… well, since I'm your best friend," she says. "Is that true?" she asks, eagerly.
"Of course," I answer automatically, wondering how there's a way she doesn't know that instinctively. "Sorry you have to hide out because of this whole thing."
"Don't worry. Me and your dad are playing lots of board games. And card games. And watching a lot of TV shows. Did you know about this new show? Ugly Betty? It has lots of bright colors. And fashion. And long nails. I like it."
I laugh, missing her so much right now. "I'm glad you're safe," I say.
"I'm glad you're safe, too," she says. "You just have to stay safe. That Tad is a piece of work. He never showed up at work the day Cooper came to get me. I think you dodged a bullet with that one."
"That's putting it mildly," I say. "Anyway, I should let you guys go. I just wanted to say… to say hi."
"Heather?" she asks.
"Yeah?"
"He loves you. It's so obvious. These days, it's beyond obvious."
"Who?" I ask. "My dad?"
She laughs. "He loves you, too. And you know who I mean," she says. "Good-bye."
I manage to stammer a "bye" as the line breaks.
I sigh, trying to quench the hope that's building from her words. Cooper. That's who she meant, of course. But she can't mean that he loves me, you know… that way. She can't know that. No one can. Just Cooper. I know he loves me as a friend though.
And that simple fact is like a security blanket that keeps me warm. I can't even imagine the coldness if it's taken away because he's trying to be all macho and save my life. In one way or another, I will figure out what his new plan really is.
I look down at my phone, and see that I have two new voice messages. I call in to my voicemail system, bracing myself for anything.
Heather. Baby.
My breath catches. It's Tad.
Baby. Where are you? I miss you. If I'd known you were going to take this long going to get milk, I never would've let you go. Never! Baby. Heather? Baby, I miss you. Baby, I love you. Baby, you're mine. You're mine baby. So come home…
I am in shock. He sounds so… controlling, possessive. Obsessed. Had I never noticed that about him before? I mean, he kind of sounds normal. For him, I mean. He said "baby" far more than he ever used to, but… other than that, it wasn't that un-Tad-like. God, how stupid am I, that I let it go on for so long and come to this?
I push the pound button, moving onto the next message.
I know where you're staying and what you're doing. I know exactly where you are right now, Heather.
Oh god, it's that voice. The same distorted voice from that phone call that night.
I've already told you that I'm going to get you. Soon. And I never go back on my word.
I gulp and get a timestamp on the call. It's from this morning! After the incident in my bedroom. I run to a window and look out, wondering where he is. And when… when it will all end.
I run into Cooper and his mother when I leave the room and emerge downstairs again. Cooper can tell immediately that something's up. He quietly asks me if everything's okay, and all I can do is nod. I mean, his mom is right there! I don't want to talk about the phone conversation and risk a total breakdown right there in front of her. But Cooper acts all concerned.
I figure if we can just get alone, I can ask him about the plan. But the day flies by, and Cooper and I are never alone. I never get the chance to corner him and ask him about the plan.
At one point, his mom pulled me aside to do my nails and ask about what I've been up to since I broke up with Jordan. She asked me about my dad, now that he's back in my life, and about my job and my cases from this last year. She seemed oddly interested in my life and, of course, found subtle ways to ask about Cooper. About the details of his life, and what our relationship really is like.
I just kept telling her to talk to him.
Cooper spent the day on the phone in other rooms, and on his computer at one point. I tried to get close, of course, to hear something that might let me in on it. His secret, I mean. But I heard nothing.
When dinner rolled around, it was pretty awkward. Mr. Cartwright asked a few snide questions about my musical career standstill, which only made Cooper – and his mother, oddly enough – angry and embarrassed me.
I look around the guest room now, glad the day is over. I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow to ask Cooper about the plan.
I crawl into bed, wondering how he can keep anything from me at this point. We've come so far together. And he's holding back. I know he's holding back. What is he planning? Is it dangerous for him? I shudder at the idea of him in danger.
I think about his job – about all the potentially dangerous situations he's always in. And he never tells me about it. About his job, I mean. So… that's it. I'm just another case. And this is something I'm not allowed to know. Even though this one involves me.
This one… this one terrifies me. I turn off the bedside lamp and look around, as my eyes adjust to the darkness. I can hear the voice. The one from the message on my cell.
I can feel the fear begin to take hold, to completely own me.
The door to my room cracks open and I gasp.
"Hey… hey," Cooper says, closing the door. In a stride, he's here, beside me. He sits on the bed and pulls me toward him. "Heather, what's wrong? You're shaking."
"It's nothing," I say. But my voice betrays me. I sigh. "He left a message on my cell phone this morning. He knows where I am," I say.
I can't see him, but I feel the breath leave him, nearly feel his heart rate speed up. And I feel his arms tighten around me protectively. "You're safe here. He can't get past any guards and all of this security. And anyway, he was probably bluffing."
He's saying the words, but even he sounds doubtful. Nervous.
"You're right. I mean, I'm fine, Coop," I lie, my voice quivering. "You can go to bed; you don't have to worry about me."
"Okay," he says quietly.
But to my surprise, he doesn't leave the room. He… he moves to the other side of the bed and begins unmaking it!
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"Going to bed," he says. "Is this okay with you?" he asks.
"Yes," I say, relieved that he's not leaving.
When he's under the covers, he moves toward the middle of the bed. "C'mere," he whispers soothingly.
Without hesitation, I move into his open arms, feeling him wrap his arms around me again. He's holding me like he was a moment ago, only… we're lying down now. We've never done this before and yet if feels so right. I realize, as he rubs my arm and up and down with his hand, that I'm still shaking a bit.
"I'm sorry you have to go through this," he says.
"It's okay," I say. I sniffle and look up, looking for an outline of his form or something, but I only see darkness. "Coop, why are you keeping me in the dark about this plan? I can't help but feel like one of your cases that I don't get the privilege of knowing about. But… this isn't just one of your cases. This involves me."
"I know," he says. "Heather, I definitely don't consider you one of my cases. In my career, there have only been two cases that mattered to me. Really mattered. And you were the star of both of them. So you don't have to tell me that you're not one of my cases."
My eyes still search for his face, even just a silhouette of it. When I see nothing still, I reach my hand up and tentatively touch his stubbly cheek. "I can't lose you. Ever," I say.
A tear escapes my eye. He can't see me; I know he can't. But still… he puts a finger on my cheek, gently, and wipes away the tear. He knows. He knows from my voice, and my body, that I'm crying.
It's funny how when one of your senses is taken away – my sight in this case – all your other senses kick into high gear. Like right now. I can hear his breathing accelerate just a little bit. I can feel his heartbeat against mine. Both speed up. I can feel his breath against my cheek, and his hand tangled in my hair.
So when his lips touch mine, I'm not even surprised, even though I couldn't see them coming. We're… we're kissing. Cooper and me. And… we're not out in public, we're not drawing anyone out of hiding.
He's just kissing me. Sweetly. Gently. And I'm kissing him back just the same, feeling so much love for him. My hand moves from his stubbly cheek into his hair, and finally, I get to do it. Put my hands in all that thick hair of his. Like I've always wanted.
Butterflies dance in my stomach when I feel his tongue touch mine. We haven't done anything like this before. And I'm not about to stop it. But the feeling does make me groan in delight.
Cooper and I are sleeping for the second time together in a dark bedroom. Only this time, he's not behaving like a perfect gentleman. He made no such promises tonight.
No, tonight… he's kissing me in the most wonderful way.
Kind of like it's the last chance he'll get to ever kiss me again.