My One and Only (Ardent Springs Book 3) (16 page)

Going for total honesty, she said, “If we follow the road less taken here, I can’t make any guarantees.”

Cooper acknowledged the confession with a nod. “Fair enough. But while we’re putting our cards on the table, you need to know this. I want you. And I’m willing to step out on whatever crazy limb it takes to make you see that. Your good side and your bad. Whatever fatal flaw you think makes you less deserving than the rest of us. That’s what I’m in for. So don’t think I’m going to be easy to spook, because I’m not.”

The speech took Haleigh by surprise. And touched a nerve. Her whole life had been a fight for acceptance and always coming up short. With Cooper, she didn’t have to fight for anything.

Uncomfortable with the abrupt leap from hormone rush to something serious, she attempted to defuse the bomb he’d just dropped in her lap. “That’s a big jump from one make-out session.”

“We both know this thing between us didn’t start with a chicken attack.”

Haleigh couldn’t resist the giggle. “If this works and we have kids someday, I’m totally telling them it started with a chicken attack.”

Taking her hand, he led the way back to the stone path. “And I’m telling them that you ripped all the buttons off my shirt.”

“Don’t you dare,” she ordered, poking him in the ribs. They walked the rest of the way in silence. At the entrance to the clearing, Haleigh tugged on Cooper’s hand until he stopped and turned her way. “You know this is all just kidding around, right?”

By the look on his face, he didn’t know any such thing. “If it makes you feel better, you can believe that. For now. But I meant every word I said back there.”

A knot of apprehension tightened in Haleigh’s chest. Cooper had essentially just handed over his heart on a silver platter. If there was ever a day she wanted
not
to screw something up, this was it.

“Duly noted,” she said, trying to keep things light. Peeking through the branches, she braced herself. “Time to pay the piper, I guess.”

“No one will say a word,” Cooper assured her, dropping a hand to the small of her back. “And I’ll handle it if they do.”

As they stepped into the yard, Haleigh’s eyes were locked on Cooper’s face. The white knight was in full armor and ready to fight for her honor. Maybe having a hero by your side wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

Chapter 17

To say that the drive home was tense was like saying a bonfire is kind of hot.

The moment that Cooper and Haleigh stepped out of the trees, the partygoers had fallen into a collective silence. Except for Jessi and Ian, who were still wrapped up in whatever fascinating conversation they’d been conducting for the last two hours. Though reluctant to leave her alone, Cooper had eventually agreed that there was no reason for Haleigh to accompany him into the house for a new shirt.

As if that wouldn’t make the situation worse
at all
.

Within minutes, Abby had relayed her desire to leave. No one spoke on the way home, which afforded Haleigh much-needed time to think.

One week ago, she’d been sure that
nothing
would ever happen between her and Cooper. Even one day ago, Haleigh’s intentions had been in the right place. As her best friend’s brother and an incredibly upstanding guy with everything going for him, Cooper Ridgeway was without a doubt off-limits.
Verboten
. Absolutely no touchy.

And then she’d touched. And kissed. And felt not only beautiful and desired, but accepted and worthwhile. There were no ulterior motives with Cooper. No judgment and no impossible standards to meet. Bottom line? He liked her. He didn’t want to use her or show her off. He just liked her, and that was a rarity in her world.

Did she deserve Cooper? Of course not. But Haleigh would give anything to feel like that again. Besides, who was to say that Cooper wasn’t right about her? Maybe she wasn’t irredeemable in the grand scheme of things. Haleigh had never sold drugs to kids. Never robbed a liquor store. Heck, she’d never so much as tapped a dog with her bumper. There had been that one raccoon on a late-night drive from Memphis a few years ago, but Haleigh was pretty sure the critter had survived.

The point was, maybe she didn’t deserve him
right now
, but she could. Eventually. After all, if anyone could make her a better person, it was Cooper.

“I’m going to bed,” Abby said the minute they walked into the house.

“What crawled up her butt?” Jessi asked as she lowered the car seat onto the couch to unbuckle Emma. “And what was up on the way home? I’m surprised the windshield didn’t freeze over.”

Haleigh debated whether or not to spill the dirty details. Since Jessi was likely to hear them eventually, better to take the opportunity to at least let her hear Haleigh’s version first.

“When Cooper took me back to see his chickens—”

“Wait,” Jessi stopped her. “Tell me that’s a euphemism.”

“You want to hear this or not?” Haleigh asked, her patience at an end.

“Fine,” the teenager said, not bothering to hide the eye roll. “Go on.”

Dropping into a chair, Haleigh pinched the bridge of her nose as she continued. “We went into the run to give the chickens some kind of treat, and they weren’t very happy about the intrusion. One in particular scared the crap out of me, and I ended up screaming like an idiot.”

“I didn’t hear any screaming.”

“You didn’t hear anything beyond the sound of Ian’s voice from the moment you wiggled your tail in his face.”

“Excuse me,” Jessi said. “Whatever put your panties in a twist had nothing to do with me.”

Haleigh sighed. “You’re right. That was uncalled for.”

“Thank you. Now where does Abby come into the chicken story?”

“Unfortunately, she comes into it at the moment that Cooper and I were getting hot and heavy at the side of the coop. The partygoers came to see what the commotion was, and instead of finding our lifeless, chicken-pecked bodies, they stumbled upon something out of a barnyard porno movie.”

Jessi sat down next to the car seat with a sleeping Emma on her shoulder. “First of all, don’t ever use the words
barnyard
and
porno
in the same sentence again. Second, why would Abby be ticked about her brother and her best friend getting together? That’s, like, the perfect scenario. Who better to get as a new sister than your best friend?”

The child made an excellent point. Abby’s attitude didn’t say much for their friendship. Not that Haleigh expected her to break into a happy dance, but would it hurt to give her oldest friend the benefit of the doubt?

Considering Haleigh’s history, maybe so.

“One of the perks of being best friends since elementary school is that you know everything about each other. In our case, that’s also a pitfall. I may look like I have my crap together, but Abby knows better.”

Jessi snorted. “You think that’s how you look?”

Really? The single mother was passing judgment?

“I could be sleeping right now,” Haleigh pointed out.

“Come on,” Jessi chimed. “You’re a doctor, but you rent a bedroom from a friend. You work more than anyone I’ve ever met, you don’t date, and I’d bet my Doc Martens that you haven’t gotten laid in, like, forever.”

“It’s only been seven months,” Haleigh defended. “And I rent that bedroom back there because between student loans, credit cards, and a car payment, plus my mother’s mortgage and utilities, I don’t have enough left over to get my own place.” She hadn’t meant to share so much. “Dammit, I don’t need this.”

The minute Haleigh popped out of her seat, Jessi said, “Doc, wait. I’m being a jerk.” Haleigh stood where she was with her arms crossed. She could not take one more hit tonight. “Dude, I’m sorry. I didn’t know all that.”

“That’s because none of it was your business.”

“I know. Look, if anyone knows what it’s like to get dumped on from every direction, it’s me. I really am sorry.”

The words sounded sincere. “It’s fine. I guess it’s good to know that I’m not fooling anyone.”

“That’s a heavy load you’re carrying.”

Haleigh snorted. “You don’t know the half of it.” As the weight of Abby’s disapproval settled around her, the urge for a drink hit so hard she could feel the burn in her lungs. “I’m getting some coffee,” she said, heading for the kitchen.

“Let me put Emma down and I’ll sit with you.”

“I appreciate that, but you don’t have to stay up on my account.”

“I want to,” Jessi said, and with a half shrug, added, “I’ve never had a lot of female friends. Do you mind if I stay up for a while?”

“No,” Haleigh said, wishing more than ever that she possessed the magic wand that would change this girl’s life. “I don’t mind at all. If you promise not to tell, I’ll show you where to find the secret cookie stash.”

“There’s a secret cookie stash?” Jessi asked in awe, looking more like a little girl than a new mother.

“Put the baby to bed,” Haleigh said. “I’ll have the milk poured before you get back.”

The too-cool teen reared her pop-punk head. “Milk and cookies are for kids,” she said, as if saving her street cred required pointing this out. When Haleigh simply stared with a raised brow, Jessi caved. “Okay. I’ll be right back.”

“We need to talk,” Abby said, as she stormed into his office without knocking.

Cooper was in the middle of a tire order, and, so as not to lose his place, he pressed a finger over the current line before looking up. “Sure, Abbs. No need to knock. Come on in.”

“Was Saturday night the first time that happened?” she asked, ignoring his sarcasm.

Annoyed by her tone, he said, “Nope. I have cookouts all the time.”

“This isn’t funny.”

“Do you see me laughing?”

Slamming her hands on the edge of his desk, his sister said, “You need to stay away from Haleigh Rae.”

“Why is that?” Cooper asked. Having no intention of following his twin’s dictates didn’t mean he wasn’t curious enough to hear her reasons.

Abby dropped into the metal chair behind her. “Just trust me on this.”

“Try again,” he said, underlining his spot on the order list before dropping the pencil and leaning back. “You don’t get to make a demand like that and not back it up.”

Tapping her purse strap on the arm of the chair, Abby fidgeted. “You don’t know her.”

Pointing out the obvious, Cooper said, “I’ve known Haleigh Rae as long as you have, remember? It’s not as if we’re strangers.”

“I mean,” she gritted through a clenched jaw, “you don’t know her like
I
know her. She’s made some serious mistakes.”

“Who hasn’t?”

“
Big
mistakes,” Abby announced. “She isn’t the kind of person you should be with.”

Since Cooper was fairly certain that Haleigh never told Abby what happened the summer after graduation, he couldn’t help but wonder what other mistakes his sister was talking about. And why she’d betray Haleigh’s confidence to keep him away from her.

Crossing his arms, Cooper stared his sister down, waiting for her to elaborate. When she held silent, he said, “Haleigh Rae has repeatedly told me that she isn’t a good person. That she’s a mess and that I should steer clear.”

Green eyes like his own went wide before Abby covered her surprise. “Good. I’m glad. But if that’s true, why did I catch the two of you ripping each other’s clothes off the other night?”

“Because I don’t care what she says.” Cooper leaned forward. “Regardless of what Haleigh’s mother thinks, or what you seem to think, Haleigh is
not
a bad person. And nothing you say will change that. If she’s made mistakes and she wants me to know about them, then she’ll tell me. Whatever they are, I’m not going to condemn her for them.”

Abby’s jaw ticked. “She’s been engaged.”

Returning attention to the documents on his desk, he said, “So long as she isn’t engaged right now, I don’t see how that’s a problem.”

“Three times,” Abby said, emphasizing each word. When Cooper met her eye, one dark brow rose. “She goes through men like most women go through shoes.”

Curious, but still in Haleigh’s corner, he said, “I’m pretty sure women go through more than three pairs of shoes in a week let alone in a decade. Now, like I said, so long as she isn’t engaged or married to anyone right now, we don’t have a problem.” Assuming this statement would end the argument, he retrieved his pencil. “If there’s nothing else . . .”

Abby ignored his dismissal, but didn’t speak again for nearly a minute. Determined to wait her out, Cooper went on compiling the order, unaware how much he’d underestimated his sister’s willingness to betray her best friend’s secrets.

“There’s one more thing,” she said, her voice flat. “Haleigh Rae is an alcoholic.” When Cooper’s head shot up, she added, “Just like Daddy.”

Setting the pencil down slowly, Cooper let the words sink in. Though the first part may have been a fact, the second was an outright lie.

“Unless Haleigh Rae is a mean drunk with a solid left hook, she isn’t anything like Daddy. Why would you say something like that?”

“Is that what you want?” Abby asked, jolting out of the chair. “You want to be with someone who puts alcohol over the people they love?”

“I’ll say it again.
Haleigh isn’t Daddy
.” Cooper charged around the desk. “I don’t know what’s wrong with you, Abby. In fact, I’m not even sure who you are right now. Haleigh Rae has been your best friend for more than twenty years, and she deserves a hell of a lot better than for you to come barging in here trying to make her sound like a plague on humanity.” She opened her mouth, but Cooper had heard enough. “You’ve said what you came to say, and now you can leave,” he spat, pointing to the exit.

Eyes glaring, Abby followed the order, but Cooper stopped her at the door with a warning.

“If I hear one peep that you’ve repeated this crap to anyone else, you and I are done.”

Abby reeled. “That’s a horrible thing to say. I would never tell anyone else. I’m only telling you to protect you.”

“Protect me from what?” he asked. “She’s your oldest friend, Abby. She grew up in our house because she was treated like crap at her own.” Ripping off his hat, he shoved a hand through his hair. “Look,” he said, reining in his temper. “So she isn’t perfect. So what? Nobody is.”

“This is different, Cooper. You remember what it was like. She called that night at Brubaker’s a
slip
. How many slips did Daddy have?”

Crossing to his sister, Cooper tried to make her see reality. “Abby girl, it isn’t the same. You know better than anyone that Haleigh Rae is
nothing
like him. Daddy was a failure who couldn’t live with his own shortcomings. The bitterness made him mean, and the liquor made him meaner. Don’t let what he was ruin things between you and Haleigh. Not after all these years.”

Staring at the pocket of his T-shirt, she mumbled, “Do what you want, but when you get hurt, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Without another word, his sister walked away, leaving a confused and disappointed Cooper behind her. Being angry with the world was one thing. Attempting to destroy her best friend’s reputation, even if only to her brother, was another. Something else was going on.

Haleigh hadn’t been drunk enough the night after Brubaker’s to conjure flashbacks of their father’s whiskey-fueled tirades. Unless she was drinking in her room every night, which Cooper doubted based solely on the number of hours she worked, Abby’s attitude made no sense. If anything, she should have been even more on Haleigh’s side.