“Well, when you put it like that.”
“It was awful, Hales.” I take a gulp of my wine to avoid another spill. “Cooper’s been working his ass off to give her a way out, and she just left without saying a word. He was crushed. You could see it in his eyes.” Haley opens her mouth, probably to say something disparaging about Mrs. DeLaurentis’s parenting skills, but I cut her off. “She’s a victim, too.”
Haley flops back against the couch cushions and plucks a piece of chocolate from the bag. “This whole situation is fucked.”
“Tell me about it.”
My phone vibrates in the pocket of my hoodie and when I pull it out, there’s a message from Noah. Besides Haley, he’s the only other person I messaged about my breakup with Cooper. I’m probably going to get a shit ton of ‘I told you so’ messages, but since I’m going to get them anyway, I figured it was best if he heard it from me first.
Call it a lesson learned the hard way.
Noah: Do you want me to kick his ass? Because I will.
“Please tell me that isn’t Cooper groveling via text?” Haley frowns and pops the chocolate in her mouth. “I swear to God, that boy better grovel in person if he knows what’s good for him.”
“It’s Noah.” I type a snarky reply and delete it. He didn’t make a single crack about how this was inevitable. He didn’t gloat. Heck, he didn’t even use one of those stupid nicknames I hate.
He’s serious.
Because while Cooper’s his friend, I’m his sister.
Me: That won’t be necessary, but I appreciate the offer.
I’d prefer he doesn’t get his teeth knocked out on my behalf. Our parents spent a small fortune on his orthodontics and they’d never forgive me.
Noah: If you change your mind, you know where to find me.
Not happening. There’s been enough fighting for one day.
I’m about to put my phone away when another message pops up.
Noah: Look, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but if that dumb fuck let you go, then he doesn’t deserve you.
Fresh tears spill over my cheeks and I swipe them away. Maybe Noah’s more evolved than I give him credit for.
Me: Thanks.
I reach for another tissue, and Haley pulls me in for a hug.
“It’s going to be okay,” she says, giving me a squeeze. “Karma will get him, eventually.” She pulls back, a sly smile spreading over her lips. “With the clap, if she has a sense of humor.”
“Haley!” I may be wallowing in despair, but I haven’t quite reached the level of wishing STDs on him.
And I definitely don’t want to think about Cooper hooking up with another woman. Not now. Maybe not ever.
“What?” She shrugs. “It’s curable.”
“So is a broken heart.” That’s what I’ve been told, anyway. “I just can’t believe it’s over. I really thought we had something.”
“Maybe after he cools off, he’ll change his mind.” She snorts. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said something to B in the heat of the moment that I wanted to take back later.”
I bite my thumb nail, considering.
“I don’t think there’s anything I can say that will change his mind. Not if he sees himself in the same light as his father.”
Which is equal parts ridiculous and infuriating.
Haley’s brows pull low and there’s a dark fury in her eyes when she says, “You’re sure he didn’t—”
