“Am I ambivalent? Yes and no.” Or “I don’t have the solution, but I’m liking the problem.” Or “Seen it all, done it all, still can’t remember what I ate for breakfast this morning.”
It was interesting to observe old friends and fellow divorcees interact with each other and with their kids. They were like…a small family, and while I was definitely the outsider, I didn’t feel awkward. I was hungry for details about Cooper, and meeting people he cared about was enlightening.
Cooper was a serious man, but he had a sly wit and a quiet charm that gave him a magnetic aura I couldn’t seem to resist. Just his name on my screen made my pulse jump, and his secret wry smile turned my brain to mush. No kidding.
The one afternoon we were able to sneak in a lunchtime quickie was the sweetest release ever. I’d never yearned for anyone the way I did for Cooper. I’d never craved touch, taste, or the feel of skin on skin quite like this. I would have given anything to make time stretch. A little more of his hands on my body, his fingers in my hair, his cock in my ass.
Yeah, I had it bad.
And I wanted more.
“All right, man. I arrive Monday, the meeting with the GM is Tuesday, and press conference Wednesday. Boston…here he fucking comes!”
I cradled my mug and propped my feet on the wood railing on the outdoor deck, squinting at the family of rabbits hopping across the lawn. The April morning was chilly, but I didn’t mind. I liked the view of the lake surrounded by forest. It was peaceful and rejuvenating. I kind of wished I hadn’t accepted Ger’s call ’cause he was killing the vibe.
“Yeah…Boston.”
“Oh, fuck. What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts. We don’t do second thoughts in football, Si,” Ger groaned.
I chuckled lightly. “Settle down. Everything’s cool. I’ll see you in Boston on Monday.”
Silence.
“That’s it? Don’t you want to talk about the buzz we’ve generated? You’ve gone from yesterday’s news and Liam Sutcliffe’s girlfriend’s ex to a much-anticipated comeback kid. That’s me being a marketing genius, by the way. You’re welcome.”
“Thanks. To be honest, I’ve been offline as much as possible, so I probably missed your genius at work. Sorry.”
“Wow,” he deadpanned. “What have you been up to? I’m seriously curious. You’ve been radio silent at a crucial juncture, stuck in a fucking forest. I’ve been low-key worried about you. This is not my first phone call, asshole.”
“Get those boxers unbunched, Ger. I’m watching bunnies and sipping coffee outside by the lake and life is good. Don’t stress me out.”
Ger grunted. “Bunnies. Okay. That’s…all right, man. Whatever keeps you sane. Your flight and hotel are booked. Check your email for deets and read your damn texts. Is there anything you need? We can meet earlier if you want. I’m flying into Boston Saturday and?—”
“No, I’m busy this weekend. I agreed to show up at a flag football kick-off in town. They want me to say a few words and?—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Flag fucking football? What is this shit?”
I chuckled. “You don’t know what flag football is?”
“Yes, I know what it is,” he snapped. “You can’t make random public appearances, Si. Your contract clearly states that?—”
“I haven’t signed shit yet. And no one is going to care if I show up at a small-town function to toss a ball around with some kids.”
“Maybe not, but I should know about it in advance,” he griped.
“Well…now you do.”
“Hmph. Okay, it sounds harmless and actually…it could be good press. Maybe I can get someone to Vermont to?—”
“Don’t,” I intercepted. “It’s not that kind of event. Hey, I gotta run, but thanks for everything and yes…I’ll see you Monday.”
I disconnected the call before Ger voiced any other bright ideas to turn a community event into a mini publicity circus.
This place was special, and I wanted to keep it that way.
CHAPTER 15
COOPER
