When we were both tired of dancing, he waved goodbye to some friends and held my hand as he made a way for us out of the Wooden Cowboy.
June was long gone, so I couldn’t ask her for a ride. But I have to admit, maybe things worked out for the best. I like that he jumped in to help me.
I push the feelings of yet another rejection down, even though Jacob was a total skeeze. Which yet again makes me question my ability to discern if someone is good for me.
Cooper goes to the passenger side of his truck and opens the door for me. He holds out his hand to help me up into it and closes the door after me.
I buckle myself in and watch him round the hood. When he gets in, he sets his hat on the dashboard.
“Can I ask you something?”
Cooper nods and buckles himself in.
“Why is Jacob such a bad guy, other than the obvious? June told me he was bad news, but didn’t explain why.”
“As you experienced yourself, he’s terrible with women, and that’s putting it nicely. But he’s involved in illegal activities. There is a lot of gossip in this town, but a lot of it is also true about Kensington Ranch,” Cooper says.
My heart twists in my chest. I dodged a bullet. “He told me he’s a ranch hand for them.”
“People say they see trucks coming and going from that land at all hours of the day and night. It doesn’t make sense for cattle ranchers. They do a bit offarming, but not like that. My cousin, Ledger, he’s the Sheriff. He’s mentioned a couple things about the Kensingtons. I also saw something, and it was from afar. I have no proof, but I swear Jacob was dealing in the parking lot of Bobby’s.”
“The farm and feed store?” I ask him. I’ve driven past it a hundred times by now.
“Yep,” he says, driving through the downtown area to my house.
“Well, thank you for telling me, and … I’m sorry.”
“For what?” he asks.
“For telling you no,” I say.
He grins, still keeping his eyes on the road. “I’m not worried about it.”
I frown, staring at his profile, half illuminated by the screen in the center. “What does that mean?”
“It means I think our chemistry speaks for itself. But also, I like a challenge.”
“I’m not something to be conquered,” I say tightly. My attraction to him wanes a little because it’s been building all night.
“No, Mae, you’re someone to beearned.”
Heat pools in my stomach, and my mouth drops open. I don’t know how to respond, so I don’t and let the road be the sound between us.
When we get to my house, I start to get out of the truck, and Cooper reaches across me, closing the door. “Please. Let me,” he says.
I huff and stay where I am as Cooper jogs around the hood to open the door for me. He holds his hand out and helps me down.
“Thank you,” I rasp. I need water and a cold shower because all the feelings I pushed down are spraying through the cracks of my emotional bubble, and Cooper’s words keep rolling around in my head like a wrecking ball. I’m about to break and I don’t want him to be here to see it happen.
Cooper follows me to the door, and I unlock it.
“Smart girl,” he says.
I huff. “June wondered why I bothered.”
“Fair enough. But you’re out here alone. It’s smart. Uh, but you can call me if you need anything. Okay?”
I nod, even though I don’t have his phone number.
