Page 2 of Cooper’s Promise

“Well, it worked. But I didn’t mean to hurt yours. I just needed to go. You’re too much of a temptation.”

Even with the heels, she still had to tilt her head to be able to search into his eyes. “Why is that a bad thing, Cooper? I understand you didn’t want me when I was in college, but I graduated over a year ago. You’re still treating me like you did when I was sixteen.”

Cooper’s hands stroked up and down her arms,. He desperately wanted to touch more, but this was all that he would allow himself. “It’s great that you’ve graduated. But you still haven’t even experienced life. How can you know what you want? Who you want?”

“Cooper, don’t you know why I moved out here from Michigan and transferred to USF? It was so I could be close to you.”

His hands stopped moving and he looked at her in amazement. “You said they had the best Environmental Science and Policy department.”

“Their department is great. But do you know what a pain in the ass it was to get my credits transferred, and then arrange to take my senior year classes here? To graduate away from my friends and family?” He cupped her shoulders, stopping himself from cupping her cheeks.

“Brenna, baby, you didn’t.” He couldn’t comprehend her words. She couldn’t possibly mean...

“Cooper, you told me two years ago at Paula’s wedding that I was too young, that I needed to graduate, that we didn’t know one another. Well, I’m two years older. I’ve graduated. And haven’t we been hanging out together since I got here?” She carefully placed her hands on his chest.

God, it was true. Every little thing she’d just said was true. But he’d been so careful to treat her like Hudson’s little sister. He’d kept everything platonic. Even those times when they had spent hours talking late into the night, it had just been as friends.

“Brenna-” he started.

“Never mind, Coop.” He winced. He hated when she called him that. That’s what his Army buddies called him. She called him Cooper. Coop meant she was dismissing him.

“Brenna, listen to me.”

“Nope. We’re done here. I’ve got plans tonight. You’re right. The check was childish. Thanks for helping me with the desk, Coop.” She picked up her miniscule purse and opened the front door of her apartment.

“Cooper. You call me Cooper,” he protested.

“Not anymore.”

* * *

“Isaid no!”

“Come on Brenna, we’ve been going out for two weeks. We should be moving to the next step,” he whined. He actually whined.

“This was our second date,” she clarified.

“In two weeks,” he protested. God, his voice was grating on her nerves.

“Thank you for walking me to my door. I told you, I have to be to my internship assignment early in the morning.”

“Just a beer. Can’t I come in for one beer?”

“No.” She twisted out of his grasp and plunged her key into the lock. His hand was on her shoulder.

“I will put you down if you continue. Let’s keep this civil, Josiah.”

“Hey, what are you talking about? I’m not some creep you have to defend yourself against.” She shoved her door open, slipped inside, and slammed it closed and locked it.

“Brenna!” He pounded on the door. “Open up. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Well, you failed.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Go away.” There was silence, and then her phone rang. It was him. She ignored it.

Damn it. He’d seemed promising. Yeah, sure. She went to the kitchen and pulled out the emergency bottle of Grey Goose from the freezer.

“It’s bad to drink alone, Brenna.”

“Yeah, like talking to yourself is good,” she responded to herself as she poured out a shot. Still...she took her phone out of her purse and dialed Tanya. She cringed when it went to voicemail.

“It’s bad. Josiah turned into a Stage One clinger. Two dates and I think he wanted me to have his babies. That’s not the bad part, I’m migrating with the Grey Geese. Yes, I’m drinking alone. Help me. The worst, worst part is that I’m starting to go through my pictures of Cooper. Call me, I’m begging you.”

She hung up, and then pulled up her photos on her phone. Most of the pictures of Cooper were the ones that she’d taken at Paula’s wedding. But one of them was of her and Cooper that her cousin Barrie had taken when she and Cooper had been dancing.

Cooper, with his dark hair, looking down at her with blue eyes that showed so much emotion, so much caring. The crease in his cheek had been deep, as he’d smiled down at her. Right now, her stomach clenched as she looked at his big hand encircling her waist. It had been this picture that had Brenna moving her sad sorry ass down to Florida. She’d really thought she’d had a chance with the man she loved. Brenna brushed the tear off the surface of her phone, thankful when it rang.

“Girlfriend, I’ll be right over.”

“Thanks, Tanya. We need to make a plan. I need to leave town.”

“No, you can’t. You’re my best friend. You need a better plan.”