In fact, he’s barely talked to me at all since homecoming.
I don’t know why—and I don’t have time to analyze it—but it’s probably for the best.
Surely crushes die if left deprived of attention, right?
A calico cat hops up on the round table where my papers and laptop are scattered. He bats at my pen until he knocks it to the floor next to a mammoth Maine coon named Marty.
“Jerk,” I mutter, affectionately petting the calico’s annoying little head.
“We’re closing,” Cooper says, picking my pen up off the floor and setting it on the table. Marty nudges his head against Cooper’s leg, begging for attention.
I tap my phone to look at the time. 7:59 p.m.
“Really?” I drop my head on the table, startling the calico. He leaps down. “Stay open until eleven for me.”
“Wish I could. The best I can do is give you cookies and coffee to go.”
I perk up, lifting my head. “Yeah?”
“Sure.” He peers down at my papers. “What are you working on over here?”
“I volunteered to make the scavenger hunt list for Aunt Naomi, but it’s harder than I thought it’d be.”
“Don’t you just need a list of things for people to find?” he asks.
“Yes, but I wanted to spice it up a bit,” I explain. “I’ve been trying to come up with clues and write riddles people have to solve to know exactlywhatto find. I have an easy, family-friendly list and a list for those who want more of a challenge.”
“Leave it to you to go above and beyond.”
“Yeah, but I told Aunt Naomi I’d have it to her by tomorrow morning, and I’m nowhere remotely close to done.” I sigh. “But I don’t want to give up and just hand her a list of items. I volunteered so I could make it more exciting for everyone. This means a lot to Aunt Naomi.”
He studies me a second, then says, “Okay. Pack up your stuff. I have to count the drawer real quick, but then we’ll go to my house.”
“What?”
“I’ll help you,” he says over his shoulder.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, why not? With both of us working on it, I’m sure we can knock it out,” he says.
Alarm bells go off.Bad idea, Ellis. Distance yourself, girl.
“Okay.” I internally shake my head disapprovingly at myself as I pack up my computer and Cooper does his closing duties.
This cannot end well for me.
Chapter Twenty-One
The last time I was in Cooper’s room, I was kissing him.
But I try not to think about that as we lie on our stomachs next to each other on his bed.
“?‘I’m orange and roundish and can be found in a patch,’?” Cooper says.
I stare at him.
“What?” he says.
