“Yes, I’m sure.” She doesn’t even need to finish the question. I know exactly what she’s asking. “It was an accident. I was wearing those stupid booties I bought online—the ones that don’t have any traction on the sole—and I slipped on the tile. You know how maintenance polishes the shit out of the floors on campus.”
It’s not the first time I’ve slipped on a freshly waxed floor and it probably won’t be the last.
“Fast fashion trash.” Haley sighs. “I told you to throw those away last year.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t listen.” Now I’m paying the price for cute, dysfunctional shoes.
Go me.
A dull ache throbs in my chest and I rub it absently.
“What’s done is done. Cooper needs to come to terms with his issues because no one else can do it for him.” No matter how much I wish I could. “I may be a work in progress, but I will not chase after a guy who doesn’t think I’m worth the effort.”
“Preach.” Haley raises her glass and then takes a hearty drink.
“If I’ve learned anything from this entire experience, it’s that I have to know my value and not settle for less than what I deserve.” Ironically, Cooper taught me that. “I deserve a guy who loves me as much as I lo—”
Oh, no.
Haley’s eyes go wide. “You love him.”
I sit with her words—my words—for a minute, letting them sink in.
I’m in love. With Cooper DeLaurentis.
Before today, I hadn’t recognized the warm, glowy feeling.
Attraction? Sure.
Lust? Absolutely.
But love?Undeniably.
I love the way he makes me laugh. The way he believes in me, even when I don’t believe in myself. The way he gives everything he has to the people he cares about, while keeping nothing for himself. I’ve never known a sweeter, more loyal person and though he tries to hide it, Cooper’s big heart and protective nature shine through in everything he does.
“What’s that quote?” I whisper. “‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.’”
“Screw Cooper and his future clap diagnosis,” Haley declares. “If he doesn’t know love when he has it, he doesn’t deserve it. And for the record, you are totally worth the effort. When you’re ready to date again, I’m going to help you find Mr. Perfect.”
Pretty sure I’ve already found him and he doesn’t want me.
“Thanks, Hales. You’re a good friend, but I think I’m going to stick with my battery-operated boyfriend for the foreseeable future.”
We both burst out laughing and I laugh so hard, my emotions get tangled up and a fresh wave of tears stream down my face.
“Are we crying because we miss Cooper or because BOB can’t hold a candle to him?”
“Both.” I shrug and use the palms of my hands to wipe the tears from my cheeks. “The guy has moves.”
“I freaking new it.” Haley sighs. “I take back everything I said about him. I hope he gets his head out of his ass and comes crawling back so you can have incredible makeup sex and tell me all about it.”
I huff out a laugh, because as ridiculous as it sounds, I hope so, too.
51
COOPER
What the hellhappened last night?There’s a gremlin in my head banging steel drums like he’s auditioning for an eighties hair band and my mouth is so dry it’s like the fucking Sahara. I roll over and try to open my eyes, but they’re glued shut.
