Page 2 of Collide

“Run over,” Noah replied.

Cooper jerked himself out of the past to take care of what needed to be done. “Sorry, man. Where does it hurt?” He knelt down, still in shock that he not only hit someone, but that it was his old friend.

“Still don’t know how to watch where you’re going, I see.” Noah smiled, and some of the tension eased out of Cooper’s shoulders. Holy shit. Noah Jameson was sitting in front of him.

“Still blaming other people for your crap, I see. You’re the one who walked out onto the street without looking, just like you tried to go for that ball I’d already called.” They’d been ten when Noah moved next door. Coop was outside playing football with some friends, and Noah pushed his way right into the game by going for the same catch Coop had. They’d collided in mid-air, fell on their asses, and then were best friends for the next three years.

He’d stolen his first dirty magazine with the man on the road right now. Snuck downstairs at night to watch his first porno with him. Talked about girls with him. Spied on girls with him. Yeah, they’d been young, but they’d been a team.

“You still didn’t have to run me down, ya bastard.” Noah flinched, as he tried to get up. Coop cursed.

“Maybe we should call an ambulance. What hurts?”

Noah shook his head. “Hell no. My ribs are sore. I don’t need an ambulance. I need a bed and about ten Ibuprofen.”

When Noah tried to get up again, Cooper held onto his arm to help him. Once he was on his feet, Noah leaned against the truck. “Jesus,” Coop shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re back, let alone, that I ran your ass over. I’d say let’s catch up, but I’d feel better if we got you to the hospital first.”

Noah winced again and grabbed his side. “I’m sure my ribs are just bruised, so they won’t be able to do much.”

He was probably right, but Coop wasn’t willing to take chances. “You got a car?” He asked, trying to show his friend he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

“Broken down on the side of the road.”

Coop knew it made him an asshole, but he laughed. It wasn’t every day your car broke down, and you got hit by one. “Bad day?”

Noah shook his head, but grinned, reminding Cooper exactly, of the boy he used to know. “You don’t even know the half of it.”

Cooper reached for him. “Let me help you in the truck. I’ll drive you over to get checked out, and then we’ll head out for your car.”

He watched as Noah took a deep breath and winced. He had a feeling if it hadn’t been for that wince, his old friend would try to say no about the hospital.

When he tried to help Noah, his old friend shook him off. Cooper wasn’t surprised. He’d been like that when they were young too. Hell, he was like that himself. No reason he couldn’t get to the truck by himself.

Once Noah was in, Coop did close the door for him before jogging around to the driver side. A car went around them before Cooper pulled away. Noah’s eyes were closed as he leaned against the seat. Worry lit a fire inside him. “You doing okay over there?”

“Do you always stress so much? You didn’t used to fret like a woman,” Noah didn’t look at him as he spoke. Cooper tried not to laugh. He remembered Noah used to get pissy when he was hurt.

“You didn’t used to complain so much either.” Cooper laughed and shook his head. “So how are ya? Where you been all these years?”

Noah grunted in reply, and Coop felt like an ass for asking. He knew what it had been like for Noah. How many schools he’d been to and cities he’d lived in before coming to Blackcreek. Noah used to tell him that he’d do anything to stay here. Anytime they got in trouble for causing hell in town, Noah always worried it would make things bad between his parents again, and make him have to leave. Not that they’d done anything too bad.

He also knew that on Friday his friend had been there, and by Sunday, when Cooper got home from a trip with his aunt, Noah had been gone. There’s no way he could have known he was leaving, if Coop hadn’t. They’d sworn to leave together if it ever came to that. Not that he didn’t know that those were silly promises kids made—but Cooper knew Noah would have rather done anything, than move from Blackcreek.

They were quiet for the thirty-minute drive to the hospital. Cooper sat in the waiting room with his feet up on another chair, while Noah went back to see the ER doctor. He tried to ignore the unease in his stomach. He didn’t see how any real damage could be done but you never knew with stuff like that.

“Cooper Bradshaw. What did I do to deserve a visit from you today?” A woman sat beside him. Coop looked over and smiled at Adrianna. She was an ER nurse who he’d gone out with a few times. He took in her pouty lips. Her red hair, and full breasts.

She was a woman he suddenly wanted to go out with again, very soon. They had a good deal between them. She was a busy with the hospital, had a five-year-old kid and not a lot of time. He wasn’t looking for anything serious. It wasn’t that Cooper was anti-relationship or anything, he just wasn’t sure they were for him. More power to anyone who wanted to settle down, but he enjoyed his lifestyle too much to change it. Adrianna was okay with no strings. They got together when her daughter was with her dad, or when one of them was looking for a good time. No strings, no attachment, no emotions. Just sex.

“I was thinking the same thing about you.” Coop gave her a smile. The slow, easy one that women seemed to like.

“You’re such a flirt.”

Cooper winked at her. “You like it.”

The doors to the emergency room slid open. “Mr. Bradshaw?” One of the nurses asked. “You’re here with Mr. Jameson?”

Cooper pushed to his feet. A shuffle of footsteps sounded from behind him. “Yeah? Is everything okay?” he asked.

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