Page 15 of Craving Cooper

“Oh, I see.”

“Sorry. This is probably a lot more work than you bargained for,” I say, pulling out onto the main road.

“No. It’s fine.”

“On the bright side, we’re only dumping most of this into the garage.”

“Really?”

“Yes. They’re gonna use Brady’s furniture for the best part.”

“Because her furniture brings back memories of the past?” she says, reminding me I told her the story behind Mitch’s death while we were driving over here. I don’t know why I did that. It’s not something I’ve told anyone before. But I still feel guilty for asking Mallory to keep it to herself. That didn’t need to be said. I know she’s not a gossip, and that I can trust her… but I guess I was confused. Not by Mallory’s perfect mouth, or by the way she blushes and smiles at me… although she’s not doing that anymore. No, I was confused by the fact that I’d shared a secret with my receptionist, and not the woman with whom I occasionally share my bed.

“Something like that,” I say.

“That’s understandable.”

“Yeah, it is.”

I turn onto Cedar Street, spotting the truck and Laurel’s car almost immediately. Their house is the third one along on the left and I park up, getting out of the car. I’m about to go around to help Mallory, but she’s already getting out by herself, and she stands, her hands on her hips, and smiles over at me. “It’s a lovely house.”

I nod my head. All the houses down here are the same; detached with a yard out front, space for a couple of cars and a large garage… which is just as well, considering what we’ve got to put inside Brady and Laurel’s. Inside the houses, there are four bedrooms upstairs, and in Brady and Laurel’s case, a completely open-plan downstairs. I haven’t seen it for myself, but he told me all about it not long after they first came to see the place, unable to stop smiling.

Our job may have been made easier by the fact that we’re not putting all of Laurel’s furniture into the house, but there’s still a lot to do, so rather than standing around admiring the place, we get on with unloading the truck.

We’re only about ten minutes in before I need to take off my t-shirt again, although I throw it into my car this time, worried it’ll get muddled up with Laurel’s things. When I return to the truck, I can’t help noticing that Mallory’s staring again, and that she keeps biting on her bottom lip. There’s something about the look in her eyes that makes me smile. That’s because I’ve seen that look before – although not on Mallory. I know it well enough, though, and I realize what she’s doing now, and why she keeps gazing at me. She’s admiring the view… just like I am. The fact that she stares at me most of all when I’m not wearing my t-shirt is very gratifying, and I have to say, I’d like her to return the favor, so I could admire her properly.

She and Laurel focus on taking some of the clothes and kitchen things into the house, while Brady and I take care of the heavy furniture.

“Can I assume you’ve measured the bedrooms to make sure your bed’s gonna fit?” I say, as we deposit Laurel’s old bed at the back of the garage.

Brady has a bed that’s seven feet long, and he smiles up at me.

“Do I look stupid?”

“Occasionally.”

He shakes his head, smiling, and I can tell he’s already so much more relaxed for having left behind the house that used to belong to Mitch Bradshaw.

“Addy’s chosen her room, and Laurel and I think we’re gonna have the one at the front.”

“Because it’s next to Addy’s?”

“No, because it’s next to…” His voice fades and he pushes his fingers back through his hair.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, turning to face him.

“Nothing.”

“Then why did you stop talking, and why do you look so troubled?”

“Because I wasn’t supposed to say that.”

“Say what? You didn’t say anything.”

He sighs. “Maybe not, but… oh, I guess it can’t hurt to tell you, just so long as you promise to keep it to yourself.”

“Keep what to myself?”

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