Page 53 of Can We Just Be Happy Now?

Cooper stands. “I’m getting another cupcake before the next round.” He walks into the kitchen, and I slide off my chair to follow him, leaving our brothers to reach for a second slice of pie.

Taking a huge bite out of his cupcake, he holds the other half out for me. “Thanks,” I say, accepting the gesture.

Even though he just gave it to me, he takes the cupcake from my hand and sets it on the counter. “Come here,” he says softly, pulling me into a hug. “I’m sorry I’ve been too busy for us to be friends again,” he whispers into my hair, “But we’re going to be okay.” I melt into his arms, counting to twenty in my head and reaching it three times over before he lets me go.

Chapter thirty

SOPHIE

THEN

My rarely worn blue jeans feel constricting as I jump into them–especially after all the food I ate on Thanksgiving yesterday. I pull the forest green Ducks crewneck from a hanger in the back of my closet as my dad yells from downstairs. “You almost ready, Sophie? Mike and Cooper are here.” His name forces him into my thoughts as I tug my sweatshirt over my head. I get stuck in the wrong hole, suffocating in the cotton and panicking for a breath.

I figure out how to dress myself like a freaking adult, take a deep breath of get ahold of yourself, Sophie and walk down the stairs. “Why are Cooper and Mr. Montgomery here?” I sit on the floor to lace up my Chuck Taylors as I look at Dad, confused, when he walks into the entryway from the kitchen.

“What do you mean? We are going to the game with them.”

“Oh. I didn’t know that.” Dad would forget everything if he didn’t have Mom to remind him. I thought it was just us driving to Corvallis together for the Civil War football game.

“Ready?” he asks again as I stand from tying my shoes. It’s like he’s totally forgotten about our breakup three months ago. Cooper and I just now finding our friendship again doesn’t seem to be on his radar at all. What better place than a game, though? Still, nerves rack through me as I open the front door. Our friendship finally feels like it’s back on track, but I’m still unsure how different it’ll look from the one we were on before.

As I slide onto the black leather in the back seat of Mr. Montgomery’s G-Wagon, I let my eyes skim Cooper, completely dressed in black between his joggers and Duck hoodie. He looks up from his phone, a grin brightening his face at the sight of me. My heart fluttering steals my breath at the thought that he’s genuinely happy to see me. “Decided to actually dress for the weather for once?” he teases.

I roll my eyes. “Don’t act like you don’t love my dresses.”

Hunger flashes in his eyes. “I do love them.” He drags his teeth across his bottom lip like he’d eat me up right there in the backseat of his dad’s car if I let him. We might not be together, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t love the effect I have on him. He shakes his head like he’s trying to clear the thoughts running through it and focuses back on his phone.

The pregame chit chat on the radio takes a front seat to any conversation. Cooper is mostly on his phone, and I steal glances at him every few pages of my book. There’s something different about him this weekend–even from Thanksgiving yesterday. Or maybe it’s just that I haven’t seen him in so long it feels that way.

We drive the hour to Reser Stadium and attempt to make our way through the chaos and crowds. The Civil War annual rivalry game is insane, and since we aren’t on home turf, it can be a little rough winding your way through the sea of orange when you’re wearing green. Dad and Mr. Montgomery were up ahead, but I lost them behind a pillar. My heart races as I spin around, looking for Cooper. He comes to a stop right behind me, the crowds pushing by around us. Relief hits me like a cold shower on a sunburn. “Why are you looking at me like that?” I question the stupid grin on his face.

“Nothing. Your ass looks good.” He shrugs.

“That’s why you’re walking behind me? Cooper!” I swat at him.

“What?” He smirks. “It does. I’m taking advantage of the jeans.”

What is with him being so horny today? What the heck happens at college that makes him so comfortable talking this way to me when he never has before? I give him a questioning look, his mood rubbing off on me. He takes a sip from his water bottle as he looks at the section numbers above us, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows. The way his lips taste on mine has already faded from my memory, and my chest pinches at the reminder.

His focus pulls to me. “Why are you looking at me like that?” He laughs, and I force my gaze to the cement between us, feeling the blush heat my face. I slowly shift my eyes to Cooper’s in time to watch his tongue swipe across his lower lip. There’s a reason I picture him as the guy in every book I read. He’s so hot. And he’s so not mine anymore, I remind myself.

“I’m not looking at you in any sort of way,” I lie, knowing my face is betraying me.

“Uh-huh,” he muses and joins the flow of the crowd, heading toward our section. I think I understand why guys need cold showers now–the thought of splashing ice water on my face feels like it’s the only thing that would wash away the desires coursing through me.

“Cooper.”

He hums at me over his shoulder in acknowledgment as we walk.

“I need to go to the bathroom first. Will you wait for me so I don’t get lost?”

He scans the wall on the opposite side of the aisle until he spots a hallway with a bathroom sign at the entrance. Taking my hand, he weaves us through the people until we make it safely to the other side.

Chapter thirty-one

COOPER

THEN

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