Page 35 of Rebels and Roses

Her heart squeezed painfully at his simple words. When it all sucked, he’d come to her. She shouldn’t see too much into that, but it still made her feel something deep in her gut. He’d trusted her with his book, and now he’d trusted her to be a safe space he could go to when it all seemed to be too much.

“I’m glad you came over. I wasn’t in bed yet. I was studying a little bit with the television as background noise.”

“I still shouldn’t be bothering you.”

He made no move to leave, however.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not particularly. Unless you need me to.”

“Nope, just wanted to check. Do you want to watch something on television? I was watching a baking show, but I can turn something else on.”

“This is fine.”

They sat there for several minutes watching the chatty lady on television make chicken parmesan.

“I dropped Fiona at the Winslow Inn.”

Okay, he wanted to talk now. Jane hit the mute button on the remote and turned so she could see his face.

“Do you feel guilty about that?”

“A little. She was drunk, as you saw before you left with Lucy. I made sure she got upstairs to her room, but then I left her there. Told her to get some sleep, and I’d see her in the morning. She wanted to stay at my place, but I said no.”

“Was she upset about that?”

Jane was trying to keep her questions neutral.

“Madder than a wet hen. She bitched at me the entire way to the inn, while I checked her in, and while I unlocked her room with the key card. She was yelling at me when I left. I told her that she needed to be quieter as she was going to wake everyone up.”

“Was she? Quieter, I mean?”

“No, she walked out into the hallway and screamed that Cooper Winslow was a total asshole.”

“Oh.”

And Cooper had married this woman.

“I doubt anyone was shocked by that revelation. Most people think the Winslows are assholes.”

“I don’t think that they do,” Jane denied. “Maybe your dad…but not you or your siblings.”

“You’re wondering how I ended up married to her.”

“I’m not.”

“Liar,” Cooper laughed. “You have to be thinking it, because I’m thinking it too.”

“Have you come to any conclusions?”

“Lust,” Cooper replied. “Optimism. Also, I just don’t think that Fiona was this bad before. Sure, she had her moments, but tonight she was extra special nasty. She’d always been a happy person when she drank too much. She wanted to dance and party. I don’t remember her being angry or bitter.”

“People change.”

“They do,” he conceded. “I have. She has. Tom has. I’m sorry that you had to deal with it tonight. I really am.”

“Hey, it was a free meal,” Jane replied, keeping her tone lighthearted. “Tate’s is always good food.”

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