Page 56 of Rebels and Roses

“I guess I don’t understand,” Erica said. “Tom was clean when he left Denver. He hadn’t used for months. He was quitting all of that.”

“Drug addicts are good at hiding what they’re doing,” Finn replied gently. “I am sorry.”

“This just doesn’t make any sense.” Erica shook her head, her hands furled into tight fists. “He was seeing a counselor. He’d been clean for a long time. Sure, he still drank, but he’d stayed away from cocaine since January. We both said it was a new beginning for us. We were going to get married. Start a family. None of this can be right.”

Jane’s heart ached for the young woman who didn’t want to believe that her Prince Charming had been lying to her for who knows how long. Tom’s addiction had short-circuited all their plans and dreams. Instead of planning a wedding, they’d be planning a funeral.

“Erica, would you like me to take you back to the hotel?” Cooper offered. “Perhaps I can help you fill out the forms.”

“That’s a good idea,” Fiona said. “I think the evening has come to an end. We need some time to take in this news. I also need to call my parents.”

“We can take Jane home,” Lucy said. “The hotel is in the other direction.”

Cooper hadn’t been paying any attention to Jane, but now his gaze swung in her direction. His expression was enigmatic, however, and she couldn’t tell if he was happy or sad.

“That’s a good idea,” Jane replied. “Okay, Zack?”

“Fine with me,” Zack said with a nod. “Call me if you need anything, Coop.”

It had been quite an evening at the Winslow home. Jane couldn’t be petty about Cooper helping out his ex-wife when her brother had died so tragically. He’d shown no desire to get back with Fiona. And he’d brought Jane here with him tonight.

Confused. That’s what she was.

Just what was she to Cooper? And what was he to her?

She’d better figure it out quick before she got her heart broken into a million pieces.

14

After a hot shower the next morning, Jane pulled on her bathrobe and padded on bare feet into the kitchen. She didn’t have to work until mid-afternoon, but there was a study group she wanted to attend in about an hour. Everyone was gearing up for finals, and she was no exception. It was hard to believe that in just two weeks she’d finally be done. It had been one long, hard slog but worth it.

She’d taken the first sip of her coffee when there was a soft knock on her door. The sun was barely up, and while the town was beginning to wake outside, it was still damn early. She was sure that she’d never had a visitor at this hour of the morning before.

Which could only mean one thing. It had to be Cooper. He was the unpredictable in her life. Everything else was boring as hell.

Just to be sure, she checked the peephole first. She’d guessed correctly. She opened the door and stepped back, letting him enter.

Dressed in jeans and a cotton button-down shirt, his hair was still damp from his shower. His clean scent teased her nostrilswith citrus and spice. He always smelled amazing. He always looked good, too. In fact, she ought to hate him for looking so handsome this early in the morning. She didn’t have a scrap of makeup on, and her wet hair was wrapped in a towel.

“This is becoming a habit.” He looked confused, not sure what she was referring to. “You showing up at my door unexpectedly.”

“Did you really not expect me? After last night?”

“I thought I’d see you, but not necessarily this early. Did you sleep? Were you up all night writing?”

That was another annoying thing about Cooper. He could stay up all night working, and still look fresh as a daisy the next day. It really wasn’t fucking fair.

“I tried to write, but I couldn’t concentrate. I kept thinking about Tom. Is there enough coffee for me, too?”

Jane had made a full pot, so she poured him a cup as well before they settled on her sofa.

She hadn’t slept well last night, her head spinning with too many questions and barely any answers. Mostly, she needed to know how she felt about this man. That was the first and most important query. The second was, of course, how he felt about her.

But to be honest, if she wasn’t falling for him…did it matter how he felt about her? And how could she expect him to know how he felt when she was trying to sort out her own feelings, as well?

“You didn’t sleep because of Tom?” she prompted. “Guilt is not a productive emotion, Cooper.”

“What makes you think I feel guilty?”

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