Page 75 of Rebels and Roses

“Going to court will take too long. You can talk to her,” Fiona pressed.

“So can you. I’m not a family member, and I shouldn’t be involved in this.”

Fiona was angry, enraged really. Her face was red, and her lips were pressed together so tightly they’d almost disappeared into her face. It was clear she wanted to call him a nasty name but was trying to hold it in. She might as well let it fly. He was sure he’d been called worse at some point in his life.

Frankly, his life had been turned upside down the minute Tom had hit town using Fiona’s phone to trick Cooper. He hadn’t asked for this; he sure as hell didn’t want this. Yet here he was being pulled further and further into their orbit. Again. It had been bad enough the first time. He was older and wiser, but he wasn’t smart enough to keep himself out of all this mess. Theminute he’d met Tom that first night at Tate’s, he should have told his former brother-in-law to kick rocks. He’d let himself get talked into being involved.

Now, I’m involved.

It didn’t mean that he had to get more involved, though. This was a classic Fiona move. Get him to do a task that was unpleasant, and that she didn’t want to make any effort. From his perspective, if getting Tom’s body released to her was important, she’d make time for it in her busy schedule.

“This has gone past a simple conversation,” Cooper continued. “The courts are now involved. Call your attorney, they’ll know what to do. I won’t be of any use here.”

“Now that she’s in your life, you don’t give a shit about me anymore,” Fiona shot back, her face twisted with anger. “You don’t care about me.”

To be fair, when they’d mutually decided to divorce that was a public declaration that they weren’t going to be responsible for one another any longer. That they weren’t in love anymore and didn’t want to be in each other’s lives. That’s why they hadn’t seen each other since the divorce was final.

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Cooper replied, keeping his tone even but firm. “But this is not something I can help you with.”

“You mean you won’t help me. You could, but now that you’re with her, you won’t. I guess she’s more important now, huh?”

Cooper wanted to make it clear where he stood.

“If you’re asking if I prioritize Jane over you, the answer is yes. Every time. But she’s not the reason I’m saying no. I’m telling you that you need to call a lawyer. You just don’t want to do it. You want me to call one. But I think you’re a big girl and can manage this all by yourself.”

Furiously, Fiona turned on her heel and stomped down the block, disappearing around the corner. Cooper stood there fora while, watching her leave and wondering what she would do next. The woman he’d been married to all those years ago didn’t give up easily.

Honestly, in the time they’d spent arguing about him helping, Fiona could have called her attorney and had him on the case. She just didn’t want to do it. She wanted him to do it.

It was all about control with her. If he did it, then she could tell herself that he still had feelings for her and so on. Somehow, she’d spin it in her mind that she was in control of him. Right now, she was having a temper tantrum because he wasn’t cooperating with her little life fantasy.

She’d looked especially pissed off when he’d told her that Jane was his priority. He hadn’t planned to say it like that, but he wasn’t sorry. Jane was that important now. He was beginning to wake up and realize that she was his future.

He should have been running in fear at the realization, but all he felt was happiness and contentment.

Maybe falling in love with the right woman wasn’t all that scary after all.

“Does this bother you?”Zack asked Jane after Cooper left the tavern to speak with Fiona. “You know he doesn’t care about her anymore.”

“I know, and no, it doesn’t bother me,” Jane replied. “At least not much. I know he doesn’t love her anymore.”

Frankly, Fiona didn’t look like she was in love with Cooper either. But she sure as hellwantedhim. That was two different things. Luckily, Cooper understood the difference.

“No one would blame you,” Zack said. “He’s spending a lot of time working on this.”

“I just feel badly for him. He’s letting his guilt drive him to find out more details about Tom’s death which might very well be an accidental overdose. His feelings of paranoia might have been well-founded considering his life decisions, but that doesn’t mean they had anything to do with his death.”

“And now Fiona is trying to pull something, too,” Tate said. “That woman had a determined expression when she walked in. I can only imagine what they’re talking about. I do know one thing…Cooper’s got a spine of solid steel. Whatever it is that she wants him to do or say, he won’t do it unless he agrees with it.”

“What makes you say she wants something?” Lucy asked.

“I’ve heard enough stories about her to know that if she came here looking for him, she wants something.”

What on earth could Fiona be asking of Cooper? He was already digging into her brother’s untimely death. What more was there that he could do?

“Just don’t think that he’ll get back with her or anything,” Tate said. “We can see how he feels about you. He’s not going to get caught up in her again.”

Lucy was nodding in agreement, and Zack was smiling so they seemed to agree with Tate’s sentiments. It felt good that they could see the feelings that Cooper had, but it was also uncomfortable in a way. Everyone was looking at them, evaluating them. These were her friends, and she knew they weren’t judging in a bad way, but it was still unnerving.

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