Page 126 of We Redeemed the Rain

I wanted Bea more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life. But I was too coward to be honest, too enslaved to memories. And it would take ten thousand beautiful memories with Bea to overturn even one that haunted me.

My thoughts sounded like a broken freaking record.

I glanced back. She was clothed now.Good.

Cooper slammed his Nissan truck door, the hinges squeaking. “Hey, buddy.”

I put my hands on my hips. “You got some nerve, Coop.”

He gave me a smile, shoving his hands into the pockets of his worn out jeans. Showing up out of the blue as if it was the most casual thing in the world. “What’re you talking about? I’m just making a social call on my favorite brother.”

“Social call, my ass. What do you want?”

He didn’t answer the question. Instead he leaned to the side, peering around me. He lifted his chin toward the pond. “Who you got back there?”

I opened my mouth to tell him to scram when she stepped out from behind me. “Hey, uh, I’m Bea.”

She smiled at him. Of course. That unhindered, love-for-all smile.

I wanted to tuck her away, push her into the truck, and kick up a cloud of dust. Bea wasn’t safe around Cooper. I took a tight breath as he walked directly toward us, coming all the way down on the dock to make a point.

The point?I will do whatever I want whenever I want to whoever I want.

He purposely bumped my shoulder as he brushed by. He extended his hand to Bea, the bright smile on his face almost redeeming the stained clothes he had on. Wow, he looked terrible. His hair was long and pulled into a greasy loop low on his neck. His dark beard was full and wiry. Lilac half circles under his eyes highlighted how bloodshot they were. He wore a long sleeve shirt, even though it was in the nineties.

“I’m Cooper.”

“Pleasure to meet you.”

“No, no. Trust me, the pleasure is all mine.” He didn’t release her hand and glanced over at me. “I’m proud of you.”

“Shut up, Cooper.”

He lifted her fingers, giving her an obvious once over. Like she was cattle at an auction. A tense and uncomfortable laughcame from Bea.Before I could intervene, he spoke again. “Looks like you finally decided what side of the fence you’re on.”

Enough.

I reached over and grabbed his t-shirt, dragging him to the end of the dock and onto the grass. “I saidshut up.”

He stumbled backward when I let him go, his hands in the air by his face. But his eyes still lingered on Bea. Probably on her wet tank top. Her bra had soaked water through and her body might as well have been a neon, blinking sign. My fists clenched, and I stepped between them again.

He laughed. “No need to be protective. Just wanted to meet your, uh…”

“Friend.”

He laughed again. “Oh, Sammy, you’ve always been a terrible liar.”

My jaw squeezed tight. I closed my eyes against the fragmented memories that old name dredged up.

“Am I getting an invite to the wedding?”

Ignoring the need to correct his assumptions, I said, “What you’re gettin’ is a boot in your ass if you don’t tell me why you’re here. You had your opportunity. I gave everything I had to give you a chance. You’re not allowed to show up, goad me, and make Bea uncomfortable.”

“Goad?” He looked to Bea and thumbed at me with an eye roll. “Did you teach him that word?”

She shook her head, her eyes darting between the two of us.

“Coop, you got five seconds to cut to the chase.”

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