Page 41 of Boss Me

Coco growled, the hair spiking up along his back. He stared through the thick greenery at the alley beyond.

“What is it, Coco?”

Not breaking his stare, he growled louder. A shoe scuffed in the alley, and footsteps receded toward the street. With one last whuff, Coco shook himself and resettled on the step.

“I hear strangers have been asking questions.” Tía Camelia stood, the coffee carafe in her hand.

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Cooper grumbled. “And it won’t be the last.”

“Still, I don’t like it. Be careful, Miguelito.”

“I’m always careful.” They exchanged a glance, and I didn’t like the way his jaw clenched or the way she bristled. What did he have to be careful about in this island paradise?

Cooper reached for Camelia’s empty plate and stacked it with his. “All done, Ben?”

I shoved the last, delicious bite of bread into my mouth and passed over my plate. Standing, I gathered the jam jars and the empty breadbasket.

“Cariños, don’t worry about it. I’ll clean up,” Camelia said.

“I’ll do it,” Cooper said with a glare so forceful I almost sat back down.

I jutted out my chin. “I’ll help.”

Years of cleaning up my parents’ kitchen made me a champion dishwasher, and Cooper surprised me as a capable dish dryer. The kitchen was tiny, but everything had its place, and Cooper seemed to know it as well as if he lived there.

Under the clatter of scrubbing the flatware, I asked, “Do you want to talk about it? About the break from work?”

He wiped out a coffee cup. “You were there. You saw it. I need to work through my…”

“Your shit?”

One corner of his mouth quirked up. “My shit.”

“Are you”—God, I was smashing through that professional wall like the Kool-Aid Man—“talking to someone?”

His smile gone, he rubbed an invisible speck off the cup. “I am.”

“Good. That’s good.” Though I wished he’d talk to me, too. And then I remembered what I needed to talk to him about. “I know you said there was nothing to be worried about at Synergy. But I’m worried. About Weston’s plan. About you selling your shares. About this break you’re on. Are you—are you leaving Synergy permanently?”

He set down the cup and answered the question I’d been too afraid to ask. “Ben, nothing will happen to you. Even if I decide to step away from Synergy, your job is secure. I promise.”

My stomach unclenched a little. But not all the way. Because if Cooper stepped away, did I want to have a secure job at Synergy? Sure, the pay and benefits, especially the tuition reimbursement, were great. And I liked Marlee a lot. I’d even planned to apply for a different job once I got my degree. But after a couple of days with unbuttoned Cooper on the island, I knew if Cooper wasn’t there, it wouldn’t be the same. It’d be…empty.

I was in trouble. So. Much. Trouble. My heart raced.

“Ben, are you okay?” Cooper curled his hand around my shoulder. I froze, still gripping the cutlery. “You’re pale. Need to sit down?”

“No, I’m good.” My voice was too high, and I cleared my throat. “I’m fine.” I rinsed the flatware and set it on the towel for Cooper to dry. I pried out the plug and let the water drain out of the sink.

“Maybe you need a break, too. You should—you should stay.”

I really needed to sit down. I gripped the edge of the sink. Breathed. Tried to brush it off with a joke. “You said I was fired if I stayed, so I guess I’m already in garbage time.”

He squeezed my shoulder and released it with a chuckle. “You should know by now I don’t always mean what I say.”

My heart stopped, and the words tumbled out. “So you didn’t mean it just now? About staying?”

His blue eyes softened. “Of course I did. You should enjoy the vacation.”

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