Page 26 of Say I'm Yours
“Because I had to haul hay today,” Cooper explains, obviously expecting me to connect nonexistent dots.
“And that means no tire?”
His hands grip the side of the truck so hard his knuckles turn white, and he dips his head. “It means I was in a hurry to shower and get done. It means my dumb ass forgot to put it back in. Karma for saran wrapping Presley’s car has finally caught up to me.”
And my self-control is gone. I lose it. Completely and utterly lose it. The giggling becomes so much that tears are falling from my eyes. I clutch my stomach and try to get a hold of myself, but I can’t. I hear Cooper start to follow suit, and then we’re both hysterical.
“You,” I lean forward, trying to catch my breath, “forgot the tire!” I struggle to catch my breath as I wipe the tears. “Because that’s what would happen on our first date!”
Cooper comes around and grips my shoulders as I start to get myself under control. “I’ll call my sister.”
That sobers me. “Who will what? Have her husband come out?”
He closes his eyes. “It’s better than the alternative.”
This couldn’t be any more comical. Our choices are: call Zach, who could quite possibly be with his brothers, or call the sheriff, who is the brother we’re avoiding.
My hands rest on Cooper’s chest, and I giggle again. “You have to admit this is funny.”
“Maybe a little.”
“Or a lot.”
Cooper shakes his head. “This isn’t exactly the way I thought our first date would go.”
“Really?” I joke. “What did you think?”
He smirks. “For starters, we’d actually make it to dinner.”
“That would’ve been a good start, what else?”
His eyes warm as I try to lighten the mood. “We’d have gone for a walk.”
“Well, we may be doing that as it is if we don’t get help out here.”
He nods. “Let’s make sure that part doesn’t happen. I’ll call Pres, and then maybe we can still salvage our night.”
I’m not sure what we can save, but I appreciate that he cares. I try not to let my mind wander down the path that our blowing a tire is another sign. Considering I kissed another man tonight already, maybe the universe is trying to stop me from being a little bit of a hussy.
“All right,” I acquiesce.
Cooper squeezes my arm and then heads toward the truck. I lean against the back end and shake my head. I’m pretty sure tonight should make the top list of worst dates ever. First, Trent showed up, messed with my head from all his mixed signals, and then left with such a heavy sadness in his eyes. Then I could barely breathe when I was getting ready. And sure, Cooper brought me flowers, but then this whole tire thing is unbelievable. I’ve been hesitant about dating anyone, but I hoped that maybe, this could be different for me.
Out of those things, Trent upsets me the most. There was something about the way he looked at me that I can’t shake. It’s that in all the times we’ve had our ups and downs, I’ve not once seen his eyes so sad. It was as if he were accepting our goodbye as what it was . . . the end.
A shiver runs through me, and I start to head back to the cab, but I see a car approaching. “Coop! We might be saved!”
I turn toward the back of the truck, and my stomach drops as the silhouette of a light bar comes into view.
We’re not saved, we’re freaking screwed.
I watch as the headlights approach and a tall form exits the car. I pray it isn’t him. I’m begging God to give me Hank and not Trent.
“Everything all right here?” Trent’s deep voice rings through the silence.
No. Everything is not all right. In fact, it went from bad to worse.
“Of all the places you happen to drive past tonight, this is one of them?” I ask with a little too much hostility.
