Page 55 of Say I'm Yours
I step outside and search for the police cruiser I know is somewhere close. “Hank?” I yell, and he turns to me with a smile. “Isn’t Trent workin’ tonight?”
“You didn’t hear?” His grin falls as he walks toward me. “Rhett collapsed this afternoon. We rushed him to the hospital, but he was still unconscious when I left. It’s been a busy day for us.”
“Oh my God!” I clutch my chest. “Is he all right?”
Hank shrugs. “I haven’t heard much. The whole family is there. Trent worked on him until they got him to the hospital.”
“I have to go! I need to be there!”
I run back inside, and start searching for my things. I can’t find my purse. Where did I put my purse? My heart races as I think about Trent and his family. His father means everything to them. I don’t know what is wrong or why he didn’t call, but I have to go.
“Grace, calm down.” Cooper’s hand is on my shoulder.
“I can’t find my keys! I don’t have my phone. Why didn’t anyone call me? I should be there! I didn’t know and no one told me. Where the hell are my damn keys?”
“Okay, okay. Where did you put them?” Cooper asks.
“I don’t know! I just . . .”
“Listen, you’re not in any state to drive. I have my keys right here, grab your phone and bag, and I’ll drive you there.”
I cover my mouth with my hand and nod. “All right.”
Cooper helps me locate the items I need and we climb in his truck. I’ve been a part of that family for a long time. Rhett and Macie are like a second set of parents to me. My leg bounces as he drives. I think about Trent working, whatever that means, on his father. I envision them all gathered around and how alone Trent must feel.
“I’m sure it’ll be okay, Grace,” Cooper tries to reassure me.
“Thank you for drivin’ me.”
Cooper smiles with sadness in his eyes. “I told you we’d always be friends.”
He did, and it’s clear he keeps his promises.
“Coop?” I pull his attention back. I want to ask him something, but don’t know how it’ll go. “Are you upset? About . . . you know . . . this?”
“You mean me driving you to the man you truly love?” he asks, and I nod. “Before I came over tonight, I talked to Presley,” he admits. “I told her about what happened this morning and on our date, and she of course laughed, but she tried to explain what it’s like to love someone the way she loves Zach. I think the way she feels about him is how you are with Trent. I could never compete with that.”
“Coop,” I try to stop him, but he takes my hand in his.
“I’ve known you my whole life, and you’ve never looked at anyone like you look at him. I may wish it was different, but it’s the truth.”
“I never wanted to hurt you.”
He shakes his head and chuckles. “You didn’t. We’re friends who tried to see if there was anything there. I told you that I had no expectations. We both deserve to be crazy about each other. Shit, I want a girl to come runnin’ into my arms and not get enough of kissing me.”
“I’m sorry I’m not her. You deserve that, you really do.”
And he does. Cooper is a textbook perfect man. He’s like my daddy. He works hard, loves harder, and is a good man. He’s going to make some woman very lucky someday. I hope he finds her fast because he deserves everything he wants.
“Thanks.” He gives me a rueful smile. “In another life, I think we would’ve been perfect. In another time, we would’ve been happy. More than anything, I want that for you.”
“Cooper Townsend, walkin’ away from you is going to be my greatest regret.”
He smirks. “I can live with that. Just make him treat you right.”
I don’t say anything because my knee-jerk reaction is to defend Trent, but that isn’t right. Cooper has a right to say what he needs to, and he isn’t wrong. Trent hasn’t been great, which hasn’t been a secret.
“Thank you for being such a good guy.”
