Page 80 of Say I'm Yours
My phone dings with a text, and I scramble to find the small device buried in my purse.
Hank: Trent called and said he’s going to be out of work for a while. Didn’t say why or for how long, but I thought you might want to know.
Me: Thanks.
If I thought I was confused before, it’s nothing like now. I vary from hurt to anger. He’s taking time off? He called Hank but not any of his family who are all worried sick? I can’t believe he would be so heartless. Not after all his promises not to pull away from me again and all the talk about wanting to marry me. He has roots here. He wouldn’t rip them out when he needs them most.
I drop my head and let out a loud cry of frustration. “Just talk to me, I would be here for you,” I mutter as my heart aches.
“Grace?” I lift my head and wipe my tears away, not wanting to face him but knowing I have no choice.
“Cooper, hi.”
“Is he? Is everything—with Rhett?”
I stand and shake my head. “Oh, he’s fine. I mean, not fine, but he’s okay. He’s stable.”
“Then why are you out here crying?” Cooper asks.
I’m not sure what to say. My heart is broken on one end and I’m angry at myself on the other. I knew this would happen. I would go back to Trent, and he’d do the same shit like he always does. Now, Cooper stands in front of me, and I remember how dumb I am. I fooled myself into thinking this time would be different.
“Hey,” he says, and his freaking kindness is the last straw. It breaks me, and I double over, wracked with sobs. He drops to his knees in front of me and wraps his strong arms around my shoulders, holding me while I fall apart. “It’s okay, Grace.”
“No. It’s not.”
“Did something happen? Are you okay?” he asks like the good man he is.
Cooper wouldn’t do this. He wouldn’t run out without a word.
I shake my head back and forth as the tears soak his shirt. “Trent left.”
“Left?”
“He’s gone.” I pull back and try to collect myself. “He was here, then he disappeared, took time off work, but no one knows why. I don’t know . . .”
Cooper looks at me as if I’m crazy. “Seriously? I heard you guys have been great and moved in together.”
This is what has me thinking there has to be more to this. “I didn’t want to leave in case he came here . . . but I got a text from Hank, and all I know is he’s not sure when Trent will be back.”
I start to wonder if I should have stayed home. What if he packed his shit while I was here?
Cooper sits beside me and rests his elbows on his knees. “You and I both know that Trent doesn’t handle personal shit well. He’s not good at reactin’ to things when it comes to anything serious. You knew this when you chose to go back to him.”
That doesn’t excuse his behavior.
“I can’t keep doing this.” Cooper doesn’t say anything, and I instantly feel like shit. “God,” I sigh. “I’m such a bitch. I’m sittin’ here tellin’youabout this. I’m so sorry. I’m such a stupid girl.”
Cooper laughs and then takes my hand. “We’re friends. And we are much better friends now that we both know that’s all it’s going to be.” He nudges me. “But as your friend, I’m going to say something you’re not going to like.”
“Coop.”
“No, Grace, I think you need to hear it. You know this is what he does when he’s scared. He runs because emotion scares the fuck out of him. Something must’ve spooked him, and he cut tail. I don’t agree with it, but that’s who he is. For better or worse, this is how he deals with life. So, now you’ve got a choice.”
“Me?”
He nods. “Yeah, Grace. You chose him. You love him, but you have to love all of him. You have to accept him for who is, and that means knowin’ when he gets like this . . . he’s going to shut down. But you’re the only one who can reach him. I think you know that, which is what’s eatin’ you up inside.”
I suck in a deep breath. “No, I’m hurt. I’m angry that he hasn’t called me back or anything. I left him close to a hundred messages.”
