Page 21 of Tides of Discovery
The musician finished her set to enthusiastic applause. As she packed up her guitar, the emcee announced a short break before the next performer. The volume in the bar rose as conversation filled the void.
“So,” Cooper said after a long pull from his beer. “Any more security notifications?”
The casualness of his tone didn’t fool me. I saw his tension in the way he gripped his glass, the way his foot twitched restlessly on the stool rung.
I shook my head and carefully set down my beer. “Nope. System’s clean. No new probes, no suspicious pings. We’re in the clear for now.”
The relief that flickered across his face loosened my tight gut. He relaxed on his barstool a fraction, some of the strain around his eyes easing.
“Good,” he murmured, like he didn’t dare believe it fully yet. “That’s good.”
I wanted to narrow the space between us, to cover his hand with mine, to promise him I’d guard everything he cared about with everything I had. But I didn’t move. That wasn’t the touch of a best friend.
Instead, I took another sip of my beer and forced my voice to stay light. “Told you I’m good at my job.”
Cooper’s smile appeared—smaller than usual, but real. “Yeah, you are.”
The warmth of his trust settled deep in my bones and chased away some of the leftover chill from his dinner with his family.
He didn’t say thank you. He didn’t have to. It was there in his eyes, green and steady under the low lights of Barnacle Brews, telling me without words that he trusted me to keep him safe.
And I’d never wanted to be worthy of that trust more than I did that evening.
We fell into an easy conversation about work. The familiar rhythm of our friendship asserted itself. I was in the middle of explaining a particularly stubborn issue when the stranger interrupted me.
He extended his hand to Cooper. “I’m Brad. In town on business.”
Cooper reluctantly shook it. His expression shifted to what I recognized as his professional face—the same polite, slightly distant look he used with difficult customers. “Cooper. Welcome to Seacliff Cove.”
“Thanks.” Brad’s smile widened in a way I immediately disliked. “I have to say, I didn’t expect to find someone like you in a small-town bar.”
Cooper raised an eyebrow. “Someone like me?”
“You know.” Brad’s eyes traveled over Cooper in a way that made my stomach clench with sudden irritation. “Good-looking. Well dressed.” He lowered his voice. “Sexy. You stand out.”
I made an involuntary noise, something between a snort and a scoff. Cooper shot me a glance, and I quickly composed my features into neutral attentiveness, though I knew my eyes probably betrayed my distaste for Brad’s clumsy line.
“Thanks.” Cooper turned back to his beer. “But I’m just here to enjoy the music with my friend.”
Brad was undeterred. “Let me buy you a drink. What are you having?” His voice slurred.
“I’m good.” Cooper lifted his still-half-full glass. “But thanks for the offer.”
“Come on,” Brad persisted, and leaned closer to Cooper. “One drink. I’d love to hear about the local spots worth checking out. I’m staying for the next three or four weeks. We’d have time to…explore.” Brad’s beer arrived, and he took a long pull.
“You should try the visitors’ center,” Cooper suggested, his customer service voice still intact despite the growing tension obvious in his shoulders. “They have great maps of the area.”
Brad laughed as if Cooper had said something charming rather than dismissive. “I prefer a more…personal tour guide.” His hand came to rest on the bar near Cooper’s, not quite touching but definitely invading his space.
My jaw tightened as I watched Cooper grow more uncomfortable with each passing second.
“As I said, I’m here with someone,” Cooper replied, his voice pleasant but firm. “But thanks for the offer.”
“Your friend won’t mind.” Brad cast a disparaging glance at me. “Right, buddy? I’m just borrowing him for one drink.”
The casual dismissal, coupled with the way he’d been ignoring Cooper’s polite rejections, made something snap inside me. “Actually, I would mind,” I said, my voice sharp.
Brad’s attention slammed fully onto me. “I didn’t realize you had a claim on him,” he said, his tone carrying an unpleasant edge.
