Page 19 of Once Upon a Winter
Laura shook her head, an incredulous laugh escaping her. “Don’t apologize to me. It’s you I’m worried about. You don’t understand what you’ve just signed up for.”
Cooper looked crestfallen. “Right. Okay. I get it.”
Seeing his disappointment, Laura rushed to clarify. “Not that I wouldn’t love to have you there. But these people, my sister’s friends, can be cruel.”
Cooper tilted his head, confusion creasing his brow. “In what way?”
“They just make you—well, me—feel like I’m not good enough. Like I’m a loser,” Laura admitted, her gaze falling to her hands.
“Loser?” Cooper repeated, the surprise in his voice almost comical.
She shrugged. “It’s just… what they do. And you’d be guilty by association and therefore a target. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
Cooper’s smile bolstered her. “I love a challenge. If you take me, we can face them together.” The warmth in his eyes made it impossible to refuse him.
She had so many questions, such as: why was he offering to go with her? But her most pressing issue was trying to figure out what to make of his cheerful enthusiasm.
Cooper said, “So it’s settled. Tomorrow. What’s the dress code?”
With an incredulous shake of her head, she gave up. “It’s semiformal. Suit, tie. It’s not too late to change your mind.”
He apparently found that amusing. “What time?”
“We should probably leave here by six.”
“Six it is.” Cooper flashed a grin and headed upstairs to work, leaving Laura alone with her whirlwind of thoughts.
By noon,the oil had been delivered, and the tow truck had pulled her car out of the ditch. Cooper insisted it be towed to Enzo for a once-over to make sure there had been no damage. By the time they returned from the garage, Laura’s life was once again back to normal.
For the rest of her afternoon, Laura finished unpacking and hung the few pictures she had. She was assessing the blank spots for wall hangings and furniture she needed to buy when Cooper arrived at the foot of the stairs. “I don’t want to get your hopes up, but it’s looking like I could be finished a week from today, which leaves you—”
“A finished house in time for Christmas! Thank you!” She almost gave him a hug but caught herself. They’d only recently become comfortable talking with each other. A hug could ruin it all, so she turned to business matters. “Oh, and good news. The insurance adjuster said I should have a check by tomorrow.”
With a knowing nod, Cooper said, “Those folks have it down to a science, so I doubt my work will go over whatever they cover.”
“Don’t worry. I’m good for whatever goes over the insurance settlement.”
Cooper frowned. “I’m not worried about that.”
Laura felt the need to assure him. “I just didn’t want you to think… I mean, you’ve done so much for me already.”
He shrugged it off. “Not really. Your homeowner’s insurance is paying me for the work. Oh, and did I mention my fee for the party?”
Laura’s jaw dropped.
“Laura, I’m kidding!”
She wrinkled her face. “You might change your mind after tomorrow.”
He leveled her with a look so soft and deep that Laura’s heart fluttered.
“I won’t change my mind.” Abruptly, he turned and headed for the door. “See you in the morning.”
As he closed the door behind him, he called out, “Lock the door.”
Relieved that her knees didn’t buckle beneath her, she did as he suggested. She was safe in her house, but her heart was in danger of falling.
Nine
