Page 31 of Charming the Cowboy
He couldn’t say no to her. He just couldn’t. Her freckled face, sparkling green eyes, coppery hair, she was just beautiful. And he wanted to… He wanted her, but he didn’t just want her, he wanted to do something good for her. Wanted to make her smile at him. He wanted her to tell him more about what she believed about the universe, even if he didn’t agree with her, because he liked the way that she said it. He wanted to believe that she was right, honestly. That there were things that worked together for good, that there were things you could know that would guide you, give you hope, give you the tools that you needed to take control of things, even if the situation was sticky.
He wanted to believe that.
And so he was going to rescue the goddamn seagull, because somehow it felt like those things connected. He charged out the front door, and Eliana went behind him. The seagull was dangling there, slapping against the window, calling piteously.
“It’s not even Edgar,” she said.
“There can’t be two of them.”
“It’s False Edgar,” she said.
The rumor was that Edgar had a son who was about half as much trouble as he was, and they had taken to calling him False Edgar around town, though this was not half the trouble of Edgar. He also had no idea how Eliana could tell the difference.
“Edgar has very particular markings,” she said. “Plus,” she continued. “He’s old. So at this point, he’s an extremely raggedy looking bird. False Edgar is quite a bit smaller, too.”
“I didn’t say anything,” he said, goosebumps prickling on his arms.
“Oh, I know, but I just felt like you didn’t understand that.”
She felt like it. More of that deep knowing, maybe.
“Well, glad I’m clear on which seagull I’m untangling.”
He squinted up at the bird.
“Do you need a ladder?”
“No,” he said. He moved toward the window and took hold of the bird’s body. He didn’t really know another way to approach this. The bird wiggled and squawked, and Cooper tried to hold them steady. “Sit still, or I’m going to end up wringing your neck, and neither of us wants that.” The seagull did not respond to being chided.
But he began to untangle him from the lights, which had a couple that had been neatly smashed. Clearly, the bird had taken it upon himself to try to devour some of the lights.
“Good Lord,” he muttered.
“Don’t do that again,” Eliana said, scolding, getting right up underneath the angry and terrified seagull.
“I fear that you might have to not put lights out, if you don’t want a chance of Edgar or False Edgar getting tangled up in them.”
“Why do they hate holiday cheer?”
“Maybe they love holiday cheer. Maybe this is their way of claiming some for themselves.”
“Well. Maybe, but it’s actually spoiling it.”
“No one ever said the seagulls were smart, Eliana.”
He set the bird down gently as soon as he was done untangling him. And False Edgar immediately flew away, flapping indignantly and broadly as he made a hasty retreat back to the skies.
“I mean, we can only hope he’s gone and scared himself away from your place permanently.”
“That would be nice. But what are the chances?”
“Probably not good, given that if there’s one thing a seagull’s going to do, it’s make itself the biggest nuisance possible.”
“Great. I’m so glad that I have a feathered nemesis.”
“I thought you liked all animals?”
“In a general sense, on principle, but I feel like maybe I don’t like this specific animal very much.” She walked up to her decimated decorations. “That little turd.”
