Page 24 of Wildflower and Whiskey
“She led me on,” I muttered, the sting still sharp.
“And you shut her out,” he countered. “After your mum left, you went inside yourself and never came back out. You buried yourself in work, sports, the bloody brewery, anything but feelings.”
My jaw clenched, but he wasn’t finished.
“Look, I get it. You have trust issues. But hiding behind that fear doesn’t protect you, it just keeps you alone like your father and your brothers.” He nodded toward the window, where the glow from the loft spilled out. “Meanwhile, Elyna’s up there raising her baby and carrying more weight than anyone should, while you’re down here pacing like a caged lion, pretending you don’t give a toss.”
I swallowed hard, his words cutting deeper than I wanted to admit.
“The thing is, this grumpy shut-down version of you is just your armor. Your way of protecting yourself,” Cooper pressed on. “You’ve always cared, you just don’t say it. But I’ll tell you this. . .don’t allow the past to keep you paralyzed. You’ll get old and you’ll be filled with regret. And as a side point, that woman deserves someone in her corner, and whether you like it or not, that someone’s you.”
I gripped the edge of the counter like it might keep me upright, but my chest felt tight.
Cooper took a pull from his beer, his voice lowering. “So stop punishing her for who she was at seventeen. Stop punishing yourself for what your mum did. And go to her with some proper food. Welcome her. Do it right.”
Cooper watched me brood for another minute before shaking his head like I was a lost cause. Then he pulled his cell from his pocket.
“What are you doing?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“Sorting you out,” he replied, scrolling like a man on a mission. “You’re not turning up at her door empty-handed. Hold on.”
I heard the line click. “Dom? Yeah, it’s Coop. Need a favor. Two plates of roasted chicken with vegetables, nice and hot. Wrap it up proper. No, not for me, the boss will collect it. Yeah, yeah, he’ll be there in fifteen. Cheers, mate.”
He ended the call and slipped his phone away, smirking at me like he’d just won a bet.
I groaned, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Nope, you’re going by the brewery. You’re picking up the food and you’re walking it over to her like the decent host you pretend you aren’t.”
“I’m not. . .”
“Save it,” Cooper cut in. “History or not, she’s under your roof now. You don’t have to marry her, Phoenix. Just welcome her. Do the right thing.”
I stared at him, jaw tight, beer bottle sweating in my hand. He was relentless, always had been.
Cooper grinned knowingly. “Don’t act like you’re doing this for me. You’ve been pacing this kitchen like a bloke with a thorn in his foot. Go on. Fetch the food. It’s not complicated.”
Before I could argue, he clapped me on the shoulder and practically steered me toward the door. “Now, out you go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I found myself outside in the cool evening, keys in hand, cursing under my breath. Cooper thought he was clever, but the truth was, he wasn’t wrong.
Not that I’d ever admit it.
I went to the brewery, where I was met with Dominic’s look of pure satisfaction, like he’d been waiting for this moment. He passed me the bag of food.
“Don’t screw this up,” he said, giving me a half-smile.
I scowled. “You too, Dom? Thought you’d stay out of this.”
“Not when you’re pacing around here like you’ve got ants in your boots,” he shot back. “She’s good for you, man. Anyone can see it.”
I shook my head, muttering under my breath, but he’d already turned back to polishing glasses like the conversation was done.
I took the bag of food, knowing that everything Cooper accused me of was true. I had my guard up. All the men in our family did. I was terrified of getting hurt so I kept my interactions with women very casual, but I was a goner the moment Elyna walked into the brewery. And Coop was right. She was a seventeen-year-old kid who was hurting. We all did stupid things back in the day. I walked across my driveway and up the few steps that led to the loft. I knocked twice on the door, wondering what the etiquette should be for just dropping by.
The door opened, and every rational thought in my head turned to ash.
Elyna stood barefoot, and her hair was down in soft waves. She looked swallowed up in an oversized pajama shirt. No frills, no effort, and still she knocked the breath out of me. My gaze betrayed me as it dragged lower, catching on the unmistakable peaks pressing against thin cotton. I jerked my eyes away and swallowed hard. She didn’t notice since she was too busy shifting Braden on her hip.
