Page 15 of Her Greatest Adventure

“She’s good. Loving her job at the school. It’s still a bit odd seeing her so often, but I like being able to keep an eye on her.”

Warmth fills my chest at that. I’ve heard enough about Cooper’s mother, Beth, to know that she had her fair share of struggles when Cooper was young. With how hard she’s worked to overcome every challenge put in front of her, it’s amazing to witness her accomplish so much in life. Starting a new teacher’s assistant job at the high school where her son teaches has to have been a bit intimidating for her. But I doubt her concern swayed her much when it came down to it.

I don’t know her all that well, considering she wasn’t around a lot when I was growing up, but Cooper loves talking about her, and we all love to hear what he has to say. I’m sure getting the chance to spend the weekdays catching short glimpses of him and having brief conversations in the hallways makes her far happier than Cooper knows.

“She’s been working there for how long? Three months? And you still aren’t used to seeing her there?” I ask, glancing up at him.

He flexes his wrist. “It’s an adjustment.”

“Do you worry about her seeing you flirt with all the pretty teaching staff, Sparrow? Is that it? Because I think you’re probably taking away some of her fun. At this rate, she probably thinks you’re purposely trying to die alone just to spite her.”

His laugh is deep, and my stomach flops at the raspy sound of it. “My mother is perfectly content with my current relationship status, thank you.”

“That makes one of your parents, then. Last I heard, Adam was trying to convince my mom to start shopping you around to some of her colleagues from the foster centre.” I make a low humming noise in the back of my throat, settling further into my seat, acting eerily at ease. “Of course, I stepped in and told her that retired singles probably weren’t who you were looking to settle down with, but I can always retract my statement if I was off base.”

Cooper grimaces, unsettled brown eyes focusing on me. “I’m not surprised that he’s started meddling. As if he’s one to speak. Thank you for stepping in, though. You were right.”

Thinking of Adam not meeting Scarlett until he was thirty-three makes me giggle. It’s hypocrisy at its finest for him to give Cooper a hard time for still being single at thirty-one. And going to my mom, knowing that the only women she knows are those who spend their grandchildren-free weekends volunteering with her at the foster care centre . . . he must be desperate for some grandbabies.

It’s a rush of curiosity that has me blurting out, “Whyareyou still single?”

Even as he flinches slightly at the sudden question, I don’t let myself regret asking. I could count on one hand the number of things I’ve said that I actually regret. Asking something that will give me more insight into the guy travelling with me across the world isn’t the time to add to that tally.

Cooper might have been around constantly while I was growing up, but he’s still an enigma to me. There are things you never ask your brother’s best friend, especially one ten years older than you. Up until now, I can’t say I was ever even interested in gaining the knowledge, anyway.

Maybe it’s the idea that for the first time in my life, he might learn to see me as more than a child and as a real friend instead that has me suddenly changing my tune. I’ve seen how great of one he can be to those he cares about, andmaybeI’m a bit jealous. Sue me.

“I’m not purposefully single if that’s what everyone has been thinking but not saying,” he says, fiddling with that gleaming silver watch. “I’ve just been so focused on my career that I guess dating has never been at the forefront of my mind.”

“Understandable. I’m the opposite, but nobody really cares enough about my dating life to pester me about it. They just let me do my own thing in peace.”

“You’re the opposite? So, you’re focused on dating?” He asks it with a weird note in his voice, like he’s confused by what I’m saying. Like the idea of me wanting a relationship above all else is mind-blowing to him.

I nip at my lip, contemplating how to explain what’s running through my head without sounding like a fool. “Not exactly. I don’t know how to explain it, but I guess I just don’t really have a career that I care about as much as you do, so I’ve been exploring other things. Like dating, romance, and all that jazz. Or at least, I’ve been trying.”

“Been trying to . . . to explore,” he echoes, nodding once.

I risk a look at him and find his cheeks splotchy. “Oh, shit. Is this awkward for you? We can talk about something else.”

He avoids my eyes, staring at the seats diagonally across the row instead. “No, it’s fine. I’m just surprised. I had you pegged as a girl who would want to stay commitment-free for as long as possible.”

“Why? Because I’m young?” It’s an honest question, and I keep my voice level as I ask it.

His tongue darts out to swipe at his lips before he looks at me again and says, “No. Because you’re wild and free, and I can’t imagine a man alive who would be worthy of getting to share that side of you for forever.”

7

ADALYN

“Oh.That’s very . . . sweet of you to say, actually,” I mutter, taking in Cooper’s red cheeks and the awkward darting of his eyes as he fidgets beside me. It’s almost like he’s embarrassed.

Would it be weird to coo at him adorably like I do my nephew?No shit it would be.

The genuine tone of his voice is almost unsettling now that I think about it. He said something so honest and sweet but made it sound like the friendliest sentence on earth.

“It’s true. I admire you,” he says softly.

“Admire me?” I guffaw. I’m a twenty-one-year-old Instagram model with over a million followers and three real friends to show for it: Ivy, a close family friend who lives five hours away by plane, and my sister-in-law. I had to bribe someone to come with me on this trip with a cheesecake instead of rising up to the challenge and going alone like I should have. Of course, I don’t tell him all of that. Instead, I say, “I find that hard to believe.”

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