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A pulse of electricity passed through my body. “No.” I mean, it wasn’t a lie. I’d kept out of her way until I had my thoughts in order. Talking to Coop was my first step on that journey, but the tight clamp of his jaw made the hair on the back of my neck stand to attention. “Is she okay? Did something happen?” Other than the man who wanted to make her happy acting like a complete idiot.

He cleared his throat. “I wanted to ask you the same thing. I’ve never seen her look so miserable. She stayed out last night, but not before I caught her crying in the kitchen. This morning, I found her moping around the house like someone had hidden her hair straighteners. She isn’t answering my calls. What happened at the derby trial? Did she get knocked back?”

If only it were that simple. I gripped the edges of my beer mat, spinning it around in the pool of condensation from mybottle. I took a deep breath. “Look, man. I need to tell you something.” I dragged my gaze up to his face, and his eyes were glued to mine. “Something about me and Ro.”

He blinked for the longest moment, a wry smile on his lips. “I know.”

I gave my head a tiny shake. “Know what?”

“Brody. I’m not stupid. I know that you and Ro are into each other.”

I sucked in a breath, but it didn’t make it to my lungs as if someone were sitting on my chest.

Coop eyed me steadily. “I’ve hardly seen you these past few weeks, and the two of you have spent way too much time together for just nostalgia’s sake.”

He had that right. If I wasn’t physically with Ro, I’d spend all my mental and emotional time with her, too.

“And there’s the sneaky looks and both of you casually asking me what the other is up to. And that move of yours at the Crow. While I appreciate you pulling her off the bull, that ridiculous show over the lost contact lens was a little obvious. By the time we found you, you were almost wearing as much lip gloss as she was.”

My whole body heated. Apparently, subtlety wasn’t our M.O. “I was trying to look out for her.”

“Evidently.” He sighed and leaned back in his seat. “She’s been through a lot. Ro’s not as bulletproof as she looks.”

“Coop, I want you to know how much I value your friendship and trust, but your sister means the world to me, too. The way I feel, it’s not a phase. An infatuation. Ro deserves the best and if I didn’t think I could give it to her, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

He watched me through narrowed eyes, chewing on his bottom lip.

“Deep down, do you trust me, Coop? We both know I’ve had my wild times, but when all’s said and done, if she wanted me, would you trust me with her heart?”

Cooper tipped his head to one side. He didn’t exactly have a smile on his face, but I figured if he hadn’t knocked my block off by now, there was a chance of his approval. Finally, he spoke.

“I do trust you, but…”

“But what? You know I’d never cause her any harm. I’d do nothing to hurt her. I promise.”

He leaned in. “Damn right, you wouldn’t, or me and my brothers would cut your balls off.” Coop shook his head slowly. “I’m not ecstatic you went behind my back, but you’re my best friend. A solid guy. And I think I know how much you care for Ro. But…” He leveled his gaze at me. “I’d hold you to your promise.”

The tiniest spark lit up my heart. “I’d expect you to.”

Coop shook his head slowly, then took another swallow of his beer. “Can I ask something? When did it start? You and Ro, I mean. If this is just a flash or a rebound after your contract got dropped…”

“No.” The ferocity of my response made his eyebrows rise. “It’s not. I think I’ve always loved her. I’ll be honest. We kissed once. Just before I left for college.”

His body tensed, and he gripped the edge of the table. “You serious?”

I put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry I never told you. She said it was a mistake, but I’d never forgotten.”

Coop rubbed the back of his neck. “Man, I have no idea what’s been going on, and I probably don’t want to, but I know the two of you can’t stop staring at each other when you come within twenty feet.”

I grimaced. “That obvious?”

Cooper raised his brows. “Gran noticed first. I thought the two of you were getting along just like old times, but then she told me about Ro’s flickering lamp. I was about to go out and buy her a new one, but she had her suspicions about why you were conveniently on hand to help so early in the morning. I disagreed. Said you were a stand-up guy. Maybe I should’ve listened to her.”

My eyes stung, and I rubbed them with the balls of my palms. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say. Ro and I, we haven’t…”

“I don’t wanna know,” he said, eyes wide and voice sounding like Ariana Grande hitting her high notes. Coop slumped back into his chair. “Why didn’t you talk to me?”

I scoffed. “Because of the ball-cutting thing?” What part of him being intimidating didn’t he get?