Page 115 of Riverbend Gap (Riverbend 1)

“You love her.”

Gavin just wouldn’t let this go. He clenched his jaw. “Fine, I love her. But my promise still stands. You’re mybrother.”

“And what kind of brother wouldIbe if I let you give up the only woman you’ve ever loved for me?”

Cooper had no words. He stared at Gavin, speechless.

“Katie’s an incredible woman, I’ll give you that. She’s strong and resilient, and she dragged me out of a funk I’d been in for a long time. We had fun together. She made me laugh. And it felt great to feel good again. For a few months there I thought I might be falling in love with her. But now... I don’t know. I think maybe I was just in love with the idea of feeling like myself again. Feeling something other than grief and guilt.”

“You deserve to be happy, Brother.”

Gavin gave him a pointed look. “And so do you.”

Cooper couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Why was Gavin telling him all this? “What are you trying to say?”

Gavin rolled his eyes. “You’re an idiot. Katie wasn’t the one for me. That’s what I’m trying to say. And it’s become pretty clear she’s your... soul mate or whatever. I’m not going to stand in your way, doofus. Now stop making me say things that make me sound like a girl.”

Cooper huffed a soft laugh, his thoughts spinning. “Are you sure, man?”

“Keep it up and I’ll take it all back.”

A light feeling bubbled up inside Cooper, like he was filled with helium. “You’re a good brother—better than I deserve.”

He embraced Gavin, his throat aching with emotion. Despite the way Cooper had hurt him, Gavin still wanted what was best for him. If that wasn’t what family was all about, he didn’t know what was.

46

The sitting sheriff was a class act. Cooper shook Roy Gilmore’s beefy hand. “Thanks for coming, Roy. I appreciate your support.”

The man’s bushy gray mustache lifted with his smile. “My pleasure. Let me know if I can help in any way.”

“Will do.” Cooper turned to find another reporter waiting and tried to patiently answer the woman’s questions. He’d been hanging around campaign headquarters long after his acceptance speech. It seemed the rumors—and the article that had outed Sean’s father—made Cooper’s election big news.

Sean never had called him or publicly conceded—but early this morning he had resigned from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. That would save Cooper the trouble of firing him.

He answered a question about the county jail, then checked his watch. He wasn’t sure what time Kate was leaving town today, and he needed to talk to her before she left. His conversation with Gavin last night had changed everything. He’d wanted nothingmore than to show up on her doorstep and declare his love, beg her to stay. But it had been almost one o’clock in the morning.

The headquarters’ door opened, and Gavin whooshed in, along with a gust of wind and a few dried leaves. His gaze sharpened on Cooper’s face.

Cooper gave the reporter a parting smile. “Sorry to cut this short, Miss Beaman, but there’s someone else I need to speak with. Thank you for stopping by.”

He met Gavin in the middle of the room. “What’s wrong?”

“Have you seen Katie yet? I mean, I assume you want to talk to her.”

“Of course I want to talk to her, but I’ve been tied up here since six thirty.” He checked his watch again. Eight fifteen.

“Are you trying to blow this? I just passed her on my way here—she was headed out of town.”

“What? How long ago?”

“Ten minutes.”

Cooper pulled out his phone and called her. He frowned when it went straight to voice mail. “She’s not answering.”

“You’d better go.” Gavin gave him a little shove. “Hurry. I’ll wrap things up here.”

“Thanks,” Cooper called over his shoulder. She was ten minutes ahead of him, and he’d have to do some serious driving to catch up with her.