Page 23

CHAPTER 23

COOPER

“ H ow are you feeling?” Cassie asks.

“I’m okay.”

“Have you spoken to Mom and Dad?”

“Yeah, just a little while ago.”

“I’m surprised Mom didn’t call you before now.”

“She did, but I let it go to voicemail. I wasn’t ready to speak with anyone last night.”

“Except for Scarlett,” she points out with a knowing smirk. “Why do you think that is?”

“I don’t know.” I’m really not up for having this conversation with my sister this morning. I’m already trying to deal with the enormity of my feelings for Scarlett and don’t need Cassie trying to dissect them.

“You don’t know?” she says skeptically. “You’re a smart guy, Cooper, I’m sure you can figure it out if you try.”

Fuck me . Cassie is the definition of persistent, and she’s not going to let this drop. I might as well be honest and get it over with.

“I already know why, Cass. But that doesn’t mean I want to talk about it with you.”

“That’s too bad. We’re twins and have been sharing things since conception. You can’t stop now.” She sticks her tongue out at me.

“You want me to say it? Fine. I will. I like Scarlett as more than a friend.” I pause, expecting her to shout about already knowing this.

“What?” she asks.

“Don’t you want to say you knew it?”

“I figured after twenty-three years of me being right, you must be sick of hearing that.”

“That never stopped you before,” I say.

“And it probably never will again.”

I laugh. “Well, thanks for sparing me this one time.”

“I won’t make a habit of it,” she quips. Her expression becomes contemplative. “What are you going to do about your feelings for Scarlett?”

“I’ll deal with them like a man. A timer’s been running on us since the start, so why complicate things?”

“Guys are so dumb sometimes,” she says with an eye roll.

“Guys or me?” I ask, humoring her.

“Both. But right now, specifically you.” She shoots me a look of disgust. “You finally found a woman you’re romantically interested in and you’re going to let the situation play out like you’re some helpless passenger.”

“Cassie, she and I agreed to the rules up front, and I’m trying to abide by them.”

“Did you sign a legally binding document?”

“No.”

“Did you make a blood oath between you and if one of you breaks it, you’ll be sentenced to the pits of hell?”

I look at the ceiling and sigh before I answer. “No. And FYI, you might want to take a break from reading paranormal romance.”

“Never. Gonna. Happen. And as far as the rules you two agreed to, all I can say is rules are meant to be broken or renegotiated when they’re not working anymore.”

“I’ve thought about that, but if she doesn’t have romantic feelings toward me, this could make things awkward between us. And part of why I like her so much is that we fit so comfortably when we’re together.”

“Look, it’s October now. You still have the next few months to make it through. Wouldn’t you rather find out now if she reciprocates your feelings than wonder for the next couple of months?”

“Yes. No. Maybe.” Damn, why do feelings have to be so difficult?

“Cooper, don’t be an idiot. Have a discussion with her like an adult and find out where you stand. Or you can keep falling deeper and get your heart broken when the season ends. Seems like a no brainer to me.”

“When did you become an expert on romance? You’ve never even had a boyfriend.”

“That you know of,” she throws back at me.

I’m momentarily stunned by her admission. “When did you have a boyfriend?”

“In college.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask, trying to keep the hurt from my voice.

“How would you have reacted if I had?”

“I’d have made sure your boyfriend and I had a serious talk about treating you with respect.”

“Exactly. Which is why I didn’t tell you.”

“How serious was it?”

“I thought I was in love with him.”

“We went to the same college and saw each other all the time. How did I miss this?”

“I didn’t want you to know.”

“Shit, Cassie. You’re acting like I’m some asshole who would’ve made your life hell.”

“I wanted to keep that one to myself. You know the strict upbringing we had and the impact it had on us. Jesus, even when we were at college, everytime I called home, Dad made sure to remind me to remain faithful to God in all ways. People talk about the peer pressure you’ll face as a young adult but no one warns you about the parental pressure. I experienced that way more than I ever felt pressured by classmates.”

“You’re right. I did too.”

“Now that my dirty little secret is out, let’s get back to you.” Her scrutinizing gaze remains on me until I’m fighting an urge to squirm.

“I think you gave me enough to think over without adding more,” I say.

“Ultimately, the decision is yours.”

“You think?” I retort.

“If you had let me finish, I was going to say there’s something to be said for living without regrets.”

“I’ve always done that,” I defend.

“Yeah, you have when it comes to football. But Scarlett isn’t a pigskin, and catching her might not be so easy for you. If she’s what you want, you better start working on that before someone else does. A beautiful, intelligent woman like her won’t be single forever.”

After delivering her final shot, Cassie rises. “Do you want anything from the kitchen?”

“I’m all set, thanks.”

She walks from the room, leaving me to ponder everything she said. The living without regrets comment struck a nerve with me. Regret lingers and pecks away at you, keeping you a prisoner in its grip. It’s nearly impossible to break free from because self- forgiveness is the hardest form of forgiveness to earn. If I lose an opportunity for something lasting with Scarlett because I’m unwilling to risk our friendship, I’ll be drowning in regret. And that’s no way to live.

However, I also don’t see anything wrong with waiting and letting things progress naturally between us. If I confess how I feel about her and she’s not there yet, I could ruin my chances. Seems like even after speaking with my sister, I’m just as conflicted as ever.

I arrive at the studio with plenty of time to spare and find Scarlett right away.

“Cooper,” she calls out, smiling. “How are you feeling?”

Aside from a couple of brief texts the night before, we haven’t been in contact for a couple of days.

“I’m doing well.”

“How did your appointment go with Dr. Smith?”

“I can’t believe you remembered his name,” I say, laughing.

She shrugs. “My brain latches on to details. It’s probably from doing this podcast. So what did the doctor say?”

“He said it’s healing nicely and I’ll start physical therapy on Friday.”

Her lips spread in a wide smile. “That’s amazing. You must be happy with that news.”

“Yeah, I am. But, of course, I wanted him to tell me I could return to practice tomorrow.”

Her smile turns sympathetic. “I’m sure you did, but this progress is still good. You’ll be back on the field in no time.”

I nod, trying to stay positive. “You’re right. I just need to focus on my recovery and not get too impatient.”

“Exactly. Now, are you ready to be a podcast star?” She wiggles her eyebrows, gesturing toward the area where I’ll be seated.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I laugh. “Just go easy on me, okay?”

“No promises,” she teases, leading the way farther into the studio. “This is Tommy. He handles all the technical aspects for me,” she says, introducing me to the guy behind a row of computers, who gives me a brief wave.

“Nice to meet you,” I say.

“And this is Doug. He films the podcast and makes me look good.”

He looks up from his camera to give me a quick nod.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say.

There are three club chairs set in a semi circle around her desk. “You can sit here.” She points to the middle one.

I sink into the seat and watch Scarlett move about the studio. Lost in her element, she adjusts the equipment while explaining the process. “Okay, so we’ll start with some casual conversation to warm up and then I’ll ask you some football questions.”

“Sounds good.”

I hear the studio door open behind me.

“Hey!” Scarlett hurries over in that direction, and when I cast a glance over my shoulder, she’s hugging both of the people who just came in. I don’t get a good look at their faces.

“How are you doing, sweetie?” the guy with the long blond hair asks, his voice sounding familiar.

“I’m great, thanks. Guys, this is Cooper Grind, a tight end for the Virginia Silverbacks.”

I rise and am walking between the chairs when she says, “Cooper, this is Jesse Gunn and Wyatt Douglas.”

“Holy shit,” I say, hurrying over to them. “I had no idea you guys would be here.”

Scarlett giggles. “Surprise!”

I shake their hands while at the same time trying not to embarrass myself by acting like an overly eager fanboy… even though I am. “I’m a huge fan of you both,” I say.

Jesse smiles. “Thanks, man. It’s always great to meet fans, especially badass football players.”

“Yeah, we’ve been following your season too,” Wyatt adds. “You’ve been making some impressive plays.”

I smile so wide my cheeks tense. “Wow, thank you. Coming from you, that means so much.”

“All right,” Scarlett cuts in. “Let’s save some of your mutual fanboying for the actual podcast.”

“Fair enough,” Jesse says, chuckling.

We take our seats while Scarlett situates herself behind the desk. She places earphones on and does a final sound check with Tommy. She looks to Doug for his thumbs up, giving her the cue to start.

“Hey, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Wanna Tussle? I’m your host, Scarlett St. James, and I have a special episode for you. Joining me are three incredibly talented athletes. Cooper Grind, tight end for the Virginia Silverbacks, and wrestling superstars Jesse Gunn and Wyatt Douglas. Thank you all for being here.”

I let Jesse and Wyatt respond before I do. I feel energized by their presence and can’t believe this is happening. “Thank you for having me.”

“So, Cooper, let’s start with you. How are you enjoying your rookie season with the Silverbacks?” she asks, sounding friendly yet professional.

I smile at her. “It’s been incredible, Scarlett. The team has been so welcoming and supportive. I couldn’t have signed with a better organization.”

“Does it feel surreal to be playing professional football?”

“Oh, for sure. And I’m just trying to soak it all in before I wake up and realize I’ve been dreaming all this.”

Jesse chuckles.

“Jesse, can you relate to what Cooper said?”

“Hell yeah. I still feel like this can’t be my reality. I’m living my dream every day.”

Scarlett nods, turning to Wyatt. “And what about you, Wyatt? Do you have those moments where you can't believe this is your life?”

Wyatt grins. “Absolutely. I think anyone who gets to do what they love for a living has those moments. It’s not something exclusive to professional athletes.”

“That’s true,” Scarlett agrees. “Sometimes I want to pinch myself that I get to do this podcast. I’m so appreciative to all the people who listen or watch.

“Now, Cooper, I understand you’re a big fan of professional wrestling. How does it feel to be sitting here with Jesse and Wyatt?”

I laugh, feeling a bit awkward. “Honestly, I’m trying hard not to geek out right now. These guys were my heroes growing up. I used to watch their matches and try to imitate their moves in my backyard.”

Jesse grimaces. “Please tell me you didn’t try the Stun Gunn on your friends.”

“I might have,” I admit, grinning.

“Oh man, I hope no one got hurt,” Jesse says.

“Just my pride when I couldn't quite nail it,” I reply with a laugh. “But I will say, my sister wasn’t too happy about being my practice dummy. Luckily, I had a big trampoline in the backyard. It made for a much softer landing than the actual wrestling ring, I’m sure.”

“Smart thinking,” Wyatt chimes in. “Though, I hope you’re not still practicing wrestling moves these days. I don’t think your football coach would appreciate that.”

Jesse snickers. “I can relate. My sister and I used to wrestle all the time as kids. Our mom would yell at us to take it outside before we broke something. I think she was more worried about her antique dishes than us hurting each other.”

“I’m sure that’s not the case. When I had your sister on my podcast, she told me you played an instrumental part in making her so tough.”

Jesse nods. “Yeah, I never held back when we’d wrestle. But in my defense, she’s strong as an ox. I didn’t want to get my ass beat too badly.”

“Wyatt, how do you feel about Jesse knocking around your wife when they were kids?”

Wyatt laughs. “Ronnie told me a different version of that story. I like hers better.” He winks at Scarlett.

She laughs. “What do you say to that, Jesse?”

“I can neither deny nor confirm what he said.”

“Sounds like Ronnie is the badass of the three of you,” Scarlett says.

“Absolutely,” Wyatt agrees, and Jesse nods.

“Speaking of being a badass. Cooper, you recently suffered a shoulder injury during a game and kept playing despite the pain. Can you tell us a bit about that and how your recovery is going?”

I’ve had enough training on what to say and not to say and know that being vague is always best when it comes to matters to do with the Silverbacks.

“There were a few plays where I landed wrong on my shoulder, and by the end of the game, I knew something wasn’t right. But it’s healing well and I should be back as soon as possible.”

“Well, I know I wish you the best in your recovery, and I’m sure our listeners do too.”

“Thank you. I’m lucky to have someone special in my life, and she talked me off the ledge after the game. I didn’t handle it very well.”

“She sounds like a saint,” Scarlett says, winking. “And, yes, for those wondering, Cooper and I are a couple. How do you think I got him on my show?” she jokes.

“Scarlett really is a saint for putting up with me the other night.”

“Aww, you weren’t bad. In your shoes, I’d have reacted much worse.”

“Getting injured sucks,” Jesse says.

“Unfortunately, it goes with the territory—no reward comes without risk,” Wyatt adds.

The rest of the podcast passes too quickly, and I’m sad to see it end. Scarlett removes her headphones and stands. “That was awesome. You guys did great.”

I rise to my feet. “That was fun.”

Wyatt pushes up from the chair. “Thanks for having us.”

Scarlett moves around to join us on the other side of her desk. “Are you kidding? I’m so glad you had time to fit me in.”

Wyatt steps in, hugging her. “We’ll always make time for you, kiddo.”

When they part, Jesse gets up, moving over for his turn to embrace her.

What the hell is going on here? Why did Wyatt call her kiddo?