Page 73

I haven’t heard from him since this morning. He sent one text shortly after he arrived to let me know he landed, but otherwise I guess he’s been occupied today.

A two-hour time difference separates us, and it’s a little after eight when my phone finally rings.

I answer immediately. “Cooper?”

“Hey,” he says. He sounds exhausted.

“How’s your brother?”

“He’ll be okay,” he says. “He’s got to change the way he does things, but he’ll be all right. They’re moving him from the cardiac unit to a step-down unit where the care isn’t quite as intensive. They think another day or two before they’ll spring him.”

“That’s great news. And how are you?”

“I’ve been better,” he admits.

“Did you sleep at all last night?” I settle back into the couch, getting comfortable for our chat.

“No. I tried to close my eyes on the plane, but it was useless.”

“Go to bed, babe. We can talk tomorrow,” I say.

“Nah, I won’t be able to sleep anyway.”

“How come?” I press, and as soon as the answer comes—in the form of another question—I immediately wish I hadn’t pressed.

“Are our lives just too far apart, or do you really think we can find a way to make this work?” he asks. His voice is soft and full of regret.

I gasp at the question. I guess it wasn’t what I was expecting. I’d be stupid to ask what’s bringing this on since I can guess, but I ask it anyway. “What makes you think our lives are too far apart?”

He’s quiet a beat while he thinks over the best way to answer. “I’ve never made it a secret that I want a wife I can build a family with in the near future. I guess this whole thing with Connor is making me feel the pressure to get started on that. What are we doing, Gab?”

He’s never called me Gab, and part of me wonders if it’s the emotion in his voice causing him to cut my name short. A fresh pain slices across my chest as I fumble for words to answer that question after I literally told him yesterday I’m not sure I want kids anytime soon. “I, uh…we—we’re trying to figure that out. Together.”

“Yeah,” he murmurs. “I guess I just don’t want to waste your time.”

I fear his hidden message in those words is that he doesn’t want to waste his own time, either. What if we’re a dead end?

“You’re not,” I say, fighting back tears. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“And I feel the same way about you. But what if it isn’t enough?” His voice trembles, and I give up on the fight to stop my own emotions.

Tears start to trickle from my eyes. I don’t have the answer to that.

What if he’s right?

I need to see him. I need to be with him, consequences be damned.

I need to hold his hand through this, whatever it takes.

I need to kiss him and to love him and to be there by his side as he deals with this.

“What if it is enough? Isn’t it worth fighting for to find out?”

“Yeah,” he murmurs, and I’m not sure I buy it from his tone. He’s still questioning things, and this can’t be it. This can’t be the end of the line for us.

Not when I already see our entire future mapped out in front of us.

“I’m getting a call on the other line from your father,” he mutters. “I better take it.”

“I love you,” I say, not sure what else to say or do.

“Love you.” He cuts the call, and my first instinct is to look up flights to Chicago. Fuck tomorrow’s classes. Cooper needs me, and not just to prove to him that we belong together, but he needs me holding his hand through whatever this is.

My phone rings a few minutes later, and it’s my dad.

“Hey Dad,” I answer, realizing too late my voice is still chock full of emotion.

“Hey. You okay?”

“I’m fine. Just watching one of those rom coms on Netflix and I’m all choked up,” I lie.

He laughs. “Women and their rom coms, I swear. Listen, can you do me a huge favor?”

“Of course.”

“This is really huge,” he warns.

“Okay, then I retract my of course and raise a question. What’s the favor?”

“I’m tied up all day tomorrow in meetings with upper management here at the Red Sox. It’s going to be a fight to get Winters to Vegas, but I’m confident Mike and I can do it even without Cooper, who had to duck out. His brother had a heart attack in Chicago, and I know this is a big ask, but do you think you could check on him?”

“Check on him?” I ask, my heart racing at what he’s asking.

“I just talked to him, and I’m worried about him. He’s not handling this well. He’s with his family, but you know how that goes—he’s trying to be strong for them, but sometimes you can’t talk to family about family the way you can a friend. I’ve seen you and him becoming friendly, making jokes, that kind of thing since you’ve been shadowing him. Like you’re the younger sister he never had, and I’m the older brother he never had…if our family was really fucked up, I guess. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that I can’t be there with him right now because of these damn meetings, but maybe you could?”

“Like you want me to call him and check on him?” I ask, confusion clear in my voice.

“No. Like I want to book a flight for you and get you out to Chicago so you can talk to him for me and make sure he’s doing all right.”

“Oh, uh…um—” Of course the answer is yes, but I’m struggling with how to answer my dad without giving anything away. “I, uh, I have class tomorrow,” I finish lamely.

“I know, and I told you it was a big ask. And you’re right. You shouldn’t miss class. I just felt after talking to him that he could use a friend, and you’ve been spending so much time with him at the stadium that I thought maybe you could be that steady presence he could use right now, or maybe you could distract him with updates on the fit kids center. I know I’ve personally used work as a distraction lots of times.”

“We’re not really all that close, but I guess I can do it if you think it’ll help.” My heart races as I close my eyes and cross my fingers that I didn’t go too far in the wrong direction. I need to see Cooper with everything inside me, and it’s like I wished so hard for it that I manifested this exact phone call.

“Thanks, baby girl. You’re truly the best and I don’t know how to repay you, but I’ll think of something. I’ll have Joanie get you a flight and she’ll be in touch with the details.”

“You don’t need to repay me, Dad,” I say. “Cooper’s a good guy and if he’s having a hard time, I’m happy to go be a friend.” And whatever else he needs me to be.

“Thanks. I’ll get the ball rolling and be in touch.”

“Good luck at your meetings tomorrow. Go get that Winters guy.”

He chuckles. “Will do. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

We hang up, and I click off the television, run upstairs, and start packing a small suitcase. I don’t know how many days I’ll be there, so I pack for five. I can do laundry if I need to. I think about texting Cooper to ask if he needs anything, but I think I’d rather make this a surprise.

I head into his room and glance around. I’ve been in here plenty of times, but it still feels strange being in here without him—like I’m snooping even though that’s not my intention. I pick up his pillow and pull it to my chest, breathing it in. It smells like him, that woodsy, fresh scent that causes a fresh ache right between my thighs every time I breathe it in.

I set it down and move toward his closet, where I find a few suits on hangers and a few nicer shirts. I grab one with a collar. I head to his dresser next, and I find a stack of Vegas Heat t-shirts. I grab two of those, and then I open the drawer with the socks and underwear.

I grab a couple pairs of each, and I spot a box of condoms. It’s not why I’m going, but I grab a couple anyway. You never know, and I’d rather be prepared than not.

It’s as I’m closing the drawer that something in the corner of it catches my eye. It looks like it’s supposed to be hidden beneath the socks, but it’s sticking out because the drawer is almost empty and clearly he needs to do laundry.

My brows knit together as I stare at it for a few beats, not sure I’m really seeing what I think I’m seeing.

A red box with the word Cartier emblazoned across the top in gold lettering.

I stare at it for a beat, and then curiosity and nosiness get the better of me.

It’s not my finest moment.

I should close the drawer and walk out of the room and pretend I never saw a thing.

It could be a necklace.

It could be a bracelet.

But necklaces and bracelets come in bigger boxes.

Maybe it’s just a promise ring.

But I know if I don’t look, I’ll forever wonder.

I take the box in my hands, guilt creeping through me for being so nosy. I shake the bottom from the top of the box and find a smaller red box inside.

I pull it out and open it to reveal a rather large pear-shaped diamond set in a platinum band.

My eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.

Is this…for me ?

He never wanted to marry Stacy, and while I don’t know for sure , based on what he’s told me, I doubt he ever bought her a ring. And even if he did, wouldn’t it be packed away with the rest of his belongings where they’re stored until he moves into his place in a few weeks?

Maybe not. This looks expensive.

I flip the lid closed and put it back into the box, replacing it in the drawer exactly where I found it.

And then I slam the drawer shut, carry the few items of clothes I grabbed with me back to my room, and finish packing for my trip to Chicago while thoughts of what this might mean swirl all around me.