Once again, I aimed too high.
Which is why now, as I’m standing in the kitchen, rinsing the plates, I try to avoid replaying any memories of this day. And I certainly try to ignore Cooper when he walks in (still shirtless) and leans back against the counter directly beside me. I wish I found his confidence repellant. I wish the cocky grin he flashes me because he knows he looks good in this pose, with his arms crossed and biceps bulging, didn’t make my stomach twist into a salty little pretzel.
“You’re busy in here,” he says, and I only allow myself one tiny glance at him before focusing my attention back on the dishes.
“Yep. Busy, busy. Lots of work for us moms.”
He reaches over and cuts the water off, gaze burning into my face. He doesn’t say anything, just stares, waiting for me to make eye contact with him.
I finally do with a dramatic what-do-you-want-now face, and he grins. “You can see your reflection in that plate you’ve been polishing for the last ten minutes. Why don’t you put it down and come build Legos with us?”
Because I don’t want to. I can’t. It’s too domestic, and I’m starting to see that inviting Cooper into our life like this was a VERY bad idea. He fits too well but won’t want to stay, and now I will judge every other man against this perfect specimen, and it’s just not fair.
Thankfully, I don’t have to tell him anything because I’m saved by my phone buzzing on the counter. Cooper looks over his shoulder and picks it up, unashamedly reading the caller ID before handing it to me. “Unknown number. Probably just a telemarketer.”
Probably, but I will buy fifty of whatever they are selling just to be able to avoid this conversation with Cooper, so I answer with an exuberant “Hello!”
“Hey, is this Lucy?” a man asks.
“Yep, it’s me.”
He gives a slightly nervous-sounding chuckle before saying, “Hey. My name is Ethan Townsing, and I’m friends with your brother. I’m a PA, and I work at the same hospital where Drew delivers.”
“Oh. Hi,” I say, slightly at a loss, because this conversation feels odd. Cooper sees my speculative frown, and his brows pinch together as he shrugs his shoulders and mouths, “Who is it?”
I wave him off and keep listening. “I hope this is okay, but he gave me your number and said you might be up for going out sometime. I realize this is super weird because we’ve never met, but I’m hoping you trust your brother to play matchmaker as much as I do…” I’m slightly distracted at this point because Cooper has moved to press himself up beside me and lean his ear in toward the phone. He smells so freaking good. Like his body wash, man musk, and motor oil. FOCUS, LUCY. “…anyway, I know this is last minute, but I was wondering if you’d like to go to dinner tonight?”
Cooper pulls a disgusted face mixed with a who-does-this-guy-think-he-is headshake.
“Oh…well…”
“Before you say no, I’m texting you a picture of myself right now so you can see I’m a normal-looking guy and not covered in warts or anything else that would be considered gross. I’m a PA in the pediatrics wing, and I have a seven-year-old daughter.”
My phone pings with a text, and sure enough, he is pretty normal looking. He’s wearing a button-down shirt, mid-thirties maybe, nice brown hair, and glasses.
“Got it, and your word holds up—you’re very normal looking.” Oops. Did that sound rude? Cooper stifles a laugh, so I think it did. “Oh, shoot. What I meant was—”
He laughs. “Don’t worry about it. I know what you meant, and I’m the one who said normal first, so I have no reason to be offended, remember? Also, I realize this is awkward, and you probably feel a little blindsided, so feel free to hang up and think it over before giving me your answer.”
But the whole time he’s talking, I’m staring at Cooper. Perfect, swoony, funny, hot, Cooper. And I realize I have to say yes to this guy. Cooper is out of my league. He knows it. I know it. Levi probably even knows it. And Drew DEFINITELY knows it, otherwise he wouldn’t have warned me to stay away from him. More than that, Ethan is actually asking me out, whereas, so far, Cooper ghosted me until I was the one to start things up.
Ethan is exactly the reality check I need.
Cooper is watching me closely as I respond. “Actually, I don’t need time to think it over. If Drew trusts you, I do too. Let’s go out tonight!”
Cooper’s smile drops into a full grimace that makes my heart tremor with hope. Hope that he’s jealous? Ridiculous, Lucy.
“Great. I’ll see what reservations I can get on such short notice, and then I’ll text you an address and time. Want to meet at the restaurant, or should I pick you up?”
“Let’s meet.”
“Sounds good. Looking forward to it, Lucy.”
“Me too,” I say, trying to force some joy into my tone.
I hang up, and Cooper sinks back against the counter again, looking less confident and more thunderous now as he crosses his arms and studies me. “Tonight, huh? Didn’t want to play it cool and tell him you were busy tonight?”
I mimic his pose, leaning against the adjacent counter. “Nope. I’ve never been cool before—why pretend I am now? Do you have a problem with me going out with him tonight?” Oh, I really wish I’d left off that last part. I might as well have laid my feelings out on a silver platter in front of him and said DIG IN!