I watch him leave before I release the disappointed sigh I was holding in. I head back around the counter and into the kitchen, hopping up on one of the counters.
Peyton smirks at me, wiggling her eyebrows, and I laugh at how ridiculous she looks.
“Did he finally ask you out?”
“No, he got a call before we could even really talk that much.” I say and even I can hear the disappointment and longing in my voice.
I watch as Peyton stirs something on the stove and I can feel a piece inside of me just break.
“I can’t take this anymore, Pey. I can’t keep seeing him every day and not being with him. Why hasn’t he asked me out yet?”
“I don’t know, sweetie. Maybe he doesn’t want to rush into anything?”
“Rush into anything?!? I’ve been waiting years for him!”
“I know, I know. Have you thought that maybe you should just ask him out?”
“What if he says no and then things get all awkward between us?” I ask wringing my hands.
“He likes you, Harley. He’s always watching out for you and he smiles more at you than anyone else.”
“Then why doesn’t he make a move?”
“I don’t know.” She says, looking thoughtful.
We’re both silent as Peyton fills some orders and my mind tries to come up with something to do, some way to make Cooper realize that we’re meant to be and it’s time to stop with all of the waiting and the games.
“What if I sleep with him?” I blurt out.
Peyton looks at me like I’m crazy.
“Yeah, that typically happens in a relationship like this.” She says sarcastically.
“No, I mean what if I sleep with him and he realizes how perfect we are together!”
“Ok... but how are you going to get him to agree to that? He’s like a total old school guy. Probably dates for like a month before he gets between the sheets. He hasn’t even asked you out.” She points out.
I chew on my bottom lip as I think of a way around what she’s said.
“Pey?”
“Yeah?”
“You still have those seasickness pills from a couple of weeks ago?”
“Ugh, yeah those suckers knocked me out for like an hour.” She says with disgust.
I watch her face and can see the exact moment she realizes my plan. Now, I just hope she goes along with it.
Four
Cooper
I had drivenpast the Beachside Café before I started my shift this morning and could see Harley behind the counter talking to Mrs. Potts. Her hair was tied up into a messy bun on top of her head and I could see streaks of flour on her apron. Her face was flushed and her eyes were shining. I felt my own lips pull up into a grin as I watched her. She was serving Mrs. Potts breakfast and laughing at something she was saying. I had watched her for as long as I could but when another car pulled up at the stop sign behind me, I had to keep going.
I always hate not having my eyes on her but I console myself knowing that I’ll see her again tonight when I go into the diner. It’s my deputy, Michaels, night on call so I know that we won’t be interrupted with anything when I see her tonight and I have tomorrow off.
I spend my day, cruising around the island, making sure that everything is running smoothly. I have a lunch meeting with the mayor about police security for a local festival that’s coming up. After that, I head back to the office to take care of some paperwork. I spend the last half hour staring at the clock, willing it to go faster so that I can finally see Harley again.