Page 36 of Return to Rosewood Beach

“We should go,” Hazel mouthed at her, and Julia nodded. She agreed that they should make themselves scarce before they could be fully detected—or worse, questioned by Judd.

They slipped out of the brewery and scampered across the parking lot to Julia’s car.

“Well, all we really learned was that that place smells bad and it’s boring,” Hazel said, leaning back in her seat and laughing as Julia drove her car out of the parking lot.

“Yeah, but I’m glad we did it. It was an adventure.” Julia grinned at her.

“So true. And I’m glad we left when we did, because I should be getting back to work anyway—oh, shoot! I left my water bottle in the gazebo. At least I think I did. Can you drop me off there? My car’s right by there anyway.”

“Of course! I’ll come with you and help you look.”

A few minutes later, Julia parked her car along the edge of the town square and she and Hazel got out and hurried toward the gazebo. They immediately found Hazel’s lime green water bottle, sitting next to the bench that they’d eaten their bear claw on.

“Perfect.” Hazel scooped it up. “I should get going. Thanks for being a spy with me, Julia.”

Laughing quietly, the two of them descended the steps of the gazebo. A man was coming around the corner of it along the sidewalk, and they nearly collided with him.

“Oh!” Julia said, suddenly feeling flushed. “Hi, Cooper.”

He was dressed in his work shirt, and his wavy hair was a little tousled by the wind. He had a lunchbox slung over his shoulder, implying that he was there on a meal break from work.

“Hey,” he said, his face lighting up. “What brings you here?”

Julia immediately felt out of sorts, and she tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear. She felt wildly jittery all of a sudden, and she found herself wondering if she looked disheveled after her and Hazel’s adventure.

“Hi,” Hazel said, seeming to notice that Julia was feeling tongue-tied and swooping in to rescue her. She held out her hand and shook Cooper’s firmly. “I’m Hazel, Julia’s sister. I’ve heard a lot of great stuff about you.”

“You have?” Cooper asked, brightening. He turned to Julia with a grin. “Why thank you.”

Julia laughed, still feeling embarrassed but also delighted by him. “You’re welcome.”

“Can I ask why you both have your hoods up?” Cooper said, smiling with wry amusement. “You look like you’ve been up to something.”

Hazel simply grinned unabashedly, but Julia hurriedly pushed off her jacket hood. “We were—uh, we were just doing a little investigating in the interest of the family name.”

“Hmm, sounds like a worthy cause.” Cooper laughed, a rich, deep sound. At that moment, his phone began to ring in his pocket. He pulled it out, frowning. “Ah, I’ve got to take this. I’ll see you soon?” He looked at Julia, his expression almost puppy-like.

“Sure.” She smiled, still feeling flushed and flustered.

Cooper continued along the path as he answered the phone call, and Hazel and Julia walked back toward the road, where their cars were parked.

“Oh, I feel so stupid,” Julia groaned under her breath as they walked along the sidewalk. “Cooper must think I’m nuts.”

Hazel paused in her walking for a moment to give Julia a look. “Um, what? Did you not see the look on his face? He’s completely smitten with you. Twitterpated. You have that very handsome, pleasant-looking man in the palm of your hand.”

“Oh, I don’t?—”

“Shush. I love you. I have to leave for work now.” Hazel grinned at her. “Talk to you later?”

“Talk to you later. Have a good day at work!”

The sisters hugged and Hazel hurried off to her car. Julia walked to her own vehicle more slowly, turning over in her mind what Hazel had said.

Was Cooper really smitten with her? The idea made her heart start to thump in her chest. She felt so fluttery and nervous around him, but at the same time he made her feel comfortable in a way no one ever had before.

Could we have a future together?She wondered as she unlocked her car and slipped inside.

She sat in the driver’s seat for a few minutes, looking out the windows and thinking. In the rearview mirror, she could see Cooper talking on the phone. She watched him, her heart fluttering, until he turned a corner and disappeared from view.

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