Damn, is flirting off the table? If I knew she was in a solid relationship with a good guy and happy, I wouldn’t even go there. But knowing she’s not? It makes it a hell of a lot harder to leave her alone.
Ryan:Obviously not. Just thinking about you… our conversations. Wanted to see how you were doing?
Cooper:Thinking about me, huh?
God, that’s so Cooper—deflecting, avoiding the tough questions, andalwaysfucking with me.
Ryan:Get your dirty mind out of the gutter, haha. I’m just being a friend here.
Cooper:Riiiiigggghhhtttt. A friend. Okay—my weekend has been fine. How was yours? You working that right hand?
Cooper:God, sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
Cooper:How’s Beth?
I shake my head, laughing. She just can’t help herself.
Ryan:She’s pretty good.
Cooper:That’s good… Why did you text me, Ryan?
Ryan:I don’t know. Do you not want me to text you unless it’s for work? Because I won’t… if that's what you want.
Cooper:I don’t want that.
Dammit, what is this?We both want more, but there’s a goddamn Mount Everest between us named Brad.
Ryan:Okay… What’s your favorite color?
Might as well use this time to get to know her a little more.
Cooper:My favorite color? Wow, you know how to get into a girl’s pants. It’s blue. But a very specific blue—not quite true blue, and not quite navy, but something in between. What’s your favorite color?
I grin.
Ryan:I’m not trying to get into your pants. That’s Brad’s job. Mine is green.
Cooper:That’s so hot. I bet if you told me what your favorite food was, that’d be even hotter.
She’s evil in the best way.
Ryan:I love smoked tri-tip… and pizza. Does that turn you on?
Cooper:Oh, you have NO idea. Lol. Who’s your best friend?
Ryan:In Chicago, Leo. In Arizona, my childhood friend, Jeremy. We played soccer together our whole lives. Who’s yours?
Cooper:My sister, Casey. And my tennis friends. We don’t do much together outside of tennis, though.
Ryan:I didn’t know you played tennis.
Cooper:There’s a lot you don’t know about me.
Ryan:But I know the things that matter.
Cooper:Ha. Yeah, right. Like what?
Ryan:I know you love sleeping in. You love lattes—hot, extra foam and whole milk. When you’re feeling really wild, you’ll add a dash of honey and cinnamon. You love bowls or salads for lunch. You have a tattoo on your ass that says ‘beach bum.’ You have a sick talent for rapping, and don’t like country music. You have a small scar on your ribcage—right aboveyour tattoo—the small bouquet of flowers. You smile when a song comes on at work that you like. You think scare pranks on Instagram are hilarious.