Page 40 of One-of-a-Kind Bride

She grinned and leaned way back on the swing. “I will not.” She pumped her legs and began swinging again, Coop watching her as she flew through the air, back and forth, back and forth. After a minute, she took one last full flying swing. Then she dropped her legs, dragging her shoes across the ground to stop and get off.

Smiling and fully exhilarated, she offered Coop the rope. “Your turn.”

He stared at her a good long moment, something stirring in his eyes. Something that made him change his mind about swinging. “I’m…good,” he said. “I, uh, think we should head back. All this reminiscing is making me hungry. My dad’s probably got something decent cooking on the stove.”

She studied him a second, unsure of his abrupt change of heart. “So, Joe’s a good cook?” she asked.

“I didn’t say that. He’s just better at it than I am. And poor Cass, she doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Well, I could teach her a thing or two in the kitchen while I’m here. If you think she’d like that.”

“She definitely would, but I don’t think so. You’re doing enough already, making her flower girl dress.”

“Yeah, about that. I’m gonna need Cassie to come by for a fitting in a day or two.”

“That’s not a problem. I’ll have my dad bring her by Julie’s after school. Just text me when you need her.”

“Okay, I will.”

“Let’s head back.”

He nodded toward Julie’s house and dark strands of hair fell across his forehead, bringing a warm ripple of awareness to her chest. She wanted to run her hand through the thick mop and put the strands back in place, or mess it up even more. She wanted to touch his cheek, look deeply into his eyes, kiss him.

She was getting familiar with his moves again, the gestures she’d memorized from one summer to another. His deadly smile, the light in his eyes when something intrigued him, the look on his face when she’d walk into a room. Was she imagining that? Or was it real?

She’d be a fool to fall for him again.

She wanted to promise herself she wouldn’t.

But that just might be one promise she couldn’t keep.

*

Coop climbed downfrom the cab of his truck and walked toward the back door of the home he’d grown up in. He’d lived the first seventeen years of his life in Last Stand, and then returned only a year ago to pick up where his father left off with Cooper Construction. Things just sort of fit, actually, better than he’d imagined. He was happy with his work and Cassie was happy with the friends she’d made here. This was a better life for her. She loved Last Stand and she loved living with her grandpa Joe. Coop had done the right thing by moving back.

So why the heck was he feeling so doggone restless all of a sudden?

Had to be Taylor.

She reminded him of his youth, the summers that went unequalled. The fun they’d had. Seeing her again brought it all back, and wasn’t he acting like a young fool around her? Hiding the promise box from her. Gosh, why hadn’t he told her today that he’d found it? Why was he hanging on to it? Refusing to look inside?

And why on earth did he kiss her today? Sure, he’d been worried about her. Seeing that awful bruise on her forehead had gnawed at him. He hated seeing her hurt. And then she’d gazed up at him with her pretty green eyes, and he was a goner.

He’d always been a sucker for Taylor, but kissing her had come out of left field.

“Daddy!” Cassie came running out of the workshop and raced into his arms.

He lifted her up and twirled her around. “Hi, Cass.” He kissed the top of her head and set her down. “How was school today?”

“Good. I got one hundred percent on my spelling pretest. And now I don’t have to take the real test!”

“Awesome, Cass.” He put up his hand and she high-fived him.

“And we’re working on a poster for the Bluebonnet Parade.”

“That sounds like fun.”

“Every class gets to do one.”

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