Page 96 of Collateral Damage
Mom tuts, but I laugh.
Honestly, it’s not a bad idea, except for the fact that Hayes already graduated. He’s off to Harvard in the fall to follow in the family footsteps. Life is about to get a whole lot more grown-up for him. But hey, the girls at Harvard aren’t so different from girls at his school, and I’m sure a lot of them will also be Audra Mason fans.
“Always thinking about girls.” Mom points to her boys. “You’re going to have to think about more than girls soon.”
“I think about more than girls, Mom,” Hayes says. “I also think about football.”
That’s not what she wanted him to say, of course. I intercept before the lecture on his responsibilities to the family commences.
“I’ll take you to meet the cast when I head over to the Hargrove’s place tomorrow,” I tell my brothers. “You can come with me, but you have to promise to be on your best behavior. This is a professional working set with people’s livelihoods on the line. No horsing around or pranks. Do anything to embarrass me, and you’re kicked out for good.”
“I’d better come, too.” Mom sighs, and I don’t disagree. Sheneedsto get out of the house.
True to my word, I let the family tag along with me. Perry’s place is on the western side of the island, where the water isn’t as choppy as the Atlantic. Not as good for surfing, but much better for swimming, which suits our filming purposes. None of the cast-mates know how to surf, but Perry wants to get lots of shots of them in the pool and down at the beach.
We pull up to Perry’s house, and I’m instantly glad we chose his place for filming. It’s in the traditional Nantucket-style, thearchitecture similar to mine with shingled siding, white squared columns, and peaks in the roofline. His house is white instead of blue, but otherwise they’re very similar, except his beach is a little more private.
Leading them inside, I quickly find Ricki and explain that my family wants to meet the cast. I can tell she’s fighting her annoyance, but she makes the introductions, and everyone is really nice, thank goodness. It helps that Chandler has an excellent way of making everybody laugh.
Benton pulls me aside. “Hey, are you okay? I heard about your dad.”
“I’m as okay as I can be,” I say. “I don’t really want to talk about it. How are you?”
He grimaces. “Gloria isa lot.If I don’t give her exactly what she wants while we’re filming, she’s going to drag my reputation through the mud. So looks like I have a girlfriend now.”
“Shit. I’m sorry. I tried to warn you, but then my mom called about my dad and?—”
He grabs my hand and squeezes. “It’s okay. I don’t blame you. You promised this show wasn’t going to screw me over. Just keep that promise.”
“I will. But you have to be careful, too.”
“Come here, Laurence.” He pulls me into a hug, and I melt against his hard chest. He’s going to hate me if I can’t keep my word, and I can’t bear to lose another friend.
Someone clears their throat. “You’d better step away from Sybil before your girlfriend loses her shit again.”
We turn to find Cooper glaring in our direction.
Benton chuckles and releases me, patting me on the shoulder and giving Cooper a devil-may-care smirk. “Are you sure you’re not the one who’s about to lose your shit, boss?”
He doesn’t stick around for an answer, and I can’t help but notice the way Cooper glares daggers at Benton’s back.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re jealous,” I tease.
Cooper’s mouth thins. “We’ve talked about this, Sybil. You have to be careful with him. Especially now that he’s dating Gloria.”
My face burns. “I get it. Benton and I are just friends.”
“He wasn’t hugging you like you’rejust friends. He was hugging you like he wants to take you to bed.”
I snort, hiding the frustration bubbling under my skin. “I thought we’d gotten past all this, Cooper. Yes, Benton and I have been together many times, but we’re not anymore. So get over it.”
I shove past him, fighting everything I have in me not to turn around and see what’s written across his face. Jealousy? Indifference? Frustration? Whatever it is, I shouldn’t care.
But I do.
Forty-One
Cooper
