Page 77 of Falling Like Leaves
We sit, and I untie the knot, freeing our legs. When I look up, Cooper’s eyes are traveling over my face, almost like he’s studying me. When his gaze finally meets mine, my pulse feels like it’s misfiring, and a flush creeps across my cheeks.
I dip my chin, suddenly shy, fighting the urge to hide from him. “What?”
He doesn’t answer as he reaches his hand into my hair and pulls out a leaf. He tosses it on the ground. A rivulet of water trails down his cheek and drips from his chin as he swallows, his eyes never leaving mine. Then, slowly, he leans in. I hold my breath, wondering if I’m imagining it.
Wondering if I’m imagining what’s about to happen.
“That was the closest race in years!” Sloane yells, running over to us holding a medal.
Cooper shoots upright and looks away, running his hand through his wet hair. “I should get back to the tent.”
I open my mouth to say something, but I can’t find words.
Sloane keeps talking, but my focus is on the boy walking away from me.
Because seriously, what the hell just happened?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Sloane and I spend the rest of the day catching up on sleep. When I wake up, I feel like a whole new person—with a fresh outlook on what transpired at the end of the race.
Obviously, I imagined Cooper leaning in.
I was simply sleep-deprived and physically exhausted, and I misread the situation.
Still, I spend extra time on my hair, curling it into loose waves that fall over my oversized Babaà sweater, and give myself a soft smoky eye. My lips shine with a pale pink gloss as I head downstairs.
“Damn. You realize it’s going to be dark, right?” Sloane says. “No one’s going to see how amazing you look.”
“I spent the afternoon covered in dirt, leaves, and wet toilet paper. I needed to feel human again.”
“Okay, heard. You ready, then?” Sloane grabs her jacket and we head out.
The night air has a bite. I stretch my sleeves down over myhands, tucking my fingers into the soft fabric, and I gaze up at the sky. The clouds cleared while we were sleeping, and now every star in the universe feels visible from Saffron Lane tonight, sparkling and blinking like they’re communicating in Morse code. The breathtaking black expanse is a canvas of shimmering lights.
This flawless sky is one thing I’ll miss once I’m back in New York City.
“So, it seemed like you and Cooper had fun today,” Sloane says, giving me a sidelong glance.
“What about it, Sloane?”
“I don’t know. You say you’re just friends, but…”
“But what? I’m moving back to New York soon,” I remind her. “Not to mention, there’s something clearly going on between him and Chloe.”
Sloane scoffs. “Please. If he were into Chloe, I think he would have made a move by now. She’s firmly in the friend zone.”
“Well, so am I. Andbarely! I just made it out of the acquaintance zone. A few weeks ago, Cooper couldn’t stand to be in the same room as me. I barely know him, or at least who he isnow.”
“You’ve spent more time with Cooper this past month than I have in the last two years combined! You know him.” Sloane sighs. “But I will accept your crappy excuses and drop it for tonight.”
“Thank you.”
“But tomorrow is fair game,” she says.
I roll my eyes, elbowing her gently in the side, and she laughs.
When we reach downtown, my mouth gapes. In just a few hours, the volunteers have transformed the square into a wonderland. The gazebo is wrapped in fairy lights, and a song fromFolklorepours from giant speakers inside. Strings of globe lights drape from tree to tree. A giant bonfire is already ablaze, with log benches and folding chairs placed around it. Lanterns hang from posts in the ground, illuminating a path to where tables of food and drinks are set up, and hollowed-out pumpkins filled with candles are scattered throughout the leaf-covered lawn, adding to the fall vibe.
