Page 24 of The Love Rematch
And it will be great fucking TV.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-eight.” Cooper scrunches his brows, trying to follow where this is going.
Chet smirks, cocky as ever and confident he’s about to deliver a killing blow. “Don’t you think that’s a little old to still be living with your parents?”
Cooper recoils, then releases a surprised laugh, deep and rich, sure to make about a million panties drop the second it airs. “You don’t want to do this, Chet. Trust me.”
Funny enough, Jake knows Cooper is coming from a good place. He spent six hours shooting footage with the guy on his ranch. He’s as nice as they come, honest and hard-working, the true American cowboy stereotype to a T.
But it’s also the exact wrong thing to say to someone like Chet. The underlying challenge to his manhood won’t go unanswered.
Sure enough, Chet leans in. “Oh, I think I do.”
“I’m trying to keep you from embarrassing yourself.”
“Embarrassing myself?” Chet laughs in his face. “The twenty-eight-year-old who still lives at home wants to keep me from embarrassing myself?”
His voice is rising.
Everyone turns to look.
Come on, Em. Come on, Jake thinks.
She pulls her lower lip between her teeth, hesitating.
Show them who you really are.
“Tell me, Cooper. Do you open with that line on the first date, or do you wait to introduce them in the morning?”
“I’m serious, man. Drop it.”
“No, really. I want to know. Does your mom surprise you both with breakfast-in-bed?”
“Don’t bring my mom into this.”
“Too close to home? You a bit kinky like that?”
Cooper stands taller. His attitude visibly changes with that last insult—it went too far. And finally—finally!—Emily steps between them.
“I think you’ve had a bit too much to drink, Chet,” she says, her back to Cooper, clearly trusting him more. “Why don’t you go outside and get some air.”
Jake rolls his eyes.Too diplomatic. Come on.
“I don’t want air,” he snaps, too far into the argument to remember why he’s even here. It’s not about Emily anymore. It never was with him. It’s a dick-size competition, and he’s too un-self-aware to realize he already lost. “I want an answer. Unless, of course, Cooper can’t give me one, because he’s never brought someone home…”
Ah, yes. The virgin insinuation, Jake thinks.Chet’s really checking all the douchebag boxes tonight.
“Well, I think it’s sweet that he lives at home,” Emily says, giving Cooper a soft smile that makes Jake’s stomach twist.
Focus.
Focus.
“Maybe you’re the kinky one then,” Chet mutters.
Emily turns back to him slowly, one of her brows rising in a look that literally chills Jake’s blood. “Excuse me?”
