Page 30 of Hooking the Captain
I had to hand it to her; she was bold. But I wasn’t interested.
I took a step back. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m going to have to pass.”
Jocelyn’s jaw dropped, and she seemed taken aback by my rejection, but after a moment, she smiled and nodded. “Your loss.”
I watched her walk away for just a second before turning and making my way back over to Coop.
“So you met Jocelyn?” he asked.
I chuckled. “Yeah.”
“Didn’t know you were such a hit with the ladies,” he teased and then lowered his voice. “At least I don’t have to worry about one of them stealing you away.”
I grimaced because I realized there was something I hadn’t told Coop yet, and I hoped it wouldn’t change things between us.
“What’s that face for?” he asked.
“There’s something I need to tell you.” My heart pounded as I worried about his reaction to my news. “I don’t think it’s a big deal, but we should probably wait until after we leave to talk about it.”
“Oh ... okay,” he drawled, clearly confused and maybe a bit nervous.
We stayed around the party for a bit longer, watching the kids play with sparklers when the sun started to set before deciding to head out when the others began to pack up to go home.
Once we were inside his truck, Coop asked, “Did you have a good time tonight?”
A grin spread across my face. “I did. Your friends are cool, and it was entertaining to watch all those kids get excited to meettheEmmett Cooper.”
He rolled his eyes playfully. “I’m glad you had fun.” He shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. “So, earlier you mentioned you haven’t told me something?”
“Yeah.” I took a deep breath, and hoped my confession wouldn’t be an issue for him. “I’m ... bisexual.”
Coop’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Okay, I wasn’t expecting that.”
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled.
“You don’t need to apologize,” he said. “I just feel silly for assuming you were gay.”
“Don’t feel like that,” I implored. “I’m the one who should have said something.”
He was quiet for a minute and then asked, “Does that change anything between us?”
I shook my head quickly. “Absolutely not. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m kind of into you.” I winked.
Coop grinned, and I felt my heart skip a beat.
“Yeah,” he said, his voice low and seductive. “I’m kind of into you too.”
8
COOP
A week later,I stood on my parents’ porch, scanning the quiet street for any sign of Ford’s BMW. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting an orange glow on the rural landscape. The air held a sense of anticipation, much like the beating of my own anxious heart. I checked my phone for the umpteenth time, half-expecting a message from Ford saying he couldn’t make it. But then I saw the familiar red car turning the corner, and my pulse quickened.
As he pulled up in front of the house, I couldn’t help but smile. I walked down the front steps to meet him, my heart swelling with a mix of excitement and reassurance.
The car door opened, and Ford stepped out, his eyes meeting mine. “Hey,” he said, an uneasy smile playing on his lips.
“Hey, yourself,” I replied, walking up to him. I gave him a quick hug, hoping to ease some of his tension. “Ready?”
