Page 32 of Save the Drama for your Mama
Cooper shrugged. “Then I guess you wouldn’t mind if I pay for half of the food, since I love leftovers, too.”
“No way,” I said, filling my plate with food. “We’re not getting into that again.”
“Exactly as I thought—it’s a bribe.” Cooper shook his head, almost looking amused as he shoveled the lo mein into his mouth. “Lucky for you, I’m ravenous, so I will let your improprieties slide this time.”
“Okay, you were right,” I said. “I may have hoped filling you with food might make you more amenable to another attic adventure.” I grinned. “But can you blame me? Aren’t you curious about what else is up there? Your mother had some pretty cool things.”
At the mention of his mom, Cooper’s expression softened a bit. “She enjoyed collecting little trinkets and antiques. I guarantee there are more surprises up there.” He appeared to be turning this over in his mind as he chewed.
“Well then?” I said, waiting. “Can we go up there?”
Cooper held his hands up in surrender. “Another attic adventure it is. But don’t blame me if we stumble upon my secret sock puppet collection I had as a kid. Some things can’t be unseen.”
I cracked a smile. “Well, in that case, be sure to give me a heads up before we uncover any artifacts that may scar me for life.” I heaped more fried rice onto Cooper’s plate. “Here, have some more carbs for energy. We’ll need our strength for more attic spelunking.”
“You’re relentless, you know that?” He shook his head at my antics and took another bite of his food.
We ate in companionable silence for a few minutes until Cooper got up to feed Romeo. I loved how affectionate he was with his dog.
He sat back down, took a few more bites of his food, then looked over at me. “So how’s the restoration coming along?”
I launched into describing the work I had completed that day, thrilled at the opportunity to nerd out over historical architecture and preservation techniques. Cooper listened, surprising me with his genuine interest. I opened up about my passion in a way I rarely did after knowing someone for such a short time.
After I felt I had been talking too much—and when we both could not take another bite—I grabbed the paper bag with the fortune cookies and held it out to Cooper.
“Thank you—I love fortune cookies,” he said, not wasting any time in choosing one, cracking the cookie open, and reading the fortune inside. “You will soon achieve your lifelong dream of yodeling in leather pants.”
“I’d pay to see that,” I said, laughing.
I snapped my fortune cookie in half and took a bite.
“What’re you doing?” Cooper wagged his finger at me. “Now, your fortune won’t come true since you ate a piece of the cookie before reading what was inside.”
“That’s ridiculous. Who says that?”
“Confucius.”
“Let me get this straight . . . you’re telling me that Confucius, the man who is considered one of the top ten greatest philosophers of all time, had also been dishing out fortune cookie etiquette back in his heyday?”
Cooper nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Nice try.” I popped another piece of the fortune cookie in my mouth, then unfolded the small slip of paper to read aloud. “Beware of smooth-talking men who tell tall tales. Not all that glitters is gold.”
“Amazing how it says all that on that tiny piece of paper,” Cooper said.
I nodded. “Amazing—indeed. I think I need to be careful around you.”
“That’s good advice,” he said. “And now that we know your fortune is just a pipe dream since you broke the rules, what does it really say?”
Before I read it, I ate the rest of the fortune cookie, just to see the look on Cooper’s face.
He shook his head, looking amused. “Were you a troublemaker as a kid?”
“I prefer the termfree spirit,” I sassed, then glanced down to read my fortune. “Be mischievous and you will not be lonesome.” I gasped, shoving the fortune in his face. “Aha! My behavior is not only acceptable, but it is encouraged!”
That was when the unthinkable happened.
Cooper laughed.
