Damaged and the Beast (11 page)

“Plenty?”

“Fine, a few have. There was the married one. The pregnant one who was trying to trap a guy into marriage so she was pretty booked for the next couple months. Finally, there was a girl who was afraid of tats and big cocks. I still don’t know what her problem is.”

“Well, now that I know you’ve gotten shot down left and right, I sorta pity you, Coop.”

“Yeah, I’m a real charity case. You should go out with me as an act of kindness.”

“I’m not ready to date anyone.”

“Bullshit,” he said, kicking the booth. “If Nicky asked you out, you’d fuck him on the first date. I can tell you’ve got it in you, but you have to make me suffer. Do I remind you of someone you need to punish?”

Yes.

“Never in a million years would I think not going out with you would be a punishment. There are a lot of new girls in school who would go out with you. They might make you work for it too. Why not chase them?”

“I want you,” Cooper said in a way that made me shiver. “I’ve wanted you since the first day in Spanish class when you kept tying your shoes as an excuse to look back at me. I loved how you didn’t just look. I also loved when you whispered your answers to Manuel. It was so hot. I want you and you’ll give me a shot because you want me too. Hell, you need someone like me.”

“Don’t tell me what I need or want. You don’t know me.”

Cooper snorted angrily. “Nice move. You tell me nothing then accuse me of having no right to know you because I don’t already know you.”

Stepping back, I sighed. “I’ll be your friend. One day when I’m settled in, I could be more. I can’t right now though. Nagging won’t change my mind.”

“Nagging? That’s cold. You make me sound like an old lady.”

“If the shoe fits,” I said, shrugging, “who am I to argue?”

Cooper opened his mouth to continue nagging then changed his mind. “A burger and fries will be fine, servant.”

“I appreciate your order, jackass.”

“As you should, beauty.”

Our eyes met and I felt my skin warm from the way he said beauty. If only we could work, I might find such happiness with a guy like Cooper. Of course, a guy like Cooper didn’t want my type of happiness. He wanted what he wanted and there were no picket fences in his future.

Even now when he gave up on nagging, Cooper hadn’t given up on winning the argument. I had become more than a girl he wanted to bang. I was a challenge for someone so rarely challenged in life. Fortunately for me, I was accustomed to challenges and I knew how to do without in a way that Richie Rich didn’t. As challenges went, I planned to crush this one.

On Friday when I had no work, Bailey joined Skye and me in the dorms. This was when I learned how the people Skye knew from the area were the Johanssons. In fact, Kirk and Skye’s dad Randy were super tight. Somehow, I sensed Skye kept this information quiet on purpose.

Was Skye my friend because Cooper told her to be? Or was I full of myself to even consider such a thing? Yet, Skye talked constantly and never mentioned how the guy I had gone on a date with was her lifelong friend.

The way Bailey and Skye spoke to each another made clear how they’d been palling around since school started. I felt played and my feelings were hurt. I excused myself to the bathroom then dialed Tawny’s burner phone. My sister answered immediately, sounding paranoid too.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Dad left two days ago and hasn’t come back. I’m not sure how long I’m supposed to wait? What if he didn’t pay enough for the room?”

“If someone shows up, tell them the truth and they’ll call social services. The state will send you to Grandma’s and I’ll convince her to send you here. It’ll be fine.”

“What about Dad?”

“Maybe it’s time for him to stop being in charge of you when he can barely be in charge of himself?”

Tawny exhaled. “You sound tense.”

“I think my friend Skye was only pretending because that guy Cooper told her to.”

“Is she mean now?”

“No.”

“Is she still driving you around and paying for lunch?”

“Yes.”

“So what’s the problem? If she’s faking it, you should enjoy the lie. What else can you do? Confront her and lose out on her fake friendship?”

“I just feel sad that she doesn’t like me for real.”

“Maybe she does like you. Just cause that guy told her to be your friend doesn’t mean she didn’t end up liking you. Everyone likes you, Farah. You’re nice.”

Smiling, I missed Tawny so much I nearly started crying. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Don’t be scared. Either Dad will come back or you’ll be sent to Grandma’s.”

Tawny said nothing for a minute then blurted out, “I don’t want to live with Mom.”

“She’s not messed up anymore.”

“I don’t care. I don’t want to look at her face. I never want to see her again.”

Shocked by Tawny’s admission, I didn’t reply right away.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I just don’t want to pretend.”

“I know and you shouldn’t have to,” I said, feeling guilty for not reassuring her more quickly. “If you come here, I’ll find us a place. Just you and me.”

“The place you’re in is big, right? You’d be giving up all the space to live with me.”

“Nothing I give up would compare to having you here. I miss you so much and I feel lost without you around.”

“Me too,” Tawny said, bursting into tears.

For the next few minutes, I reassured her while she sobbed. I could picture her twirling her golden hair in a tight knot around her fingers the way she did when the tension became too much. Finally, she calmed down and put her best face forward.

“I’ll be eighteen soon then I can live anywhere.”

“I’ll send money. I’d send it now, but Dad or Mom might make a stink if you’re a minor. I never know what they’ll do.”

“Soon then.”

“Mere months away.”

When Tawny sighed sadly, my heart hurt imagining her waiting in some dump for Dad to return. Then, I forced myself to picture her getting off the bus at the same station I arrived at weeks earlier. We would be together and no one could tear us apart again.

“Enjoy that friend,” Tawny said. “Life isn’t easy and you have to take what you can get sometimes. If she’s just pretending, let her pretend. There’s nothing to lose. Even if it hurts your feelings, it’s still better than being alone.”

“Soon, I’ll never be alone.”

“We’ll die old maids together,” Tawny teased.

“You and me living together with our cats.”

“I’ll learn to quilt.”

“I’ll pickle things we’ll never eat.”

Laughing, we pretended hundreds of miles didn’t separate us.

“You better save the minutes on your phone,” Tawny said.

“I’ll call you soon. You call me if you need anything. Call me and I’ll call you right back.”

“Okay. Go enjoy your rich lying friend.”

Smiling, I said goodbye then returned to where Bailey rested on Skye’s bed.

“Where did Skye go?” I asked.

“Tyler works out at the gym right now so she ran over there to drool.”

“She really likes him.”

“I don’t see why. He doesn’t really like her.”

Remembering what Cooper said about Bailey needing to be the center of attention, I shrugged. “Settling for one guy so early in the year might be a mistake.”

“Exactly!” Bailey cried, sitting up. “I’m dating lots of guys because I don’t need a husband. I need some manmeat. I need fun. I’m eighteen, not eighty. Skye’s a loser to settle for the first guy who looks her way.”

“She’s not used to living here. This was always your home so you’re more confident.”

Bailey smiled at this. “I am confident. Sometimes, guys want me to be all meek and shy and shit. That’s not me. I don’t need their approval. I’m Bailey Fucking Johansson. I run the show, not some dick.”

Nodding, I wasn’t sure if I should leave now that Skye was gone.

“Are you passing Algebra?” Bailey asked, standing up.

“I guess. We haven’t had any tests yet, so I don’t know.”

“I’ve been skipping classes because it’s lame. I need to do this assignment though. Can you help me with it?”

Excited to show my worth as a friend, I assumed the work was in her bag, but Bailey headed for the door.

“I ditched school so my stuff is at home.”

Part of me wanted to walk back my offer, but Bailey’s expression left me little choice. I followed her out of the room and to the parking lot where her SUV waited.

Driving out to the Johansson house, I reminded myself that I’d seen Cooper in Spanish on Thursday. He played with my ponytail and told me my handwriting made him hard. I’d laughed before ignoring him for the rest of the class. He ignored me ignoring him and messed with my hair in a show of possession to Nick who likely didn’t notice. That evening, he visited Denny’s and flexed his muscles for me. Again, I giggled, but refused to go to dinner.

Convincing myself Cooper wouldn’t be at the house, I enjoyed Bailey’s company. Like Skye, she talked a lot. Unlike with Skye, Bailey needed constant head nodding and grunts of affirmation.

“My parents aren’t home,” Bailey said as we turned down a road off of the main highway. “They took my little sister to a spa so my mom could detox. Mom is very health conscious one day out of the week. The rest of the time, she drinks, smokes, and eats meat smothered with barbeque. Today is her health day.”

“She sounds nice.”

Bailey frowned at me. “My mom is the best person on the face of the planet. Nice doesn’t cut it.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. You don’t know her so you wouldn’t know how she’s the best.”

Shadowing the road, tall trees lined both sides until we reached a clearing. A huge log-style house loomed to the left while a beautiful view of Kentucky spread out on the right. I couldn’t imagine growing up with such beauty. Yet, like how Skye viewed money, maybe beauty would become mundane after awhile. Merely an expected element of life for people like the Johanssons.

“My brother Tuck lives in a condo in town with Maddy,” Bailey explained as we exited her SUV. “Coop lives in the apartment over the garage. My room is in the house, but I’m not allowed to let strangers inside. Can you wait out here?”

Glancing around nervously, I nodded.

“We have a lot of big dogs. Don’t freak if they run up to you,” Bailey said, walking away. “Coop trains the monsters and they won’t bite. They just like scaring people.”

For the next few minutes, I stood in the large gravel driveway and waited. Hearing noises, I moved towards the house and saw those monster dogs running around. Rottweilers and a few Pit Bulls, they chased each other around except for one who only had eyes for Cooper.

I considered retreating and waiting in the car. My brain said to stay away, but my heart wanted to check out Cooper. He looked really sexy sitting shirtless and barefoot on the ground as he gave the dog a good hard rubbing. Wearing jeans, he seemed young and less intimidating. Whatever my reasoning, I walked to where he could see me and waited for him to notice.

When Cooper pressed his nose against the dog’s, the giant animal licked him. Instead of being grossed out like I would have been, Cooper laughed. He was still grinning when he saw me. His eyes did the usual survey of me from head to toe, lingering an extra second on my breasts before he focused on my face.

“That’s the girl making me crazy,” Cooper told the dog that licked him again. “Yeah, I’d pay big money to get her to show me half as much love as you do, Plum.”

Stepping closer, I focused on Plum. “Bailey says you train dogs.”

“You talk about me a lot?” he asked, ignoring my question.

“Constantly. I’m a huge fan.”

“Prove it.”

“How?”

“Dinner tonight.”

“Will you wash off the dog spit first?” I asked, giving into the idea of dinner with him. One dinner to answer my questions about us.

Cooper finally gave me a smile he saved for his dogs. An almost boyish grin hiding much of the menacing glare I normally focused on.

“Where do you want to eat?”

“I don’t care.”

“Why?” he asked, his smile gone. “Because you’ll just go through the motions to get me off your back?”

“No, I’ve eaten a lot of crappy food lately and anywhere new would be a nice change.”

Giving me a quick nod, Cooper smiled slightly. “Can you wear your hair down?”

Without thinking, I touched my ponytail. “Sure,” I muttered, self-conscious now. “Should I wear any particular outfit?”

Cooper lost his smile again. “Whatever. I just like your hair down because you look less like my waitress and more like my date. I guess that makes me a dick.”

Backing away, I felt nervous under his glare. Cooper gave the dog’s head a good caress then left the animal and walked to me.