For Keeps (9 page)

Ian let out a self-satisfied chuckle and his gray eyes flashed with admiration for Allie. “I’m sorry. I would have brought coffee for three if I’d known you had, uh…” He eyed Cooper and cocked his eyebrow. “A friend over.”

“This is Cooper,” she said bluntly.

“Uh, hey,” Cooper said.
What is he doing here?

“What do you want?” Allie asked, crossing her arms at the waist.

“I was hoping we could talk. May I come in and set down these coffees? They’re burning my hands.”

Burning.
An acrid smell trailed to Cooper’s nose and he whipped around, realizing he’d left the eggs. He hurried and turned off the flame, but it was too late. Their breakfast sat stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Ian followed Allie into the kitchen and set down the coffee cups. He looked much taller than Cooper had remembered him, and Cooper reflexively straightened his frame.

“I brought some pastries and coffee. Just like old times, right, Al?” He winked at Allie and Cooper had to make a conscious decision not to grab him by the collar of his Oxford shirt and kick his sorry ass out of her apartment.

“I was hoping we could talk about the offer I made the other day,” Ian continued as he unfolded the paper bag. “Do you have a serving platter? I went by that little bakery that makes the coffee cake you like so much, with the streusel topping.” Now he grinned warmly at Allie and that made Cooper want to deck him.

“Thank you, but I didn’t ask you to go to the bakery for me, nor did I even invite you over,” Allie said. “I gave you my answer the other day and it hasn’t changed. I’m not interested.”

Ian shook his head. “Can we at least be civilized? The platter?” He didn’t wait for Allie to answer but turned and opened one of the other upper cabinets. He pulled out an oversized white ceramic plate and brought it back to the island.

Ian’s willingness to display his familiarity with Allie’s kitchen sent Cooper’s anger into overdrive.
He’s so fucking arrogant.
He couldn’t even allow himself to think of the other ways in which those two were familiar. The mental image of smug Ian and his hands all over Allie was enough to make his blood boil. He calmed himself by remembering that Allie had insisted Ian never really did it for her in bed.

“Cooper, can you get me a cup of coffee?” Allie asked, her steely eyes fixed on Ian.

“Allie, come on, is that how we’re going to play this?” Ian asked. “I brought you a coffee. Sorry I didn’t bring one for your little friend.”

Allie’s eyes slammed shut.
Did he really just say that?
She opened her eyes and Cooper’s jaw visibly stiffened as he stared down Ian. “I’m not playing this any way. We were about to have breakfast and you’ve very rudely interrupted our Sunday morning.”

Cooper took a mug from the cabinet. “Excuse me,” he said, as Ian was standing between him and the cream.

“My apologies,” Ian said as he stepped aside. He peered into her eyes, making her feel exposed. “I only hoped that you and I could discuss our disagreement like adults. We’ve known each other too long to act like this.”

Cooper made Allie’s coffee exactly the way she liked it and handed it to her. “Here you go, Al.” His hand cupped her shoulder as he put his arm around her possessively.

“I don’t need to discuss anything. I have no interest in you buying my company and firing my staff.” Allie struggled to make sense of her feelings as Cooper held her close. A part of her liked feeling protected, liked knowing that Cooper’s response was strong and swift. Part of her worried it made her appear weak in Ian’s eyes.

Ian removed the lid from his coffee cup and blew on it before taking a sip. “You know that’s the way these things work. There would be redundancies between the two companies. You would still retain your title as founder and we would give you your own little domain to control. We’re talking good money too. If you’d just set aside your ego for a minute, you could see that I’m making you an amazing offer.”

Cooper’s grip tightened on her. He cleared his throat and Allie feared he was getting ready to butt in when she wanted the conversation to end. Considering her history with Ian, the most satisfying brush-off would come from her own mouth.

“I’m not interested, Ian. I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” Allie said, gesturing for the door.

“Suit yourself, Allie. But rest assured, this isn’t the last of this.”

Chapter Nine

Allie trudged up the stairs to her apartment feeling as if a lead weight sat in her stomach.
I am so fucked. I am beyond fucked. I am as fucked as fucked can be.

She stopped in front of her door and glared at her phone as if it were somehow responsible for her misery. No returned call from Cooper and it had been an hour. The silence was maddening.

It was in complete contradiction to her independent streak, but at that moment, she needed him. He was so levelheaded in moments of crisis, especially when it came to her job. He always understood what she was going through. She hoped like hell he’d understand the curveball she’d been thrown that afternoon, seeing as the pitcher was Ian and it was her fault for having provoked it out of him.

Inside her apartment, she kicked off her shoes and made a beeline for the bottle of merlot that she and Cooper hadn’t finished the night before. They’d been spending every night at her place lately, dinner was always a given. Things were comfortable and effortless with Cooper, which was perfect—the last thing she could handle was another complication.

When she’d been served with the papers that afternoon, it felt as though she could glimpse the future of her company crumbling before her. Unfortunately, the future of her company was also her future. There was no separating the two. Such was the danger of not having a partner in the company. Her butt on the line—no one else to take the heat, no one else to share the glory.

She changed into yoga pants and a tank before pouring herself a second glass of wine. The sound of Cooper’s shave-and-a-haircut knock at the door sent a wave of relief over her and she flung open the door within seconds. “Thank God you’re here. I left you a message nearly two hours ago.”

“I’m sorry.” He strolled in and gripped her shoulders, planting a soft kiss on her lips. “Mmm. Now that’s merlot.”

“I’ve been going crazy. Where were you?” She cringed at the possessive sound of her question, but she was teetering on the brink. All kinds of bad things were likely to come out of her mouth at this point.

“I left my phone at a restaurant after lunch. By the time I got it back, it was completely dead. I’m charging it right now.” Cooper poured himself a glass of wine and opened a bag of potato chips on the center island. “What’s got you so worked up?”

“Ian’s company is suing me. They’re saying that I violated the noncompete clause in my contract.”

He scrunched his forehead and leaned against the kitchen counter. “I don’t get it. You said you never signed it.”

“I didn’t, but there was one in my original contract. They’re saying that I negotiated in bad faith and they’re trying to hold me to the contract I had when I was first hired.”

“How are they going to prove any of that?”

“Ian. He’s going to give testimony that he knew I was planning to start a new company. He’s going to tell them that I coerced him into negotiating to get out of my noncompete clause.”

“What do they want?”

“Me. My company. Everything.”

Concern washed over his face. “What did your attorney say?”

Allie almost felt like laughing. Almost. “What attorney? I have the guy who drew up the articles of incorporation, but that’s it.” Her stomach bubbled and soured.

“You can’t be serious. Why wouldn’t you have a lawyer? Seems a little reckless.” He took another handful of chips from the bag.

Reckless? What the hell does that mean?
“I don’t have the resources to keep a lawyer on retainer.”

“So we find you a lawyer. A few letters back and forth and it should go away.” He rolled up the top of the chip bag and wiped salt from his lips with the back of his hand.

She bent down to rest her elbows on the kitchen island, her forehead cold and clammy as she kneaded it. “I don’t have the money. We are stretched as thin as can be after adding another person to the art department. I’m already not drawing a salary. It would mean letting someone go.”

“Let me help.” Cooper stepped behind her and began rubbing her shoulders. “I’ll talk to Brian. He went to law school for a year, but dropped out when I started the company. Maybe he knows somebody who’ll take you on for cheap.”

“My old agency has an army of lawyers. I don’t know how much good one cheap attorney will do.” She straightened and dropped her chin to her chest as Cooper worked into the tension she held in her shoulders. A soft gasp escaped her lips. “That feels so good. You give the best back rubs.”

Cooper’s breath warmed the nape of her neck. “I’m known for giving pretty good front rubs too.”

Allie allowed herself a smile. “How do you do that?”

“Well, see, first I take off your clothes…”

“No.” She giggled. “I know how you do that. How do you manage to make everything better?”

* * * * *

Cooper hung up the phone after speaking with one of Brian’s lawyer friends. He scrawled a few notes on a legal pad just as his brother knocked on his open office door.

“Yeah, Bri, come in,” Cooper said.

Brian plopped down in one of the black leather armchairs opposite Cooper’s desk. “I’m heading home in a minute. Need anything before I go?”

Cooper tapped his pen against the pad of paper. “I’m good. I talked to all your lawyer buddies. I think Stuart could work. I’m going to get Allie to call him.”

“How’s she holding up?”

Cooper pursed his lips. Allie had been upset for more than a week. “She’s hanging in there. I’m trying to be as supportive as possible. I wish she’d let me loan her the money for a lawyer, but she won’t do it. We had a big argument about it. She’s so stubborn sometimes.”

Brian crossed his leg and bobbed his foot. “She’s a smart woman and there’s no doubt she’s shrewd when it comes to business. I’m sure she wants to be able to take care of it herself.”

“I know, but I want to be able to fix it and I can’t. It’s making me crazy. And I freaking hate her ex-boyfriend so that just makes it worse.” Hate was far too nice a word. Despise and loathe better described his feelings for Ian.

“Let me tell you. One thing I’ve learned about women is that they don’t want you to actually solve their problems. They just want you to listen.”

“I don’t know. Allie’s not like that. She doesn’t bitch for the sake of complaining. If I hear about a problem, that means it’s really bothering her.” Cooper glanced at his watch. Allie would be home soon. He tossed the legal pad into his laptop bag. “I hate seeing her unhappy.”

Brian smirked. “I take it everything else is good between you two?”

Cooper shut down his computer. He didn’t want to be a girl about it and gush, but maybe it was okay to let down his guard with his brother. “Better than good. Things are amazing.”

“Are we talking sex or are we talking about everything?”

“Everything. Honestly, I’ve never felt like this about a woman before. Not even close.” His cheeks flushed with heat. “Please don’t tell anybody I said that.”

“Bro, you can drop the macho act with me. It’s okay. I like seeing you happy. It means you’re way less of a tool at work.”

Cooper zipped his laptop bag. “How did you know you were in love with Laura?” He winced at the question. It sounded much more serious when he said it aloud.

“I knew that I didn’t want to be with anybody else. She was all I could think about.”

“Hmm. Okay.” Cooper rapped his knuckles against the desk.
That answers it for me.

Brian stood. “Look. Allie’s a catch. If you have feelings for her, you should tell her. Otherwise, you’ll just fuck it up.” He patted Cooper on the shoulder before walking for the door. “Have a good night. See you tomorrow.”

On his way home, Cooper stopped at the florist a block from their apartment building and picked up a dozen red roses. He sneaked past Allie’s unit, changed into a clean shirt, put on cologne and headed back downstairs. His heart pounded as he raised his hand to knock on the door. When he’d awoken that morning, he had no idea that it would be the day he told Allie he loved her.

Accustomed to the glum look Allie had been wearing for the past week, he was shocked to see the broad smile across her face when she opened the door.

“Roses? For me?” she asked as he handed them to her. She took a long sniff with her eyes closed, breathtaking and angelic. “Thank you.”

“Of course, for you.” He suddenly found a lump in his throat as he leaned down to kiss her.

She broke off the kiss. “I better get these in water right away.”

Cooper trailed her into the kitchen. “You seem like you’re doing better.” Unable to keep his hands to himself, he came up behind her as she stood at the sink. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pressed his lips against her hair.
Tell her.
“I talked to some of Brian’s lawyer friends today, by the way. I think I found somebody for you.”

The vase of water thudded when Allie placed it on the counter. She began trimming the roses. “You talked to them? I thought you were just going to give me the list and let me call them.”

“I was, but I thought I’d help and weed out the bad ones first.”

“Oh,” she said, nodding. “Well, it may not be necessary anyway.” She stripped the leaves from one of the stems. “Shit. Ow.” Allie shook her hand and popped her finger into her mouth.

“Let me see that.” He turned on the faucet and took her hand. The cool water washed away a trickle of blood.

“It stings.”

“Are you okay?” All he could hear was his own erratic heartbeat as she gazed up at him with her beguiling blue-green eyes.
Tell her.

“I’m a big girl. I think I’ll live.” She dried her hand with a paper towel.

Tell her.
“It wasn’t part of my plan to hurt you when I bought you the flowers.”

Allie’s focus narrowed. “Good to know. What was your plan then?”

The words were parked on his lips. They rolled around in his mind. He scoured his heart for the courage to say them.
What if she doesn’t say it back?
Again, he wrapped his arms around her. Having her that close was enough. “My plan was to tell you that I love you.”

Her entire body seemed to freeze except for her eyes, which swept back and forth across his face. It didn’t even sound as if she was still breathing. Time moved at a snail’s pace. Silence hung in the air. Eventually Allie blinked and her mouth opened slightly, but then her jaw clamped shut.

“I love you, Allie. I’ve never felt about any other woman the way I feel about you.”

Love. He loves me.
Allie had known for weeks she was falling in love with Cooper, but she’d pushed away the thought every time.
He’s twelve years younger than me.
But being in love with Cooper felt right, even when she’d denied it. Cooper being in love with her defied all logic.

He gazed at her with his unforgettable brown eyes. There was no question that he was looking for a response, but there were no visible traces of panic either. “It’s okay if you aren’t ready to say it yet, Allie. I don’t want to rush you.” He traced his hand up and down her spine.

His sweet words, his soft touch—it all flooded her mind. “I knew that I was falling in love with you, but I told myself you would never feel the same way about me.”

His lips pulled into a thin line. “I don’t know why you would think that. There’s no doubt in my mind that I love you. The question is how do you feel?”

I love you too.
“I’m afraid.” She didn’t like leaving him so exceptionally vulnerable, but she felt as though Cooper needed all sides of the truth.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he whispered.

Allie swallowed hard, feeling lightheaded. When she and Ian had said those three little words to each other, it seemed as if the future was boundless. When he walked out the door a year later, it was as if she’d been hollowed out and left for dead.

“If I say those words to you, I can’t take them back. I won’t take them back. They mean too much. I just don’t know what the future holds and that’s scary.”

“Then just think about us. How do you feel about you and me?”

“I’m twelve years older than you. What kind of future are we going to have?”

“I love you, Allie. The future will take care of itself.”

The future will take care of itself.
Allie had never been much of a fatalist, and when she did as he’d asked and thought about only her feelings, casting aside things like circumstance and practicality, she was left with one response. “I love you too.”

“Make sure you mean it.”

“I told you if I said those words, I’d never take them back. I love you too. I really do.”

A smile played at his lips and he pulled her into the most celebratory embrace she’d ever experienced, lifting her off her feet. His kiss was fierce with conviction, his fingers dove into her hair, cradling the back of her head. Without warning, he scooped her legs into the air and carried her from the kitchen.

“The flowers,” Allie gasped once her head had cleared and she realized they were headed for bed.

“I’ll buy you two dozen tomorrow.”