Chapter Forty-Six

Cooper

I couldn’t get back to her fast enough.

The confusion I’d felt at Liam’s had given way to a violent rush of love for the strong, selfless girl I finally knew the truth about. Over and over, I flipped through my memories, looking at them through the lens of this new information and all I saw made me feel weak with admiration for her. How had she stood strong for so long? How had she kept Liam’s secret at the expense of her own reputation?

Fuck, how had she dealt with me and the giant heaping of shit I gave her every time we were together? I thought I was being a loyal friend, but really all I’d been was a blind, stubborn asshole.

Fuck. I’d been so wrong. I was so wrong.

And I’d never been so happy to admit it.

I pressed down on the accelerator, nudging the speedometer past eighty-five miles an hour. As the miles between us closed rapidly, I rehearsed what I was going to say. I pictured myself going down to my knees on her porch and kissing her hand. “Everything I learn about you just makes me fall more deeply in love with you,” I would tell her, watching her dark eyes as they went bright with happy tears. Then I’d stand and kiss her. “I know the truth now, and the truth is I can’t stand to be away from you.“

I nodded, feeling the rightness of it. She’d be surprised when I asked her to move in with me. But it would be so much better when we had our own space. I’d wake up in the morning and pour her cereal for her, hell, maybe I’d even learn how to cook a real breakfast like Marco did for Liam. We could have Jake stay over in the afternoons and I could take him fishing down by the creek. Seeing me with her brother would make Willa so happy, I knew it would. That was the kind of person she was, happiest when those she loved were happy. That was another reason I loved her. Why I was never going to let her go.

I knew the truth now and I’d never felt freer or more at peace with the world. I would happily spend the rest of my life apologizing for how blind I’d been. It’d be enough just to know that such an amazing girl was mine.

The sun was slipping down in the west by the time I turned onto Highway 12. The undersides of the post-storm clouds were tinged a bright pink, giving everything the sort of soft, romantic glow you usually only see in the movies. I thought about stopping at the florist and buying a dozen roses to add to the perfection of the scene, but I didn’t want to waste a single moment more.

Jake was riding his bike in circles on the driveway when I pulled in. He skidded to a stop and lifted his hand to wave as I parked, then looked toward the porch.

Willa was sitting on the steps there. I jumped down from my seat and smiled at her.

She didn’t smile back.

“Hi,” I greeted her, walking around my truck.

She didn’t get up to hug me.

When I got close enough to feel the hostility rising off of her, I stopped short and shoved my hands in my pockets to keep from reaching her. “Willa?”

She blinked rapidly and looked toward her brother.

Fuck it, this wasn’t how I’d pictured it in my head, but I went to my knees anyway. The gravel dug sharply into my skin as I tried to reach for her hand.

She pulled it away.

“Willa. I talked to Liam. He told me.”

She turned back to look at me. Finally. I nodded, encouraged. “Yeah. You told me to ask him, so I drove all the way down to New York City and did just that.”

She swallowed. “And what did he tell you?”

“The truth.”

She said nothing.

I made another attempt to reach for her and this time I caught her by the wrist, but her hand just hung there limply. “Willa?” My heart was starting to pound. “I know what you did for him now. He told me. Told me everything. I even met Marco.” She blinked in recognition and I nodded. “Yeah, he was there, and I saw them both and Liam gave me the whole story. I know now and I’m so, so sorry. I can’t…” I faltered as her expression stayed flat. “I can’t even begin to understand how strong you are, Willa. You’re completely amazing, and, oh God I am so sorry. I was so wrong… about everything. And, God, I love you.”

Her eyes fluttered. “Yes,” I said, walking on my knees until my face was inches from hers. “I love you more than I can ever say. God, Willa, I am so, so sorry.” Desperate, I caught her lips with mine, cupping her face in my hands and kissing her with everything I had. “I love you,” I breathed against her mouth.

She reached up. Gently, she tugged my hands back down from her face. “I’m glad.”

“You’re… glad I love you?”

“Glad you finally know.” She folded her hands in her lap, good one over bad. “But Cooper? You should have believed me.”

My throat tightened, and I coughed. “I know,” I whispered. “I know, and I’m sorry, Willa.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

Cold sweat pricked across my forehead. “No, Willa.”

She shook her head. “I’m glad you know now. That you talked to Liam and he put your mind at ease. But dammit, Cooper.” Her face was suddenly red with fury. “I was the one who told you that you had it wrong. You shouldn’t have had to go driving off to Liam’s just so you could hear it from him.” Her voice caught. “You should have believed in me.

“I do. I do believe in you.” I reached for her curls. “I love you so fucking much, Willa.”

She batted my hand away and stood up. “Good. I loved you too.” The past tense was a punch to my gut. “But it’s too late. You hurt me worse than that accident ever did, Cooper.” She stepped back up the stairs. “Please go.”

I opened my mouth. Closed it. Reached for her. Dropped my hand to my side. “That’s it?”

Tears were falling, but she wasn’t making a sound. She bit her lip and nodded.

I stepped back. And stepped back again until I bumped up against my truck.

Then slid to the ground and let my head drop into my hands.