Meant to Be (Whisper Creek #5)(96)

He'd done the right thing.

"That pile's already straight, Coop. Just saying. And also, you're avoiding the question."

"Maybe I don't like the question."

"Fine. No more questions. Instead, I'll tell you I'm going to a concert tonight."

"Which concert are you going to, Phoebe?" He made his voice robot-like, just to annoy her, even though his stomach was ping-ponging around inside his skin. Was she going to see Shelby? Tara?

Phoebe snorted. "Seriously. You know exactly which concert I'm going to."

"I would know this, how?"

"Because even if you were trying to be obtuse, your spidey-cop-senses would have sniffed it out by now."

"Nope. Sorry."

She narrowed her eyes. "Can you look me in the eye and tell me you don't know who's in town tonight?"

Cooper sighed. She knew he knew. In a fit of optimistic delusion, he'd even thought about trying to figure out how to contact her through her tour personnel last night, because the only person he'd wanted to talk to after he'd heard Lionel's news was … her. He'd even dialed a number he'd found on her website, but he'd chickened out before it had rung on the other end, because really? What would he possibly have said?

Hey there. Case closed and I'm a free man. Any chance I can rescind all of that nonsense I spewed before I left, and convince you to take another chance on an ex-cop who never should have said goodbye?



       
         
       
        

Yeah. Probably not that.

He took a breath, setting his jaw. "I don't know who's playing tonight."

"You're not looking in my eyes."

"Am too."

"Are not. You're looking at my eyebrows. It's not the same thing."

"Phoebe?"

"Yes, Cooper?" She smiled devilishly.

"Shut up."

"I love you, too, moron. And also, I need a ride to the show. But good news! I got you a ticket, too."

"I'm not-no." His gut twisted painfully. "I can't do that, Phoebs."

"It's okay. My friends can deal, as long as you don't act like a big dork. You won't, right? Because I already promised them you wouldn't. Also, I told them you'd never let me go, unless I had a police escort. But bam! You're police again!"

"Phoebe-"

"Coop, you've had her music on nonstop since you got back here a month ago."

"Not true."

"Looking at my eyebrows again. Just saying."

"Can I repeat the part about shut up?"

"Sure, but it never works." Phoebe stood up and pinched his cheek. "Come on. It'll be fun. You know you're dying to see her."

"In a stadium with how many thousand screaming teenagers? No, not exactly what I had in mind. I'd prefer something a little more personal, thanks."

"So you do want to see her."

Cooper took a deep breath through his nose. "You are absolutely insufferable."

"It's a gift." Phoebe grinned, then sobered as she looked at him. "Holy crap."

"What?"

She felt dramatically for the bed, then sat down. "You-omigod! Cooper! You totally fell for her, didn't you?"

"No idea what you're talking about."

"My. Eyes. Are. Right here." She pointed to her face. "Oh, wow. Oh, my God. My brother's in love with Tara Gibson."

Cooper shook his head. "Now that is not true."

"I can see it in your eyes, moron. You are-like-in deep, aren't you?"

He tipped his head, closing his eyes in mock pain. "Insufferable. Did I mention that already?"

"You have to come with us tonight. You have to." Phoebe tapped her foot, her eyes squinting as she undoubtedly came up with a capital-P Plan. "Ooh! I know! First, go pick up your badge. Then you can flash it at the security peeps and get backstage after the concert!"

"Can't do that. There will already be uniforms on-site, and they'll know which uniforms are supposed to be there." 

"Okay. Hold on. Ooh! We figure out where the backstage entrance is, and we wait there afterward for her to come out."

"I'm not going to accost the poor woman in a dark alley, Phoebe. I don't even know if she'd want to see me."

"How could she not want to see you? You're-you!"

Cooper pulled her into an awkward hug, then rubbed his fist on the top of her head in brotherly noogie fashion.

"Thank you. I appreciate your loyalty."

She batted him away, fixing her hair as she rolled her eyes. She stared at him for a long, uncomfortable moment, then crossed her arms.

"Do you want to see her, Coop? Pretend I'm an adult, not your annoying fourteen-year-old sister for a minute. Answer me like I'm all grown up, not just a frighteningly mature teenager."