My One and Only(34)

“That explains it,” he said, stopping next to her car. “Where are your keys?”

Haleigh’s head popped up. “Am I driving?” she asked.

“I’m driving. Now where are your keys?”

Struggling against Cooper’s wall-like chest, she squirmed to get her hand into her pocket. “This would be easier if you’d put me down.”

Not that she wanted him to put her down. Ever.

“Unlock the doors and I’ll put you down in the car.” She did as ordered, and Cooper did as promised, going so far as to buckle her in.

Toying with the dimple in his chin, Haleigh whispered, “What about Daisy?”

He caught her wrist as she traced the outline of his bottom lip. “Daisy can take care of herself.”

They stared at each other for several seconds until Haleigh nearly dragged his mouth to hers. Before she had the chance, Cooper pulled away. “We’d better get you home,” he said, then closed her door.

As she watched him cross in front of the car, Haleigh let the self-hate wash over her as she spoke her thoughts aloud.

“You’re too good for me, Cooper Ridgeway.”





Chapter 11

By the time Cooper reached the driver’s seat, Haleigh was snoring. First, she took his head off over the Ruby committee, and then she slammed back enough alcohol to get herself toasted in a matter of minutes. Since he was pretty sure the theater wasn’t the real source of her sudden mood change, Cooper laid the blame at Meredith Mitchner’s feet.

If he hadn’t overheard all those conversations between Haleigh and his sister, Cooper would be as clueless as the rest of the town about the older woman’s true nature. She’d been genial enough at school gatherings. Conversed with his mother about whatever mothers talked about when their kids were friends. But, based on his teenage eavesdropping, she’d been a completely different person at home.

Snippets of Haleigh’s complaints came back to him. Phrases like I can’t do anything right and the woman hates everything about me made him cringe. True or not, no kid should ever be made to feel the way Haleigh had. Unfortunately, Cooper knew the feeling all too well, as his father, too, had a knack for throwing verbal punches in his son’s direction. The constant reminders of every way in which Cooper had disappointed Malcolm Ridgeway were impossible to forget.

At least Cooper understood the source of his father’s hostility. A failed academic, the elder Ridgeway had expected his son to accomplish everything he’d been unable to do. As if he could achieve success through one degree of separation. The fact that Cooper wasn’t going to be the book-smart type had been apparent early on, but that hadn’t stopped his father’s attempts to force-feed facts, figures, and philosophy to his child.

When Cooper hadn’t coughed them back up in the right order, or repeated them with enough eloquence to meet his father’s expectations, things got ugly. Heavy books flew across the room. Beloved toys were ripped away, and long hours were spent in his room to “think about what he’d done.”

Until age thirteen, he’d believed himself the dumbest person on the planet, because no matter how long Cooper stared at his bedroom walls, he never could figure out why he was being punished. Abby didn’t have any answers either. Their father hadn’t been as hard on Cooper’s twin, but then he’d barely acknowledged her presence. An entirely different cross that no child should have to bear.

“I give you everything,” Haleigh mumbled from the passenger seat. Her eyes were still closed and her lips pushed forward in a pout. “Why can’t you ever be happy?”

Afraid the waterworks might start next, Cooper tapped the side of her leg. “Wake up, Hal. We’re almost home.”

“I don’t want to go home,” she argued as her head flopped toward the door. “Home sucks.”

Cooper wasn’t sure if that was her liquor-soaked brain wanting more alcohol, or if by home she thought he meant her mother’s house.

“Come on, hon,” he said as he parked next to Abby’s red Camry. “We’re here now. At Abby’s house.”

She’d have to wake up enough to at least down some water before bed. Otherwise, she was going to feel like hell in the morning. After undoing his own seat belt, Cooper freed Haleigh, who fell against his arm and nestled into his shoulder. He’d heard somewhere that alcohol always told the truth. If that was the case, his drunk little friend liked him more than she let on while sober.

“Lean this way,” he said, lowering her down to the console between the seats. “I’ll be right over to get you.” After a quick trip around the car, he gave Haleigh a gentle shake. “Time to get on your feet, darling.” He could carry her, but Cooper preferred to minimize her embarrassment in front of Abby and Jessi. At barely ten in the evening, chances were good that both would be awake.