“I was worried about Addy. She’s pretty drunk, so I waited for her to finish in the bathroom.”
“You smell good,” Addy tells Cooper loudly, her head hanging back as she loops her arms around his neck.
Cooper looks at me with a smirk, his eyes skipping to Asher briefly before landing back on mine. “Your friend?”
“I’m more than her friend, asshole,” Asher corrects gruffly, his grip tightening.
“For the love of Christ, he’s talking about Addy. Behave,” I hiss. “Yes,” I answer Cooper, while elbowing Asher. “Cooper, this is my boyfriend, Asher Colloway. Asher this is Cooper Jensen. He’s the photographer I hired for Gray and Livia’s wedding next weekend.”
“Nice to meet you, man. I’d shake your hand, but…they’re kind of full.”
“Yes, I see that. Nice to meet you, too.” Asher actually sounds sincere and I breathe a sigh of relief that this won’t turn into some knock-out brawl instigated by my irrationally jealous lover.
“You have beautiful lips,” Addy slurs, pressing hers against the curve of Cooper’s neck. “Kiss me,” I hear her mumble before Cooper laughs.
“Um, where should we take her?” Cooper asks, readjusting his grip on a slumping Addy. He looks amused and not one bit uncomfortable. But who would be with a stunningly beautiful woman in his arms, even if she doesn’t have all of her faculties about her at the moment.
“Kamryn’s driver bring you?” Asher asks me, kissing the tip of my nose.
“Yes.”
“Can you walk, Addy?” Asher leaves me, going to Addy’s side. He tries pulling her from Cooper’s arms, but even in her drunken state, or maybe because of it, she’s strong and clings to Cooper like she’d float away into space without him.
Cooper chuckles. “It’s okay, I’ve got her. Just show me the way.”
Asher nods, snaking an arm around my waist. Cooper and I exchange a knowing glance and wink before he follows us to our booth. About five feet away Luke notices what’s going on and jumps up to meet us. The look on his face is reminiscent of a jealous and possessive Asher.
“What the fuck,” he practically yells accusingly, taking Addy from Cooper’s arms. Cooper’s eyes shift between Addy and Luke, his jaw ticking furiously.
Uh oh. I smell testosterone.
“Just helping out. Maybe you shouldn’t let your girlfriend get falling-down drunk next time and go off to the bathroom by herself,” Cooper spits, his eyes flaring.
Uh oh. I smell a fight.
“He’s not my fucking boyfriend,” Addy tries saying, but it comes out more like, “Heeessss no me fuckn boooyfrn.” Addy then tries pushing out of Luke’s hold, reaching again for Cooper, but Luke hooks one hand under her knees and scoops her into his arms.
“Where’s her coat? I’m taking her home.” Luke’s hard glare never deviates from Cooper, just daring him to say another word. Cooper looks to me, calming slightly when I mouth, It’s okay.
Next thing I know Luke’s walking through the crowd, coat draped over Addy, who’s now snuggled into his chest, eyes shut.
“Well that was…interesting,” Cooper mumbles, his eyes following Luke’s back until he disappears around the corner.
Uh oh. I smell competition.
“So, Alyse, nice to see you. I need to get back to my cousin.” Cooper doesn’t wait for my reply before leaving. Nor does he wait for an introduction to the happy couple he’s going to be photographing for an entire day a week from now. And I’m secretly glad he doesn’t say anything about lunch before he makes his exit. There’s been enough drama tonight without adding to it by causing Asher to pound his chest, forbidding me to be alone in the presence of another man without a chaperone.
I take a seat in the booth, squeezing beside Libs and Asher. I casually watch Cooper retreat, stopping at a high-top table across the room, all the while thinking about the rightness of being with this wonderful man flush to me, arm slung around my shoulder, and how lucky I am to have found him again.
Watching Cooper talk to the man whose back is to me, but who I assume must be his cousin, I feel giddiness bubble inside at the thought that for the first time in years I’m hopeful to have a future that I didn’t think was ever possible.
I notice their heads close together and imagine Cooper’s probably giving him a play-by-play of the last ten minutes. I decide it’s finally time to come completely clean with Asher, shedding my armor, letting the ugly secrets of my past spill. While Asher’s managed to jackhammer much of my fortress, I want to demolish the rest myself. I’ll brace for the worst, but the truth is, I believe in Asher, so I’ll hope for the best.