Someone to Love (5 page)

“He told you about his father?” Daphne said with a puzzled look on her face.

“He did.”

“Hmm, interesting.” There was an introspective expression on her face.

“He also told me the fascinating history of this place and how it got its name.”

Daphne raised an eyebrow. “The history of this place?”

“Yeah, it used to be an actual smithery, and then it burnt down and when the owner rebuilt it he said he needed a drink more than he needed a horseshoe and opened a bar.”

Daphne laughed. It sounded similar to Cooper’s just in a higher octave. Tears began to form in her eyes.

“That is a fascinating story, it’s also a lie. It used to be called Whitehall Tavern, but Cooper changed it when he began brewing beer. He thought Smithery worked better as the origin for his ‘hand forged brews’.”

Cooper returned with a couple of bottles. He didn’t seem too happy to see his mother sitting at the table smiling while Noli glared at him. He went for the empty seat but his mother stood. He towered over Daphne more than he did her. Seeing them stand next to each other Noli found it hard to believe that such a slight woman had given birth to a giant.

“Here, take your seat back. I just came to introduce myself to Noli before I left.”

“I’ll see you later.” He bent and kissed her on the cheek.

“Seems like he’s in a hurry to see me gone,” she said to Noli. Then she turned towards Cooper and said just above a whisper, “Or maybe you just want to be alone with Noli. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“See you then.” It caught Noli off guard when the woman kissed her on the cheek.

“Why will you be seeing her tomorrow?” Cooper asked once his mother was gone.

“Wedding planning stuff.”

“Oh. Here’s your less pretentious fassbrause.”

Noli looked at the bottle he’d handed her. The label had an old fashion woodblock print of a smith with a hammer in hand raised over an anvil in sepia and white. Above the picture were the words “Coppersmith’s” and below it said “Hand Forged Apple Beer”. On her label the words apple beer had been crossed out and fassbrause written over it with a marker.”

“Oh you think you’re so funny.”

“I don’t think I’m funny. I know I am.”

“Like the total lie you told about the name of this place.”

He laughed. “I can’t help it you were gullible enough to believe that.”

“Whatever. You should keep it though, that story could be marketing genius. Put it on your website as the legend of this place. You can even say that the first recipe you brewed was found hidden away in here.”

“But the story’s not true.”

“It’s a legend, it doesn’t have to be true. A legend is nothing more than historic gossip.”

“Perhaps you could be my head of marketing.”

“I doubt I’ll be here after the wedding.” She drank some of the golden liquid. “I hate to say this, but this is so good.”

“Thank you. Two compliments from you in one hour. I might begin to think you like me.”

“You’d be wrong.”

They continued to chat and drink, with limited appearance from Kayla and a couple of trips by Cooper to the bar, for the next few hours. Noli kept track in her head how many alcoholic brews each of them had had, which was quite a feat given her low level of sobriety. He’d had one less than her.

“You want another round?” he asked as though he were reading her mind.

“No, I think I’m good,” Noli said, knowing when to say when. “But I’ll have another water.”

“I’m going to get another pale ale.”

Noli wondered if he’d been keeping track too. “You know what, if you’re having another, so will I.”

“You’re so competitive,” he said.

“I’m not competitive. I’m motivated. You ordering another one motivated me to have another.” She picked up the rest of her water. “So I can beat you,” she said into the glass.

“You’d have to drink two more to beat me. I think you lost track somewhere along the way. Maybe you confused one of your waters for a beer in your count.”

“Fine, you’ve drank one more.” She didn’t think he had but she wanted to lose. Lumberjack or not, she was attracted to him and her beer libido was kicking in. She no longer had the ability to fight the temptation to kiss him.

He leaned forward and she closed her eyes. Her heart began to beat faster but his lips never touched hers, instead he whispered in her ear, “It wouldn’t be decent to kiss you where I want to in public.” Her eyes flew open. He took her hand into his and stood. “Come with me.” She stumbled behind him obediently into a small office. He shut the door behind them.

“So where is it that you want to kiss me?”

“You should have gotten that information up front. You should be more careful when you bet.” He sat in one of the stuffed armchairs and pulled her onto his lap. “From the moment I saw you I wondered what your rich brown skin would feel like under my lips.” His finger traced a path down the length of her neck.

She leaned back into his chest and savored the feeling of sitting on his lap while he caressed her. “You won the right to kiss me, not touch me.”

He put his hands on the chair arms. His mouth descended onto her neck. First his lips followed the path his finger had earlier traced. His facial hair tickled her skin and she instinctively giggled and pulled away.

“If you keep moving, I’ll be forced to use my hands.” His mouth resumed its lovely torturous assault on her neck until she pulled away from the rough tickle of his beard. “I warned you.”

His forearm looped around her waist and locked her tight against his body. His other hand reached up and threaded through her hair limiting how far she could move her neck away from his kisses. Once again, he began to kiss the delicate skin of her neck. This time, with a little less gentleness, he began to nibble on her neck before kissing the same spot.

He took his time repeating the pattern of nibbling and kissing until he reached her collarbone. She let her head fall back onto his shoulder to give him more access. She began to moan when his tongue began to draw little circles on her neck, which elicited a groan from him. She was lost to anything but the sensation of his mouth on her neck and his arm wrapped around her.

She was so enthralled with the pleasure he was creating she hadn’t heard the door open and didn’t know Kayla was in the room until the young waitress cleared her throat and said, “What’s going on here?”

Noli’s eyes flew open and she attempted to stand, but was restricted by Cooper’s arm. She attempted a second time with more force, but his grasp had loosened and she sprang forward off his lap, stumbling a couple of steps before she regained her balance.

“I should go. Does this town have a cab service?” The slurred words rushed from Noli just as fast as she wished she could run out of the room right now.

“No, but there’s no need for a cab. I’ll take you,” Kayla said.

“I’ll take her,” Cooper said standing.

“No, I’ll take her. I think you’ve had too much to drink to drive right now,” Kayla said.

“I’m fine to drive,” Cooper insisted.

“It’s obvious your judgment is impaired, so you can’t drive. I’m taking her and the subject isn’t open for discussion.”

Their exchange made Noli wonder more about the exact nature of Kayla and Cooper’s relationship. This didn’t seem like the way an employee would speak to a boss. It seemed personal.

Cooper thought for a moment. “Maybe you’re right. I did drink more than I’d intended to.”

Noli didn’t say anything for fear it might turn ugly. What was she doing being the other woman? She’d never put herself into a situation like this before. She remained quiet as she gathered her purse and waited for Kayla to do the same. The first part of the drive passed in silence as well.

“I’m so sorry for what you saw back there. I’m truly embarrassed.”

“I thought you had fallen asleep,” Kayla said startled by the sudden end to the silence. “Don’t be embarrassed, you were drunk and Coop’s a charmer.”

“I’m still sorry.”

“Cooper’s the one that needs to apologize.”

“It’s not all his fault. I played a part in it too.” Noli felt compelled to shoulder her share of the blame for the make out session in Cooper’s office.

“I don’t think you did, unless you knew.”

“Knew what?” The confused look on Kayla’s face prompted her to ask.

“That half the time he came to get drinks he’d pour a soda instead of a beer. He said they were for you, but given your state, he kept the soda for himself and gave you the beer. ”

“He what?!” Her anger began to sober her. “Wait a minute, how many actual alcoholic beverages did he drink?”

“I don’t know, maybe about half of what you drank. He brought all of the real beer to the table. I brought soda since I’m not old enough to serve liquor.”

“How old are you?”

“I’m nineteen, almost twenty.”

“Aren’t you too young—”

“To work in a bar? No, I just haven’t taken the state’s test to start serving alcohol yet.”

Noli had been about to ask if she was too young to be dating Cooper. Granted she was only a few years younger than her, but she was still a teenager and Cooper likely had a decade on her. What kind of man dated a naive teenager? The same kind of man that would get her drunk and seduce her. Cooper was a liar, and a cheat, and off limits.

“I’m going to kill him.”

“Get in line.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sure you’re more upset than me.”

Kayla shrugged it off. “You’re gonna have one massive hangover in the morning.”

They pulled up in front of the Sloan’s house. “Thank you, Kayla.”

“No problem.”

Noli stumbled her way through the unlocked front door. She grabbed a water from the fridge and was headed straight to bed when she saw Diane was still awake. Noli plopped down on Diane’s bed drinking the water. “How was your evening with Jack?”

“Good. What did you think of the place for the reception?”

“I loved it. It needs a lot of cleaning and a little paint, but it’ll be a beautiful place for the reception.

“What did you think of Cooper?”

“Did not like him. Like, not at all. He’s kind of a jerk. I want to punch him in the eye. I like his eyes. He has beautiful eyes. Like a lion. He’d sound good roaring.”

“You look sober, but you’re talking drunk?” Diane said.

“I might be about ten times drunker than I look.”

“It’s too bad you didn’t like Cooper and his beautiful lion eyes.”

“Why?”

“I wouldn’t mind if my cousin and my future husband’s best friend were—”

“Not going to happen,” Noli cut her off.

“But if it did, it would be nice to have my favorite cousin living close by with her husband.”

“Husband! Did Jack get you drunk too?”

“No. I’m just saying I would like that. I miss you.”

The tears glossing Diane’s eyes cut Noli. She missed her too, but staying put, and a relationship or marriage was not something she could ever do. “Cooper and I are not going to happen so you can stop living in your fairytale world of happily ever after. Love has made you stupid. I’m going to sleep.”

“This is the list I have so far. The menu is set as Thanksgiving dinner, in honor of your first date.”

Diane smiled that stupid in love smile that she couldn’t keep off her face. “He’d say that was our second date. Yes, turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, all of that.”

“Your sweet tooth sent me a memo that in addition to a three tier wedding cake and a guitar shaped groom’s cake that a dessert buffet is a must.”

“We’ll take care of the menu,” Rose Sloan said speaking for Daphne as well as herself.

“I need to find a DJ that plays everything from classic soul, to country, to the Jonas Brothers.” That smile appeared on Diane’s face again. She wondered what it would feel like to be that joyously in love. “I should work in stars and football in if I can. The color scheme is turquoise because it reminds you of his eyes, brown because it reminds him of yours, and white for the snow storm you met in.”

“Yes, that’s what Jack and I want. I trust you to put your magic touch on the rest.”

“So, what are your ideas, Noli?” Rose asked.

“First thing is save the dates. Since the wedding is so soon the save the dates shouldn’t be mailed, but a website link e-mailed to guest. In addition to the save the date, it will also have downloadable maps, the registry and engagement photos. Speaking of photos, Rose, I need pictures of Jack at various ages. My uncle is going to upload pictures of Diane. Their pictures will be hung by clothespins.”

“Clothespins?”

“Not just regular clothespins, they’ll be painted and have their names on it with a magnet on the back. It’ll be one of the souvenirs.”

“Good morning all.” Everyone responded to Cooper’s greeting, except Noli. “Good morning, Magnolia.”

“I’m glad to see you here.” Her tone was dry and made the statement seem untrue.

“You are?” he said with genuine surprise and a smile.

“I am. We were just going over some wedding details and I was just about to get to the open bar.”

“Open bar?”

“Open bar,” she repeated the words, stretching out each syllable so he would comprehend the two simple words.

“Is open bar slang for something?” Daphne asked Diane.

“If it is I don’t know,” Diane responded.

“We haven’t worked out all the details, but as I drank a few beers and he drank a few cream sodas, Cooper agreed to an open bar.” She explained without taking her glare off him.

Cooper eyes narrowed with recognition that they were both aware of the truth about last night. “May I speak to you for a moment about the details for the open bar?”

“Of course.” Noli stood and walked past him out the door and onto the porch.

***

“I think he likes her,” Daphne said as soon as they were out of earshot.

“Of course he does, she’s his type— attractive and female,” Rose said.

“No, I think he likes her.” She leaned in as if telling a secret. “He told her about his father.”

“Oh,” Rose said.

“Is that a big deal?” Diane asked.

“He doesn’t talk about his father,” Rose explained.

“With anybody,” Daphne continued. “Not even me.”

“Oh,” Diane said. “Wow.”

“I hope he doesn’t try to pull a Cooper,” Rose said.

“What’s a Cooper?” Diane said lost again.

“He has relations, not so much actual relationships. If feelings start to form he breaks things off,” Rose said.

“I doubt Noli will be around long enough for feelings to form. She doesn’t do feelings anymore.” Diane looked at the clock on the microwave. “I need to go get ready for my study group. Momma, you’re still able to help Noli get where she needs to go today right?”

“Yes dear.”

“Thanks for all your help. The plan to organize a wedding and study for the bar wasn’t too well thought out.”

“You concentrate on studying and we’ll take care of the wedding.”

Diane kissed her future mother in law on the cheek and headed up the stairs.

“You know, if they had more time together, perhaps Cooper and Noli could get over their relationship-phobias together,” Daphne said once she believed Diane was out of earshot.

“Daphne, are you talking about meddling in your son’s love life?”

“I most certainly am,” she said in a matter of fact tone. “That boy can’t live his entire life keeping love at bay. I’m just saying we give him a gentle push in the right direction.” Daphne said.

“What if that’s not the right direction for Noli?” Rose asked. “If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.”

“Sometimes meant to be needs a little help being. I’m not trying to force anything. I just have a feeling that if they spend time together it could be good for both of them.”

“Just time together huh,” Rose said considering her friend’s idea. “She doesn’t drive. Diane’s going to be busy studying and asked me to help her get around. Perhaps I could need to take care of my sick husband,” Rose said.

“And I have work,” Daphne said. “But Cooper could easily be available.”

***

Before he could get out the door she let him have it. “What kind of low life are you? Did you think it was okay to get me drunk while you drank pop so you could take advantage of me?”

A vein was popping on her neck around the same area he’d been kissing the night before. He’d like to kiss her there right now. “It’s not like that at all.”

“I don’t care what it was like. I don’t want to hear any more of your lies. You lost the bet and there will be an open bar.”

She turned to go, but he reached for her arm. “It’s not a lie. What I did was wrong and I apologize. I’d told Kayla to do that when it was just us settling some trash talk.”

“Well, once it became a bet you could have stopped your trickery, but you didn’t.”

“I was trying to be responsible. It wasn’t that I was trying to get you drunk but more that I was trying to not get drunk since I had to drive you home. I just wanted to drive you home because I was enjoying my time with you and didn’t want the night to end.” That was the truth. He had been hoping to luck his way into a kiss. Every time she’d raised a mug to her soft full lips he’d wished she was touching her lips to his and not the glass.

“Any way you spin it, you still lied to get me drunk.”

Her tone had changed and he knew he was making head way. “It was never my intention to get you drunk. I thought you’d drink two or three beers and be done. You could have stopped at any point. I didn’t force you to drink like a sailor on leave.”

“So you’re blaming me?” That intimidating tone and killer glint in her eyes returned.

“Not blaming you. I’m just saying it was pretty impressive the way you threw them back. I was even a little envious.”

“So, you admit I won? More importantly, I beat you.” She let a smile slip.

“You beat me hands down.”

“Then why did you lie and say I lost?”

“Because even with my “trickery” I was drunk too and thought it was the easiest way for us to get what we both wanted.”

“I did not want to kiss you!” she said refusing to let him win.

“Not only did you want it, you liked it when it happened.” He knew he’d enjoyed it.

“No, I didn’t.”

“Now who’s the liar?”

“If I liked it, and I’m not saying I liked it, just if, it was the alcohol and not truly me.”

“You’re sober now. Let’s see if you like it.” He took a step towards her. She moved back crashing into the screen door, causing it to make a loud noise.

“I am here to plan a wedding and the role you’ll play in the event is the free open bar and best man. You are to stay away from me or else.”

“Or else what?”

“Or else you’re gonna get it.”

“Oh, I hope so,” he said low and sexy, leaning towards her again.

She fumbled with the door’s latch for a flustered moment then rushed into the house. “We’ve worked out the details and Cooper is providing the open bar as a wedding gift for Diane and Jack,” Noli said when she reentered the kitchen with Cooper in tow.

“That’ll make for a fun wedding,” Daphne said.

“Noli, Diane asked me to take you around because she’ll be busy studying, but I can’t because my husband’s still not a hundred percent.” She said referring to her spouse’s recent hospital stay. “I just don’t feel right leaving him home alone for too long. But you can borrow my car.”

Cooper saw a flash of fear in Noli’s eyes at the mention of borrowing the car and her hands clenched at her sides. He didn’t know why she was afraid but that didn’t seem to matter because he felt an uncontrollable need to take that fear away.

Before he could volunteer, his mother said, “Cooper can do it.” She followed it up with a look that told him he better do it.

“I can do it.”

Noli visibly relaxed. She must not like to drive if being with him was a relief from the task.

“I don’t want to keep you from running your business,” Noli said.

“Trevor manages the daily operations of the bar. I can do it.”

“Fine,” he said. Cooper looked at the time on his cell. “I’ve got some free time now. We just need to swap my bike for my truck.” The thought of her legs around him and her body pressed against his and her arms wrapped around him, even for the short ride was alluring.

“By bike do you mean a ten speed? Maybe with a basket on front?”

“I mean my motorcycle.”

“I’m not getting on a motorcycle.”

“Motorcycles are safe,” Cooper began but she put her hand up stopping him from continuing the defense of motorcycles.

“Please, just go get your truck and comeback. That’ll give us time to finish up here.”

***

“Why don’t you want to drive?” Cooper asked about an hour later as he drove Noli to the first store.

“I just don’t,” she said looking out of the window with the hope he’d get the hint that she didn’t want to talk about it.

He didn’t.

“Is your license suspended because of too many parking tickets?”

“I don’t think they suspend a license for parking tickets.”

“Then why doesn’t someone as independent as you drive?”

She sighed. “I just don’t. Can we leave it at that?” she asked softly.

“We can. Where too?”

She raised a shoulder and shook her head. “I need cleaning supplies and paint, so whatever store carries that, and a craft store.”

“Can I just chauffeur you or do I have to go into the stores while you shop?”

“Do you want to just sit out in a truck?”

“Without a doubt,” he answered.

“The good news is I don’t like to shop. More often than not I make my list and stick to it, but if you’re in the truck you won’t be able to keep me on track and it could turn into one of those times that I just wander aimlessly from aisle to aisle for hours and hours,” she goaded.

“That was the most passive aggressive threat I’ve faced in a while.”

“You mean other than the look that your mother gave you to make you agree to drive me?” Noli said.

“You saw that.”

“I did.”

“I didn’t do it because of her look. I did it because of how you looked.” He glanced over at her.

Her smile dropped. “How did I look?”

“Scared to death of getting behind the wheel.”

She took a deep breath and nodded. “I was. Thank you.”

“I’m just being nice so I can get a glimpse of the sweet Magnolia.”

“Seriously, I appreciate you agreeing to do this. I stopped driving shortly after my parents’ death.” She didn’t know why she was opening up to him. For so long she had avoided talking about her parents’ passing. She needed to talk with someone and for some reason she wanted it to be him.

“Did they pass away in a car accident?”

“Yes,” her voice was quiet and free of the jovial tone of just moments ago.

“I actually volunteered because I wanted the opportunity to spend time with you so I could get another kiss.”

She laughed. “Never gonna happen.”

“I enjoy a good challenge.”

“A challenge means there’s a possibility. Us kissing again is an impossibility.”

“Wanna bet?”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “I don’t make bets with people who cheat.”

“You’re still angry about that?”

“You act like it was ten years ago and not ten hours ago. And I’m not angry.”

“I probably wouldn’t like you angry. You probably turn green and your skirt rips.”

“Are you seriously comparing me to the Incredible Hulk?”

“I’m not. I’m comparing you to mild mannered Bruce Banner.”

“You mean when he went from being super intelligent,” she said gesturing to herself, “and transformed into the muscular, dumb green beast?” She pointed at him.

“Hey, I’m not green.”

“You’re offended that I called you green, but not that I implied you are a dumb beast?”

“You say dumb beast but I hear incredibly desirable.”

“Shut up and drive,” she said lightly punching his arm.

Once in the home improvement store, Cooper quickly got bored with Noli trying to choose between what seemed like a thousand barely different shades of white so he went to get a few odds and ends he’d been needing but hadn’t gotten around to. When he returned a half hour later, she’d found the shade of white, but was now debating with herself about the million combinations the thousands of shades of brown and turquoise.

As she held up paint chips next to each other, her head bopped back and forth as her body swayed from side to side to the rhythm of the music. When he got closer he could hear that she was singing along, slightly off key. She was lost in her own little world of music and paint chips, and didn’t see him approaching. He came to stand right behind her, bent to ear level and said “May I have this dance?”

She let out a little startled yelp at the sound of his voice, and jumped, bumping into his hard chest. “It’s not polite to sneak up on people.”

“I didn’t sneak up on you. You were just too into the song to notice me.”

“I really like that song.”

“Why?”

“I like it because my dad loved Babyface, and would sing ‘Someone to Love’ to my mother. I thought it was so gross because I knew it would end with them kissing.”

“Since you were singing it, we should end up kissing.”

“Not going to happen.”