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“Fuck…” I hear him mutter and shake his head before he starts again.
“Be nice. They’re just holding hands.”
“That’s how it starts.” There’s another grumble I can’t hear, and then a moment later, we’re next to the group.
“Mr. Rawlings.” The boy yanks his hand back from Lizzy’s and stares up at Cooper’s impressive form towering over him. Cooper doesn’t say a word; his eyes just shift back and forth for a moment before he smiles at his daughter.
“We need to get home a little early. Something came up for Trix.”
“Trix?” Lizzy looks worriedly around the side of her father.
“I’m okay. Just need to get home.” I smile brightly at her, not wanting to scare her or ruin what was otherwise probably a good night. I know at her age, I would have killed for a boy to hold my hand, but having a brother like Xander meant that even if there was one who liked me enough, he was way too scared.
My eyes shift to the boy who’d been holding Lizzy’s hand, and he’s still looking nervously up at Cooper, but Cooper’s already moved on to the next thing as Lizzy says her goodnights and shuffles off in my direction to head to the car. When we cross the fairgrounds and the gravel parking lot and get back to the car, Lizzy hops in right away, too busy texting to notice how slow we are. Cooper gives me a meaningful look, and I pause before I open my door. I look at him with a question, and his lips flatline for a second before he returns with a more serious expression than I’ve seen before.
“Listen… I’ve been thinking, and I think you should stay the night with us. We can make up an excuse for Lizzy so we don’t scare her, but I really don’t want to take you back to the hotel alone. You can stay in our guest room.”
I stand there for a moment considering the possibilities, mulling over the idea of Cooper Rawlings having a guest room in the first place. Then my mind drifts back to a reality where someone might be following us. I wasn’t going to admit it because I can handle myself just fine. I’ve spent plenty of nights on the road in less-than-stellar situations, but I am a little scared to go back to the hotel alone. If they are watching me, however far-fetched that might seem, I don’t want them to find out where I’m staying. But I’m also not exactly prepared to stay the night somewhere. My purse has a few of the essentials, but it’s a poor excuse for an overnight bag.
“I don’t have anything with me.”
“I’ve got plenty at the house to get you through the night. An extra toothbrush and everything.” Cooper grins at me, the worried look on his face lifting a little as he tries to put me at ease.
“Okay. I think you’re right about the hotel tonight. I don’t exactly feel safe going back there, but what are we going to tell Lizzy?”
He shrugs. “We can just tell her there was an issue at the hotel. No power or water or something, so you’re staying with us.”
“I’ll let you do all the talking then. Are you sure though? I hate being a burden.” My voice hitches a little in my throat as rub my thumb over the side of my phone anxiously.
“Trix, you’re not a burden and that…” He glances down at my phone in my hand. “Whatever that is, I’m worried about you. I’d rather know you’re somewhere safe until we get to the bottom of it.”
“Well, I appreciate it. Thank you.”
He grabs the door handle and pulls my side open, nodding for me to get in. “Thank me less, and let’s get you somewhere safe.”
Lizzy takes the explanation of why her would-have-been aunt is staying in her home for the night in stride. After giving me a quick hug and a goodnight, she disappears into her room for the evening. Cooper shows me to a guest room that looks like an old girlfriend might have been decorated it, if he ever had one, and promises to return with supplies.
I spin around once, taking in the big picture window behind the bed and the cute wallpaper decorating the wall that frames it. Even the quilt on the bed matches the color scheme, and a mess of decorative pillows piled on top bring the whole thing together. I can’t help but smile at it before I remember why I’m here. My stomach tumbles at the thought, and I turn to pick up my phone out of morbid curiosity to see if my photographer has stayed silent or not.
I open the app and sink onto the edge of the bed while I stare at the two photos of us. Nothing about the angle or anything in the image is particularly helpful in revealing the culprit. It could have been any one of the hundreds of people at the fair tonight. Someone blithely snapping photos and not even knowing we were in them could have taken them if they weren’t tagging me and using my name in the captions.
“You okay?” Cooper asks, breaking through my thoughts as he leans against the doorway. He’s out of his shoes and hat now, his hair disheveled from being under the ball cap all day, and the look on his face is full of worry. My eyes flick to his upper arms, where his bicep flexes as he leans, then back to his face, and I tell myself to get a grip.
I don’t remember ever noticing Cooper this much before. I’ve always been logically aware of the fact that he’s attractive. I can understand why he always had plenty of women and an attitude about never settling down. But I never looked at anything beyond that surface when I dated Rob. But now, knowing he’s worried about me and kind enough to bring me back here, it’s hard not to feel something for him even if it’s just overwrought gratefulness.
“Trix?” he asks, and I realize I’ve been staring at him.
“Sorry.” I shake my head, trying to clear my confusion. “I’m just trying to think who would even be doing this. And feeling awkward that you’re having to have me here tonight.”
“Don’t feel awkward. You were practically family, and I still think of us as friends. You need somewhere safe to go, and we’ve got a place for you. Did you tell Madison or not?”
“I didn’t tell her. I don’t want to. She has so much on her plate with Quentin right now and resolving all the issues between their families. Everything is on the line for her. I’m supposed to be here helping, and I don’t want to cause her any stress. After all, it could be nothing, right? Just a fan of yours or a silly prank, maybe?”
The look on his face tells me he’s not buying my simple solutions.
“Pretty fucked up prank if that’s what it is. Do you know anyone who might do that? Do you know anyone in the area?”
“No. Not that I know of. I mean, it’s possible someone I went to school with or something lives here now. It wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility, but I have no idea who would care enough to play a prank like this. I don’t mean to keep putting the focus on you. But you’re the celebrity. Are you sure you can’t think of anyone?”
