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“Happy birthday!” She laughs and then takes off the rest of the way to her room.
I open the door, and Ramsey’s standing there, his brow quirked at me when he sees the massive grin on my face.
“The cake that fucking good then?” He smirks before he takes a sip of the beer he brought with him.
“Only had a taste, but I can already tell it’s the best I’ve ever had.”
He rolls his eyes and hands me a beer out of his cooler.
“Happy fucking birthday then!”
17
Beatrix
The sun’s gone down, and I’ve cleaned up most of what’s left of the party food and drinks. Ramsey is sprawled out on a lounge chair half-asleep, and Garner and Daphne are wrapped up with each other in the hot tub. Cooper swims up to the edge of the pool where I’m sitting, dipping my feet in and swishing small circles in the water, watching it form little sparkling waves in the illumination from the lights he has strung around the pool.
He runs a hand through his hair, sweeping it back, and several droplets highlight the rise of his cheekbones and the sharp cut of his jaw. The man is too pretty for his own good. Making him seem like one of the good guys for this PR project will probably be more difficult than I anticipated since I can’t even look at him without having dirty thoughts. Something that he must be able to read on my face when he grins and reaches out for me, wrapping his palms around the backs of my calves and gently massaging them.
“Water’s warm if you want to come in?”
“I’m not a very good swimmer.” I’m not keen to embarrass myself in front of him or the company.
“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit.”
“Treading water is about all I can manage.”
“We’ll have to add it to your list. We can work on it this summer. If you want.” The playful grin he gives me melts any protest I might have. This man can teach me anything he wants.
“Do you mind if we stay in the guest room?” Garner’s voice breaks through my daze, and I turn to look up at him. His fingers are intertwined with Daphne’s. She smiles at me, and I return it. I look back to Cooper to see what he’ll say since I’m currently occupying the space with suitcases and a dresser full of toiletries I have no permanent home for at the moment.
“That’s Trix’s room right now. You can have the room downstairs if you want.”
“She’s not sleeping with you?” Garner blurts out, the alcohol he’s had leaving him with no filter, and I tense. I see Cooper flash a look of concern in my direction.
“We’re just friends. I can move my stuff if you need it though,” I say before Cooper can speak.
Garner looks at me with a flicker of remorse on his face, like he knows he fucked up but also knows there’s not much he can do to walk it back at this point.
“No. No. You’re good. Downstairs is fine. I didn’t realize. I’m sorry.” He nods before he squeezes Daphne’s hand, and the two of them take off into the house.
“Fucking Christ, that boy’s a mess.” Ramsey’s behind us now too, shaking his head and then looking at me with sympathy. “Don’t fucking listen to him. He’s too dense for his own good sometimes.”
“It’s okay,” I answer softly, giving Ramsey a grateful smile anyway because I’m glad someone understands that this is awkward enough as it is.
“You care if I crash on the couch downstairs too? I don’t think I can drive right now. Didn’t drink that much, just exhausted.”
“Nah. Go ahead. But you better have some earplugs.” Cooper smirks.
“Garner’s a screamer? Why am I not surprised.” Ramsey laughs. “I’ll be all right. You two have a good one.” He nods a goodnight to both of us and then heads inside, sliding the glass behind him and leaving us with a tidal wave of awkward silence.
“Ramsey seems nice,” I say when the quiet stretches on too long for my liking.
Cooper laughs and shakes his head. “Ramsey’s anything but nice, but he’s a good guy.”
“You can be both?”
“He makes it work somehow. He’s a damn good friend. I’ll say that much.”
