left. He shivered once he was outside the office. Women who were overly aggressive used to be attractive to him, but he’d learned his lesson...a little too well. As he walked down the hallway, his eyes strayed to the windows he passed. Night had fallen during his time with the lawyer, which had felt like an eternity.
When he’d been called last week, telling him that his grandfather had passed and left him an inheritance, Cooper hadn’t believed it. He hadn’t spoken to Grandma Verl since he was a rebellious teenager, trying to forge his own path in life.
And what a path that was, he thought scornfully. His curls brushed his cheeks as he shook his head, the sensation soft against his skin, even as his heart pounded painfully within his ribcage. “I can’t believe he’s gone,” Cooper muttered.
He marched straight to his bike, zipping up his leather jacket along the way. Grabbing his helmet from the back, he slammed it onto his head. Grumbling at the tight fight, Cooper adjusted it as best he could until it felt more comfortable. “Need to get a haircut,” he grumbled, kicking up a leg to straddle the seat.
He turned on the engine and revved it for a moment before bringing up his feet to take off. Looking both ways at the end of the parking garage, he punched it, jumping into the nighttime traffic like he’d done a thousand times.
Memories swirled through his head as he rode. Images of him playing with his grandfather, playing catch or building a treehouse. Grandpa Verl had been a wonderful man who always had time for his family.
Cooper’s lips thinned. Then what the heck happened to my parents?
He hit the gas after idling at a stop light, enjoying the rush of adrenaline that zipping through the streets brought him. His bike was the only part of his old life that Cooper had hung onto. Well...that and the tattoo. Can’t really get rid of that one. He slowed as he passed the mechanics garage on forty-second and Alder. The place meant that Cooper was reaching the edge of town, but it also was a reminder of everything he would be leaving behind if he took the road laid out in front of him.
Miguel, the head mechanic, had given Cooper a job when no one else would. He’d helped Cooper get back on his feet, get a roof over his head, fill his belly and keep his most precious possession...his bike. When everything else had been taken from him, Nova had been left behind, just waiting for Cooper to get his head on straight and come back to her. Nothing else in his life had ever been so loyal.
Pressing the gas, Cooper sped back up and headed toward his tiny apartment. It definitely wasn’t much to look at, but it was his. He paid the rent faithfully every month, just like a good citizen would do. Every part of his life now was in line with the rules, but it wasn’t quite enough.
A shadow hung over Cooper, following him no matter how hard he tried to prove himself. It was as if the city wasn’t willing to forget his mistakes and would forever seek for ways to punish him for them.
Cooper parked, set his kickstand and swung his leg off the bike. Cradling the key in his palm, he tucked his helmet under his arm and marched up the steps to his room. After getting inside, he locked the door, dumped his gear on the couch and sat on the edge of his bed. His eyes drifted around the small studio, taking in the bare walls and second hand furniture.
Would you be sad to leave it behind?
He let the thought percolate for a minute, but the answer came easier than he expected. “No.” The words broke the thick silence. “There’s nothing for me here.” He sighed, sinking into the squeaky mattress. Squishing his lips to one side, he thought of living on the coast. He’d never been to the ocean. A man should see it once before he dies...right?
Cooper’s resolve began to build and a smile played on his lips. “New town, new job, and hopefully a new home.” He nodded in satisfaction. “For once, I think things might be going in my favor.”
KEEP READING
Other Books by Laura Ann
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IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MISTLETOE
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MIDDLETON PREP
If you enjoy fairy tale romance,
these sweet, contemporary retellings are for you!
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