before. Whenever you’re in a room together, it’s like nobody else matters. You drift toward one another. You look at each other with this whole other level of understanding. Like he’s your other half and you’re his.”
He is.
“I second all of that,” Maya agrees. “I actually thought you two were dating for several months before River informed me you were just friends. I didn’t believe her at first, because I just couldn’t imagine how you weren’t dating.”
Now that I’m with Cooper, I can’t imagine how it’s possible either.
“Have you told him yet?” River asks.
I shake my head. “No. I mean, we’ve said it before, but that was…you know…”
“Before.” She nods. “And that’s completely different.”
I’ve been thinking a lot about what his moms said, about how we need to be careful because there’s a lot at stake between us now.
Our history and our hearts.
Before, losing Cooper would have been awful.
Now? Losing him would be completely devastating.
And I don’t think I’d ever come back from that.
All I can do is hope he feels the same about me.
“That makes sense. I know I’d be scared as hell to fall for my best friend like that. Can you imagine if things didn’t work out? You’d lose your boyfriend and your best friend all in one fell swoop. I mean, yikes. I—”
“Maya!” River hisses, nodding toward me in a clear OMG shut up gesture. “You are so not helpful.”
Maya winces. “Oops.” She shoots me a weak smile. “Just ignore me. I’m—”
“Right,” I say. “I was just thinking it myself.”
She places her hand on top of mine. “Well, don’t, because it’s pointless. You’re Caroline and Cooper. Nothing is coming between you two. I just know it.”
I hope she’s right.
“Anyway, since I’ve already put you on the spot once this morning,” River says to me, “have you thought about my offer?”
Have I thought about it? Only every day since she made it.
“Any decisions?” Her hazel eyes are hopeful, and even Maya looks excited.
I hate to disappoint them, but… “Not yet.”
I have the confidence to make the designs and have been working on pieces over the past few weeks, but I lack that same courage when it comes to displaying them.
Playing pretend designer and seamstress in my bedroom is one thing.
Putting my work on display for the whole town to judge is another, and I’m not sure I’m ready for it.
River’s shoulders deflate, but she recovers quickly. “Totally fine. Like I said, even if you come to me the morning of, you’re in.”
Maya bobs her head up and down vigorously. “What she said. And not to pressure you or anything, but I really hope you say yes. I’ve been wanting a top like the one you have on now since you first wore it.”
“Thank you,” I tell River again. “I’ll—”
“Think about it. Yeah, I know.” She winks. “All right, ladies. Let’s get to work.”
“What’s wrong?”
His question startles me, and I peek up at him from my position on his chest where I’ve been running my fingers through the hair there for the last ten minutes.
I should be in a blissful state considering Cooper just rocked my world twice.
But no matter how hard I try, I can’t relax.
All I can think about is the fact that I’m in love with him.
And how much that absolutely terrifies me, especially since Maya’s words have been circling in my mind all day.
I don’t know what’s going on with me.
Maybe I’m stressed about disappointing River because I plan to tell her I’m not putting my designs in the festival. Maybe it’s my period that’s supposed to start next week.
Or maybe it’s that I’ve never been this wholly in love with someone before and it fucking terrifies me.
I try to play it off.
“What do you mean?”
He tucks a few loose strands of hair behind my ear. “I can hear you thinking. Something’s wrong. What’s going on?”
I sigh.
Of course I can’t hide anything from him. He knows me too well.
“Do you think they’re right?” I ask quietly. “Your moms and Maya, I mean.”
“Maya?”
Crap.
“Uh, yeah,” I say. “I kind of told River and Maya about us today. Well, technically Mailbox Betty told River in the elevator about what happened when we were in the elevator. She kind of cornered me about it this morning.”
He chuckles. “Of course Mailbox Betty is telling everyone.” He cups his hands around his mouth, then yells, “The old coot has nothing better to do than gossip!”
I swear I hear something bang against the wall.
“River and Maya know now?”
“Uh, yeah, is that