other dancers might take issue with a couple compromising their dance floor.
“What brought you out tonight?” he asked. Certain she’d been on the verge of making a break for it when he’d reached her near the bar, he’d half expected her to make some excuse even after he’d caught her.
“Lorelei invited me.”
“Hal,” he said, lifting her face with one finger beneath her chin. “You’ve been back in town for six months and never stepped foot through those doors.” As she bit the inside of her cheek, he said, “I saw your face before I called your name. Why don’t you tell me what’s chasing you.”
“It’s annoying when you do that,” she huffed. If looks could kill, she’d have offed him right there. “I had dinner with my mother tonight. Does that answer your question?”
Haleigh’s mother had branded herself the all-American mom, and to most of the town, that’s exactly who she was. But Cooper knew better.
“So things are still the same on that front?”
Based on the conversations he’d overheard through the wall between his and Abby’s bedrooms back in the day, Mrs. Mitchner treated Haleigh like a disease instead of a daughter. Nothing Haleigh ever did had been good enough, which Cooper never understood. She’d been a model child. Even graduating top in their class hadn’t softened the woman.
“I don’t know why I bother. Tonight was just another reminder that I’ll never measure up.”
“Hey,” he said, unsettled by the defeat in her voice. “You more than measure up. If she can’t see that, it’s her loss.”
Glancing away, she said, “I don’t want to talk about my mother. Let’s pick a new topic.”
Cooper dodged a spinning couple and moved himself and Haleigh closer to the floor’s edge. Delicate fingers massaged his scalp, making it difficult to breathe, let alone carry on a conversation.
“I know Lorelei and Spencer were at one of those Ruby meetings tonight,” she said. “What were you up to?”
“Same thing they were,” he answered.
She stiffened. “You’re on that theater committee?” She sounded as if he’d admitted to smuggling drugs.
“I haven’t been on it for long, but yeah. I’m putting together a classic car rally as a fundraiser.”
Her hand slid down to his shoulder. “Good for you,” she said, sounding less than impressed.
“What do you have against restoring an old theater?” Glossy lips flattened as she shook her head but failed to meet his eye. “Come on, Hal. What gives?”
“It just irks me,” she snapped. “Some dilapidated building has become a top priority in this town while real issues are ignored. Women like Jessi have no place to go, but heaven forbid we not save an old theater.”
Surprised by the sudden burst of anger, Cooper had no idea how to respond. Lucky for him, the last notes of the song kept him from having to.
“Thanks for the dance,” she said, exiting the floor at a full trot.
Cooper didn’t like Jessi’s lack of options any more than Haleigh did, but he didn’t see how restoring a theater added to the problem.
As he stared after Haleigh, the next song started and dancers began shuffling around him. Before he could step off the floor, a hand clasped his arm.
“Hey there, Coop. Long time no see.” Heavy-lashed hazel eyes looked up in invitation. “You haven’t forgotten about me, have you?”
“Hi, Daisy,” he said. “No, I haven’t forgotten. I’ve just been busy.”
Cooper had dated Daisy Carmichael for the first couple months of the year, until the day she’d snapped his head off for canceling a date without enough notice. The sweet girl with the ready laugh had revealed her claws and an impressive collection of colorful insults—some he’d never heard before.
Having grown up with a quick-tempered father and bearing witness to the abuse his mother had endured, Cooper had no intention of stepping into a similar situation.
He’d ended the relationship within the week.
In a
“What brought you out tonight?” he asked. Certain she’d been on the verge of making a break for it when he’d reached her near the bar, he’d half expected her to make some excuse even after he’d caught her.
“Lorelei invited me.”
“Hal,” he said, lifting her face with one finger beneath her chin. “You’ve been back in town for six months and never stepped foot through those doors.” As she bit the inside of her cheek, he said, “I saw your face before I called your name. Why don’t you tell me what’s chasing you.”
“It’s annoying when you do that,” she huffed. If looks could kill, she’d have offed him right there. “I had dinner with my mother tonight. Does that answer your question?”
Haleigh’s mother had branded herself the all-American mom, and to most of the town, that’s exactly who she was. But Cooper knew better.
“So things are still the same on that front?”
Based on the conversations he’d overheard through the wall between his and Abby’s bedrooms back in the day, Mrs. Mitchner treated Haleigh like a disease instead of a daughter. Nothing Haleigh ever did had been good enough, which Cooper never understood. She’d been a model child. Even graduating top in their class hadn’t softened the woman.
“I don’t know why I bother. Tonight was just another reminder that I’ll never measure up.”
“Hey,” he said, unsettled by the defeat in her voice. “You more than measure up. If she can’t see that, it’s her loss.”
Glancing away, she said, “I don’t want to talk about my mother. Let’s pick a new topic.”
Cooper dodged a spinning couple and moved himself and Haleigh closer to the floor’s edge. Delicate fingers massaged his scalp, making it difficult to breathe, let alone carry on a conversation.
“I know Lorelei and Spencer were at one of those Ruby meetings tonight,” she said. “What were you up to?”
“Same thing they were,” he answered.
She stiffened. “You’re on that theater committee?” She sounded as if he’d admitted to smuggling drugs.
“I haven’t been on it for long, but yeah. I’m putting together a classic car rally as a fundraiser.”
Her hand slid down to his shoulder. “Good for you,” she said, sounding less than impressed.
“What do you have against restoring an old theater?” Glossy lips flattened as she shook her head but failed to meet his eye. “Come on, Hal. What gives?”
“It just irks me,” she snapped. “Some dilapidated building has become a top priority in this town while real issues are ignored. Women like Jessi have no place to go, but heaven forbid we not save an old theater.”
Surprised by the sudden burst of anger, Cooper had no idea how to respond. Lucky for him, the last notes of the song kept him from having to.
“Thanks for the dance,” she said, exiting the floor at a full trot.
Cooper didn’t like Jessi’s lack of options any more than Haleigh did, but he didn’t see how restoring a theater added to the problem.
As he stared after Haleigh, the next song started and dancers began shuffling around him. Before he could step off the floor, a hand clasped his arm.
“Hey there, Coop. Long time no see.” Heavy-lashed hazel eyes looked up in invitation. “You haven’t forgotten about me, have you?”
“Hi, Daisy,” he said. “No, I haven’t forgotten. I’ve just been busy.”
Cooper had dated Daisy Carmichael for the first couple months of the year, until the day she’d snapped his head off for canceling a date without enough notice. The sweet girl with the ready laugh had revealed her claws and an impressive collection of colorful insults—some he’d never heard before.
Having grown up with a quick-tempered father and bearing witness to the abuse his mother had endured, Cooper had no intention of stepping into a similar situation.
He’d ended the relationship within the week.
In a
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