Page 161 of Rhodes
“I went out to Oak Moss this afternoon to surprise y'all. Dad told me you were there working with Tilly.”
Everything inside me goes still. I know before he says any more.
Cooper's jaw tightens. “I saw you kiss my sister in the shed.”
The bartender sets our beers down, but neither of us touches them.
“She kissed me.”
His laugh has no humor in it.
“Oh, great. That clears everything up.”
“That's not what I meant.”
“Then what the fuck did you mean?”
I should stop. Tallulah asked me not to tell him. And for this entire time, I haven't, even when I've wanted to. But he's looking directly at me now, and there is no version of this where I can pretend he did not ask.
“Since spring.”
Cooper goes very still.
“Since Italy.”
His stool scrapes against the floor as he turns fully toward me.
“You were fucking sleeping with my sister in Italy? While I was there?”
“Yes.”
He looks away and drags a hand over his mouth, then he gives one short laugh.
“You lying son of a bitch.”
“I'm sorry.”
“You don't get to say that like it covers it.”
“I didn't say it did.”
“Every fucking call.” He leans closer. “Every time I called you from Spain and asked how she was doing, you never said a word.”
“I know.”
“I thanked you. I told you I trusted you to keep an eye on her.”
My stomach knots.
“And the whole time you were fucking her.”
His voice is low enough that nobody around us turns. He pushes away from the bar and stands. For a second, I think he is leaving, but instead, he paces two steps and comes back.
“My dad told me she was a wreck in the spring.”
I say nothing.
“He said she was crying all the time and quiet, barely eating anything at Easter. Everybody thought she was losing her shit over Oak Moss because of that federal mess she got herself into.”
