Page 38 of Cattle Stop

Not going to happen. Really, really not going to fucking happen, so Cooper needs to not linger on the idle delight of what if. Because there’s no if. There’s just Cooper stepping into the hall and Whit shoving the door firmly shut.

Besides, Whit’s probably getting all dressed up just to enjoy a night without Cooper in his room. Making an occasion of it. That’d figure, a private party for one, as Whit celebrates the fact Cooper’s out with Brad, the two people Whit finds most annoying sharing their Saturday night.

The parking lot of the restaurant is already crowded when Cooper pulls in, and by the time he’s circled it twice and finally edged in between the dumpster and a sedan, Brad’s waiting at the front door. His phone’s in his hand and a smile’s on his face. No gum, though, thank God.

“Hey, you.” Brad pulls Cooper in for a hug. Cooper gives him a slap on the back. Total dudebro hug, he’d text Penny if he could, though Brad’s already opening the door for them and ushering Cooper through.

“Table or a seat at the bar?” the host asks them, picking up two menus. The place isn’t packed, but there’s only a few spots left open at the bar, where most everyone’s turned toward the Red Sox pitcher on the TV.

“The bar’s fine.” Cooper looks around again. They’ve redone this place since the last time he was in here, all exposed brick and blond wood. It’s brighter now. Nicer.

“A table,” Brad says and turns toward him. “Yeah, that okay?”

“Oh, sure.” Cooper tucks his hands into his pockets. It pulls at the ache in his shoulder. “Whatever.”

Their table’s in the back, beyond the booths full of couples and a group of women laughing, empty drinks and a demolished plate of nachos in front of them. Cooper slides into his chair, and Brad sits across from him, already smiling again. His new job must be treating him all right, for him to be looking so damn happy all the time. Maybe Brad should try out a Saturday being dragged around by Whit until all hours of the evening, it might bring him down a notch or two.

“So the cheese,” Cooper says as Brad puts his napkin on his lap. “I think this could be great.”

“Oh, yeah, we’ll buy some.” Brad lays his hand on the table, palm down. His nails are clean. Cooper tucks his own hands into his lap. He’s got diesel and engine oil staining his fingers, worn in enough that no matter how he scrubs, it doesn’t ever seem to budge. “How’s the season going?”

“Yeah, fine. I’m thinking that if it works for you, we could commit to a weekly sort of delivery schedule? We’ve got plenty of milk this spring, so Drew’ll be able to churn out more pretty regularly.”

“Sure,” Brad says. “All this sun we’ve been having, you’ve gotten enough rain?”

“Pretty much.” Cooper leans back as the waiter fills their water glasses. “What would you be interested in? Like I said, we’ve got a lot of ricotta right now, and we can sell it pretty cheap.” He should’ve grabbed that clipboard Drew keeps in the cheese room with his schedule on it. Whit would’ve remembered it, though fuck it, Cooper’s going to nail this sales thing.

“That’d be fine. Didn’t realize you’d be sticking around so long this spring. It’s great to have you back.”

“Drinks?” the waiter asks, his pitcher in one hand.

“Um, the pale ale,” Cooper says, nodding toward the bar and the rows of taps. He can barely see the game from here. This place doesn’t have Murry’s excellent selection of beers, nor nearly as many TVs.

“I’ll have the same. You were in Maine all winter, right? How was it?”

“Fine,” Cooper says. Brad seems to be waiting for more, though, eyes expectant, and even when a cheer goes up from the bar at what must’ve been a hell of a hit, his attention doesn’t waver. Cooper clears his throat. “Cold. Snowy. Ate some lobster.”

Brad leans his forearms on the edge of the table. “Drew must be happy to have you back.”

“Well, uh, it’s good to be here.” That sounded awkward. Quickly, he takes a sip of water. It’s not…this is not what he was expecting, Brad leaning across the table like he is. Penny threw him off, and now this just feels weird. Kind of too quiet, back in the corner of the restaurant like this, and all the more so with Brad looking like he’d lean even farther across the table, given the chance.

“You gonna stick around this summer?”

“Just helping out for a bit.”

“Oh, bummer, heading out soon?”

Cooper lifts one shoulder in a shrug. “Yeah, I imagine so.”

“Nice, just taking it as it comes.” Brad grins again.

Cooper gives him a weak smile. He should’ve dragged Drew along tonight. Had him here while Cooper set up this sales thing. Hell, he might even take Whit and his hard silences over Brad’s overeager interest, the halting awkwardness, and Brad gazing at him like he’s waiting for something.

Cooper lets out a breath when the waiter comes back with their beers. He leans away from the table so the guy has room to set them down, though Brad doesn’t similarly retreat.

“You two know what you want to eat?” the waiter asks.

“Yeah,” Cooper says and flips open his menu.