Page 78 of While the Sun Shines

Forever, Drew thinks. Yeah, he—he likes that idea.

Likes her smile too. That soft laugh of hers, and how it feels to be the one to make her that happy.

“What’re you doing today?” Drew asks.

“Having a small-to-medium crisis over everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours.”

“Yeah, same. The milk pump blew out.”

“Oh, shit.”

“Yeah. Listen, don’t—don’t make plans for tonight, okay?”

“Okay? Why?”

“Just don’t.” Drew follows wet footprints to the stairs, where Sadie’s lapping at drops of milk, her tail wagging. “Cooper!”

“What?” Cooper yells back, the sound muffled under the pounding of Drew’s feet on the stairs.

“Are you okay?” Penny calls up.

“I’m good. I’m great.” Drew shoves open the door to Cooper’s room. Which is empty, though the bathroom door is half open.

“Hey, Coop, I—” Cooper’s in the shower, his back to Drew, tanned arms and legs and the paler sight of his—Drew claps his hand over his eyes. “Oh shit!”

“Fuck!” Cooper yells. “Oh, goddamn you, fucking knock!”

“The door was open. I don’t want to see your ass, either—can’t you fucking close it?”

“Knuckles against wood. What the hell is wrong with you people?”

“My eyes,” Drew says. Oh, he’s never going to be able to erase that image, is he? Cooper’s skinny ass through the shower curtain. “Oh, holy shit. Penny’s right. I see what she’s pissed about.”

“At least Whit appreciates my butt,” Cooper says. “Now get the fuck out. This is my bathroom.”

Drew retreats to pace the length of Cooper’s and Whit’s room, though as soon as Cooper reappears with a towel wrapped around his waist, Drew stops and spins toward him.

“Cooper,” he says.

“You look like you’re going to have a heart attack.”

“I’m a shitty friend, aren’t I?”

“Yes, for barging into my bathroom. Honestly, Drew, if you want to see my butt, just ask. You know I’ll show you any time.”

“I mean in general.”

“In general, I’ll definitely show you my butt whenever and wherever you want. Now calm down. What the hell’s going on?”

“I just told Whit that you two should take over the farm.”

“Yeah, I know. You told him that when we were planning this season, for us to run the herd and—”

“No, like the business.”

“Ah.” Cooper steps into a pair of boxers. “You are having a heart attack. What the hell happened to you last night?”

“Nothing.”