“Fuck, baby. I’m sorry.” He cups my face and tilts my head back so I look up at him. I can see the worry in his eyes, and he softens. “I didn’t mean to be harsh. You scared the hell out of me.”
“It’s okay.” I texted him that I needed help and then didn’t answer when he called. That would freak anyone out.
“Don’t cry.” He kisses my cheek. The act is so sweet it only makes me cry more. “It’s a window. I’ll have it fixed tomorrow.” I shake my head as he drops his hands.
“It’s not the window I care about.” I point to the brick that two other uniformed officers are staring down at. Once he reads it, Cooper’s whole body goes rock hard.
“Don’t touch anything,” he says to the men before he wraps his arms around me and walks with me upstairs. Once there, he helps me down on the sofa and kneels in front of me.
“Get dressed. You shouldn’t be running around out there with only a robe on.” I roll my eyes at him. “And pack a bag,” he throws out as he starts to head down the stairs.
“What? Why do I need to pack a bag?” I shout, but he’s already gone.
I grit my teeth. If he keeps walking away from me like that, he’s going to find himself alone. I’m not the kind of woman to do what I’m told without asking questions. And I’ve got enough of my own after that incident downstairs. Cooper Cross might be ready to claim me, but he better be prepared to hang on.
Chapter Seven
Cooper
By some luck when I got called out to the Blair house at the edge of town, the patrol from the next town over was already there. Betsy Blair is an older woman that lives almost on the border of two towns, so when she calls we always go. We don’t want there to be a time when she needs something and the other town doesn’t show up.
In this instance it helped because when I got the text from Juno that she needed me, I grabbed the guys, and we hauled ass back to town. I was there within a matter of moments, but it felt like forever.
“We’ll send it off to the lab and hopefully have something back for you by tomorrow,” Terrance, the other town's chief of police, tells me.
“I appreciate you coming, and I’m thankful for anything you can do to help me out.”
“She’s something special to you?” he asks, nodding up at the second floor where I left Juno.
“She is,” I admit out loud.
This might be the first time I’m allowing myself to consider what the future with Juno might appear to be, and I fucking love it. I’m just not sure she’ll ever feel that way. She’s so bright and full of light. She’ll get tired of my overbearing ways and take off.
“Cute little thing,” he says, mostly to himself, but I feel my hackles rise.
“Watch it, Terrance.” My voice is cold and cutting.
“Hey, no offense.” He holds his hands up and smiles like he’s seeing me in a new light. Maybe he is. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Thanks,” I say and nod to him and his guys as they pull out from their spots and take off.
I look over the broken window we patched with some cardboard and tape. It’s not secure, but nothing will be until the glass gets replaced. I called the auto shop in town, and they’re going to come by tonight and measure it so they can cut a piece to replace it. Thankfully we’ve got good people here that can help as soon as possible. But my biggest concern is who the fuck did it to begin with and why they would target Juno’s business.
It’s not even up and going, and the real estate people that sold it were happy with the deal. There’s no bad blood in town with this place or with Juno, as far as I know. Hell, from the going away party the diner gave her, you’d think she was the damn queen of Pink Springs.
I lock up the shop door and go upstairs to find her. I’m finished with work for the day anyway, but I’m also itching to get her back to my place.
“Juno,” I call out when I open the door, and I see her sitting on her bed with her arms crossed. “You ready?” When I call out, she doesn’t move.
“You’re going to answer some questions first.” She scowls at me, and I’m surprised. A few moments ago she was in tears, and now she looks pissed. I guess dealing with an angry Juno is much easier than dealing with a crying one. I don’t know how to fix tears, and it breaks my heart when I see her do it.
“I’ll answer your questions when we’re out of here.” I grab the bag sitting on the floor next to her, but she doesn’t move to get up. “Let’s go.”
“Why am I leaving? Where are we going? You can’t just bark orders at me and expect me to do what you say.”
“I don’t think it’s safe here, at least until we get your window fixed and some cameras. Maybe even a few more locks, a guard dog—”
“Cooper,” she hisses, cutting me off.
“You’re coming to stay with me for a few days while they fix your window.” Never mind that it will be fixed tomorrow. She doesn’t need to know all the details.
“Oh.” Her arms fall in her lap like she didn’t consider this.
“Did you think I was going to take you to the shelter at the church?” I want to laugh but have the feeling it will just piss her off more.
“Fine. But you can carry my bag.” She stands up and walks past me with her chin in the air. I shake my head because I’m already carrying her bag. But whatever it takes to get her to come willingly.
After a brief argument in the parking lot about leaving her car here, I finally give in, and she follows behind me in her Jeep on the way to my house. Luca still lives at home with me, but I hardly ever see him. He’s either hanging out with his friends or working, and sometimes his job takes him away for a few days at a time. He left town a few hours ago and won’t be back until next week, so I’m thankful I’ve got the place to myself with Juno.
This is the house our parents built, but after they passed they left it to the three of us. Lux lives in the city now, and Luca has already said he doesn’t plan on staying in Pink Springs forever, so both of them gave it to me. I’ve done a few things over the years to change it and make it ours, but mostly my room and the kitchen have gotten the bulk of the remodels.
When we pull up, I grab Juno’s bag from beside me and go over to open her door on the Jeep. She’s silent as we go inside, and when I put her bag down on the kitchen table, we stand there for a moment, just looking at each other.
“Are you hungry?” she asks, looking around and then at her feet. Anywhere but at me.
I shake my head as I see her leaning against the counter. She’s in the same spot I found her all those months ago, and it’s the image that haunts me in my dreams.
“Do you want to watch a movie?” She still won’t look at me, but I shake my head anyway. She brings a finger up to her mouth to bite her nail, and I take a step toward her.
“Don’t do that,” I say, and my voice is husky and low. I take the hand and bring the finger up to my mouth to kiss it.
“So what are we going to do?” When her eyes meet mine she’s nervous, but I see an excitement there too.