“Bailey, the school called. Are you okay, honey?” He reached out to touch me and I recoiled hitting Coop as I stepped back.
“I’m fine. It was an accident and I’m not hurt.”
I stepped away from Coop and Shawn stared at me.
“Fine, you are dismissed. Be back down here at six sharp for dinner. Cooper, follow me, we need to talk.” Shawn walked away and Coop brushed by me as he followed his dad. I walked beside them towards the stairs and brushed my hand against Coop’s arm when Shawn had turned up the stairs. Coop glanced down at me and there was real terror in his expression. He didn’t stop moving and walked into his father’s office with his back straight and shoulders squared.
I began moving slowly up the stairs as I heard the first blow. My body shuddered as each blow hit and it rattled inside me. I kept going as more blows fell and rushed into my room. I didn’t think Coop deserved what his dad was doing to him, but I was still mad at him.
I heard his dragging footsteps a short while later and I opened the door. His tearstained face was turned down towards the floor, but as my door opened his eyes shot to mine. He pressed his finger to his lips and pointed at the stairs. His meaning was clear, his dad was standing at the bottom of the stairs. I nodded at him and turned back into my room, walking into the bathroom and going for a shower.
After my shower I walked out and went over to my jewelry box, picking out the leather necklace from Coop. I tied it on and put on a simple black shift dress with high black silver pumps. I styled my hair down so my curls hung loosely down my back. As I was putting my makeup on, there was a knock at my door and Coop entered in a dark suit. He had a green silk tie on and a brown shirt.
His eyes widened as he took me in, and he moved almost unconsciously towards me. He paused halfway into my room and backed up. “My dad wants to see you before we go out.” I turned away from him, and he saw the necklace sitting around my neck. His face lit up in a smile as he stared at me. I moved towards him and gave him a small hug. His body tensed and I dropped my arms stepping back from him.
“Bailey, wait, it’s not…” He shook his head and whispered, “Never mind. Just hurry, okay?” I nodded without looking at him and heard the door close. I finished applying my makeup with shaking hands and my way downstairs to find Shawn. I knocked on his office door with shaking hands, but there was no answer.
Voices floated up to me from downstairs, so I followed the sound of them and walked into the family room to see everyone gathered there. It was five minutes to six and all eyes turned on me as I walked in. Shawn’s mouth popped open, and he marched towards me with narrowed eyes.
“Oh hell no. Go back upstairs and get changed now.” His voice was ice cold and furious which made me nervous.
I took a step back from him and my mom moved towards him muttering, “She looks lovely, calm down, dear.” The dress was knee-length and square across the chest. Coop was looking at his knee, fidgeting with a bit of lint, and Zane was staring at his cell.
Shawn relaxed as he stared at my mom murmuring, “Of course she does, my apologies, Bailey.” I smiled in response and my mom glared at me behind his back as they led the way to the cars.
My mom and Shawn climbed into his new silver SUV and started to drive to the restaurant.
“Your mom convinced him to let us go to a party after dinner with them. Stay with Coop or me at the party,” Zane spoke in a low voice in my ear. “Coop’s driving you.” He shoved me towards Cooper’s car and smiled at me, before climbing into his black Merc. I moved towards the car and Coop looked up smiling. “Bailey, you look gorgeous.”
I smiled at him in response and my eyes lingered a moment on his. As soon as Zane’s car pulled out, Coop opened his door and took a deep breath.
“You okay over there,” I asked him in a quiet voice, and he nodded, gritting his teeth as he sat down in the car. I climbed in and glanced over at him. His face was hard and emotionless.
He drove to the restaurant and got out of the car like a robot. I’d jumped from the car as soon as we’d stopped and walked around it. I glanced back at Coop, but aside from the tightening of his eyes as he approached me, he displayed no outward sign that he was in pain. We moved towards the restaurant together and Abbi walked over to Coop. Her eyes narrowed at me as I stared in astonishment at her.
David appeared by my side as we walked through the door, and he took my hand. I smiled up at him and wondered if anything could be more awkward. I had feelings for Coop, and he for me, but we couldn’t be together; his dad was a complete psycho and refused to even let us be friends. As we reached the table, Zane was sitting beside one of his friends. Her name was Clara and she was a pretty girl with long dark hair, dark green eyes, and an hourglass figure. I smiled over at her and gave her a small wave as David pulled out my chair. I was sitting beside Abbi, across from my mom with David on my other side. Shawn was opposite David and Zane was opposite Cooper.
I didn’t know what to say or how to react to the situation, so I said nothing, staring down at my menu. I hadn’t spoken in ten minutes and hadn’t looked at anyone other than David since we arrived when my mom cleared her throat.
“Cooper and Zane, I want to thank you for accepting me and Bailey into your home and being so nice to us. We really feel at home and like part of the family. Bailey, Shawn has had the most wonderful idea, he wants to adopt you so you will really be part of the family and have the same name as us all. What do you think?” My ears rang, and my head throbbed.
No! NO! NO. Absolutely not, my mind was screaming at me, but I didn’t know how to get it out diplomatically when Coop spoke. “That is such bullshit.” His voice carried and I looked at him in surprise, he didn’t usually speak out. “She’s got a dad and you only want to adopt her so you can control her more.”
Shawn slammed his fist down on the table and glared at Cooper, and my mom spoke up in a deadly voice.
“Shawn, what does he mean, control her?” Shawn shook his head and turned towards my mom with fire in his eyes.
“Nothing, he means nothing.” My mom looked at me and I shrunk back, desperate to get away from the table and the fight that was coming.
“Bailey, say something?” my mom pleaded with me.
“What does Cooper mean?” She stared at me and I stood up.
“I need to use the bathroom; I can’t do this. Shawn, thank you for your very kind offer, but I’m happy being a Walker.” I moved down the table and Coop grabbed my wrist.
“Bailey, tell your mom or I will.”
My eyes narrowed on his and I tried to pull my wrist away when he tugged on it again.
“Please, Bailey?” I knew he would never forgive me if I didn’t speak up and my hand shook in his. My voice shook as I spoke.
“Mom, can you come with me, please?” Coop squeezed my wrist gently and dropped my hand. My mom nodded and followed me to the bathroom on the other side of the restaurant. I walked by patrons having a great time and glanced around at the dark wooden walls, red-checkered tablecloths and wine bottles with candles in them.
As soon as we were in the bathroom my mom turned on me.
“Bailey, what the hell has been going on? Since when are you and Cooper so close?” Her eyes narrowed at me and I sucked in a breath.