Chapter 24: Breakaway: Chapter 24

THE NEXT MORNING, instead of hurrying to my microbiology lecture, I sip on a chai latte at the Moorbridge Metro-North station, scanning the parking lot for Cooper. I’ve been here for ten minutes, and the train comes in two. If he doesn’t hustle, he’s not going to make it on time, which would be a bummer because—putting aside the fact this is a bad idea—I’m excited to get away from campus for the day. I love McKee, but sometimes it’s easy to forget that there’s a world beyond the postcard-perfect campus and equally cute town. When Dad and I first moved, I couldn’t get over all the ivy-covered bricks, maples and evergreens, and tiny one or two-lane roads. I’ve only been to New York City a couple of times, but I think the city environment will do me good, even if it’s way bigger than Phoenix.

I finally spot Cooper’s truck, and a moment later him, dashing to the platform as the train slows to a stop. His cheeks are red from the cold and the exertion; he grins at me as he pushes his hand through his hair.

“I got tickets on my phone already,” he says, guiding me onto the train with a hand on the small of my back. “Let’s find somewhere quiet to sit.”

There aren’t very many people on the train on a random mid-morning during the week, since the commuters have traveled already, but Cooper still leads the way to a smaller seating area, one where the seats face each other with room in the middle. I see why when he flops into a seat and stretches out his long legs. I sit in the window seat, crossing my ankles as I smooth down my denim skirt.

He rummages around in his jacket and pulls out a crumpled white paper bag. “Glad I went for these instead of coffees.”

I smile as I peek into the bag; there are a couple of apple cider donuts nestled between sheets of wax paper. I give one to him and take another out for myself. “Thanks. Where’d you get them?”

“The coffee shop in town. Not the campus one.”

“Ah.” I take a bite. It’s still warm, the sugar around the outside competing with the tartness of the cider. “Mia works at The Purple Kettle, so I don’t usually go to the one in town.”

“Oh, that’s funny. My brother’s fiancée used to work there.”

“James, right?”

“Yep. He made us reservations at Bryant Park Grill. We can walk there from Grand Central.”

I just shrug. “That means nothing to me.”

“It’s right near the New York Public Library,” he says around a bite.

“Oh, that’s cool.”

“And the place I want to take you is just a couple of subway stops away from there. It’s called Dark Allure.”

I raise my eyebrows as I polish off the rest of my donut. “Should I be scared?”

He laughs a bit, reaching into the bag for another donut. “Don’t pretend you don’t like it.”

I glance out at the window. It looks like we’re passing a residential neighborhood, the fences tall to keep out the view of the train tracks. “Tell me more about your brother.”

We chat comfortably for the hour-long train ride. After sharing a bit about James, the football player, and his fiancée Bex, who just started a photography business, Cooper runs a thesis for a paper by me. He’s taking a class on feminist gothic literature, which sounds so cool I can’t help but be a little jealous. He tries to help me with the microbiology homework I brought along in my bag, but after a couple of minutes, we give up and talk about books again instead.

When we pull into Grand Central Station—which just makes me think about Serena coming back home at the start of Gossip Girl—Cooper grabs my hand, holding on tightly. I follow along as he leads the way out onto the platform. “Cooper?”

“Just want to make sure you stay with me, sweetheart,” he says distractedly as he finds the right set of stairs for us to go up.

I fight to ignore the little scrap of warmth that settles in my belly. I told him I’ve only been to New York a handful of times, so that’s probably why he’s being protective. He doesn’t have to go around calling me sweetheart, though, it’s not like we’re in bed.

We walk through the station, and while Cooper is naturally a fast walker, he’s forced to slow down so I can look at the gilded ceiling, because he refuses to let go of my hand. Eventually, we leave the warmth of the station for the sidewalk. I shiver immediately; it’s windier here. He tuts, knotting my scarf around my neck and tucking it down the front of my jacket.

“Can’t have you turning into an icicle,” he says. “Do you want to get an Uber instead?”

“Isn’t it really nearby?”

“It’s not far, but I don’t want you to freeze,” he says with a frown.

I reach up and kiss his cheek. “I’ll be fine.”

I’m not sure why I do it. Maybe it’s because he’s being weirdly sweet, or maybe it’s because we’re anonymous here. Just a couple of kids on the sidewalk. He smiles at me, and I swear he’s blushing, but I can’t quite tell because of his beard. He takes my hand again and practically drags me to the crosswalk.

We arrive at the park after just a couple minutes of walking. Even in autumn, it’s pretty, with gold-and-brown leaves covering the sidewalk. People dot the lawn; an older couple walks arm-in-arm, a woman with a shopping cart feeds the birds, a man watches as his toddler plays in the leaves. At one end, there’s a restaurant with a rooftop patio. I’m sure it’s packed during the summer, but right now, the tables and chairs are stacked against the wall, hidden underneath tarps. The host leads us to a table by a window overlooking the park, where a guy who looks just like Cooper, minus the beard, sits with a blonde woman wearing a pair of dangly earrings with charms shaped like tiny strawberries. When she sees us, her eyes light up, and her smile is so warm I’m immediately set at ease.

“Coop!” James says, standing to clap Cooper on the back. “So glad you’re here.”

I can’t stop staring at Cooper and his brother. Their eyes are the same shade of deep blue, their hair the same thick, almost-black brown. Cooper’s nose went crooked because of a hockey injury in high school, but otherwise they’re the same shape, and so are their strong jawlines. I wonder if Cooper has facial hair not just because it’s common for hockey players, but because it helps to distinguish him a bit. And Bex? Maybe it’s impossible to be unattractive when you’re engaged to the hottest new quarterback in the NFL, because she’s stunning.

“Cooper,” she says, standing too and hugging him tightly. “I’ve missed you.”

He smiles at them both as he steps back. “I missed you too. This is Penny.”

“James mentioned you’d be bringing someone,” Bex says. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” I say with a little wave as we sit. I get a peek at her engagement ring and my mouth almost drops open. I manage to stop myself, but holy crap. I’d be too scared of losing it to wear something that expensive on my finger all day. The diamond is huge, and it’s framed on either side with sapphires. “I’m Cooper’s… we’re friends.”

“And co-volunteers,” Cooper says. “Also, there’s a friends-with-benefits thing going on. Really, I’m her sex coach—”

He cuts off as I stomp his foot underneath the table, but not before the server arrives to take our drink orders. She pretends to ignore us, but I think she’s mostly caught up staring at James, who she clearly recognizes. She stutters a bit as she reads out the specials.

The moment she’s gone—with as much venom as I can muster while Cooper is grinning at me like the unrepentant lettucehead he is—I say, “You’re a menace, Callahan.”

James laughs. “I like this girl.”