Page 101 of Chasing Headlines
“What? What does that mean?” I scowled at him. “I do what, Coop?”
“You're not good at taking no for an answer.”
“And where would I be if I was?”
He shrugged and leaned back against Dotty's countertop. He grabbed an apple from her fruit bowl and took a bite. “You tell me.”
I huffed, sputtered, tried to find words. “Where would I be? Some trophy thing for my father to hand out. I wouldn't be here, that's for sure. Scrapping for any kind of shot at—” I snapped my mouth shut as my brain caught up with my ramblings. Uh, nope, was not going to tell Coop about my scouting ambitions. “None of your—No comment.” My heart pounded in my ears. I'd learned the hard way, my family's business wasn't a W for my dating win column. Especially when it came to hopeful baseball players wanting attention from scouts.
“Besides, you of all people should be glad I don't. Where wouldyoube if I did?”
“Suing the school.” He studied his apple. “No doubt I'd win.”
I rolled my eyes. “You'd be expelled.”
“That, too.” He met my gaze and cocked one eyebrow.
I glared. “Since you're handing out 'thank yous' this morning . . .”
“Not on your?—”
Choo! Dotty sneezed just as the kettle whistle blared. “Cooper, would you be a dear and go fetch a replacement filter from the front maintenance closet?”
He rose to his full height and dutifully headed toward the door.
“Take my keys. The filters are on the third shelf from the top. The tea will wait for you.” She lifted the mug and gave him the old lady version of a winning smile.
He grunted, grabbed a keyring from a hook on the wall, and headed out the door.
“You should probably get back to class.” Dotty turned a no-nonsense look toward me. I held in a sigh, but I didn't feel much like dealing with Coop, anyway. My stomach lumped, turned and lumped again. I'd helped him. And it'd cost me. But I was still 'the enemy' or some shit. I was done. Jerkface. Pain in the tuckus.
“You even listening, blondie?”
“Huh?”
“I said, you should take notes from that Cooper. He's nice to this old lady, bringing me flowers. Just an exceptional young man.”
I stared as a flash of heat tore through my abdomen. “Be more like him? Are you—” I clenched my teeth to keep the rest of the words inside my mouth. I still needed an interview from this lady, but that was a low blow.
” . . . walks me to my room, brings me my dinner. Helped me up when I fell. Picked me up like I weighed nothing at all.”
“So glad to hear.” I yanked my bag over my shoulder, set my jaw and tried to calmly, normally, walk to the door. When I wanted to stomp and snarl.
“I don't mind having guests, of course. I just appreciate how thoughtful he is that I'm not waiting on him when he comes by.” A tight-lipped smile formed beneath a piercing gaze.
“I'll buy you some Royal Tips when you grant me that interview.” I tossed over my shoulder as I pulled open the door. “A whole box.”
“Don't forget to say bye to your hunky baseball crush.”
I turned and flipped off her closed door. Hunky baseball crush? Seriously? Hunky? I trudged off in the direction of the front desk. At this rate, interviewing one of the deceased members of the Vachon family seemed less difficult.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Olivia POV
Ishot a text to Antonio and Hilda, saying I hoped their coffee went better than my interview. As I stepped through the auto-lock hallway door, I caught site of an unseemly trashcan all akimbo. Trash piled up beside it. “Oh, the place is in shambles. Here, let me fix things.” I adjusted the top to fit on the can correctly, then picked up the spilled trash, shoving it through the spring-loaded door-thingy. “Be more like Coop, really? Of all the!” I crammed a cardboard box into the repaired bin. “Just ugh!”
I stormed through the corridor toward the check-in desk. An empty check-in desk. I huffed and ran a hand over my forehead.Seriously? I just want out of this place.I glanced around the area. A door formed a wedge in the far wall. Maybe the kid was in there?