Read Online Cooper (The Family Simon Book 6) by Juliana Stone - Free Book Online
Authors: Juliana Stone
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better look.
Sara followed his gaze. “What do you know. Guess Hank finally convinced her to go out with him.”
Cooper recognized the man with Morgan. “He works for your father, doesn’t he?” Hank’s head was bent low as Morgan said something and shook her head. The guy’s interest was obvious, yet Morgan looked anything but thrilled to be here. In fact, it looked as if she was going to head for the exit when she glanced up and caught Cooper’s gaze.
Her hair was loose, falling in waves around her shoulders, and once again she was covered from head to toe—but the jeans fit better than anything he’d seen her in, and the dark green turtleneck she wore showed off a surprisingly curvy figure. Huh. Who knew?
The fire hall was nearly full—it was loud and chaotic. There was music and laughter and people jostling by as they headed to the makeshift dance floor. Green beer flowed, and Irish whiskey kept the crowd animated. Yet in those few moments when he gazed across the room at Morgan, Cooper felt a certain sort of quiet he’d never felt before. It centered him, calmed that part of him that was tight and stressed.
It was a little unsettling.
Hank leaned in once again, and their connection was severed as she turned her body so that Cooper couldn’t see her face.
“Are they dating?” he found himself asking.
“I hope this is the start of something,” Sara murmured, sliding up beside him. “Hank’s a good guy, and, let’s face it, with all of Morgan’s issues, it’s going to take one hell of a special man to look after her.”
Cooper frowned and turned to Sara. “What do you mean by that?” From what little he’d seen, Morgan Campbell didn’t need anyone looking after her. She was a tough nut to crack—he’d give her that. But the woman had strength. Call it intuition or something else entirely, he sensed this about her. Yet there was more. The shadows that lived in her eyes told him she’d experienced something dark. And the one thing he’d learned so far in this life he’d been living, was that when touched by darkness, you either choose to live or you die.
Sometimes the dying can take a lifetime. Sometimes the dying is all you can cope with until something or someone gives you a reason to live again.
“Don’t get me wrong. I love my sister. How could I not? She was the golden child. The girl no one could touch.” Something in Sara’s tone changed, and Cooper watched her face closely. He was beginning to suspect the Campbell family was a hell of a lot more complicated than he’d originally imagined.
Sara stared across the room. “I’m older than her by two years, and yet as long as I can remember, I wanted to be her. And now…”
“Now?” he prompted.
Sara’s gaze fell away from his. “Now I don’t even recognize the person she’s become.” She smiled, a sad, wistful curve of her lips. “She wasn’t always like this.” Sara’s head shot up, her gaze on her sister. Cooper thought she was going to share more, but then the blonde squared her shoulders, slid her arm through his, and insisted he buy her a drink.
Cooper was, if anything, a gentleman. Sure there were varying degrees as to what constituted the term, but he wasn’t the kind of man to leave a woman wanting. Already feeling as if he’d somehow killed the St. Patty’s Day mood, he headed to the bar, Sara in tow. He took another Guinness, while Sara ordered a white wine.
The beer was cold and good, and he was going to assume the pinot grigio was as well—judging by the large gulp Sara tossed back. He was just about to suggest they head over to where his brother was, when she nodded toward the far side of the hall.
“Morgan and Hank are over there. Let’s join them.”
Cooper didn’t really have a choice, mostly because of the whole being-a-gentleman thing. But he wasn’t complaining, and he sure as hell wouldn’t do something unless he wanted to. The fact that he was more curious than ever over Morgan
Sara followed his gaze. “What do you know. Guess Hank finally convinced her to go out with him.”
Cooper recognized the man with Morgan. “He works for your father, doesn’t he?” Hank’s head was bent low as Morgan said something and shook her head. The guy’s interest was obvious, yet Morgan looked anything but thrilled to be here. In fact, it looked as if she was going to head for the exit when she glanced up and caught Cooper’s gaze.
Her hair was loose, falling in waves around her shoulders, and once again she was covered from head to toe—but the jeans fit better than anything he’d seen her in, and the dark green turtleneck she wore showed off a surprisingly curvy figure. Huh. Who knew?
The fire hall was nearly full—it was loud and chaotic. There was music and laughter and people jostling by as they headed to the makeshift dance floor. Green beer flowed, and Irish whiskey kept the crowd animated. Yet in those few moments when he gazed across the room at Morgan, Cooper felt a certain sort of quiet he’d never felt before. It centered him, calmed that part of him that was tight and stressed.
It was a little unsettling.
Hank leaned in once again, and their connection was severed as she turned her body so that Cooper couldn’t see her face.
“Are they dating?” he found himself asking.
“I hope this is the start of something,” Sara murmured, sliding up beside him. “Hank’s a good guy, and, let’s face it, with all of Morgan’s issues, it’s going to take one hell of a special man to look after her.”
Cooper frowned and turned to Sara. “What do you mean by that?” From what little he’d seen, Morgan Campbell didn’t need anyone looking after her. She was a tough nut to crack—he’d give her that. But the woman had strength. Call it intuition or something else entirely, he sensed this about her. Yet there was more. The shadows that lived in her eyes told him she’d experienced something dark. And the one thing he’d learned so far in this life he’d been living, was that when touched by darkness, you either choose to live or you die.
Sometimes the dying can take a lifetime. Sometimes the dying is all you can cope with until something or someone gives you a reason to live again.
“Don’t get me wrong. I love my sister. How could I not? She was the golden child. The girl no one could touch.” Something in Sara’s tone changed, and Cooper watched her face closely. He was beginning to suspect the Campbell family was a hell of a lot more complicated than he’d originally imagined.
Sara stared across the room. “I’m older than her by two years, and yet as long as I can remember, I wanted to be her. And now…”
“Now?” he prompted.
Sara’s gaze fell away from his. “Now I don’t even recognize the person she’s become.” She smiled, a sad, wistful curve of her lips. “She wasn’t always like this.” Sara’s head shot up, her gaze on her sister. Cooper thought she was going to share more, but then the blonde squared her shoulders, slid her arm through his, and insisted he buy her a drink.
Cooper was, if anything, a gentleman. Sure there were varying degrees as to what constituted the term, but he wasn’t the kind of man to leave a woman wanting. Already feeling as if he’d somehow killed the St. Patty’s Day mood, he headed to the bar, Sara in tow. He took another Guinness, while Sara ordered a white wine.
The beer was cold and good, and he was going to assume the pinot grigio was as well—judging by the large gulp Sara tossed back. He was just about to suggest they head over to where his brother was, when she nodded toward the far side of the hall.
“Morgan and Hank are over there. Let’s join them.”
Cooper didn’t really have a choice, mostly because of the whole being-a-gentleman thing. But he wasn’t complaining, and he sure as hell wouldn’t do something unless he wanted to. The fact that he was more curious than ever over Morgan
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