The Perfect Candy

Chapter 11: Sunday Funday

"After Seraphina attacked you? He didn't do anything?"

"He didn't know," she replied, sending him an irritated look. "I didn't tell him or Jay what happened. It's not their business. Not everything has to be a fight. You didn't have to antagonize Jay."

Coop didn't walk away from a fight, but he rarely really tried to start one. The fact that he'd done so over a moment of jealousy for her was enough to piss him off on its own. He was thrown off at another reminder that he'd been the first person she'd told about what had happened. "I didn't antagonize him."

Having decided that there was now enough distance between the two of them and the other boys, she let go of his hand and narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong with you? I've seen you with nearly every girl in school, and I've seen at least a dozen angry boyfriends and brothers come looking for a fight, but I've never seen you act like a territorial idiot. It's out of character."

"So you've been watching me for a while, have you?"

"I watch everyone, it doesn't mean what you're trying to make it mean. Take me home."

"If you wanted to go home, you should've gone with John and Mike."

Her mouth twitched upward, but she turned it back into a flat line and studied him. "Now you're just being facetious." He only stared back at her without saying another word and she rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'm sure Jay is headed this way anyway. I'll get a ride with him." She started to walk past him, and he scowled.

"Your bag's still in my car."

"So I'll get it from you when we get to the parking lot."

He sighed and turned around to go after her, "Candy, I−"

She turned and smiled at him, her eyes full of uncharacteristic humor, and patience written all over her face. "Candy, I'm sorry for being a jerk. Please let me take you home," she finished for him. He frowned but didn't say anything, and she resumed her walk towards the parking lot, taking his silence for agreement. "You're not nearly as uncaring as you act."

Coop watched her walk for a minute, before trailing slowly behind her, muttering softly, "Not when it comes to you.

***

"Just when the hell were you planning to tell me Cooper Daniels was harassing Candy?"

Hope looked up from the ice cream cone in her hand in surprise as Jay slammed through the entrance of Bananza and made a beeline straight to the counter, completely ignoring the line of eager customers. Giving him an easy smile as she handed the completed cone to a waiting little girl, she silently wished that Fay were just a smidgen more approachable so that Jay might bother his actual sister instead of her friends whenever he needed information. "Jay, I'm really busy here. Maybe we can talk about it later? I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding."

"It's four thirty," he snapped irritably, "you were supposed to be off two hours ago."

Her brows shot up in surprise. "How do you know that?"

Jay rolled his eyes and leaned over the counter to glare at her further. "You have been working every Saturday at this place from nine to two-thirty every week since the beginning of this past summer, Hope. It doesn't take a rocket scientist."

"Well Julie called off this weekend and I said I'd stay until Brian and Cindy got in today, so−"

"Fine," he bit out, "I'll wait."

Hope's eyes widened and she watched him move toward a corner table before she turned and offered an apologetic smile to the next family of customers. "I'm so sorry about that wait; what can I get for you?"