By nine that evening, she’d finally finished every last scrap of paperwork and had sealed a deal with Bowen Press.
Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten anything since the boardroom lunch tray of sandwiches. She hadn’t had a chance to learn of Cooper’s approval over the movable feast she’d sent her way, either.
Felicity turned on her phone. The screen was filled with missed calls and messages. Alarm flooded her. A lot were texts from Mitch. One call from Cooper. And a number of messages left by Mrs. Brooks. The general theme seemed to be ENOUGH ALREADY.
Uh-oh.
With hands shaking, she called Cooper. “Um, hi, it’s…”
“Ah yes.” Cooper’s voice was dry. “My generous food provider. I know you think I eat a lot, but that was insane. Do you know I had to abandon my work today to handle the piles of food that kept coming and coming? We ended up running an impromptu soup kitchen from Living Ruff’s front steps to get rid of all the food. That took ages. We had hangers-on who wanted to chat, and then there was the clean-up. You’re on Mrs. B’s shit list. Which you probably know by now, if you’ve listened to her messages.”
“Oh, my God.” Felicity cringed. “I’m so sorry.”
“If you’d listened to what I asked for, you’d have heard me request a—singular—meal. But you don’t seem to listen to my wishes, do you?”
“I just couldn’t decide what to get you, and so I—”
“More money than sense? Is that what this is?” Cooper sighed.
“I’m trying here.” Felicity scowled.
“Then stop. Please.” Cooper paused. “It was obvious from your apology letter that you really have no clue how to do this. And I’m not sure I want to be caught in the next avalanche as you try to figure it all out. So…please. We’re too different. We shouldn’t be dating.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Come on. I’ve said it all along: you’re the uptown girl. How long before you get tired of dating a lowly vet who doesn’t fit in your world and leave anyway? So why not do us both a favor and walk away now?”
“Because you’re kind!” Felicity hadn’t meant to say that. But in for a penny— “I mean, I don’t date kind. I never have. You’re the first. I only ever date lawyers who are just like me.”
Like Phillip. The fact that she’d once thought he might be the one was galling now. She pushed on. “And now that I’ve had a taste of how it feels to be around someone like you, that’s what I want.”
Felicity suddenly thought of Harvey and Rosalind, how his gentleness and warmth was a perfect foil for all the demands everyone put on her. He energized her. But it was more than that. Felicity just hadn’t fully understood what she was seeing that day.
Hell, Cooper had already given her the answer twice now, spelled it out for her, and still Felicity hadn’t seen. Kind people were safe places to relax into. They were…home. And Felicity hadn’t had kindness or a sense of home for so long that she didn’t know how much they mattered. Cooper had shown her that they did. Now it was all she could think about.
“I love your kindness,” Felicity went on. “And your compassion. Being with you for even a week made me see the world with new eyes.”
“I shouldn’t have to be your white knight, Felicity,” Cooper said, sounding tired. “The savior dragging you around so you open your eyes to the world.”
“Too late. You already did that. You’ve already changed me. I’m different.”
“I think you’re probably right. You are.” Cooper inhaled. “But maybe I need kindness, too? Thoughtfulness? You think problems can be solved with money being flung at them—enormous feasts and bunches of flowers. A big generic grand gesture. You could have given that to anyone.”
“What?” Felicity gasped. “Anyone who knows all your favorite foods!”
“I didn’t mean that side. I’m not unappreciative. It was a nice idea, and the homeless around here loved it, but everyone eats. Your gift wasn’t about me specifically—who I am and what I want. So I’ll tell you what: do one thing for me that’s all you—not an assistant, not Mitch, just you. Something that shows you understand who I am and what matters to me. Something you can’t spend one dime on. And if you do that, I’ll date you. Otherwise, I like you; you’re smart and beautiful and you’re probably going to rule the world someday, but you’re not who belongs with me. Goodbye, Felicity.”
The phone went dead. Felicity stared at it in disbelief.
Well. It wasn’t unreasonable what Cooper had asked for. She pursed her lips. A challenge had been thrown down.
Something that shows you understand who I am and what matters to me. Something you can’t spend one dime on.
As far as Felicity could tell, what mattered to Cooper most were animals.
And that was the moment Felicity had a most genius idea—if she did say so herself.
CHAPTER 18
A Most Genius Idea
One thing Felicity could always be counted on for was to find loopholes in any legal matter. It’s what had made her such an effective chief of staff for Elena. Lawyers from all over the world sent in various paperwork, and Felicity checked that all was in order. She’d caught shoddy work, illegal clauses, and most especially, glaring loopholes.
Which was how she now found herself on a Saturday morning just over a week later at Cooper’s door, holding a piece of paper she hoped would change everything. The paper hadn’t cost her a cent. But she hoped Cooper would appreciate how much effort she had made—personally—to make it happen.
She’d texted first, explaining she had what Cooper had asked for. And Cooper’s reply of “We’ll see” was a bit ominous.
But now, as she stood with her hand poised before Cooper’s door, doubts drowned her. Wooing someone with a legal agreement wasn’t exactly romantic, was it?
No. She was all in now. Felicity rapped sharply.
Cooper opened the door dressed in faded blue jeans worn at the knees with hints of a tear starting—and Felicity was pretty sure that was a genuinely acquired rip, not the preshredded variety. A mustard-colored sweater with the hint of a white shirt collar peeping up completed the picture.
“So, Ms. Simmons,” Cooper said with her eyebrow tilting up, “here to woo me?” Her gaze slid over her. “Well, come in. I’m amazed you kept your designer outfit down to just the belt and shoes.”
Felicity wasn’t about to admit it was all designer. “I can do low-key,” she suggested.
Cooper laughed. “Sure you can. Drink?”
