Boomerangers: A second chance romantic comedy (Cajun Girls Book 1)
Boomerangers: Chapter 23

I barely make it back to my car without collapsing. I have spent my entire life dreaming of the day that Cooper would ask me to marry him, and I can honestly say I never imagined it to be like this. I’m a ball of conflicting emotions. But, above all else, shitty fake proposal and all, I love that man with every fiber of my being. More now than ever.

That he would sacrifice his own future to save mine is the most selfless thing anyone has ever done for me. Coop loves me. His words confirmed what I think I’ve always known deep down when he whispered them into my ear a week and a half ago. I still believe wholeheartedly that Cooper and I are soul mates. The problem, however, has never been a lack of love for each other. Even when Cooper broke up with me, I knew that he loved me.

But, since that day there has always been something standing in our way. Today that something is my children. They are the reason I can’t just say yes when every cell in my body wants to be his wife. I care about his and my boys’ happiness too much. Cooper may like my kids. But, like and love are two entirely different things. It would not be fair to expect him to take on the role of doting dad to three children he never asked for, and for my boys, I would expect nothing less.

Where’s a paper bag when you need one? It feels like my throat is closing up and my heart is beating way too fast. This can’t be normal. I think I must be hyperventilating. I lean my head against the headrest, breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth slowly until it no longer feels like I’m drowning.

While still idling in the parking lot, I text Gina.

Me: Cooper just proposed.

Gina: What??? What did you say? You said YES, right?

Me: Not exactly. I told him I’d think about it.

My phone starts buzzing in my hand and I answer it.

“What the hell do you mean you told him you’d think about it? Sometimes I swear I don’t know you at all. This is what you’ve wanted your entire life.” Gina starts in on me before I can even get out the word “Hello.”

God, my head hurts. “It wasn’t like a romantic proposal, Gi. It was more of a business proposal.”

“’Splain, Lucy.”

“If Coop and I are engaged, or if I’m engaged, period, it will strengthen our chances of getting Alex’s rights terminated. Apparently judges like kids to have fathers and step ones will do . . .”

“You’re stupid. First of all, I need for you to know that.”

“Uhhh, thanks?”

“That is the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. What could possibly be more romantic than the man of your dreams swooping in like a white knight? This is your fucking fairytale, bitch, and you’re about to let it slip away . . .” Gina growls in frustration. “Listen, I know your stubborn ass is used to doing everything alone, but for once will you just play the role of damsel in dis-fucking-stress and allow the man to swoop in and save your ass?”

Wow. “I’m not sure I know how to damsel.”

The line goes silent for a few seconds. Gina must not know how to damsel, either. When she doesn’t answer, I begin laughing. “Hello, pot.”

“Shut up. Watch some Disney movies tonight and take notes. I think you have to talk like you’ve just swallowed helium and faint and shit,” she teases.

“I almost accomplished the fainting part.”

“See, you’re a natural. You’ve totally got this.”

“Totally.”

“Just say yes, Spencer. It’s that simple.”

It’s that simple . . . and it’s that fucking hard.

The next day, as I’m packing up to leave school, a text comes in.

My Knight: We’ve got him. Get your sexy ass over here, Princess.

I stare down at the message in disbelief. My hand begins shaking so hard that the phone falls to the table. Oh my God. I don’t know what exactly we’ve got yet, and I don’t care, because Cooper wouldn’t have messaged me if it wasn’t something solid.

Me: On my way!

Screw the butterflies, humming birds are zipping around in my stomach by the time I walk through the door to Cooper’s office. I’m floating.

Coop bounds out of his chair, rushing over to greet me at the door. Lifting me into his arms, he spins me around the room, kissing every square inch of my face.

His excitement is contagious, and I’m giggling like a little girl. “Well, hello there, fiancé.”

“Fian . . .” He pauses, searching my eyes as a slow smile moves across his face. His eyes sparkle. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

A slow trickle of tears stream down my cheeks as I nod my head. “Yes, Cooper. I will marry you . . . if you’ll still have me.” My heart is racing. “Unless you’ve had second thoughts,” I rush out, feeling my cheeks warm. “I will never be able to repay you for this.”

“You just did, Princess.”

God, the way he’s looking at me almost makes me feel like this is real. Like he’s marrying me because he can’t imagine living any other way, rather than martyring himself. Oh, I know it isn’t that bad, but there’s still a huge part of me that feels guilty for allowing him to do this. Selfish. I feel selfish for using him this way. In a few years or hell, even months, when this is all just a bad memory and Alex is no longer a threat . . . if he’s not happy, I’ll set him free.

“I love you, Cooper Hebert, and I know love isn’t everything, but it’s something, right? We can do this. We can be happy . . .” I swallow the lump in my throat, searching his face for reassurance.

“I love you, too, Spence, and we will be happy.”

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I give Coop another toe-curling kiss before disentangling myself and walking over to sit in my chair. Cooper follows suit, taking his seat across the cluttered desk.

“Whatcha got?” I ask eagerly, rocking in my seat.

Cooper steeples his hands beneath his chin, leaning forward. “Before moving to New Orleans, Mr. Hernandez lived in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he worked as a bouncer for a local night club. Club Rouge. It was a known hot spot for pill poppers . . . namely ecstasy.” Cooper lifts his brow and smirks. “Alex was allegedly their main supplier.”

My hands clutch the arms of the chair as I drum my feet on the floor with excitement. “A drug dealer! Coop. This is great.”

He chuckles, then quickly frowns. “It gets worse. A seventeen-year-old girl snuck in with a fake ID and ODed . . . died, right there on the dance floor.”

My heart sinks.

“Several other people were hospitalized from the bad batch of drugs that they also alleged to have purchased from Alex.”

I cup my hands over my open mouth. Stunned doesn’t begin to describe how I’m feeling. “This makes no sense. How is he not in jail?”

“I said alleged. Alex was accused but never charged. He must’ve had some friends in pretty high places . . . but his reputation was tarnished.”

“So he moved to New Orleans and it all just went away,” I add, finishing his thought.

“Bingo,” Coop says, pointing at me with a wink. “Except nothing ever really goes away, does it?”

I guess not. “So if there is no record, then how can this help our case?”

“Character witnesses.” Cooper crosses his arms on his chest, leaning back in his chair. “Five of the people who were hospitalized are willing to come forth and testify that they purchased their drugs from Alex Hernandez that night.”

My heart starts racing, and I can feel myself beaming. “So it’s done, then? There’s no way we can lose?”

Coop’s head shakes. “I didn’t say that . . . but, it looks good. We’ve got a shot, Spence, and that’s a hell of a lot more than we had when we woke up this morning.”