Falling Like Leaves (Bramble Falls, #1)(7)

“No.” He looks at the line behind us and sighs, obviously wanting us to move along. “I’d recommend the harvest spice latte. It has pumpkin spice, hazelnut, and gingerbread. It’s the closest you’re going to get in Bramble Falls, and it’s a million times better.”

“I doubt that,” I tell him. “But okay, you’ve sold me. I’ll have the biggest harvest spice latte you’ve got.”

He nods, taps on the screen in front of him, and gives me the total, avoiding looking at me the whole time. I swipe my card, and Sloane and I move to the other end of the counter to wait for our drinks.

“What the hell was that about?” Sloane hisses.

“I was going to ask you the same thing. When did he become such an asshole?”

“He didn’t! Cooper’s basically the nicest person I know. What’d you do to him?”

“Nothing! I haven’t been here in years. We were really good friends before I left.” I don’t mention the kiss. She’d wonder why I never told her about it back then. I doubt she’d believe the truth—that it wasn’t a big deal. Plus, it’s irrelevant because it didn’t change things between Cooper and me. “We even texted after I went back home.”

“You did?”

“For a little while, before we both got too busy with school. But nothing explains his attitude toward me. We didn’t get into a fight or anything.”

“I don’t know, girl. Cooper doesn’t dislike anyone. Whatever you did must have been pretty bad.”

“I didn’t do anything!” I yell, sending a cat skittering behind a trash can and capturing the attention of two women waiting for their drinks—and, of course, Cooper. My cheeks flare, and I look down at the square toes of my black leather Stuart Weitzman boots.

When our drinks are finally called, we grab them, but just before we leave, Sloane leans over the counter.

“Hey, Cooper,” she calls. “You still coming over later?”

He nods. “I’ll be there at six.”

She gives him a thumbs-up, and I follow her toward the door.

“What’s happening later?” I ask her, stepping over a tabby cat in a green sweater.

She flashes me a giant grin over her shoulder. “It’s September, which means it’s officially Falling Leaves Festival season.”

“Okay? And what’s that mean?”

Sloane stops walking, and I nearly spill my latte as I bump into her. She pivots to face me.

“It means we have a lot of work ahead of us,” she says. “Bramble Falls is known for going all out in the fall. There are fall-themed activities every weekend throughout September and October. You know, apple picking, hayrides, corn mazes, pumpkin carving, a fall scavenger hunt, a double-feature horror-movie night at the drive-in, the Autumn Spice Sprint, the Boots and Blankets Bonfire, and the Pumpkin Prom.”

“The… Pumpkin Prom?”

“It’s a costume party with lots of dancing,” she says, practically shaking with excitement. “All of it leads up to the big festival the first weekend of November to conclude the season. It’s pretty much a huge all-day party. In New York you have the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Here we have the Bramble Falls Parade around the square!”

I stare at her, dumbfounded by how giddy she is about these events.

“People come from all over for the Bramble Falls experience,” she continues. “It’s a ton of fun, but it also generates lots of money for the town. And since my mom is the mayor and the head of the tourism board, it’s our job to plan, set up, and participate in the events. And since Cooper’s mom is on the board too, he helps out a lot. He’s coming over later to carry the heavier boxes down from the attic because it’s finally time to turn this town into an autumn oasis!”

“Got it….” I clear my throat, my curiosity getting the best of me. “So, are you and Cooper, like, together?”

“Definitely not,” she says. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s hot, and he’s super sweet. But I’m not interested. Why do you ask?”

She gives me a knowing smile, and I roll my eyes.

“I was just wondering,” I say. “Now walk. Let’s get out of here.”

Sloane obeys, sipping her tea and turning around. The bells above the door jingle as she steps outside.

Before leaving, I glance back at Cooper and find him watching us. Our eyes lock for what feels like both only a moment and a thousand years before he looks away.

I don’t want to care about the fact that Cooper seems to hate me—the same way I don’t care about anything else in this town. I wish I could forget about him the same way I’ve forgotten about him the last three years.

But now that I’m back here and I’ve seen him again, I can’t shake the nostalgia. Memories of the best summer I ever had with the sweet boy from Bramble Falls wrap around me like a blanket. And as I catch up with Sloane outside, the promise of a new season filling the air, I can’t help but wonder who Cooper Barnett is now—and what spending a fall with him would be like.





Chapter Three




Ringlets of sweat-soaked baby hairs stick to the back of my neck as I stand on an old wooden chair, forcing a plastic spring-tension curtain rod between the center support beam and the attic wall. If I’m going to be forced to stay here, I need some semblance of privacy should someone need to come to the attic.