Cooper slams his coffee cup down on the TV console, liquid splashing out and startling the room silent. “Neither of you even tried to stop her?”
“Coop, it was fine.” Steph disregards his outburst. “It was only a little rain.”
“It wasn’t your ass up there.”
The venom in his voice is striking in its severity. I’m not sure where all this sudden anger is coming from. Was it a particularly responsible thing to do? No. But nobody got hurt. Except Cooper’s butt, apparently.
I fix a small frown in his direction. “Hey, it’s fine. I’m fine. They needed help so I offered to come over. It was my decision.”
“I don’t give a shit whose dumbass idea it was. You shoulda known better,” he tells me with a condescending tone, not unlike the one I heard from Preston when I showed him the hotel.
And now I’m kind of pissed. Why does every guy I date think he needs to be my dad? I didn’t break up with Preston to start letting another guy treat me like a child.
“And you two,” he glowers at the girls, “shoulda stopped her.”
“Dude, chill.” Alana throws her head back with a bored sigh. “She’s a big girl. And we’re glad she’s here.” I sense that’s about as sincere an apology one gets out of Alana. Our efforts tonight have thawed the cold shoulder she’s been giving me, and I think we’re on good footing now.
“Shove it, Alana. She only pulled this stunt so you and Heidi would stop freezing her out.”
“I don’t remember asking you to speak for me,” I snap at him, because thanks, asshole. I was making progress here and this isn’t helping.
Cooper stalks toward the couch, looming over us. “You could’ve been killed,” he snaps back. “In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re practically in the middle of a hurricane.”
My jaw drops. “Are you kidding me right now? In case I hadn’t noticed? And now you’re suddenly worried about my safety? You’re the one who left me at your house in the middle of a hurricane. I was all alone there! Just me and Patricia screaming like a banshee!”
He blinks at me as if I’m insane. “Her name is Daisy.”
I stumble to my feet, clutching the blanket against myself like a toga. “I’m not talking about the dog! I’m talking about Patricia!”
“I don’t know who Patricia is, you lunatic!”
“The little dead girl who drowned outside your house a hundred years ago and—”
I stop, my outraged gaze swinging toward Evan, whose lips are twitching wildly.
“You asshole!” I snarl. “Seriously?”
Evan crosses his arms over his chest. “Mackenzie. Sweetheart. I’m not gonna apologize for you being gullible. This one’s on you.”
On the couch, Alana and Steph are in hysterics. Steph has tears running down her cheeks as she wheezes out little dead girl between giggles.
In front of me, Cooper is clearly trying not to laugh too.
“Don’t you dare,” I warn, jabbing a finger in the air between us.
“I mean,” Cooper trembles as he battles his laughter, “he’s not wrong. That one’s on you.”
I glare at him. “He’s a sadist! And you’re a jerk.”
“I’m a jerk? Remind me, who went out on the roof and almost got struck by lightning?”
“Oh my God, I did not almost get struck by lightning. You’re being ridiculous right now.” Indignant, I plant my hands on my hips, forgetting about the blanket wrapped around me.
It falls to the wet carpet, leaving me in nothing but a black sports bra and neon-pink bikini panties.
Evan licks his bottom lip. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about.”
Despite the flicker of heat in his expression, Cooper’s tone remains cool. “Get your clothes, Mac. We’re leaving.”
“No,” I say stubbornly.
His eyes narrow. “Let’s go.”
“No. I live here now.”
Alana snickers.
“Mackenzie.” He takes a menacing step forward. “Let’s go.”
“No.” My throat is suddenly dry. Tension thickens the air. I don’t know if Cooper is angry or turned on, but his blazing eyes are sucking up all the oxygen in the room.
Cooper glances at his brother. “Evan, gimme your keys. You can take my truck home.”
With a knowing grin, Evan reaches into his pocket then tosses a set of keys at his twin.
I jut my chin. “I don’t know what you think is happening right now, but I am not going—”