November

Chapter Ten

-Oliver-

As lonely as it was, I knew I needed one more night to mourn the end of my relationship with Brad. I tried to get all the tears out of my system so I could focus on being happy and making the most of the rest of my trip. Cooper was a great guy, and he didn't deserve to have me moping around while he was spending time with me.

Once I finished packing up all my stuff, I took one last look at the hotel room, and then turned and put it all behind me. I checked out of the hotel and went outside to sit on the curb and wait for Cooper. I hated that the first week of my trip had ended in heartbreak, but I was excited to spend the second week with Cooper. I liked being around him, and I was sure I'd be feeling better after just a few minutes in his presence.

It was starting to rain when Cooper pulled into the parking lot, but he waved and smiled when he saw me. Before I could pick up both of my bags, he was out of the truck and grabbing my other bag to put in the backseat.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm okay," I said, putting the bag I was holding in the backseat. "I just have to move on, and hanging out with you and seeing more of Washington will definitely keep my mind off everything else. What's the plan for today?"

"We're going to stop by my house first to drop off your stuff, and then we can head over to Rialto Beach. It's not far from my house, and I love going there on blustery days like today."

"Sounds great to me." I smiled, thinking about how Cooper could enjoy anything, even the beach on a rainy day.

"I hope you'll like it. Pacific Northwest beaches are different from what you've got in southern California. More rugged. It's amazing to see how angry the ocean is on days like this. I can spend hours watching the waves crash against the sea stacks and roar up onto the sand."

"That sounds awesome. And it's so beautiful out here that the rain doesn't even diminish the scenery."

Cooper grinned at me as we got in the truck. "I'm glad you feel that way."

Once we were out of town, I stared out the window at the trees and the lake. I would have been fine riding along quietly and just taking in the scenery, but I heard the faint sound of music.

"Do you get any radio stations out here?"

"Not many. I keep some CDs in my truck instead."

"What do you have?"

"No one specific. I just put a bunch of songs I like on a CD so I have variety."

I laughed. "Old school, like making a mix tape. I like it."

Cooper turned up the volume, and I vaguely recognized the cheerful song. It was Amy Grant's "Baby, Baby", which was one of the last things I expected to hear. I grinned, looking over at Cooper. "Wow, I haven't heard this song in years."

"I love this song," Cooper replied, a big smile lighting up his face.

He began to sing the lyrics, dancing in his seat and gesturing with one hand while keeping the other on the wheel. I didn't remember all the words, but I moved back and forth to the music and kept my eyes on Cooper. It was hilarious seeing this huge, bearded man singing along to this song and making up his own dance moves. Cooper was a terrible singer, but he was having so much fun with it.

I had no doubt that I'd made the right decision to stay in Washington with Cooper. His upbeat, playful attitude and kind, caring personality were exactly what I needed right now.

-

Cooper's house was just outside of town, down a gravel drive and surrounded by trees. It was a small house that resembled a log cabin, with rich brown wood and a green tin roof. There was a covered porch on the front with a couple rocking chairs.