What Goes Around...

Part Thirty Seven

Chapter Thirty Seven

Coop knew he was grinning like a madman, but he felt like one. Freya looked amazing, he'd never been one to notice details, not really, but she looked radiant. Her skin was luminescent, her cheeks rosy, eyes sparkling. All signs of the emotional devastation her brother described were long gone. She was wearing shorts, short shorts, and he realised that he'd never seen her legs other than at the cabin, and now those legs were tanned, as was the rest of her. She looked ethereal, happy...he sighed, better than she had the last time he'd seen her, better without him.

He opened his mouth to speak but Oscar beat him to it, storming across the room and pulling her into a hug, "you didn't say you were coming back. I could have picked you up."

She grinned, "looks like you're heading off yourself."

He nodded, "got to go to Hawaii, work. Come with me? It'll be fun."

Laughing she dropped her bag at her feet, "I can't do that. I've only just got back...plus I have to speak to the DA tomorrow. My victim impact statement. But thanks anyway."

Oscar looked frantically between her and Coop and Coop could see the panic in his eyes, "but you've just got back, I don't want to leave you so soon."

"I'm a big girl, I'll survive, honestly. Don't let me make you late. I'll be here when you get back. Promise."

"You're staying?" Coop asked and was rewarded with her turning to look at him.

"Nowhere else to go. As long as you don't mind."

He wanted to hug her, to pull her into his arms, and instead he moved his hands deliberately behind his back, instead, he shook his head far too enthusiastically, "of course not."

That caused a snort from Oscar and they both turned to look at him.

"What's the matter Oscar?" she asked him quietly, Coop could spot the dangerous level of clam in her voice and almost pitied her brother.

He shrugged, "I don't trust that bastard...that's what."

Her eyes darted between the two men, "you don't trust him?" She gestured towards Coop with her thumb then laughed ironically, "he's the most principled man I know." Her voice was laced with sarcasm, but he knew that Oscar was too angry to notice that. "I thank you for your concern brother, but contrary to popular belief I am not an imbecile, just because I'm a little uneducated in the social word, that does not mean that I need babysitting by you. So please, don't even start on that behaviour. Ok? I'll be fine here," she added when she spotted his jaw tense, "I promise."

Coop tried to hide the smug grin as he walked back to the kitchen putting some distance between them, giving them some space. When he heard the door close a little later, he glanced up to see Freya stood there alone. Oscar had gone. Suddenly she looked anxious, nervous, the confidence she had walked in with was disappearing by the second.

Putting down the glass he was drying he walked across to her.

"You ok? It's so good to see you again. I wondered if you'd ever come back." the words tumbled out rather quickly as he crossed to her, and he sighed as he reached for her arms. "Sorry."

She gave a half smile, before sliding her arms free of his, "it's not that easy Mr Cooper." Taking a step back she offered, "I don't belong back in London. I realised that the moment the plane landed."

"And you belong here?" He asked hopefully.

She shrugged, "who knows? I had to come back here...and it feels right. That's all I know." That came as a relief. It felt instantly right to him too. "But it's not that easy." She finished and he stared at her for a moment. This was where he grovelled.