The Barefoot Groom: Bachelor Billionaire Romance (A Last Play Companion) Read Free

extraordinaire and local art gallery owner, sat next to Cooper as Hunter James’ wedding wound down.
    Hunter and Summer had just left on their honeymoon. People from all over Jackson blew bubbles and watched them drive off in their limo to some exotic location Hunter had refused to tell anyone about. Even his best friends.
    Cooper had worn the tuxedo and done the media smile for all the pictures. It’d been a pleasure to use his facility to host the wedding and reception. But now, as he sat with Sterling on the rooftop of his home, watched the help clean up, and listened to the last, faint sounds of the dance music, his heart ached. “I’m disenchanted, my friend.”
    Sterling was not one for pity parties, and definitely not for one for the Junto boy he felt the closest to. He especially didn’t want to hear it now that Hunter James had just dropped out of the Bachelor Billionaires Club. “You think you’re disenchanted?”
    Cooper shrugged, sipping his drink. “Been thinking I might go away for awhile. Find myself.”
    “You just built this place,” Sterling said.
    Cooper thought about the beautiful convention center and house. “Wanna buy it? You could host movie people or something.”
    Sterling scrunched up his face. “Ah, no.”
    They both sat in silence for a few moments.
    Sterling turned to him. “Your retreats are the perfect place for you to meet attractive, single women. You’re the most enlightened man I know. You should find someone. Have fun.”
    Cooper snorted back. “Yeah, I’m the relationship expert. I’m not going to hook up with any of the participants.”
    “Why?”
    He scoffed. “Not very professional.”
    Sterling remained quiet. Then he sighed. “Look, I know she died. It was tragic. I get that.”
    “Shut up.” He never talked about Nadia.
    Sterling was lounging on the chair next to him, his tie halfway off and his eyes closed. “Dude, I gotta get home and go to bed. That party was outrageous.”
    Letting himself relax and doing a refocusing exercise, he thought of the karaoke style song the guys had done for Hunter. “Just Montana and Cam up there would have been good, but I think you and I just made us all sound like a pack of howling wolves.”
    Laughing, Sterling ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, you don’t get many chances to have Hunter pretty much let you mock him in every way without repercussions. Anyway, I think Hunter’s gonna be on cloud nine for a while. That’s why you should read your own darn book and take your own advice, or take Hunter’s advice, and get back on the horse and try again. You could be the next groom.”
    The center of Cooper softened. He took a swig of his water bottle. “Ah, no.”
    “Why? It’s what your whole life is about—people getting together and being happy.”
    Cooper hedged, unsure of how to explain himself. “I used to believe people could be happy together. I still do. Just not me.”
    Sterling didn’t speak for a second, giving him a once over. “Dude, you’re kinda messed up.”
    Cooper didn’t respond.
    Sterling shook his head. “You’re going to get through this, buddy. Just do what I do.”
    “What’s that?”
    “Well, if I’m having a hard time, I look for another movie to throw myself into. Be somebody else. Focus on other things besides my life.”
    Cooper sighed. “But you have to come back to your own life. After. Right?”
    “Shut up.”
    Cooper sighed. “Pretending to be someone else is never the answer.”
    “I do it for a living, it’s different.”
    “Is it?” Cooper challenged, not wanting to confront Sterling about the fact whenever it got personal, he always changed the topic. He looked away.
    “What?” Sterling asked. “Your head looks busy.”
    Cooper rubbed his chin. “The reason I do what I do is to help people become fulfilled.”
    “What are you even talking about?”
    “Fulfilled.”
    “Ah, the illusive ‘You complete me’ mantra?”
    Cooper shook his head. “No,