“You are,” Mom said simply.

“Or he wants to,” Dad added.

My ears were hot. “Why are we talking about Maggie and me?”

“Oh, he really wants to.” She nudged him.

“What’s the story, Coop?”

I ran a hand over my mouth and picked up my drink. “I’m seeing her, and it’s complicated.”

“Because of West?” he asked.

“And because of Maggie. She’s been through a lot. The wedding was only a few months ago, and I think she’s just skittish. She says not ready for anything serious.”

Dad’s eyebrow rose. “And you are?”

I took a sip, following the burn as it dove through my chest. “I don’t know.”

“What do you know?” Mom asked.

I was overcome with honesty, sitting across from my parents, whom I trusted more than anyone. And so I answered the question I’d been avoiding at all costs. “All I know is that I can’t stop thinking about her or wanting to be with her. She makes me laugh, makes me happy. But she said the other day that I couldn’t be serious about anything, and I think that she believes that if I’m not serious, we can’t be serious. Maybe she’s right.”

Dad shook his head. “Purpose, Cooper. When you find purpose, it changes everything.”

“I’ve never felt this way, Dad. I have no idea what I’m doing or what to do next.”

He smiled. “None of us ever do. Here’s the secret to life: figure out what you want and then go get it. Everything falls in line with that.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

Mom smiled. “That simple, and that impossible.”

Servers appeared with our food, and the conversation veered to topics less invasive. My mind was on Maggie.

Purpose. A reason. A spark to light up my gray life, make me want more.

Was it her?

I wanted to show her everything, give her everything. I wanted to prove to her that what I said was true. I wanted her to believe me, believe in me. I needed her to.

When I thought back over the past few weeks, I realized that she wasn’t a spark. She was a wildfire.

I excused myself, my chest burning as I made my way to the restroom. I leaned over the sink and splashed cold water on my  face, closed my eyes with my palms on the granite, listening to the slow drop of water from my nose as it hit the porcelain sink.

I wanted her. She needed to know that I was serious. So I needed to show her.

When I looked back up at my reflection, there were no more questions. There was no more indecision. I knew exactly what to do.

Maggie had better watch out. Because I was coming for her.

Maggie

My face was half-smushed into a pillow as I tried to catch my breath that night. Cooper kissed a trail down my back, and I blinked slow, smiling.

“I dunno how you do that to me,” I said mostly into the pillow.

“Hmm?”

I shifted, and he moved so I could roll over — when I saw his smile, I couldn’t stop my own. “Nothin’.”

He climbed up my body and lay on top of me. “Have any plans this weekend?” He brushed my crazy hair out of my face.

“No, why?”

“Come sailing with me.”

I blinked, not knowing what to say. “What will I tell West?”

“The truth. Tell him you have a date.”

I gave him a flat look. “Cooper.”

He gave me one right back. “Maggie.”

“Doesn’t that break the rules?”

He shrugged and traced my bottom lip with his index finger. “You said you wanted to see New York. Well, I can show you New York in a way you can’t see anywhere else. We can sail up the coast to the Hamptons, spend the night, and sail back on Sunday.”

Butterflies flitted around in my stomach, those traitorous bastards. “Sounds like something couples would do.”

“Listen, we only have one week left. Can we just say fuck the rules for thirty-six hours?” He kissed the bottom lip his finger had just been on. “Plus, just think of all the rope I have on that boat. And I know a lot of knots.”

I laughed. “God, Cooper.”

He smiled back at me, contented. “Call it whatever you want. I just thought you might like to sail. Would it make you feel better if I promise to keep conversation and clothing to a minimum?”

“Maybe a little.”

“Consider it done.” His smile softened, and his eyes locked on mine, voice a little lower as he cupped my cheek. “Say yes.”

My resolve was about as sturdy as a bridge made out of Pixy Stix. The rules. Fucking rules. Could I agree to thirty-six hours, rule-free? That wasn’t even two full days, and he was right. It was almost over, and what better way to spend our last weekend but together?

I didn’t know how I could refuse with him looking at me like that, with his fingers against my skin and my pulse fluttering. It was a terrible idea. The worst. I should definitely say no.

“All right.”

God damn that smile of his. “Meet me at the dock at nine. Pack a swimsuit and a dress for dinner.”

“And purple panties?”

“Underwear is entirely up to you.”

I laughed.

“Stay the night, Maggie.”

His voice commanded me — his eyes held me still. My smile slipped as I looked up at him, hypnotized out of nowhere. I wanted to say yes, so badly. But I’d already given too much.

I blinked and took a breath, dragging my smile back out. “The rules are in place as long as we’re on Manhattan soil. Plus, I’ve got to get my rest for our big weekend. I should pack now if I’ve got to meet you all the way on the south side by nine.”

He sighed. “I’ll let you have that, but only because I get you all to myself for the weekend.” His lips met mine in a smoldering kiss.

I could barely open my eyes when he broke away, and I thought real hard about staying. Real, real hard. When I finally peeled my eyelids open, I smiled up at him. “It’s late. I should get going.”

He brushed his lips against mine once more. “All right.”

Cooper rolled off of me, and I grabbed my clothes, heading to the bathroom to get cleaned up and dressed before I changed my mind.

When I came out, he was waiting for me with a smile, took my hand as we walked to his door.

“Bobby’s downstairs waiting for you.”

“Thank you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going to fight me on it?”

“Would it do any good?”

“No.”

I smiled. “Exactly.”

He smiled back. “Want me to send him to get you in the morning?”

“Nah, I’ll take the subway.”

“I’ll text you the address.” His hand slipped into the crook of my neck, and he kissed me once more, reverently. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mags.”

“‘Night, Cooper.”

I stepped into the elevator feeling giddy as I leaned against the rail, my eyes still on him until he disappeared behind the elevator doors.

My mind skipped around, daydreaming about sailing to the beach house. But every second brought with it a little bit of doubt and confusion.

The getaway was a date. A weekend long romantic sailing to the Hamptons date where I’d be alone with Cooper for thirty-six hours. Nowhere to run. No getting away from him. The thought excited me just as much as it freaked me out. Which was to say, a lot.

I looked back over the last week, not sure how I’d gotten to the point where the rules had been called off, even just temporarily. Reading in the park had been a bad idea. Truth or Dare had been even worse. Coney Island just proved that I was a raging dumbass for convincing myself we were only banging. And now, a weekend getaway.

It was impossible to pretend that whatever was happening between us was nothing. It was all too clear that we were more than nothing.

I was in much deeper than I thought.

The elevator doors opened, and I nodded at the doorman as I headed to the back entrance. Bobby was waiting for me and opened the car door for me to climb in.

“Thank you, Bobby.”

“No problem, Maggie.”

He closed my door and walked around the car to climb into the driver’s seat. My thoughts didn’t stop spinning as we made our way up 5th and to the traverse through the park.