Cocky Best Friend: Samantha Cocker (Cocker Brothers Book 21) Read online

  Cocky Best Friend

  Faleena Hopkins

  Hop Hop Productions Inc

  Contents

  1. Samantha Cocker

  2. Logan Clark

  3. Samantha

  4. Samantha

  5. Logan

  6. Logan

  7. Logan

  8. Samantha

  9. Logan

  10. Logan

  11. Samantha

  12. Samantha

  13. Logan

  14. Samantha

  15. Samantha

  16. Samantha

  17. Logan

  18. Samantha

  19. Logan

  20. Samantha

  21. Logan

  22. Logan

  23. Samantha

  24. Samantha

  25. Logan

  26. Logan

  27. Samantha

  28. Logan

  29. Logan

  30. Logan

  31. Logan

  32. Samantha

  33. Samantha

  34. Logan

  35. Samantha

  36. Logan

  37. Logan

  38. Logan

  39. Samantha

  40. Logan

  41. Samantha

  42. Samantha

  43. Logan

  44. Samantha

  45. Logan

  46. Samantha

  Cocker Family Info/Links

  Cocker Family Extras

  About the Author

  A friend is always good to have, but a lover’s kiss is better than angels raining down on me.

  Dave Matthews

  Chapter One

  Samantha Cocker

  “How are you, Sam?”

  Confused, I tilt my head to reply, “Sorry?”

  My throat dries.

  You can’t be serious.

  I missed my dance cue?

  My audition is blown?!

  Blinking at my witnesses, blood ice-cold from fear, I swallow hard. Their power and influence couldn’t be more devastating at such a profoundly awkward moment. The long fold-out table is like a barrier between me and my dreams of a successful life onstage.

  On the left sits the person who asked if I’m okay — Atlanta’s most talented director-choreographer, Ms. Tasha Galloway. A former star herself, she has traveled with illustrious productions throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, South America, Russia — oh, everywhere! Since retirement, she has brought our Alliance Theater five of its six hits in the last three years. I’ve been in all of them, but only as a background dancer.

  This was my shot.

  They want a girl to dance with the lead male star. The role has been opened to lesser-known talents like me because the character has no lines. She doesn’t even sing. Which is good, because my voice inspires people to shield their ears.

  But stars do not want zero lines. They want many.

  Me?

  Not so picky.

  Yet here I stood, staring at my feet when the music started? How is that even possible?! I wish I could crawl under that table, grab her famous legs and beg Ms. Galloway for another chance.

  Center is Broadway producer Stuart Rogess, a man who looks as if he has also traveled the world, but by yacht, and was wholly unimpressed by every square foot of our beautiful Earth.

  Beside him sits a quiet, bug-like man whose purpose I do not know. But if he’s here, he is huge!

  Oh.

  My.

  God.

  Ms. Galloway inhales like her bun is yanked to the heavens. She repeats, “I asked how you are doing, Samantha. Are you okay?”

  Ashamed, I whisper, “Yes.”

  But…am I?

  My brother Caden is moving to Chicago. We had a family dinner last night to say goodbye. Not one of our big Cocker Family BBQs. Just immediate family.

  Mom was not herself.

  Dad, a wreck.

  My sister, Lexi, snapped at Mom, her idol.

  Our baby brother, Hunter, stayed even after dinner was over. That’s how we knew how dire things were.

  And our oldest brother, Max…I’ve never seen him so sad.

  Dad invited us to sleep over. It’s the house we grew up in, and it would have been tragically nostalgic and heart-breaking if we’d slept in our old rooms knowing Caden is the first to leave us for good. Our family is splintering and nobody wanted to face it.

  Caden’s the only one who accepted Dad’s invitation. Which was super sweet of him. And brave.

  Because of this audition looming, I left with Lexi. She wanted to run to Brad, because he could distract her from anything, anytime, anywhere.

  Hunter took off to whatever mysterious place he goes to.

  Max had Natalie waiting.

  Guilt plagued my decision. But this audition was pressing in and sleep was mandatory.

  Not that I got any.

  But I tried.

  Frankly, I thought I’d come here, dance a few rounds and be sent home or book background, per usual. That was the goal, and it was a good one that deserved my full attention. Then I’d go help Caden pack. That’s where my siblings and most of our cousins are right now, stuffing his life into boxes that will be shipped to another state where we’ll never see him again.

  Stop thinking like that, Sam!

  But I can’t stop.

  I just can’t.

  He’s my big brother. My homie. My guy. Yes, Max is the oldest, but Caden and I are closer. He’s always watched over me, teasing me, driving me bonkers. But he’s…there.

  I can’t believe he’s leaving!

  What if he loves Chicago?

  What if he stays forever?

  “Please give me another chance?”

  Ms. Galloway leans over. “She’s a very talented dancer, Stu.”

  He glares at her.

  The Bug doesn’t budge.

  With authority, Galloway calls to her award-winning pianist, “Kelly, again!”

  Gentle music expands from nimble fingers.

  This cue I do not miss.

  My worries disappear as I’m transported to an imaginary world where my soulmate has snuck out of his home to see me before dawn’s sunlight steals our chance.

  We’re forbidden by our families to be together because we honor different religions. But the moment our eyes met, we fell in love, with no choice but to hide it.

  Since I’m alone in this audition, I imagine myself approaching where we said we’d meet, discover him waiting for me like he said he would, and fly across where we would pass one another, gazes locked over our shoulders until we had to release the stare.

  I do not see the lack of him, the mirrors, or my solo reflection.

  I see only beautiful him.

  My troubled partner.

  My perfect mate.

  My ultimate demise.

  I bend and turn and float with a lifetime of training making it appear and feel, effortless. My heart expands as I dance, his invisible touch flipping my world into something extraordinary.

  The song comes to an end on the slowest of twirls, my arms gracefully bent in front of my disciplined body. They fall like evaporating clouds. Although I am facing the judges, my gaze is locked on him as he leaves before his parents find him gone.

  Goodbye is in my soul and in tears that hover.

  I know this feeling well.

  My brother taught it to me.

  The room is silent.

  Piano resting.

  No one speaks.

  And then…

  “Thank you, Samantha,” Ms. Galloway blandly says. “Will you send the last girl in on
your way out?”

  I nod, force a smile, and silently exit.

  Shit. Shit. Shit!

  In a colorful waiting room my competition hears my approach and releases her leg from a long stretch above her beautiful head while standing on pointe.

  “You’re up, Marion.”

  “How’d it go?”

  “Great,” I lie, “Knock ‘em dead.”

  Gliding by, she throws me a distracted, “Thanks,” but her superior focus is already in the game.

  I snatch my cherry-red dance bag from where I left it by the window, look over my shoulder to watch the door close behind her.

  Sigh.

  Checking my phone, I see a myriad of texts from family wondering where I am. My sister will spread the word.

  I have to get cleaned up.

  Lexi texts back:

  We’re packing. Who cares if you’re sweaty?

  She doesn’t realize I need to hide an ugly-cry in our shower. There’s no strength left in me to argue.

  A quick elevator ride down and I step into a beautiful foyer. There it is to my right, the Alliance Theater, just across the street.

  Turning left, I slam into my best friend.

  We grab our faces—my nose, his forehead.

  He grunts, cobalt-blue eyes closing as his muscles flex.

  Chapter Two

  Logan Clark

  “What the hell?” Sam laughs, so beautiful that I no longer feel pain. It’s rare that natural blondes have brown eyes, but everything about Samantha Cocker is rare. “Why were you bent over like that? I hit the hardest part of your forehead.”

  While stealing a quick glance to her glistening neck, wishing for the millionth time that I could kiss it, I laugh, “Sam, holy shit, I didn’t see you!”

  “Is it bleeding?”

  To examine her nose, I lean a little closer than I should for the betterment of my own sanity. She’s sweaty from the audition. I love this smell. Lord knows it’s familiar.

  We’ve been dancing together since we were six, when my parents enrolled me in classes, despite my early objections. I mistakenly thought I wanted sports. Turned out I was wrong. Though some say this is one. We sure train as hard.

  “Nah, you’re good.” I rake my hair back as I bend to show her my mess. “I just noticed ketchup on my tank top. Look! Think they’ll care?”

  “You’re auditioning for the musical, too?”

  “They asked me to try out for the lead’s brother.”

  She reacts with the surprise due such an announcement. She and I always dance background.

  “That’s amazing! Here’s what you do. Tell them he spilled the ketchup on you to mess with your audition. Then roll your eyes and say, Brothers!”

  She’s got three; she's the expert.

  I’ve got one sister, five years older with no sense of humor. Life is a serious game for Hope. She’s out for blood and do not get in her way. If you’re nice, she takes that as weakness. I steer clear. Like last night when we stopped by for dinner, she grilled Mom on why she won’t leave Dad. This audition gave me an excuse to dodge the broken record of that none-of-her-business conversation.

  “How long were you here?”

  Sam misinterprets my accidentally checking out her hot body, and teases me, “Don’t judge my sweat! Just shows I worked for it.”

  “This face?” I circle my index finger. “Admiration. How’d you do?”

  “Good.”

  “You’re lying.”

  She crumbles, playing with her braid as her sweet eyes dart away on the confession, “Terrible. I did terribly.”

  “No way.”

  “I did.”

  “What happened?”

  “I don’t know, Logan. I wasn’t on my game up there. Off day. No big deal.”

  This is what I love about you, Sam. You could unload all of your shit onto me — and it’s probably about your sister, Lexi, again — but that would be selfish, and you never are.

  Wishing we weren’t two feet apart, concern deepens my voice. “Any chance?”

  “Um…yeah.” She gives me a huge smile. “I finally clicked into it. I was really there, you know.”

  “The zone, man, I love that.”

  “Isn’t it the best feeling?”

  “It’s everything.”

  You’re everything.

  You. Are. Everything.

  She smiles, “They kept me past the background dancers, too. They only chose three of us out of over a hundred, can you believe that?”

  “What was it for?”

  “You know I can’t sing. Well, the lead guy falls in love with a girl but she never sings. She never even speaks, Logan! She just—”

  We say it at the same time, “—dances.”

  “I could totally do this. It could be me going to New York!”

  This production is merely previewing in Atlanta. It’s a common thing for plays to work out kinks here before traveling to the kingdom of greatness. Producers will test the possibilities before spending the big cash.

  “You’d be amazing.”

  She smacks my arm, the sting so sweet. “Brother of the lead? That could be huge! You have to call me after! I hope you get it.”

  “I hope we both get it.”

  “Marion is in there now.”

  I slide my gaze up the skyscraper. “Fuck her.”

  Samantha laughs, “Stop it. She means well.”

  “Her ego doesn’t. I need to go up and do my thing.”

  Heading off to the car she shares with Lexi, Sam says, “Take no prisoners, Logan! Show them what you’re made of!”

  Watching her walk, I inhale need and call out, “Samantha!”

  She flips around, “Yeah?” walking backward in tights that make her legs shine.

  “You’re the best dancer I know. Marion can’t hold a candle to you.” I give her a wink, and head inside.

  Samantha, what would life be like if we both went to New York City, dancing every night in a hit musical? Maybe outside of Atlanta I’d shuck this friend-label and take you in my arms for all the many things I want to do to you.

  I’m going to nail this bad boy.

  You and me?

  Broadway bound!

  Chapter Three

  Samantha

  Returning from the airport the next morning, I call out, “Zoe, you home?”

  “In my room!”

  We’ve got two kitties, Sally Ashes and Ralphie Rooster, with the former forever holding vigil at the front door if one of the three of us is gone.

  Ralphie is the opposite — he cannot find the desire nor need, to ever leave the fresh air in our green thumbed cousin’s sanctuary.

  Zoe created her own Garden of Eden inside the small bedroom she took over when she moved in with Lexi and I. It has very little space due to plants and flowers growing on every surface, making her room smell fresh, earthy, and sweetly fragrant.

  I walk up the hall toward it while petting Sally’s charcoal grey fur. It’s how she got the ‘Ashes’ part of her name, and with her olive-green eyes, she really is a beauty. “Aren’t you girl?” I murmur, burying my face in the comfort of her.

  “How was the airport?”

  “Oh Zoe, it was so awful!” I rest against her sturdy doorframe, hugging our kitty close. “We walked with him through the security line until they told us we couldn’t go any farther. He waved from the other side, and even though he was cracking jokes, his eyes were dark, you know? The second he disappeared, Mom crumbled into Dad. Max was holding back tears. Mine were streaming. Hunter kept gnawing his cheek. Lexi just kept kicking the ground with her foot, fidgeting with her fingers and shaking her head. None of us can believe he doesn’t live here anymore. Caden’s gone! How wrong is that?”

  Zoe is tucked into her comforter where she was reading a romance novel with zero sex in it, probably. “I don’t know what to say. If my brothers moved away, I don’t know what I’d do. Can you imagine how Gabriel and Elijah must feel? Twins, and they’re alw
ays separated!”

  Sally claws out of my needy embrace, and dashes down the hall to our front door, ignoring Ralphie’s lazy gaze. Unfazed, he returns to the grueling habit of passing out.

  Zoe jogs her chin, green eyes flicking from me toward our front door. “She thinks Lexi might come home next.”

  “Fat chance.”

  “Brad’s?”

  I shrug, “Who?”

  Zoe laughs.

  I can’t talk about my sister’s lover to the men and parents in our large family. She forbids it. But in this apartment we know. Wryly smiling, I nod, “Yep. His drama will keep her mind off of Caden.”

  “Is that a good thing?”

  “Zo,” I warn, tilting my head.

  She glances to her paperback, turning its new pages. “Just worry about her sometimes.”

  “At least someone is getting laid in this apartment.”

  “Sam!” Zoe laughs, tucking brown hair behind her virgin ears.

  My phone rings and I wave that I have to take this call. “Hi Mom.”

  “How are you doing, hun?”

  I trudge across the hall to my room and collapse onto my bed, staring at a poster of the Russian Ballet Company while I tell her, “I feel like a truck hit me and somehow I’m still standing but can’t remember who I am. It’s not like I saw Caden every day, but he was here, you know?”

  “Yes. I understand that feeling all too well.” At a question from my father in the background, Mom answers him, “It’s Samantha, honey. She’s a little blue.” Returning to me, she asks, “Would you like to come over for dinner?”