My Last Breath, His Sweetest Moment

Synopsis

Aria Sanders was still holding the glass of honey water she'd made for Cooper Reed when she overheard those words. Cooper's friends were over for dinner tonight, and Aria had spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen, cooking up a feast. Cooper liked it when she played the perfect girlfriend in front of his friends, so she always did her best to be the picture of domesticity. Laughter and the clinking of glasses floated out from the living room as Aria carried the honey water over, hoping to help Cooper with his drinking. As she reached the doorway, she heard someone mention her name. "Cooper, Aria is really great. She is so gentle, and such a perfect homemaker, and her cooking is fantastic," Julian Carter said. Aria paused, a small wave of happiness bubbling up inside her. She lingered by the door, wanting to hear how Cooper would respond. "She's not bad," Cooper drawled, his voice casual and a bit slurred from the drinks. "Not bad? Come on, what do you mean by that?" another friend chuckled. "Is she really worse than Sarah?" Aria's hand trembled. Sarah Bell was Cooper's first love, the legendary woman everyone in their group talked about. Aria had never met Sarah, but she'd heard plenty. Sarah was gorgeous, smart, and exceptional, always the center of attention wherever she went, the one Cooper would always hold dear in his heart. "Worse? In what way?" Cooper let out a laugh, and there was something in his tone Aria had never heard before. "Sarah is in a league of her own. And Aria? She's not the same. There's no comparison."