Читать книгу Ultimate Romance Collection - Rebecca Winters, Amalie Berlin - Страница 44

Ten

Coop would be the first to admit that he’d been somewhat nervous upon arriving this morning, not sure of how his son would react to him. So far things were going great and he knew he had Bristol to thank for that.

As he settled back on the sofa, he thought about what she’d told him about her childhood. Specifically, growing up without knowing her father. And then only getting to spend a couple of years with him before he’d died.

After hearing her story, he wasn’t sure what was worse. Having parents who were bitter toward each other or having parents like his who were obsessively into each other. If he had to choose, it would be the parents who were obsessively into each other. As far as he was concerned, her mother’s resentment, bitterness and anger had only hurt Bristol. It was sad how one person’s decision could change the lives of so many. He was glad Bristol had learned from her mother’s mistake.

He couldn’t help but smile when he remembered lunch. Laramie had cleaned his plate in record time. More than once, Bristol had to tell him to slow down so his food could digest. Coop hadn’t been sure if Laramie knew what that meant until the boy began taking smaller bites of his sandwich.

It was obvious Bristol and Laramie had a routine. He hadn’t put up a fuss when she’d mentioned it was time for his nap. Instead, he’d waved goodbye to Coop. But not before he’d asked if Coop would be there when he woke up. Before Coop could answer, Bristol had told Laramie not to expect him to be there because he had things to do. Was that her way of letting Coop know he was wearing out his welcome?

Hell, he hoped not. He’d placed a call to his commanding officer letting him know that he would be taking his holiday leave and would remain in the New York area. Like he’d told Bristol last night... He planned to spend as much time with his son as he could.

“I think he was asleep before his head hit the pillow. What did you do to tire him out?” Bristol asked, grinning as she returned to the living room.

He looked at her and thought those jeans she wore definitely displayed all her curves. Not all women could wear jeans and exude that kind of effect on a man. The kind that could shoot his libido into overdrive. The kind that made him remember, whether he wanted to or not, how things had been between them in Paris. How easily they’d connected. How insatiable their hunger for each other had been.

With effort, he brought his mind back to the conversation. Coop smiled. “He wanted to play hide-and-seek.”

“Oops. I should have warned you about that.”

In a way, Coop wished she had. Then he would have given his son restrictions about not hiding in certain areas. Coop hadn’t set any rules, and Laramie had found a good place to conceal himself in his mommy’s bedroom. He hadn’t felt comfortable going into Bristol’s room but since she’d left the door open he had seen enough to know it was neat as a pin and decorated in colors of mauve and gray.

And he had seen her bed.

It was the same one she’d had in Paris. Seeing that bed had made him recall everything they’d done and how they’d done it. It also made him realize that his son was conceived in that bed. Or it could have been the time he’d taken her against the refrigerator.

“How many times did you find him?”

Bristol’s question interrupted his reverie. “Every single time.”

No need to tell her that he’d had to coax Laramie out of his hiding place in her bedroom so he wouldn’t have to go in there looking for him. That hadn’t been easy. A promise to take him to the park one day soon cinched it.

He watched Bristol sit down on the chair and somehow she did it in a way that was a turn-on. He inhaled deeply, remembering for the umpteenth time that Bristol was off-limits. His presence here had nothing to do with her but everything to do with their son. No matter how many good memories he had of them together, no matter how hard he’d tried to find her in Paris, and no matter how attracted he was to her now, the bottom line was that Laramie was his focus.

A relationship with his son was the only thing that mattered. That meant he and Bristol needed to talk about a few subjects they’d skirted around.

Deciding not to beat around the bush, he said, “So let’s talk, Bristol.”

He could tell she was nervous. But whatever they discussed would be with the intent of putting their son’s needs before their own. Unfortunately, Coop had plenty of needs.

He hadn’t bedded a woman since his last assignment nearly eight months ago. No particular reason he hadn’t done so other than the fact he’d been too busy trying to hire more men to help run the ranch in Laredo that he’d inherited from his grandparents.

Cooper’s Bend was his favorite place in all the world and when he retired from being a SEAL, he planned to move there and make it his permanent home. He could retire after his twenty years with the military, which was what he planned to do. He had less than ten years left. Six more to be exact, since he’d entered the military at eighteen and could officially retire at thirty-eight. Then he would become the full-time rancher his grandfather had been. In the meantime, he had a good group of people running the place and went there from time to time to check on things.

It might be a good idea for him to consider moving there now. That would eliminate his need to find housing in San Diego to accommodate him and Laramie. The ranch, which sat on over six-hundred acres, was plenty big. He would love for Laramie to visit him at the ranch that held so many wonderful childhood memories for him. Hell, when his son got older, he could have his own horse.

“Yes, I think we need to cover a few things and come to an agreement,” Bristol said, interrupting his thoughts.

“Okay. What do you want to cover?” he asked her.

She paused and then said, “I meant what I said about not needing anything from you where Laramie is concerned.”

Already Coop knew that wouldn’t fly. “I can’t agree to that because Laramie is my responsibility, too. A responsibility I take seriously.”

She opened her mouth to argue the point and he held up his hand to stop her. “Not negotiable, Bristol. It doesn’t matter if you’re able to take care of him yourself. What sort of man would I be if I didn’t contribute to the welfare of my child?”

She didn’t say anything and broke eye contact with him to gaze down at the floor. He knew she was thinking, probably of a way to counter what he’d said. As far as he was concerned she could think all she wanted, he wouldn’t change his mind. As the only grandchild, he had inherited trust funds from both sets of grandparents. Also, his parents had established an endowment for him that he’d been eligible for when he’d turned thirty. He was yet to touch any one of them. In addition to all that money and the ranch, he was heir to RCC Manufacturing, Inc., a corporation founded by his parents over thirty-five years ago upon their graduation from Harvard. Considering all of that, there was no way in hell he would not contribute to his son’s upbringing. In fact, he’d already left a message with his attorney to contact him. He intended to list Laramie’s name on all his legal documents as his heir.

“I think we should compromise,” she finally said.

He lifted a brow. “Compromise how?”

“You can provide for his future, such as setting up a college fund. I’ll take care of any expenses for his well-being now.”

Coop shook his head. “No. I still won’t agree to that. I want to provide for my child’s present and his future.”

A frown marred her features. “Why are you being difficult?”

He returned her frown. “Why are you? Most men who father a child and are separated from them are required to pay child support.”

“But usually only until they are eighteen. All I’m doing is asking you to start the support at eighteen.”

He had news for her. He intended to take care of his child for the rest of his life. The trust funds he planned to establish for Laramie would assure that. The age of eighteen had nothing to do with it. He couldn’t believe he was even having this conversation with her. Most women would want his monetary offering. Was he missing something here? “Can I ask you something?”

She nodded slowly, almost reluctantly, before saying, “Yes.”

“You said you only met your father at sixteen. I don’t know anything about him, but did he wait until you were eighteen to begin providing for you?”

She stiffened. “He paid my entire tuition at the art school in Paris.”

Cooper figured tuition at that school hadn’t been cheap. “That’s all he did? He actually waited until you were eighteen before doing anything?”

“Of course not.”

“Then why would you expect me to? Evidently being an artist has you rolling in dough since you feel you don’t need my help. That might be all well and good for you, but not for me. For me it’s the principle of the thing. It’s about doing my share in providing for a child I helped to create. So please don’t ask me to consider doing otherwise.”

* * *

Bristol’s gaze held Coop’s and she could tell from the determined look in his eyes that he would not back down on this. She wasn’t privy to his income as a SEAL but she was certain he could use his money for better things...

Like what?

She drew in a deep breath when she suddenly accepted something. It was apparent that as far as Coop was concerned, nothing was better than taking care of his son. For Coop, it wasn’t about the money. It was about taking care of his own. She’d gotten the impression three years ago that he wasn’t extremely close to his family. But what she’d failed to realize was that her son was now his family and he wanted to not only be there for him but also contribute toward his well-being. For Coop, the contribution was essential. She got that now.

He’d been saying it all along, so why hadn’t she been listening? Probably because, like her mother, she was determined to be independent and not depend on anyone for anything. She didn’t have a problem with Coop being a part of his son’s life physically, but she was trying to stop him from being a part of Laramie’s life financially. Most men would have jumped at the chance to get out of paying some form of child support. But Coop wasn’t one of those men.

Neither was her father.

And Coop was right. Randall Lockett hadn’t waited until her eighteenth birthday to be a father to her. He’d immediately stepped in and, like a whirlwind, he’d changed her last name to his, bestowing upon her all the rights of being his offspring. He had taken her under his roof, adding her to his household.

She had enjoyed living with him in Los Angeles, even if it had meant moving out west, attending another school and making new friends. To her it had been worth it just to spend time with her father. He’d made sure she hadn’t gone without anything. But the most important thing was the time they’d spent together. Nothing else mattered. Not the closet filled with new clothes, the private school or the international vacations. Not even the new sports car he’d given her.

“Okay, Coop,” she finally said.

“Okay, what?”

She released a deep sigh. “Okay, we will share in the cost of raising Laramie.”

“You don’t have to sound so overjoyed about it.”

She narrowed her gaze at him before she saw his lips tilt into a smile. He’d been teasing. Releasing another sigh, she said, “I’m not trying to be difficult, Coop. But when I had Laramie I knew he would be my entire world and that I would be the one he would depend on for everything. I thought you were dead. For the past two years, I’ve made it work. There hasn’t been a decision I made without considering him. Even when I decided to quit my position with that magazine publisher to become an artist full-time. I’m doing okay financially.”

No need to tell him about the ridiculously high commissions she received every month from her father’s art. “I was raised by a single mother who worked hard and made sure we didn’t waste money on frivolous things. I knew the difference between getting the things I really needed and denying myself those things I wanted that weren’t essential.”

She didn’t say anything for a brief moment then added, “The reason I suggested you handle Laramie’s future is because I think that’s what upset my father the most with my mother...besides her keeping my existence from him. Knowing she hadn’t adequately prepared for my future. I had to explain to him that it hadn’t been her fault since there was no extra money to set up a college savings account for me. Mom was a teacher, not a six-figure-salary engineer. She had student loans to pay back. But still, we lived in a nice house in a good neighborhood. I thought we lived pretty good.”

She smiled. “Mom said we were a team and always would be one. I was happy. I was content. At the time. I really didn’t think of life being any better. It was years later that I found out just how complicated life could be.”

Coop nodded. “Our son’s financial well-being is something you don’t have to worry yourself with anymore because I’m here to help.” He leaned forward and rested his arms on his thighs. “There is that other item we need to discuss before I leave today, Bristol.”

She lifted a brow. “What other item?”

He held her gaze. “The issue of our fake marriage.”