by Kay Lyons
"I'll tell you after you tell me who hunky-hunk was."
"Who?" she said, hiding a grin at Caro's exasperated sputter. "Okay, okay. Fine. He's Rocco's owner."
"Rocco… that sweet dog that showed up here for a while? He's back?"
"Yes. He came in yesterday, and this time when I called the number on his collar, his owner came to retrieve him."
"Oh, man. Sweet dog and hot owner. Win-win."
"You're making more of it than it is. Cooper took me to dinner to say thank you for watching out for Rocco. That's all."
"Mm-hmm."
"Well, it is."
"So when are you going out again? What does he do? Where does he live?"
"I don't know—times three. Wait, I do know one of them. He's a software engineer. But I don't know the rest. He lives close, though, because he walked Rocco home last night and came back here within minutes while I changed out of my work clothes."
"Well, that definitely narrows down the search grid."
London paused during the process of inserting a fresh filter into one of the many machines. "Don't you dare go stalking him."
"Who, me?" Carolina said innocently. A little too innocently. Oh, this wasn't good.
A knock alerted her to her scheduled delivery, and London moved across the floor to unlock and open the door. "Hey, Marcus."
"Good morning, Miss London. How you doing today?"
"I'm fine."
"She had a date," Caro said from behind her.
"Oh, yeah? Who's the lucky guy?"
London took the tray of goodies from the deliveryman and shook her head. "No one. It wasn't a date. Will you hush?" she said to Carolina.
"Dinner," Carolina said to Marcus. "And she looked hot."
The older man chuckled at Carolina's description and gathered the tray from yesterday's delivery off of the table where she'd placed it last night after closing.
"Well, either way, he's a lucky man. You girls have a good day."
"You, too, Marcus."
"Bye, Marcus."
London balanced the tray against her side and flipped the lock back into position before carting it over to the counter where Carolina now sat. Her sister slumped against the bar like she'd pulled an all-nighter, leaning heavily to one side. "Please don't make a big deal out of a simple dinner. Ignore the fact you saw us, go home, and get some sleep."
"I will. Soon. Was he a good kisser?"
London busied herself with uncovering the tray of goodies and placing them in the display and tried not to see the images floating through her mind at the question. "It wasn't a date, so I wouldn't know."
"He didn't kiss you?"
Caro sounded so incredulous that London couldn't help but get defensive. He hadn't kissed her, and even though she wasn't certain it was a date, it had certainly felt like a date but then… "No. I told you, he was just saying thank you for watching out for Rocco and accidentally keeping me here past closing while he worked."
"Did you want him to kiss you?"
Oooh, Carolina just had to ask that question, didn't she? "I…"
"You did! You like him."
"I don't know him well enough to know if I like him. He was just… interesting."
"And hot."
"We had a nice time."
"And he's hot."
"It's not all about looks, you know. Stop being so shallow."
"I know it's not all about looks, but let's face it—when it comes to first impressions, what are they usually of? Hmm? Someone's looks. They might not be all that matter but they definitely do factor in. Besides, you wanted him to kiss you. Be honest."
"Fine. I wouldn't have run away if he had. Happy now? I admit it." Caro grinned at London from across the counter and London rolled her eyes. "For someone who didn't get a lot of sleep, you seem inordinately chatty."
"Because I'm happy for you. When was your last date?"
London gave her baby sister a death glare. "It is way too early in the morning for us to go there."
"Oh, my… Sorry. I forgot about Mr. Ego Pants."
Too bad she couldn't forget. Her evening out had been memorable only in how unmemorable and boring it had been. The guy had spent the entire night talking about himself and how important he was. He'd told her about his car collection, his book of business, how he owned this property and that whatever. He'd traveled the world, held multiple jobs and positions. The seemingly nice guy had been so full of himself she'd sent the emergency code to Carolina from the bathroom, and within five minutes, Carolina had called, needing her to come quick, thereby ending the torturous night.
But last night? Cooper had seemed determined to keep her talking, and he'd listened to every word, like he'd been fascinated by the stories of her family's antics. He'd asked questions and kept asking them as though he hadn't been able to know enough. Like he was interested on a more personal level— that is, until it was time to say good night. Maybe a truly old-fashioned gentleman wouldn't have tried to kiss her on a first date, but he could've kissed her cheek. Right?
"So he really didn't kiss you?"
"Caro, I think I would remember if he had. No, he… I dropped my keys and he picked them up for me and we were standing super close, but instead of a kiss, he"—she brought her hand up and mimicked Cooper's actions from last night—"brushed his knuckles against my earring and then stroked his fingers over my shoulder for a second or two and then… he said good night and walked away."
Silence followed her statement, and London's gaze shifted to where Carolina sat watching her. Her tired, sleepy sister had sat up on the barstool and now stared at her with wide eyes that no longer held the slightest bit of fatigue.
"Wow."
"I know. It was so—"
"Weird. Or sweet. I'm not sure which."
London crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at Caro.
She knew which it was. And it definitely hadn't been weird. Cooper's brief touch had left her trembling and breathless—something she didn't remember ever feeling before. "Go home," she ordered again. "Or go upstairs and climb into my bed so I can get to work and not play Twenty Questions."
Carolina slid off the stool and gathered the backpack-style purse she'd used as a pillow and had carried with her from the couch to the bar.
"Okay, okay. I'm going. But next time introduce me to Cooper or I'll send out the Bat signal and you'll have us all appear to meet your date."
London followed Carolina to the door leading upstairs to her apartment and leaned against the doorframe as Carolina began climbing the stairs, her backpack bouncing at her side with every step. "Oh, for the love of— It wasn't a date!"
Chapter 7
Several weeks passed after that evening out, and Cooper's biggest regret in regard to his dinner with London was not kissing her when he'd had the chance.
He'd plucked up her keys and stood so close all he'd had to do was lean in and… He didn't think she would've rejected him. But even at that early stage of their friendship, logic had reared its ugly head and told him a woman like London would steer clear of him once she knew all there was to know. That awareness left him with the reality that he didn’t want to ruin a good thing, and he also didn’t have the time or the energy to invest in something that wasn't going to end well.
He had too much work to do, too many projects scheduled, a business to run, and the kids to consider. Throwing a high-risk personal relationship into the balancing act wasn't worth the long shot of it actually succeeding. Like London had said, he liked order and schedules, and if he was going to invest in a relationship, he wanted to feel like it would work.
Cooper groaned and ran his hands over his face. His focus had to be on work, the future. Ballet and soccer, baseball and cheerleading. College or trade school. Whatever the twins did, it would cost him, and he had to have a plan and way to provide. That plan also had to include stability, and the only way to guarantee that was to not allow someone in their lives who could potentially leave when things got
tough. And given the twins' background, things could. Would?
He had to be realistic.
Cooper had gone back to the coffee shop to work a few times since that first day as though he'd only ever considered that evening a thank-you dinner as he'd said, but not a day passed that the memory of stroking his fingers over London's bare shoulder didn’t fill his head and make him crave more. Crave her.
London probably thought him a creep, especially given the touch and lack of pursuit since, but he'd needed something to carry with him. The scent of her, the feel of her. The look of her staring up at him with her blue-green eyes and parted lips that was something out of a fantasy. And his reach.
Whenever temptation overtook him and he opened his mouth to recklessly broach the subject of a real date, however, he managed to shut himself down. Remember all that she'd told him about her life versus the reality of his. He had the twins' best interests to protect. Their future. And that meant protecting himself. Keeping his head straight and focused on work instead of setting himself up to get dumped again. It amazed him how complicated life could get when all he craved was simplicity, but daily survival wasn't something to dismiss.
Bella's scream from the living room below ripped through Cooper's thoughts and shattered what little was left of his concentration.
He'd put off leaving for the coffee shop today because of the growing tension and awareness he felt as each day passed. It was getting harder and harder for him to just sit there and act like a friend when he desired more. He and London made small talk. Exchanged smiles. And every day, she inevitably caught him watching her at various times because he wasn't able to keep his eyes off of her.
She hadn't questioned his about-face after their wonderful evening, but one day, his gut told him if things kept on as they were, she would. So why continue to go there? Why do that to her? To himself? What was he hoping to accomplish?
Rocco paced across the floor in front of the closed home office door like he had the last fifteen minutes or so, unable to settle because, whenever he did, one of the twins let loose and sent the dog on high alert once more. "Roc."
The call brought Rocco to Cooper in an instant, and he stroked the golden's head. "If I let you out, you'll just go down there and get attacked by them." We both will.
Though his attacker would more than likely be the nanny. This morning when he'd returned from his beach run and used the outdoor shower to rinse off the sand, he'd emerged to find Michelle waiting for him with a towel, water bottle, and a seductive expression that swept him from head to toe and couldn't be misinterpreted. All while the twins rode their play toys on the concrete a few feet away.
His gut told him he needed to hire new childcare but when? How? He was in the final stages of this project, and the deadline loomed over him like an anvil. He had no time to waste due to the next project scheduled to begin right behind it. Now was not a good time to rock the boat by adding childcare interviews into the mix.
Rocco whined and nudged Cooper's leg with his head.
"If you go outside, you're going to jump the fence, aren't you?"
Rocco sat on his haunches and looked at Cooper with what could only be described as a hopeful expression at the mention of going out.
He'd discovered Rocco's escape route after a look around the yard. One of the moving men had placed an outdoor storage bin too close to the fence, and Rocco had apparently been using it as a launch pad. Still, the dog was too smart for his own good, and if there was a way out, Cooper knew Rocco would find it. "Sorry I had to ruin your fun, but what if you got picked up by Animal Control, huh? Then what?"
Rocco blinked at him and whined again.
In the other part of the house, Cooper heard the heavier footfalls of Michelle as she raced across the room. Cooper held his breath and, sure enough, a thump sounded, followed by Bella’s shrill cry. Ash had never been the queen of coordination and Bella seemed to have her mother’s penchant for mishaps.
Rocco released yet another low whine, and Cooper sat forward in his chair, elbows braced on his knees as he cradled the dog's big head. "Okay, you win. Let's go see her." Cooper refused to consider whether the "her" was London or Rocco's little Rosie, but either way it didn't matter. Sensing the win, Rocco jumped up in the air, tail wagging and doggie smile in place.
Maybe he should feel guilty about leaving Michelle to handle the twins on her own so much, but he paid her well, really well, and when it came to knowing what the twins needed, the young woman had it together, even if she was off the mark on keeping things professional and not flirting with her boss.
Cooper gathered up his things while Rocco spun in circles in his excitement and paused every few spins to check on his human's progress.
He opened the office door and allowed Rocco to run ahead down the stairs. The doggie door was still fastened from last night, so Roc wouldn't be going anywhere without him, even if Roc could jump the baby gate protecting the kids from the stairs.
As he entered the living room, he noticed Michelle wiped Harry's mouth with a rag before she quickly moved toward the kitchen. She had her back to him as she placed something in the cabinet and shut the door before turning to face him.
"Hey, I was about to come find you. What would you like for lunch?" she asked.
Something about her tone gave him pause, but he shook his head and pulled Rocco's leash off of the hook. "I'm heading out to the coffee shop to work. I'm in the completion stage and the time crunch is kicking in."
"Oh, okay."
He narrowed his gaze on her. Something seemed… off. The kids had been fairly wild all morning, running, screaming, and generally being kids. "Are you going to be okay with them?"
"Of course. Don't be silly. We'll be fine."
The young woman flashed him a bright smile. Cooper looked away and glanced at the twins, noticing that Bella had a red stain on her shirt. "Popsicles already today?"
He didn't want them to have too much sugar. His mother had a tendency to soothe every ache, pain, or problem with food, and during the brief period of time she'd had full custody of the kids, she'd fed them cheap, high-sugar, high-fat foods. He was okay with a little here and there, but he didn't want Michelle making it a thing just to keep them quiet.
"Just a little watered-down juice after she choked on her oatmeal."
He nodded his understanding and leashed Rocco, who waited patiently at his feet. "Call if something comes up."
"Of course."
Cooper headed toward the door only to change directions and cut through the laundry room toward the back, where the extra dog bags were kept. He grabbed a roll and set his computer bag atop the dryer to put the roll into the water bottle netting on the side when his gaze spotted what looked to be his favorite T-shirt in… Michelle's laundry?
Maybe she’d seen it in the hamper and decided to wash it?
But… wait, was that the T-shirt she'd had on the night of his dinner with London? He tried to remember the last time he’d worn the shirt and couldn’t.
Cooper turned to go back to the kitchen when Rocco whined and moved toward the door, circling like he needed to go out.
Cooper sighed and shook his head. He'd ask Michelle about the shirt later. Right now he had to walk a dog and meet a deadline. Everything else had to wait.
* * *
Twenty minutes later, Cooper walked into London's Lattes with Rocco on a leash and his laptop hanging at his side.
"Um, hi, Cooper."
Two women whipped around at the sound of London's greeting, and given their similarities to London and his internet search after their dinner, he knew was looking at one of her sisters and mother. "Ladies," he said simply.
Rocco gave London a tail-wagging greeting, and Cooper watched as she smiled at the dog and slipped him a treat from the pocket of her apron.
"Oh, sorry. Habit. I should've asked first."
"It's fine. He doesn't get a lot of treats at home because he cleans up whatever the kids drop."
; "Kids?" the older of the two women asked.
"My niece and nephew," he murmured.
"They're three," London said. "Almost four?"
He nodded.
"Twins?"
London shot the women a look Cooper easily interpreted as urging them to mind their manners and not get too nosy. She'd asked about the twins in general terms over the last couple of weeks, but he'd never quite gotten around to discussing how he'd wound up with them. It wasn't a subject he liked to dwell on, but he supposed he'd have to come up with some sort of socially acceptable story. The truth and yet… not. Just for occasions such as this. "Yes. A boy and a girl."
"Oh, how fun! Wait. This is Rocco," the older woman said, a pleased smile forming on her lips as she apparently made the connection.
Cooper leaned down and released the golden, and Rocco immediately hurried to Rosie's bed and settled in beside his friend after a few sniffs and excited-to-see-her circles.
"It is," London said. "Rocco and his family moved to town a little while ago. Mom, this is Cooper Bale. Cooper, my mom, Andrea, and my sister Ireland."
"Ladies, it's a pleasure to meet you." London resembled her mother. They both had delicate, angled faces, bright green eyes. Andrea's hair had changed from London's medium brown to mostly gray, but the woman carried the change well and was quite striking as a result. It didn't take a lot of imagination to see London thirty years in the future.
"Cooper, can I get you some coffee? Your usual?"
"I'd like that."
"What's your order, Cooper? So I'll know, in case he comes into the inn," Ireland said to her sister.
"Uh, black."
"Uh-oh."
"Stop it," London muttered from behind the counter.
"Cooper, how do you like our little island?"
"Mom, don't badger my customers."
He laughed at London's gentle reprimand and nodded. "I like it a lot, especially now that we've gotten a little more squared away at the house."