Surely not, a man did not do all that Cooper had done if he’d lost interest. Still, her thoughts were troubled as she drifted off to sleep.
On Friday, Summer and Joyce met with the founders of The Good Shepherd, a once-wealthy middle-aged couple by the name of Joe and Marian Smyth, who, unable to make ends meet despite government aid, had contributed their last dime to the needs of the children. With funds running low and more children coming into the facility each month, their situation had become dire. They felt many of the children could be successfully placed with couples who were looking to adopt, but they needed to get the word out.
The home, a sprawling one-story building south of the airport, housed almost twenty children, some of whom had spent much of their lives with geriatric patients in various nursing homes before coming to The Good Shepherd, where they received more attention and stimulation.
After visiting with the children and staff, the Smyths invited Summer and Joyce for a cup of coffee in their office. “Now that you’ve seen the place, are you sure you want to take us on?” Joe asked.
“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life,” Summer told them. Joyce echoed her sentiments.
“Naturally, we were thrilled when Worth Advertising agreed to help us,” Marian said. “It won’t be easy convincing couples to take on a physically or emotionally challenged child. Your company has a reputation of being the very best. I just hope we can afford your services.”
Summer shifted in her chair. “Joyce and I won’t actually be working on behalf of Worth Advertising,” she said. “We’ll be handling your account in our spare time at no cost.” Joe and Marian exchanged surprised looks. “You’ll be getting the same quality you’d expect at Worth, and we’ll try every way possible to come up with an advertising plan that will offer you the most exposure. It would be better if you contacted me at home instead of the office or my cell phone if you need to discuss your account.” She handed Marian her business card. “You can leave a message on my machine, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”
“Of course,” Marian said. “We certainly don’t want to do anything to get you into trouble with your job.”
“We don’t quite know what to say,” Joe replied, looking a bit dazed. “I mean, we do have some money. We were planning to use it for new playground equipment and a new van for outings.”
“I can’t think of a better way to spend it,” Summer said. “Have you tried to advertise on your own?”
Joe shrugged. “We run a small ad in the newspaper from time to time, but it really hasn’t panned out except to capture the attention of every prank caller in the city. As you can imagine, we check out couples thoroughly. That in itself is costly, but we don’t place children in a family unless we are one hundred percent certain they will have a good home.”
“I know you haven’t had much time to think about it,” Marian said, “but do you have any ideas?”
Summer didn’t hesitate. “There are several avenues that Joyce and I plan to explore. Give us a few days to think about it,” she said. “We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”
The Smyths walked them to a small reception area and shook hands. “We appreciate your generosity,” Marian said. “These little troopers have come to mean an awful lot to us.”
“We’ll do our best,” Summer promised. But as she drove away with Joyce beside her, they wondered aloud if people would be able to open their hearts and arms to a child who has so many needs.
#
By ten o’clock Friday evening, Summer was surprised and a little baffled that Cooper hadn’t called or come by. All her insecurities sprang to life. She had caught up with her most pressing work and looked forward to a little R&R, but it didn’t hold much meaning for her if she had to spend the time alone. Suddenly realizing she hadn’t eaten since lunch, she tossed a low-fat frozen dinner into her microwave and ate it just to get something in her stomach. She was in bed by ten-fifteen with a good mystery novel but couldn’t concentrate.
Cooper had been acting strange all week. While he’d been pleasant and helpful, he’d backed off where intimacy was involved. Summer had made an appointment with her gynecologist; in the meantime, she’d selected a form of birth control from her pharmacy that was touted as being highly effective. She planned to use it until she met with her gynecologist to discuss other alternatives. The small white bag containing her purchase from the drugstore was still in the drawer in her nightstand waiting to be used. She looked at the empty pillow beside her. She thought of the secretaries at work who complained about sitting home all weekend waiting for the phone to ring, and she’d promised herself she would not resort to that. She unplugged the phone, switched off the light, and forced herself to stop thinking about Cooper. Unfortunately, her thoughts could not be turned on and off like a light switch. She was a long time falling asleep.
Summer awoke the following morning at nine, feeling refreshed. She spent the morning sipping coffee and reading her newspaper. When the phone rang at ten, she grabbed it up and found Cooper on the other end of the line. “I hope I didn’t wake you,” he said.
“No, I’ve been up for a while,” she told him. She paused, waiting for him to explain why he hadn’t stopped by the night before.
“I just wanted to let you know I’ll pick you up about seven tonight. You haven’t lost the ring, I hope.”
“Of course not,” he said. He obviously had no intention of telling her where he’d been or what he’d been doing.
“So what’s on the agenda for today?” he asked.
“Well, I’m pretty much caught up on everything. I’ve decided to spend the day goofing off.”
“Good for you.”
“I might go shopping.”
“It’s about time you had a little fun. Do you think you can remember how?”
“You make me sound boring.”
“You need to cut yourself some slack, that’s all. Well, I just wanted to touch base with you. I’ve got to go back to work now. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
Summer hung up the phone feeling a bit pensive. He didn’t sound as though something were wrong; in fact, he’d been upbeat. But where was the old Cooper who liked to flirt and make off-color innuendos? Perhaps he was trying to prove he could be a gentleman since she’d harped on it so many times. If that was the case, she would have to let him know she preferred the old Cooper.
Did he really wonder if she’d forgotten how to have fun? Maybe he was beginning to get bored with her. Perhaps that’s why he hadn’t dropped by. She could be a stick-in-the-mud at times, especially where her career was concerned. She shouldn’t have to keep proving herself to Edwin Worth after all this time, especially since she had landed some of the most lucrative accounts in the agency. But each year she watched another ad executive receive a fat bonus check and the coveted office with a great view.
Cooper was right; it wasn’t worth it.
Summer reached for her telephone book and called her hairdresser to see if she could get an appointment for a trim and blowout. The woman had received a cancellation and could take Summer at three o’clock. The manicurist could see her at four-thirty. Summer hurried upstairs for a quick shower, dragged on a pair of light wool slacks and cotton shirt, and was out of the house in less than half an hour.
The parking lot at the mall was already filling up, but Summer managed to find a spot near Saks Fifth Avenue. She spent three hours trying on various suits in spring colors as well as an assortment of evening wear so she would have the right dress for the engagement party that night. She breezed through the shoe department and tipped an employee generously to help her carry her belongings to her car. She grabbed a grilled chicken sandwich and coffee from a fast food restaurant and drove to her three o’clock hair appointment.
Summer arrived home with less than an hour to bathe and dress. Luckily, her hair, makeup, and nails were done so she ran a tepid bubble bath and soaked for twenty minutes. The outfit she’d bought for
the evening, a midnight-blue slip dress, hugged her slender figure and accentuated her curves. She selected dangling sapphire earrings and pronounced herself ready.
The doorbell rang a few minutes after seven, and Summer’s stomach fluttered as she considered the surprise she had in store for Cooper. She’d teach him to ignore her, by golly. She checked her silk stockings for runs and stepped into satin midnight-blue heels with crossover straps and a rhinestone button. She grabbed her wrap and hurried down the stairs. She opened the door and her heart almost stopped at the sight of him in a gray suit with black silk shirt. Had there ever been any doubt in her mind that she was in love with him? “Hi, stud. Guess what? I’m not wearing panties.”
Summer sensed something was wrong the minute the words left her mouth. Not only did Cooper not respond with a sizzling comeback, he gave an embarrassed cough and stepped aside. Behind him, a petite, dark-haired woman in a rose-colored chemise dress and jacket stood there blinking furiously, as though unsure what to do or say next. A simple gold cross hung from a chain around her neck.
“Summer, I’d like you to meet my mother, Vivian Garrett.
Chapter Eleven
It would have been easier if the earth had split open and swallowed her, but Summer was forced to stand there and shake the woman’s hand as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. “It’s so nice to meet you, Mrs. Garrett,” she said, feeling as though her cheeks would burst into flames and singe her hair.
“I have been very eager to meet the girl who has stolen my son’s heart,” Cooper’s mother responded politely. “And please call me Vivian.”
“We should probably be on our way,” Cooper said, motioning toward a black Lincoln Continental. Summer wanted to ask him how he’d come by it, then decided she’d keep quiet for the time being. He helped his mother into the backseat, then escorted Summer to the passenger’s side.
“I’m so embarrassed,” she muttered before he opened the door. He merely smiled and waited for her to climb in.
Summer did her best to keep conversation flowing as Cooper drove toward her grandmother’s house. She turned in her seat. “I understand you and your son have a farm north of the city,” she told Vivian.
The woman smiled. “Yes, it’s in Athens, about an hour and a half from here. Actually, Cooper refers to it as a ranch because we have a few cattle. He insisted on naming it after his sister, Ashlee.”
“Ashlee Ranch,” Summer said. “That’s a pretty name.”
“My daughter and her family have a house on the property. We enjoy being close to each other.”
“That’s quite a commute for you,” Summer said to Cooper.
“I usually stay in town during the week,” he said. “I rent a place not far from my motorcycle shop.”
Summer looked surprised. “I didn’t know,” she said, “but that’s certainly more convenient.”
“I’ve always wanted a place where I could have dogs,” Vivian said. “I have two blond Labrador retrievers. Cooper has his horses, of course, but I’m a bit timid of them. You’ll have to visit sometime.”
“I’d love to,” Summer replied. “I used to ride as a child, but I don’t have much time for it these days.” She noted the sudden tensing of Cooper’s jaw. Perhaps he didn’t want her to visit. Alter seeing the mansion she’d been raised in, he might not feel comfortable taking her to his ranch. Also, he might be embarrassed over the fact he was still living with his mother. She would have to tell him that none of it mattered. Her opinions seemed to have changed overnight.
“By the way, I love your outfit,” Summer said, noting the woman had exceptional taste. The ankle-length coral dress and jacket looked as though they had been tailor made, but Summer knew how much that sort of thing would cost. Summer also suspected the woman had spent the day getting her hair and nails done because she looked so put together. Summer felt guilty for telling her grandmother that Cooper and she were engaged. Her latest fib had probably cost him more than he could afford.
If Summer had expected Cooper’s mother to be intimidated by the size of her grandmother’s estate, the woman looked anything but. Vivian simply remarked how lovely the place was and asked intelligent questions about the architecture. “You know, I feel I already know your grandmother,” she said. “I read about her constantly. She has done so much for this city. I was so impressed by her generosity that I started volunteering for our local food pantry.”
“I’m sure Grandmother will be flattered,” Summer said.
Henrietta greeted them warmly once they arrived. Wearing a hunter green evening gown and her favorite pearl necklace and matching earrings, she looked happy and healthy, as though she’d never had a sick day in her life. Once Summer introduced her to Vivian, Henrietta took the woman under her wing and began presenting her to friends. Although Summer had recovered somewhat from her embarrassment, she was thankful to have a moment alone with Cooper. He immediately grabbed her hand and led her away from the crowd. A moment later he pulled her into a storage closet and closed the door.
“I can’t see,” Summer said.
“You don’t need to see, sweetheart. You just need to feel.”
He gently pressed her against the wall and skimmed his big hands up the side of her thighs, past the gartered stockings to where she was completely naked. He pulled her closer and palmed her hips. “You little witch,” he whispered, his mouth a fraction of an inch from hers. “What do you mean showing up without your panties?”
Summer sucked her breath in sharply as he began drawing delightful circles around her buttocks. “I thought you’d like my new look,” she said, her voice little more than a croak “You’re always implying that I’m too conservative.”
He took her full bottom lip with his teeth. “Of course I like it. What I do not like are the stares you receive from other men. I want you all for myself.” Even as he spoke, he searched for the warm cleft between her thighs, and his arousal grew to new heights when he found her already damp. His eyes locked with hers. “I think I’ve been a bad influence on you,” he said, “but I’m damn happy about it.”
Summer shivered with the intensity of his gaze, but she feared getting caught in the closet with his hand up her dress. “Cooper, I don’t think this is the time or place—”
She was hushed when he dipped his finger deep inside her. After that, all logical thinking ceased. She slipped her arms around his neck and let him work his magic. She cried out softly as the pleasure peaked and left her trembling in his arms.
Cooper unfastened his pants, shoved them past his hips, and lifted her in his arms. He entered her swiftly. Summer closed her eyes and gave in to the pleasure of being filled with him. He rocked her slowly until they were both gasping. Her second climax was perfectly in tune with his.
“Let’s leave the party,” he whispered as he grew soft inside of her. “And go to your place. I want to spend the evening in your bed.” He gently lowered her. As he pulled up his underwear and pants, Summer fixed her dress in place—well as good as she could in a dark closet—and tried to smoothed out the wrinkles.
“We can’t leave our own engagement party,” she said. “What would people think? Plus, you have to take your mother home.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot that little detail.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you had a place in town?” she asked, finger-combing her hair.”
“I didn’t think it was important.”
“Where is it?”
“Not far from my bike shop. Why do you ask?”
“Just curious.” Summer wondered why he wasn’t keen on telling her, but she figured if he’d wanted her to know he would have said something.
“I hope my lipstick isn’t smeared?” she said.
“Want me to turn on the light?”
“No!” she said. “We don’t want to attract attention. Speaking of attention, I’m glad I finally got yours.”
“What do you mean?” He sounded bewildered. “You’ve had my undivided attention
since I first laid eyes on you.”
“You seemed a little … distant this week.”
“That’s because I knew you were under a lot of pressure. I figured the last thing you needed was some horny guy trying to drag you into the bedroom every fifteen minutes.” He smacked her on her bottom. “See, I can be a gentleman when the occasion calls for it.”
Summer was surprised at how relieved she felt. “I’ve already decided I prefer you just the way you are.”
“Good, because I plan to make up for lost time now that you’ve caught up with your work. By the time I get finished with you—” He paused and grinned. “I think I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.”
They stepped out of the closet and almost ran into Henrietta and Vivian. “What on earth are you two doing in the storage closet?” Henrietta asked, and then colored fiercely.
Vivian pulled Cooper aside. “Son, you’ve got lipstick all over your face.” She reached into her purse for a handkerchief and tried to wipe some of it off.
Henrietta looked from Summer to Cooper and back at Summer. “I can see we’re going to have to insist on a brief engagement,” she told Vivian. The two women chuckled and hurried away.
Summer gave a huge sigh. “Your mother is going to think I’m the biggest slut in Atlanta.”
“Naw, she’ll blame me for being a bad influence,” Cooper said.
“I have to use the little girls’ room,” Summer whispered. “Why don’t you grab a cocktail?”
“I’d rather go with you to the ladies room.”
She blushed. “Behave yourself!”
“I thought you were tired of me pretending to be a gentleman.”
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