“Is something wrong, honey?” my mother asked.
I mustered a smile and shook my head. ‘I’m just pouting over the loss of my favorite food group. Really, it’s a blessing in disguise. My waist will thank me later.’
“Coop can’t have ice cream,” Tate explained. “At least for a little while longer. Anything that’ll cause her to cough or clear her throat is off limits.”
Mom’s eyes reddened and brimmed. She turned her head and hid against Dad’s chest. Dad patted her back consolingly. “Don’t worry,” he told me. “You know your mother. She’s been strong for the both of us the past few weeks. It was only a matter of time…”
“Cooper’s going to be fine, Mrs. Hale,” Tate assured her. “It’s going to be a slow recovery, but my mother says that in time, she’ll be able to sing again.”
“Ooh goody,” Carter interrupted, “here she comes now.” He ducked his head, watching through the tinted windows of the bus as Nolan escorted her slowly across the street.
The two were doing well, slowly shuffling through the snow. Nolan wore a smile, but Dr. Watkins had a look of sheer concentration on her face.
“She’s so going down,” Carter observed with amusement.
‘Why don’t you go help?’ I suggested. ‘Instead of just standing there watching.’
“Dad’s enjoying himself. Wouldn’t want to spoil his fun.” Smiling widely, he stared, entertained with the notion of Dr. Watkins falling. “Whoa!”
Her foot shot to the right, skating across the ice, but she tightened her grip on Nolan’s arm and balanced herself. Carter looked robbed of something owed.
“Aw man.”
“That was close,” Jake said, joining Carter. Everyone was pretty much watching now, spurred by Carter’s fascination.
Dr. Watkins and Nolan took another few tentative steps and her feet scrabbled again, slipping and sliding across the ice in an admittedly comical scene. The occupants of the bus erupted in an anxious gasp. She went down fighting, grasping Nolan’s waist and then sinking to her knees. Her face mashed against Nolan’s groin, hands clenching his buttocks.
Carter bent at the waist, guffawing at the look on Nolan’s face.
Nolan raised his brows, a slow smile spreading across his face. Dr. Watkins blushed furiously and struggled to collect herself. She scrabbled again, only succeeding in worsening the situation, her head bobbing over Nolan’s groin in a lewd but unintentional spectacle.
Cackling like a hyena, Carter held his stomach, unable to contain his laughter. In his defense, most of us were laughing with him. I, myself, was trying to suppress it for all I was worth. I was well on my way to healing, but I was still on voice rest and it wouldn’t do to have my vocal cords clapping together like a set of felt erasers.
A moment later, Evan, Taylor and Derek exited the bus and helped Dr. Watkins to her feet. She thanked them fervently and hurried to compose herself, smoothing her skirt and hair.
“I think that’s the most action Dad’s seen since the divorce,” Tate confessed. Judging by the grin on Nolan’s face, I would have to agree. He looked pleased as punch over the travesty.
‘I think your mom just got owned.’
“By whom?”
‘Fate, Tate.’ It was plain to see that Mr. and Mrs. Watkins were still enamored with one another. After Tate had talked to his mother—and his father—he learned the reason for their divorce wasn’t as hostile as he had remembered. Age and maturity had influenced his perception.
Dr. Watkins had dreams of attending medical school, but when she fell pregnant with Tate, she put her aspirations on hold. She stayed home to raise him. Later, as he grew in age, and he wasn’t as dependant on her, she decided to embrace the opportunity and returned to school.
Dr. Watkins was dedicated to her calling. She worked. She studied. She tried to balance her professional and her personal life, but the hours were long, the position was demanding, and in the end, her absence caused tension in the household. Tate resented her occupation.
Unfortunately, while Nolan argued over her shift in objectives, bills piled. Student loans demanded payment. Dr. Watkins couldn’t simply walk away from her job. She was in too deep.
As many couples did, Mr. And Mrs. Watkins succumbed to the stress.
“Oh,” Tate said, inarticulately, “well, can’t say I didn’t warn her.”
“I knew it!” Carter exclaimed, his tone accusing. “You do remember!”
I sighed and rolled my eyes. ‘Do we really need to go over this again? I don’t remember anything. I only know what Tate told me.’
“And I didn’t see what she saw,” Tate added. “I only know what she told me.”
“It’s the nurse, isn’t it?” Carter pressed. “That’s who I’m destined for?”
“Are you still going on about that stuff?” Dr. Watkins asked. “It’s all nonsense, Carter. Don’t be absurd. Next thing I know you’ll be eschewing black cats and carrying rabbit’s feet.”
Tate dropped his head, pinching the bridge of his nose, probably envisioning the atrocities his mother was subjecting herself to by questioning fate.
“Yew faw down,” Levy told Dr. Watkins. He smiled, his tiny nose crinkled in amusement.
“I guess I did, young man.”
“I no young man; I Wevy.”
“I stand corrected, Levy.” Dr. Watkins smiled affectionately and touched my elbow. “He’s simply gorgeous, Cooper.”
‘Thank you.’
“Can I hold you?” she asked Levy.
“No, Dad hold me.” He patted Tate’s shoulder, politely declining. “Momma has booboo. Yew Grandma?”
Dr. Watkins blinked. “Well, um…”
“Yeah, that’s Grandma,” Tate interjected. He smiled knowingly. His mother might not understand or accept it, but he wasn’t questioning fate.
“Das her grandpa?” Levy inquired, pointing at Nolan.
“He’s still mastering familial relations,” Tate explained. “He wants to know if you’re married to Dad.”
“Oh…well…uh…”
“Don’t confuse him, Mom,” Tate pressed. “He’s two.”
“Yes…yes, we’re married.” Dr. Watkins looked nothing short of flustered, her cheeks stained with color. “Technically.”
“Yew sweep over?”
The bus filled with the whispering of snickers. Dr. Watkins tugged nervously at her earring, rolled it between her finger and thumb. “Um. Sure. Absolutely.”
Nolan placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezed it supportively. “We’re all together now,” he prompted, changing the subject. “Tate, I think you’d better break the big news before we get snowed in.”
“Ah, yeah, you’re probably right.” Tate grinned beatifically and pressed a kiss to my lips. He threaded his fingers between mine, balanced Levy in his other arm. “First, I’d like to say a few thanks to everyone for all that they’ve done, especially Derek for saving Coop’s life—”
“Just doing my job.” Derek shifted his weight, glancing to the ground. He didn’t like to be the center of attention.
“That was no small act,” Tate pressed. “It was above and beyond. Every second counted. You kept your cool. Cooper’s alive because of it. I mean it when I say that no amount of money or words will ever be enough.”
Despite that Tate couldn’t put a dollar amount to my life, I handed Derek an envelope with a nice chunk of cash in it, and gave him a brief hug. He immediately shook his head and pushed the envelope back at me.
“I can’t take this.”
“No amount of money will ever be enough,” Tate repeated. “Just take it. Go home for the holiday. See your family. Spoil your niece.”
Derek nodded graciously. “Thanks, man.”
“Marshall. Taylor.” I handed them their envelopes. Likewise, both objected to the gift. Stubborn idiots.
“You moved clear across the country to watch over Coop,” Tate pointed out, “and if you’re thinking about tearing that up, you’d better think tw
ice. That’s cash in there. You’ll need it to find your own place. We’ll be running out of rooms in my house, shortly.”
Tate had been kind enough to provide him with a room until he got on his feet. But Marshall didn’t feel he deserved anything Tate offered, because I had gotten hurt. In reality, he never stood a chance. Amanda Keller had started a small riot that night. Security was grossly outnumbered. The fence malfunctioned. Nevertheless, Marshall being Marshall, he took it hard.
Taylor, himself, received a wound of his own. During the scuffle, someone had cut him too. He ended up with a nice gash across his forearm that took twenty-five stitches to close.
Nobody could accuse Taylor or Marshall of not doing his job.
“I’d like to thank Evan for handling the police and arrests. It was a comfort and a relief that I could focus solely on Coop’s health.”
Evan nodded, without argument.
“I want to thank Mom for everything you’ve done—”
“I didn’t really do anything. The doctors in Missoula deserve the credit. They did an excellent job in repairing Cooper’s injuries.”
“You were there when I needed you,” Tate assured. “Even if it was only a second opinion, you set my mind at ease.”
“It was all my pleasure.”
“Everyone else, Dad, Em, Carter, Jake, Shane, I—” Tate slipped his arm around my waist with a faint smile, “—We want to thank you all for watching over Levy the past few weeks. We are blessed, truly blessed, to be surrounded with such a supportive group of friends and family. I can’t thank you all enough.”
“Hear hear.”
Tate kissed me again, deeper this time. A shiver rolled down my spine, despite our audience. When our lips parted, his gaze held a hint of promise for things to come. To my surprise and disappointment, he had refused close to all physical contact during my hospital stay, and I was quite looking forward to going home, wherever that might be.
“Yuuuucky,” Levy scoffed, gathering our attention. “Das yucky. Yew kisted Momma wiff da tongue. Das yucky.”
Chortles went off around the room.
“Remember that in twelve years, kid,” Tate told him.
“Don’t worry,” Carter added. “I got it on video.”
‘You’re so not posting that.’ Unfortunately, I was done with social media. What happened between Tate and me remained between Tate and me. My private life was exactly that. Other than our closest friends and family, the world need not know every aspect of our lives.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Coop. You know why? Because we’re friends. And friends are cool with one another…”
‘I don’t remember anything, Carter.’
“That’s ok, because someday you will, and when you do—”
“You’ll be the first to know,” Tate assured. “But let me move onto the big announcement.” He looked down at me. “Ready, babe?”
I nodded.
“We have a few images of our own. If ya’ll could gather round,” he instructed, gesturing to the television. While everyone shuffled in front of the screen, I hooked my tablet up to the USB and pulled up the first image. My mom and Em were the first to react, and they did with a gasp of recognition and an ensuing cry of delight. Dr. Watkins already knew, having seen my charts, but she smiled.
The men reacted differently. They searched the screen—though there was no mistaking the defined shape of the two babies in the 3D image—and studied it as if held the secrets to life.
In a way, I suppose it did.
“I’ll be damned,” Carter said, staring absorbedly.
“Would you look at that,” Nolan agreed.
“You never do anything half way, do you, Watkins?” Jake inquired.
“Champagne,” Shane said. “I’ll open a bottle.”
“Better hope they aren’t girls,” Evan joked, “cause if they’re anything like Coop, you’re in a woooorrrrrlllld of trouble.”
“Word,” Marshall concurred. “I’m glad I didn’t tear up that envelope, ‘cause I think I’m gonna have to find a new occupation. I don’t know if I can keep up with three of them.”
‘Ha ha,’ I chided. ‘Life would be boring without me around. You both know it.’
Taylor smiled jokingly and lifted one shoulder. “Job security.”
Somewhere, behind the small cluster of friends and family, the champagne bottle gave a percussive ‘pop!’ The cork launched in the air, ricocheted off the ceiling and pegged me square on the forehead. I slapped my hand over the sting, scowling at the laughter and gibes around me.
‘Shane!’
“Sorry, Coop!”
“Jesus Christ, babe!” Tate exclaimed, fighting a smile. “You alright?” He passed Levy off to Carter—who was undoubtedly checking to see if he got it on video—and pulled me into his arms. He tilted my head back, looked me over. “It’s never a dull moment with you, is it?”
I shook my head, smiled sheepishly.
The bus jolted forward, jostled us closer together. Tate tightened his arms around me to keep me from falling down—ok, not so much to keep me from falling, but to kiss me better. His lips crashed into mine, enamel scraping together as we eased over a speed bump. As we smoothed out onto the Boulevard, we let the world fall away, losing ourselves in one another.
“They’re gonna write songs about us,” Tate whispered against my lips, his eyes alight. “What we got…it’s the stuff of legends.”
Note from the Author
I want to thank you for taking the time to read Someone to Watch Over Me. If you enjoyed Cooper and Tate’s story, please consider leaving some positive feedback on Amazon, Goodreads or any other blogs you visit.
Feel free to visit me on my website, on Facebook, on Twitter or on Goodreads.
Drop me a line. I love to hear from my readers.
Sign up here for new releases.
Another note from the Author
I’ve received very many inquiries on who actually attacked Cooper in the white van. The answer will be in one of subsequent stories. Yes, I am planning to write a book for each of the members in the band, though they will be told from the female’s perspective. Each will be stand alone with elements and characters from the preceding books. I am planning to release in this order: Shane, Jake and Carter. This is subject to change, contingent on which character demands my attention. As of now, the story line falls in this order.
If you’d like to be notified of future releases for this series, you can visit any of the links above. I love to hear from my readers.
Thanks again for your interest in my books,
Anne Berkeley
Other books by Anne Berkeley
Tempestuous Series:
Tempestuous
Torrid
Feral
Someone to Watch Over Me
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I want to send a big thanks to all my beta readers for invaluable feedback and encouragement!
Anita Terrill, Kathleen Burcham, Jennifer Cuce, Vannessa Hasty, Lorna Atkins, Jacquelyn Soto, Milly DiCinto, Barbara Walton, Trish Sutherland, Krista Aird, Katie Griffin, Erica Murphy, Nancy Wooten Poe, Donna Demanche, Katie Davis, Carol Renna, Ashley Callinan Kennedy, Danielle Feffer Hackmey and [email protected].
Also, thanks to Dr T. Balasubramanian for allowing me to pick your brain on medical treatments for throat injuries. Any errors in terms or treatment will be solely mine.
And thanks to everybody who has helped make this book a reality.
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