by Len Webster
Then he had introduced her to his father, whose eyes sparkled at the sight of her, before letting her meet Phil, Megan, and Rhys. Megan was apprehensive but shook Peyton’s hand.
“Mum, this is Peyton. Peyton, this is my mother,” Cooper introduced.
Once again, Peyton held out her hand to his mother.
Eleanor Hepburn glanced down at Peyton’s left hand, and he knew then that she had noticed Peyton’s tattoo. Her scrunched-up nose was all the indication he had needed. His mother turned her head to Cooper, ignoring Peyton’s hand, and said, “You’re looking well. Shall we get out of this heat? Give us a tour.”
He cringed at his mother’s dismissal of Peyton. Cooper noticed Peyton lower her hand and tried to brush it off as discreetly as she could. But he knew his sisters, their partners, and his father had seen it.
“Yes, Peyton, give us a tour of your magnificent hotel. The exterior is beautiful,” Margot said, trying to make Peyton comfortable. His youngest sister looped her arm around Peyton and ushered her towards the hotel’s front door.
Phil, Rhys, his mother, and Megan followed right behind them. His father had set a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from stepping towards the hotel.
“She’s beautiful, son,” his father said.
“She is, isn’t she,” he agreed.
Cooper stood by as his girlfriend spoke to his father by the cliff that faced the glimmering lake. Peyton had charmed his father the second she began to speak. She enchanted him; that was the only way Cooper could explain it. He was right; Margot and her boyfriend, Phil, loved her. Rhys was quiet as usual. And Megan was as cold as the Arctic towards Peyton. His mother had avoided even looking at her.
“Cooper, could I please talk to you for a second?” his mother asked in a harsh tone.
He sighed, knowing that an argument would more than likely spark between them. He had never fought her when it came to her meddling in his relationships. He nodded and watched his mother wave Megan over. Cooper couldn’t believe what he was seeing. With a sigh, he led his mother and sister inside the hotel and towards the back of the sitting room.
“Okay, what’s up?” he asked as he folded his arms over his chest.
“I don’t like her,” his mother said, bluntly.
Cooper’s shoulders sagged. “What?”
Megan nodded along. She had always sided with their mother on everything.
His mother’s nostrils flared. “She has another man’s name tattooed on her wrist, Cooper. I don’t approve of her for you. She is not what I envisioned for you.”
Anger coursed through him. He couldn’t believe how unbelievable and unreasonable his mother was being.
“What are you doing, Mum?”
“What a mother is supposed to do. Protect her child. You need to end this with her. She doesn’t deserve someone like you.”
“No!” Cooper growled. “I don’t deserve someone like her. You have no idea why his name is on her wrist. You haven’t even given her a chance. Do you have any idea how disrespectful you both are? You come into my girlfriend’s hotel and badmouth her, the woman I love, when she has done nothing but go out of her way to give you a lovely place to eat. Peyton has not been rude once. You refused to shake her hand. She had been nothing but sweet and kind to you both. Megan, the only reason why you have the Perry’s is because Peyton asked them to clear their calendar for you because they owed her a favour.”
His sister flinched. That was surprising news to her.
Cooper took a step forward and looked his mother in the eye. He loved his mother, but he did not love her behaviour towards his girlfriend. “If you cannot be civil and treat Peyton with the amount of respect she has given you, then you both need to go back to Warren Meadows.”
His mother flinched, shocked. He said nothing as he turned and left them in the sitting room. Cooper made his way back outside to see Phil by the table Peyton had spent all morning dressing to perfection.
“Your girlfriend is really something. You’re a lucky bastard, Coop.”
He laughed. He had always loved Phillip Hall. He was a great guy who also managed to keep Margot happy. A real saint. “That I am, Phil. How’s work?”
Phil nodded. “Good. Boss is a dickhead, but it pays the bills. Your dad’s been staring at the lake since Peyton went back inside.”
Cooper peeked to his left to see his father by the cliff and he smiled. His father had always been fond of nature and scenery. “Hey,” he said to Phil. “How’s Sam doing?”
“He’s doing well. He got himself into this mess like five years ago. Nothing we can do,” Phil said as he picked up his glass of water and sipped it.
They had spoken for almost ten minutes, catching up on all the things Cooper had missed while he was away from Warren Meadows, when Margot interrupted them with a tight smile.
“Where have you been?” Phil asked as he wrapped his arm around her.
She sighed. “I went for a walk and explored this place. You know I have to take walks when I’m pissed off. Don’t worry, Phil, my pissed-off-ness is not towards you. Samuel Michaels is going to get an ass-kicking when I see him. Yes, I know I’m not allowed to continue to be mad at him, but then I talk to Meredith and I instantly hate him all over again. Anyways, this place is amazing.”
“I agree,” Cooper said. “But why am I terrified of your facial expression right now? You look ready to kick someone in the gut.”
“She heard, Coop.”
“What? Who?”
“Peyton. She heard what Mum said.”
Oh, shit!
“How do you know?”
“I got lost and ended up in the kitchen. I heard her tell someone named Jenny. She was in tears over the fact that Mum doesn’t approve of her. And the whole other man’s name tattooed on her. But she did hear you defend her.” Margot smiled, proud of him.
“I have to go find—”
“Wait!”
Cooper’s feet had him staying. “What?”
“She just burnt one of the meals while she was crying. So now, she’s a little heartbroken about that, too. She said she’s ruined today’s lunch.”
“Oh, Peyton,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll tell her—”
“No, you won’t.”
“Stop interrupting me,” he scolded. His brow raised. “Why won’t I?”
Margot sighed. “Because you’ll make it worse. And well, because here she comes.”
Cooper turned around to see Peyton and some of the waiters at the door. His girlfriend’s makeup was slightly smudged, but she had a practised smile on her face.
She hadn’t just left her comfort zone today. She had been thrown into the dragon’s den. He felt guilty for putting her in this situation. Cooper took in her floral summer dress, subtle pinks and yellows, and her curled brown hair. She had made so much effort, and his family hadn’t.
“All right, lunch is ready,” Cooper announced.
Seconds later, everyone took their seats as the hotel’s waiting staff set their meals down in front of them. Once Cooper had sat down, Peyton was to his left and set his meal in front of him. He inspected it, perfectly cooked roast chicken with corn puree and roast vegetables. Then Peyton sat next to him and he saw her burnt chicken.
“Oh, Peyton.” He sighed, but she hadn’t heard him.
“Cooper, how’s the farm?” his father asked.
He swung his attention to his father and smiled at him. “It’s good. Keeps me busy,” he said as he turned away from his father for a second, picked up his plate, and then switched it with Peyton’s. “Didn’t think I’d love working on a lavender farm, but I do,” he admitted as he set the plate of burnt chicken in front of him.
“Coop, wait—” Peyton tried to say, but he had cut her off by grabbing her hand.
Then Cooper turned to see her shaking her head at him.
“No, Cooper, it’s bur—”
He silenced her with a kiss on the back of her hand. “I know, Peyton.”
; “But …”
This time, he shook his head. “You worked hard all morning to make today perfect. You deserve that meal, not me.”
Her light blues glimmered up at him. “I love you,” she whispered.
Cooper leant over and kissed her temple. “And I love you. Now, let’s eat.”
He let go of Peyton’s hand and reached for his knife and fork when his gaze met Margot’s sweet and honest smile. He knew what that expression was.
She was happy.
Unlike his mother and sister, she approved of his and Peyton’s love.
And no one’s opinion mattered more than Margot’s.
She had woken him up by shaking his arm. Cooper had faked being asleep for an extra few minutes just to see how long it would take her to realise that he was faking. But as Cooper opened his eyes, his heart slammed into his chest when Peyton smiled at him. He sat up in her bed to find her holding a silver tray. Yesterday, she had met his family. She had worked so hard to make a good impression, but his stubborn mother and sister had made her cry. When Cooper said his goodbyes, he had made it clear that he was angry with them. Margot had forced Peyton to exchange numbers with her. The smile on Peyton’s face as she hugged Margot was one he loved and didn’t think could be topped.
He was wrong.
Peyton with her somewhat messy hair, smiling with a tray of what looked like French toast had topped it.
“Morning,” she said sweetly as she handed Cooper the tray and climbed into bed. Then she crossed her legs and swept her hair onto her back.
“What is this?” he asked.
“It’s our new tradition,” she said, proudly,
“What?” he asked, humour lacing his voice.
Peyton reached over and picked up the forks. She had kept one for herself before she passed him the other as he set the tray on his lap.
“It’s Sunday. French toast. It’s not as great as my mother’s was, but I tried. So this is our Sunday tradition. You and me, French toast with chocolate chips and strawberries in bed.”
“God, I love you,” he breathed as he took in the proud grin on her face.
Her eyes shimmered. “I love you, too.” Then she stabbed a strawberry and popped it into her mouth to chew. When she had swallowed it, she pointed the fork at him. “You have to try it and tell me if it’s okay. I followed her recipe, but I’m not the greatest cook.”
“Okay,” he said and used the side of the fork to cut the bread. He squinted at his girlfriend as he put the piece into his mouth and chewed. He couldn’t hide his surprise. It was good. Actually, it was probably the best French toast he had ever had in his life. Something was in it that made it different. It wasn’t just the chocolate chips or the icing sugar. He swore somewhere in there might be the slightest dash of vanilla.
“So?” Peyton asked, nervously.
Cooper set his fork down and took a deep breath. He waited several seconds to add to the anticipation. Then he said, “I love it.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “Really.”
“Ah!” she squealed as she picked up the tray and set it on her spot of the bed.
“I didn’t say I was done—”
She threw her arms around him and crushed her lips to his. The way she kissed, he had no idea how he had lived without. Peyton kissed like no other. She was it for him. Her lips were the last he ever wanted.
She was his last first everything.
“Peyton, I want the rest of that toast,” he murmured between the breaths of air they’d taken.
She pulled back. No guilt whatsoever on her face. Just how he liked it.
“I have two questions for you,” she said, climbing onto his lap and straddling him.
Cooper tilted his chin a little higher. He was curious. “What’s the first one?”
His girlfriend bit her lip then she exhaled. “Would you help me pack and clear some of my parents’ stuff?”
He flinched. “What? Why?”
“Because,” she said, tightening her arms around him. “I wanted to ask if you would move in with me. So would you maybe … want to … kinda … move in with me? Like live together? Your stuff here … You have a key … I have a key … Your car parked next to mine on the driveway …”
He laughed. “Peyton, I know what the concept of moving in together is. Are you sure you’re ready?”
She nodded with an excited smile that flashed in her eyes. “Yeah. I’m ready. It’s time I cleared this place of my parents’ things and made it our home.”
His heart throbbed at the sight before him. Confident and guilt-free Peyton Spencer was truly breathtaking.
“Well, then, okay. We’ll start the moving in together right after I finish my French toast.”
“Hey!” she said, slapping his shoulder. “They’re mine, too.”
Cooper reached for the tray and brought it closer. “We’ll share.”
“Like we’ll share this house and our lives together?” she teased.
He nodded with a chuckle. “So long as it involves French toast every Sunday.”
Peyton dropped her forehead to rest on his and whispered, “It will.”
I almost lost Peyton …
Cooper got out of the ute and took a gulp of air to feed his starving lungs.
He was nervous.
The most nervous he had ever been.
More nervous than asking Graham Scott, his soon-to-be ex-boss and best friend, and Uncle John for their blessing. For some reason or another, he had expected Graham to punch him in the face because of his clenching fists, but he hadn’t. Uncle John had been the opposite and he had cried. Then he had said, ‘Finally, there’s going to be another handsome man in the family again! I’m not the only one anymore!’
It was his last shift as operations manager at Scott Family Lavender. He had stayed a little more than a year but decided that he’d rather work with his girlfriend at her hotel, the Spencer-Reid. Cooper had stayed on as Graham’s employee until he was able to find a replacement. It had been just over a year since he and Peyton had started dating. Just over a year since he had heard her say ‘I love you’ for the first time. When he had moved in with Peyton, everything in his life just clicked. Everything was right where it should be. They had cleared out all of her parents’ things. Clothes and furniture had been donated to the local charity shop. They had gone shopping in the city and bought a brand new bedroom piece. They called the master bedroom home and transformed her old bedroom into the guest room.
Month by month, their home had become their own. Memories in frames replaced ones that Peyton felt were more important. She had said the house had felt like a shrine, so she decorated every part of the house her way. She spoke more openly about her past. Days she had spent with Callum. Stories about her parents. Cooper had turned twenty-seven a few months back. During their relationship, they had spent two of his birthdays together. Two of his greatest birthdays to date. He hadn’t wanted a big celebration. But when he had turned twenty-seven, she’d had a surprise party with his family at the hotel.
Megan had changed her mind and married Rhys at the Spencer-Reid months after she had met Peyton. His mother had been stubborn, but his father had worn her down. When his mother saw just how in love Peyton was with him, she had finally accepted her into the family. On his girlfriend’s twenty-third birthday, she had him take her into the city and gotten his name tattooed on her right wrist. He had told her that she didn’t need to do that, but she had said it was all she wanted. She would be twenty-four in a few months. And he wanted her to be his fiancée before then.
Cooper made his way to the front door and held her lavender bouquet tightly in his grasp. He peeked down to make sure the card was still on there. If it wasn’t, and it somehow got lost during his drive from the farm to the hotel, it was proposal aborted. The card was the key. Her ring was burning a hole in his pocket. He knew she’d say yes, but that didn’t tone down his anxiety. He entered the hotel to find it empty, just as Jenny had promis
ed. She had been in on the plans. Just as Graham and Madilynne had.
Peyton, as planned, was behind the desk with papers in her hand. He made his way across the floorboards until he stood at the front desk.
He cleared his throat.
She lifted her eyes from the documents to him and the instant smile on her face made his heart throb. It was the same reaction he had every day that he saw that smile. Every day for over a year. And he hoped every day for the rest of his life.
“Hey,” she said softly, relieved to see him. She set her papers down and tilted her head. “Graham seriously has you doing his deliveries? I thought the new guy was doing them?”
Cooper handed her the clipboard and set the bouquet on the desk. “Well, you’re my girlfriend, and I really don’t want Marvin falling in love with you the way I did when I first met you. Thought since it started with delivering lavender to you, my last shift and final delivery had to end with you.”
“You sure know how to sweet talk me, don’t you?” She let out a laugh and signed her name at the bottom of the delivery invoice. Someday soon, she would no longer sign delivery slips as Peyton Spencer.
Instead, it would be as Peyton Hepburn.
He hoped.
“Who sent them?” she asked as she reached for the card.
“I don’t know,” he said, playing dumb as he took a step back. “I just deliver them.”
She nodded and opened up the envelope. As she took out the card, Cooper reached into his pocket and took out the small box. Peyton unfolded the card and that was when he got down on one knee.
He watched Peyton slowly lift her gaze from the card to him and she let his proposal fall from her fingertips.
“It all started right here, Peyton,” he said as he opened the box to present her the large diamond set on a titanium band. It cost a significant amount of his savings, but when he had sold his house in Warren Meadows, he knew exactly what he’d be spending the money on.
Her eyelids fluttered as tears began to well.
“I once said sometimes, forever I’d be whatever you needed me to be. But right now, I just want to be your forever. So like the card says.” He exhaled a shaky breath. “Peyton Olivia Spencer, will you marry me?”