The Windfall (23 page)

“Ah, well, at least they didn’t trash the place,” my father joked, releasing Cooper’s hand before turning toward me. “Get the man something to drink, Emma, and let’s all sit down. I think we could all use a breather.”

I hurried to the kitchen and grabbed a few sodas out of the fridge, my stomach still churning at what had just happened. Maybe some of it had to do with the fact that Cooper was in my dad’s house . . . meeting my father. Not exactly the way I would have planned introducing him to Dad.

When Cooper had shown up, my heart leaped. I had been both happy to see him and worried that he was going to get himself shot before we had a chance to hash out our differences. All I could think about was the possibility that he would never know how I truly felt. I cared for him. Deeply. And maybe it took the risk of losing him, permanently, for me to realize just how much . . . but I realized it. I could do nothing more than hope and pray I was going to get an opportunity to tell him.

Especially considering how brazen he had been with the kidnappers. There may have been an undertone of concern in his voice on the phone, but when he walked through the front door with a bag in his hands, the only emotion I recognized in his ridiculously handsome face was resolve. Brave, really. And he looked pissed.

It was obvious to me that, at one time, Cooper and this Felix character had been friends, close friends from what I could gather. I knew there was a story there, and I couldn’t wait to hear it. Something pretty intense must have gone down between the two, judging from the way Cooper glared him down. Seeing the enraged passion in the way Cooper stood up to him, to both of them, the anger that had been directed at him over the anonymous tip situation had dulled to a bare twinge after watching him rush into the house without any concern for his own safety. He had practically saved our lives and hadn’t thought twice about putting himself between us and the barrel of a gun. There weren’t many people I could think of who would have done the same, and I realized it had to mean something about his character.

Holding me and Dad hostage may have ensured that Cooper would actually bring the money, but it also guaranteed that those thugs wouldn’t be bothering anyone else for a long, long time. Cooper was a smart man. Smart enough to go to the police and manage to save us.

If I was being honest with myself, part of me wanted to be angry at him. The other part wanted to wrap my arms around him at the same time and never let go. My heart felt about as bipolar as any psychiatrist could diagnose. The feelings coursing through me didn’t make sense — one minute I was angry that Cooper had kept secrets from me and the next I wanted to kiss him. At the moment, I just wanted to hear what Cooper had to say. I had to know how he knew these guys and how my dad and I had gotten mixed up in the situation. There were more questions than answers at the moment and I knew I would need those answers before I could make a decision about my relationship with this man — current or future.

Walking back into the living room, I handed a soda to Dad before taking a seat on the couch with Cooper. I sat as far away from him as I could, pushing all the way to the other end of the couch so I wouldn’t be tempted to instinctively reach over and touch him or grab his hand. The emotions were too raw, my nerves shot to hell in the wake of everything that had happened and the brush with death we had all just experienced.

“Here,” I said, holding out the cold can to Cooper.

He took it from me, our fingers brushing lightly. “Thank you.”

I nodded and cleared my throat, hating the fact that my pulse immediately began to race because of one simple touch. He still affected me greatly. Yet another point that had to mean something.

“I want to apologize again for what just happened,” Cooper started after he had cracked open his soda and taken a sip. “The last thing I ever wanted was for you to get caught up in this mess. I have no idea how they even knew to come here. I hate to admit I underestimated them. They were more determined and resourceful than I gave them credit for. I never dreamed they’d have found you, much less hold you at gunpoint and threaten your lives.”

“Who were they?” I asked, curious to know how a nice guy like Cooper would know someone so rough and unsavory. Someone without any qualms in regards to holding strangers at gunpoint and threatening their lives. The Felix character hadn’t been too bad; he’d even offered us something to drink the longer we had waited for Cooper. The other guy had been a different story; he had given me the creeps. Something about the way he carried himself told me there wasn’t much he wouldn’t do if he hadn’t gotten his way.

“I know I’d like to hear this explanation,” Dad piped in. “It’s got to be a darn good story worth telling.”

Cooper sighed and ran a hand over his face, looking unsettled in the aftermath. It was a drastic change from the resolute front he’d shown in the face of danger. “Felix and I grew up together in the same neighborhood. It was a poor neighborhood, so there wasn’t much to do but get into trouble for most. I had Mom and knowing I needed to help her kept me on the straight and narrow. Felix never had much family that he could actually count on. He was separated from his brothers and sisters at a young age.” Sadness fell over his expression, and he looked down at the can in his hands. I was certain the memories had taken over. “At one time, I considered him a good friend . . . a best friend, actually. But our neighborhood has always been a hot spot for gang activity and Felix got wrapped up in the idea that one of those gangs could be a family to him. I have tried so many times to get him to see the truth. I tried to get him to see that they didn’t care about him, but he wouldn’t listen. Felix used to be a good guy with a good heart. Now he’s going to go to jail for being involved with the wrong crowd. There’s nothing I can do for him now.”

I thought about the men who had stood in Dad’s house with their guns and how harsh life must have been for Cooper back in Atlanta. For him to have kept out of trouble and been able to leave that all behind like he had was something for him to be proud of.

“My past isn’t a pretty one,” he continued, the pain on his face evident as he looked at me. “I lived in a crummy apartment with my mom. I worked two jobs to make ends meet, and there were a lot of months I went without even necessary things like food so that my mom could have her medications.” He turned his face toward me and our eyes locked. “Emma, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this sooner, but I understand what you go through month to month with your dad’s medications. I’ve been there. I just wanted to help. I just didn’t want to see you struggle like I had.”

“I wish you had told me,” I said softly, thinking that our relationship would have been in a much different place if he had just been open about his past from the start.

“Me, too,” he admitted with a sigh. “When I won the lottery, I thought I could stay in my neighborhood and change the world, or at least help change the neighborhood. I bought the bar I was working in and really wanted to continue to be happy in my life there as it was.” Cooper chuckled. “Boy, was I wrong. In the first week, I was threatened, lied to, hit up for handouts, and my so-called best friend tried to fleece money out of me, not to mention people who I had trusted before showed me sides of them I would have never imagined existed. I knew I couldn’t stay there.”

“What brought you to California then?” my dad asked, intrigued by the story.

“My aunt lives out here,” Cooper explained. “She and my mom are really close but haven’t gotten to see each other much over the years. So, when we needed to get out of the neighborhood, it made perfect sense to come out here and stay with them for a while.”

“Why get a job at Keefer’s if you didn’t have to?” I asked, surprised that he was still going to work when he was worth so much money. This man could do anything, yet he chose to mix drinks and deal with unpredictable customers that could easily turn a good day bad with one attitude. Though I enjoyed working there, if I had a choice, I wouldn’t necessarily continue to put up with the day to day of food service.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” he said with a shrug. “I’ve always enjoyed bartending, and I enjoyed the staff I worked with back home. I guess I wanted to continue living my normal life before the money came into the picture. And when I came here, I didn’t know what to do with myself.” He looked over at me. “And, part of the reason I took the job at Keefer’s was that I wanted you to see me for more than my money. I guess I made you pay for how others had reacted. I didn’t put much faith in you, Emma, and I am sorry for that.”

“Oh, Cooper, I would have liked you anyway,” I sighed. “The money doesn’t make a man who he is. Tomorrow you could lose it all again, and I would still feel the same way about you that I do now.” The way the glint in his eyes shifted, I could tell he wanted to ask me exactly how that was. But with my dad sitting there, he didn’t ask.

“I know that now,” he replied, his handsome face appearing burdened. “I should have been open with you from the beginning but with my experience thus far, I was scared that you would get all money struck too and not like me for me. I wanted you to see Cooper, the bartender, not billionaire Cooper.”

“Excuse me,” my dad interrupted, his eyes widening. “Did you say billionaire?”

“Yes, sir. I did,” Cooper responded in a way I would almost describe as remorseful. “But please don’t hold it against me,” he said with a slight smile.

“Well, what do you plan on doing now, son?” Dad asked. “I mean, if you have that kind of money, people are going to try to take advantage of you no matter if you keep running from your past or not.”

“Actually, sir, I hope to purchase a house here in California soon and put down some roots here. I like the West Coast.”

My heart began to pound hard against the inside of my chest as I thought about seeing Cooper every day, of him not leaving, him living in California. I might not want to admit it to Cooper just yet, but I had already softened to his reasons for why he had withheld his secret. I couldn’t say I wouldn’t have done the same thing in his position. One thing I was certain of, Cooper seemed sincerely sorry that he had deceived me and telling the story in front of the other man in my life meant the world to me. I had been wrong about one thing when it came to Cooper Randall — he was vastly different than any other man I had ever dated, any other man who had meant anything to me. Cooper was special and it had nothing to do with his money.

Reaching over, I touched his hand, causing him to turn and face me. “I’m sorry, too, Cooper,” I murmured. “I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. I should have given you a chance to explain your reasons to me. I do believe your intentions with the money were sincere and heartfelt.”

“No, Emma. You don’t owe me an apology. I should have asked you first,” he said, his voice heavy with regret. “I’m so sorry. I just wanted to help, and I knew you wouldn’t take the money outright. I shouldn’t have forced it on you like that.”

“I do have a question. Who was the woman?” I asked, curious.

He blushed and hung his head, looking down at our joined hands. “It was my mom. She wanted to help after I told her your story. She kind of came up with the idea. I went along with it. She feels just as bad about all of this as I do, I promise you that.”

I squeezed his hand, thinking I was definitely looking forward to meeting the woman who had raised such a great guy.

“Okay, I think I’ve heard enough,” my father announced as he pushed himself out of the chair. “While I do admit this has by far been the most excitement I’ve had in quite some time, I can’t wait to rub this in William’s face. I bet he can’t remember the last time he was held at gunpoint.”

I rolled my eyes and stood, pulling Cooper to his feet as well.

“Do you want to go somewhere and talk?” I asked Cooper as he looked down at me. He nodded and I released his hand, walking over to my dad. “Will you be okay?”

“Of course, I will, Em.” Dad kissed me on the forehead. “Go, go!” he said, making a shooing motion. “I give you my blessing. He seems like a good kid, Em.”

I pushed up on my toes and kissed Dad’s cheek. “I think so, too.”

Cooper stepped over and shook Dad’s hand like the gentleman I have come to expect. “It was a pleasure to get to meet you, sir. I wish it had been under different circumstances.”

“Good to meet you, too, son. You take care of my girl.” Dad winked at him.

“I’ll guard her with my life, sir,” Cooper replied. I believed he would do just that.

I couldn’t help but smile, a renewed sense of purpose for me and Cooper blooming in my chest. “Let’s go.”

“And just where are we going?” Cooper asked.

“To a place no man has been before,” I grinned. “My apartment. I’ll tell you how to get there.”

* * * * *

I rode with Cooper in the Corvette that I had seen in Keefer’s parking lot what seemed like forever ago. As we drove, my head was spinning with everything I had learned. Cooper was staying in California. My dad approved. And Cooper was a billionaire. That one felt like the most to wrap my brain around. Looking over at him in his
Star Wars
T-shirt, faded jeans, and Converse, he didn’t seem like a billionaire. He was just Cooper — the amazing guy I had fallen hard for. It was a lot to process.

“Are you sure you are okay with all of this?” he asked as he drove us to my apartment, where I knew we could be alone for a little while. “I know it’s been a trying day. Okay . . . it’s been crazy as hell, and it’s a lot to take in.”

“Are you trying to talk me out of being with you?” I asked.

He looked over at me, his eyes blazing with emotion. “Hell no. I just want to make sure you aren’t going to jump out of the car screaming at any moment. I mean, this thing stops pretty fast but I would like some advanced warning.”

I laughed. That was the Cooper I had fallen for. And while I saw the man I knew well, I also saw the man who had saved my life and my dad’s. Even though we had been put in harm’s way because of him, I knew with every fiber of my being he would have done anything to keep us safe and that was all that mattered to me. “I’m not going to throw myself out of the car. These are my favorite jeans and blood is really hard to get out.”