Chapter Twelve
Five minutes after publishing my next blog, my phone is pinging incessantly with messages from Nolan.
Nolan: You can’t keep doing this, Cooper.
Nolan: I warned you what would happen. Expect a letter from our lawyer.
Nolan: Take. It. Down. Now.
Me: I’ve already consulted a lawyer. I don’t have to take it down. You didn’t take the photos and they’re my intellectual property, not yours. If you want them, pay for them. A grand per photo.
Nolan: You are so far out of your mind. I’m fucking coming for you if you don’t take them down.
Rolling my eyes, I pocket the phone before heading out to help Tommy with Spring planting.
If Nolan wants me to stop, he’s going to have to buy me out.
I spoke to a lawyer in Portland that Wyatt recommended before I even started my venture.
I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t legally liable for anything that relates to Nolan and his company.
I’m not. So he can shove it unless he wants to pay up.
I’m working on a new trip, one to gear towards all the moms that seem to be on my page. And I am so excited because I’ll get to bring Aubrey and Lily May with me. If they want to.
But I still just need to wait for verification from the higher up manager.
Hopping on the four-wheeler I run over to the edge of the orchard where Tommy is working on the pumpkin patch for this year.
I stop at the edge of the woods by Aubrey’s cabin when I see them playing outside. I don’t want Lily to spot me so I pull out my phone and tap a message really quick.
Me: Come to the woods.
Aubrey: Well that sounds an awful lot like I will end up on a true crime show.
Me: I promise you won’t. Come see me before I’m spotted. I’m surprised she didn’t hear the four-wheeler.
Aubrey: She did. I maybe had to promise to invite you over for popsicles later so she would let you work with Tommy.
“Well, consider this my acceptance of the popsicle date,” I say as she approaches.
Tugging her closer to me, I hide us behind the tree next to the four-wheeler.
“You’re lucky she’s engrossed in that water table.” Aubrey laughs as we listen to Lily splash around.
“So lucky.” I push into her, backing her against the tree and take her lips with mine.
The way she molds to my body feels like perfection, the closest thing to heaven I’ve found.
“I thought you were supposed to be working with Tommy?” She asks between kisses.
“I’m on my way, but I saw you and just needed a little taste of your lips.”
“Mommy? Whewe you go?” Lily yells from the yard.
“Guess that’s my cue. Text me when you two finish for popsicles with Lily. I’m doing easy hot dogs and hamburgers if you’re interested for dinner too.” She says over her shoulder as she walks back toward Lily.
“Count me in. I’ll text you.” I wink at her before hopping on and starting my four-wheeler to head over to Tommy.
Leaving Aubrey sucks because all I want to do is go back and play with my girls.
My girls. Are they? We haven’t officially had the conversation, but I’m with them all the time, and I’m absolutely wrapped around both their fingers. I can’t even deny how gone I am.
“Hey, Cooper!” Tommy yells as I park next to his truck.
“Hey! You ready for some help?”
He stands, leaning backward to stretch his back from being hunched over. “More than you know.”
I pick up a rake from the ground and start leveling out the spots. He’s already tilled up. “You need a tractor for next year. This is a much bigger plot than you’ve ever had.”
“It’d be great if we could turn enough of a profit I could buy one.”
“We’ll get there. But speaking of money, how about some rent on that other cabin? Emma is ready to book people in the next couple weeks. So she’s pushing me to get out, and I love Ma and Pops, but I don’t want to move back in with them.” He stops to take a sip of his water and watches me.
“It’s yours when you want it, but I’m not takin’ your money. You know that.” He raises a brow, rehashing the conversation we’ve had.
“You can, and you will. I did some research and found an average for the others that are going for rent and talked to Wyatt about what he rents his for. So I think that fifteen hundred a month is fair.” I lean on the rake, staring him down.
“Nope. No way. That thing needs fixing up and you know it.”
“The price reflects that. And I’ll do all the work, maybe get you to help me if you aren’t too wore out.” We’re in a staring contest at this point. “I’m not backing down. Take it or I’ll have to move out of town to one of the more expensive rentals that the millionaires own.”
“Boy, if you give those fuckers more money for buying up the property out from under us…” he warns.
“Then stop being a stubborn old man and agree to my rental terms.”
“Fine, but only if we settle on a thousand a month.” He crosses his arms in front of his chest.
“Twelve hundred. And I buy the materials,” I counter his offer.
“Fine.” He walks back over to the patch, muttering under his breath about what a pain in the ass I am.
I smile to myself. I won this round.