Chapter 29
Awaking to sunlight streaming in through the blinds he’d left open, Cooper James stretched and jumped out of bed, pulling on a pair of shorts before using the bathroom that adjoined his room.
His brother’s island house was sweet and much homier than the ultrahip contemporary penthouse Jared had made available to Coop while he was at NYU.
He’d had some rad parties at that place, not that Jared knew anything about that. Like he’d care. Ever since he’d married Lizzie, his brother had spent almost no time in the city, preferring this cozy house on the island he’d retreated to when he decided to leave the Wall Street rat race.
Jared was happy here. Anyone could see that.
That was due in large part to his adorable wife, who was one of the nicest, most genuine people Coop had ever met.
Take what she did yesterday, bringing a young mother and her newborn home with her while she herself was mourning yet another failed round of IVF.
That took a special kind of person, capable of putting aside her own pain to step up for someone else. And Lizzie was a very special person.
Coop wandered into the kitchen and was surprised to realize he was the first one up.
That never happened when he was around his family.
Thanks to a whole-home generator, Coop was able to make some coffee that he took outside to the pool deck.
He stopped short at the sight of a goddess swimming in Jared’s pool.
Who in the hell was that?
She wore a white bikini and cut through the water with a smooth, efficient crawl stroke and flip turns that indicated swim-team training.
He was mesmerized watching her as he sipped from his coffee mug. The girl could’ve been an Olympian with the way she ate up the water.
By the time she finally came to a stop at the end of the pool where he was standing, he was seriously intrigued. When she removed her goggles and looked up at him, his heart nearly stopped. What in the ever-loving fuck was Gigi Gibson doing in his brother’s pool?
“Hey, cutie,” she said. “What’s your name?”
“Uh, Cooper?”
“You’re not sure?” She pulled herself up and out of the pool with practiced grace.
He tried and failed not to gawk at her smoking-hot body, finally diverting his gaze so he wouldn’t embarrass himself. His very own wet dream was standing before him—and dripping wet. Stuff like this didn’t happen to mere mortals like him.
“Hello? Earth to Cooper, if that’s your name.”
“It is. Cooper James. I’m Jared’s brother.”
“Now that you mention it, I see the resemblance.”
“Wh-what’re you doing here?” He never, ever, ever felt nervous around women, but this wasn’t just any woman. This was the woman, his hall pass, the one he canceled plans for so he could watch her show.
She pointed to the garage apartment. “I live here.”
“You live here? On Gansett Island?”
“For a few more weeks.”
“Why?”
“Jordan and I are shooting the new season of our show here. You see, it’s like this. My girl came to Gansett after her disastrous marriage ended, fell in love with the tall-as-a-motherfucker fire chief, and next thing I knew, she wanted to film the show here rather than in LA, and so here I am.”
How had he not heard about this? Perhaps because he’d been working night and day on his business since he graduated and hadn’t paid much attention to anything else. “I can’t picture you two anywhere but there.”
“No one can, which is what makes it fun to do it here. We wrap in three weeks.”
“And then what?”
“I’m heading home.”
“Will that be the end of the show?”
“We’re not sure yet. I guess that depends on how this season is received.”
“I’m sure it’ll be great. You two are amazing together.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You watch our show?”
“Sweetheart, every red-blooded man in America watches your show. I can’t believe I’m standing here talking to Gigi freaking Gibson.”
Placing a hand on her hip, she struck a pose. “In the flesh.”
“Uh-huh, I see that.” Cooper wasn’t one to ogle famous women or indulge in one-sided crushes that had no hope of ever coming to fruition.
He was more of a realist when it came to women.
Gigi Gibson was so far out of his league as to be laughable, but she was, in fact, standing before him in the flesh, which gave him the courage to make his next move. “You want to hang out later?”
“And do what?”
“I’m sure we can find some trouble together.”
“I’ve been here for months and haven’t found any trouble yet. If there’s a more boring place in this world than this island, I haven’t seen it.”
“Aw, come on. Gansett’s not that bad.”
“When you’re used to LA, it’s bad.”
“I suppose that’s true. I live in Manhattan.”
“So you know what I’m talking about.”
“I do, but there’s something charming about this place. It’s relaxing.”
“It is, and it’s beautiful. I definitely see why people love it. But it’s not my jam long term.”
“Fair enough. So are we hanging out later?”
She gave him a thorough looking-over, so thorough he nearly ended up sporting wood from the way she studied him. “I suppose we are.”
“I’ll pick you up at seven.”
Smiling, she said, “You’re awfully cute. Are you even legal?”
“I’m twenty-four,” he said, offended.
“Such a baby.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-nine.”
“Oh damn. That’s kinda old for me. I might need to reconsider this plan to hang out.”
“Really?” She seemed genuinely surprised.
“No, not really,” he said, laughing. “I’ll see you at seven.”
“See you then.”
As she walked away—really, it was more of a strut than a walk—he stood frozen in place, taking in the beautiful sight of the back of her, laid nearly bare by a thong bikini.
He was definitely sporting wood after that show.
When she reached the stairs to the garage apartment, she looked back, caught him staring and flashed a satisfied grin.
The woman was too sexy for his own good. As soon as he got himself under control, he went inside to find Jared and Lizzie had gotten up while he was living out his own personal wet dream outside. “Jared, I need to borrow the Porsche later.”
“That’s not happening.”
“Let him have it, Jared,” his new best friend Lizzie said. “What is it you always say? It’s insured.”
Jared’s scowl took in both of them.
“Where you going, anyway?” Lizzie asked.
“It seems I have a date with Gigi Gibson.”
“Oh dear God,” Jared said. “She’s way too much woman for you, little brother.”
“She’s just the right amount of woman for me,” Cooper said with a dirty grin.
Jessie came into the kitchen, carrying the baby and looking as if she hadn’t slept at all. “Is there coffee?”
“Coming right up,” Lizzie said. “How do you like it?”
“Cream and sugar, please.”
“You got it.” As Lizzie fixed the mug for her, she glanced at Jessie over her shoulder. “Were you up all night?”
“Pretty much.”
“I read that babies often get their days and nights mixed up the first few weeks,” Lizzie said, “which is why you have to sleep when she does.”
“I need to go to work.”
“You can’t work the day after you gave birth, Jessie.”
“If I don’t work, I don’t get paid.”
“Don’t worry about money,” Jared said gruffly. “We’ll take care of whatever you and the baby need.”
Jessie’s chin wobbled. “I can’t let you do that.”
She was such a sweet girl, and Coop found himself wanting to know more about her and how she’d ended up a single mom on Gansett Island.
“It’s already done,” Jared said. “Don’t worry about anything.”
“Are you people for real?” Jessie asked as she took the seat Jared pulled out for her. “You just help people you don’t even know?”
“She does.” Jared used his chin to indicate his wife, smiling as he looked at her. “She helps people all the time.”
“Using his money,” Lizzie said. “Spending his money to help others is one of my favorite hobbies.”
“And she’s exceptionally good at spending our money to help people,” Jared said.
Lizzie beamed at him as she delivered Jessie’s coffee to her at the table. “You can stay here as long as you need to.”
“I can’t do that. You guys don’t need a newborn screaming your house down.”
Jessie couldn’t know how true that was, Cooper thought, amazed by his brother and sister-in-law’s ability to extend such generosity to a new mother while dealing with their own private grief.
“Thank you,” Jessie said, seeming on the verge of tears.
“Here,” Coop said, “let me take her while you have something to eat. Lizzie’s eggs are to die for.”
“Oh, um, are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” Coop took the baby from her and settled her in the crook of his elbow.
She was a cute little thing with a bow-shaped mouth and feathery eyebrows that came together in an expression that made her look confounded.
“Good morning, my little peanut. What’s this I hear about you keeping your mommy up all night? ”
While the others ate breakfast, Cooper walked her around the spacious house, keeping up a nonsensical conversation with her.
She seemed interested in everything he said.
Although he’d been an uncle for years, he hadn’t given much thought to having kids of his own.
That fell into the “maybe someday” category for way off in the distant future.
“You’re good with her,” Lizzie said, leaning against the doorframe as she watched him.
“I’ve been an uncle since I was fourteen,” he reminded her. “My older sisters have five kids between them.”
“Ah, yes, that’s true.”
“She’s a cutie.”
“She sure is,” Lizzie said wistfully.
“Why did you bring her home if having a baby here was going to hurt you, Lizzie?” He knew she wouldn’t mind that Jared had told him what they were going through.
Lizzie shrugged. “She needed somewhere to go. We have room.”
His heart went out to her. “Lizzie…”
“I’m okay. I swear.”
She said what he needed to hear, but heartbreak was written all over her face.
“Do you want to hold her?” Coop asked. He had no idea if he should offer that, but then again, he was clueless about how to navigate this situation.
“Um, sure. I’ll take a turn. Go have some breakfast.”
Cooper transferred the baby to her. “You good?”
“I’m good.”
He was hesitant to walk away, but after a minute, he left the room to return to the kitchen.
“Where’s the baby?” Jared asked.
“Lizzie has her.”
He got up and went after his wife.
“Tell me the truth,” Jessie said. “Is it really okay that I’m here?”
“It’s okay,” Cooper said, hoping he spoke the truth.