Chapter Ten
The same as the days before Tess’s arrival, Cooper could hear Emma talking to herself in bed. Now, showered, dressed and sipping on his first cup of coffee while staring at his phone, he could see her sitting up, holding the rag doll he’d picked up for her after work the other day, and explaining something he did not understand in great detail. The interaction made him smile.
All night, he’d either tossed and turned, or had snatches of restless dreams. There was a vague memory of one dream that had him back in high school with Tess tutoring him in home economics and the fine art of pie baking, followed by diaper changing. No doubt all stemming from last night’s conversation before Tess dozed off after finishing her pie. At least he’d heard the whole story before she faded off.
What he couldn’t decide was how to react to the whole thing. After all, what’s done is done. His name was on the birth certificate and that had allowed Emma to be placed in his custody. The possibility of her having wound up in one of the many subpar foster homes if he had not been on the certificate, or official guardian, made his skin crawl. Tess was right about one thing—every parent, single or not, should have a plan in place for their child’s care if something should happen to them. What he wasn’t convinced of was if he would be the best choice. He was, however, sure that his name needed to be removed from the birth certificate. As much as he would love to have a precious sweet child like Emma in his life some day, his name had no business being on her birth certificate.
A glance at his phone and Emma was now on her feet rocking the crib. For a moment he wondered how long before she learned how to climb out of the thing. At what age was that normal? Not that it mattered. Time to get the buttercup.
Just as he pulled the door open, he was stopped by Tess standing, arm in the air ready to knock. “Sorry. It’s time to get Emma and I’m afraid if I go in there alone she’s going to expect me to pick her up.”
“You mean up me down?” He got such a kick out of that toddler oxymoron.
Tess smiled at him. “Yeah. I’m going to hate it when she finally starts defining pick-me-up or put-me-down.”
He knew exactly what she meant.
“Also…” she nibbled on her lower lip.
Instantly, he was transported to a table in the school library all those years ago. Only this time, besides finding her nervous gesture cute, his gut clenched and his pulse kicked up a few beats. What the heck?
Her gaze dropped to her robe. “I don’t own any loose cotton clothes without waist bands or belts. I’m going to need to do a little shopping.”
“Didn’t like the t-shirts I bought you?” He bit back a smile.
“This one is super comfy and nice and long,” she chuckled softly, “but it looks like I’m wearing your clothes, not mine, and I don’t want to wear a robe all day long either. I’d like to try and update myself on what’s going on at the office, at least a little. If I wind up on a Zoom call, I’m not going to look very professional in men’s t-shirts.”
She did have a point. He bought the softest cotton he could find in a big and tall size, but they were definitely not a fashion statement. And nothing close to business attire, though he’d prefer she recovered a little more before dealing with her job.
“I could call a car, but I wondered if maybe I could use your driver.”
He shook his head. “No need. I’ll take you.”
“Are you sure you have time?”
“Absolutely.” Katrina was going to kill him when he told her he was taking the morning off, or maybe the whole day. “Now, shall we get your daughter?”
Emma must have heard them talking outside the door, because she stood facing them when they entered the room. That sweet smile could brighten the darkest of days. The kid seemed to have a better handle on the new routine than they did. Whenever he and Tess bumped into each other, Emma simply waited patiently for them to reposition. When changing her diaper or putting on her clothes, she raised a leg or arm to help, but when she was all dressed, she turned to Cooper asserting up me down, quickly having figured out they weren’t letting her mother carry her.
Breakfast had gone the same as every other morning. The kid had a hollow leg and a definite love of bacon and Hazel’s pancakes. Rather than drop her off at the office daycare, it was decided that Emma would stay with Grams and the staff. He had his doubts if she was going to get her nap with all the attention.
“Ready?” Cooper knocked on Tess’s bedroom door.
“Coming.” Once the door opened, Tess stood in a blue beach coverup that he didn’t recognize.
“I didn’t buy that?”
She shook her head. “It’s your grandmother’s.”
“That belongs to my grandmother?” The sleeveless v-neck t-shirt dress in slate blue with a few star fish and bubbles along the hemline didn’t fit his image of his grandmother.
“I think she said she bought it for Siobhan and then forgot about it.”
That made more sense.
“It’s not high fashion, but it does look a little better for going out in public.”
Actually, as far as he was concerned, the woman could wear a potato sack and look way better than good in public.
There was something to be said for a luxury car. Actually, if Teresa were honest with herself, there was something to be said for butlers, and cooks, and maids, and a plethora of other luxuries that came with the Baron lifestyle.
“You doing okay?” Cooper asked her for the umpteenth time since they’d left the ranch.
“Just enjoying the drive.” Turning her head, she smiled at him. The last thing she wanted him to know was every time he got too close to the car in front of them, her whole body tensed. Probably survival instincts after having been smashed into by a red light runner. Time, she hoped, would wipe away the jitters. “I don’t know if every twenty-four hours I’m going to feel way better than the day before, or if just getting out of that hospital where they wake you up every five minutes to ask if you’re sleeping was all I needed to feel better.”
“You do look better rested.” He returned his attention to the road. “I asked Eve where she thought was the best place to get what you need and she suggested the Woodlands mall. It’s huge and has a little of everything.”
Familiar with the mall, she had to agree with Eve for selection, but the huge part was a little disconcerting. Even though she felt more rested today than yesterday, and had dropped the dosage on her pain meds since the surgery almost a week ago, walking all over the mall held as much appeal as eating chocolate covered ants.
“She also suggested we borrow a wheelchair. Otherwise your doctor will have a lot to say to me for pushing you too hard.”
“I do not need a wheelchair.”
Slowing for a red light, he turned to face her and didn’t look away.
“Okay. Maybe I shouldn’t walk too much, but I don’t need a wheelchair.”
The man did not say a word. He just continued to look at her, one eyebrow just a smidge higher than the other.
Apparently in all these years, some things didn’t change. His gaze spoke volumes, and even in high school, that look was all he needed to win an argument. Of course, the way the butterflies in her stomach took to swooshing about might have helped his winning odds. “What if I walk till I’m tired and then if we haven’t found enough, I get a wheelchair?”
The light turned green and he stepped on the gas. “Were you always this stubborn in high school?”
Her cheeks pulled hard on her lips. “I learned from the best.”
“I beg your pardon.” He shot her a brief sideways glance, but she could see the humor in his eyes.
“If the shoe fits…”
A deep laugh rumbled through the car. “Touché. More than one person may have mentioned the stubborn streak in Baron genetics.”
Relaxing against the headrest, she had to smile. There was much to be said for Baron genetics. Considering she knew nothing about her own, there had to be some comfort in knowing where you came from. A comfort Emma probably wouldn’t have.
“You’re awfully quiet.”
“Just resting before the big expedition.”
A low chuckle sounded. “Hate to ask what you’d call climbing up Mt. Everest.”
“Insanity.”
Again, he burst out laughing. “I sure have missed you.”
Her eyes popped open wide and her head snapped to face him. It certainly looked like he was sincere and not simply being polite. She would have sworn that after he graduated, he never gave her another thought. Oh, how she’d missed having him around those not so hallowed halls. It was sort of taken for granted around school that he was like her big brother. If anyone messed with her, they’d have to deal with the Barons. By the time she graduated three years later, most folks didn’t remember she’d been chummy with a Baron until he’d heard she wasn’t planning on attending her prom and offered to escort her. Dancing with him had probably been the most fun she’d ever had in her life. But it wasn’t just his kind heart and the sense of security she’d missed, it was that twinkle in his eye and easy laugh that always made her want to laugh too. And there wasn’t much in her life in those days that made her want to laugh. “Ditto.”
“Here we are.” Pulling into the mall, he frowned at the spaces and then sighed. “I’m going to drop you off at the door. No point in losing precious energy crossing the parking lot.”
“Agreed. I’ll find a bench and wait for you inside.”
Considering he found at her at the bench mere moments after she’d sat down, she didn’t know if that meant she was moving that slowly, or if he’d parachuted in from the parking lot.
“Shall we?” He extended his elbow to her.
Knee-jerk reaction had been to grumble she didn’t need help, but that familiar winsome smile had her accepting the gesture and within minutes, darn grateful. Strolling the mall on his arm was not only more fun, it was easier than walking on her own steam. The first stop was a discount store with lots of casual clothes in the window. In less than two minutes and a few steps, she was able to survey the store from where she stood and shook her head.
“You don’t want to look around?”
She sighed. “Nope.”
With a shrug, he led her out the door and strolling down a few more stores, pointed to one with a few dresses in the window.
Again she shook her head. “Those are linen. Great for work if you have stock in a dry-cleaning company.”
“You don’t think there’s some other dresses inside?”
“Doubtful.” Under normal circumstances she’d have gone in just in case, but knowing her ability to walk on her own steam was going to be limited, she passed.
Another few stores and she stopped in her tracks.
“What?”
“In here.” Granted the Hawaiian-themed shirts hanging in the storefront weren’t exactly what she’d been looking for, but she couldn’t resist. “Everyone needs a little sunshine in their lives.”
“Sunshine?” Rolling his eyes, he followed her in. The expression on his face teetering between horrified and confused made her want to laugh.
“Isn’t this cute?” She held up a button-down shirt that was more suitable for a stroll on a Caribbean beach than a day on a ranch.
“That’s a man’s shirt.”
She had to bite down on her lower lip to control her smile. “I know.”
“You won’t wear a man’s t-shirt, but you want to wear a man’s Hawaiian shirt?”
Shaking her head, she let the smile bloom.
“Oh, no.” His eyes widened, his head shifted left to right and his hands shot up, palms out. “Absolutely not.”
“But it would bring out the green in your eyes.” She did her best to keep a straight face.
His eyes narrowed, and the horror was replaced with determination.
Uh-oh. She recognized that look. It was the same look he’d had after a school car wash fundraiser and she’d accidentally sprayed him with the hose. That original transgression quickly forgiven, but when she did it again just to get a rise out of him, that same look in his eyes had appeared and the two of them wound up doused with water more than any of the cars. They’d also laughed till their sides hurt. She wasn’t so sure about right now.
Turning his back on her, he pushed a few items around on a nearby rack and spun about, grinning like the village fool. “Perfect.”
The sight of the olive-green palm leaves plastered all over the cotton dress with bold red strokes of what might have been bird feathers left her stunned. Or perhaps—if he was serious—panicked.
“We’ll match.” He looked down at the lime-green shirt in her hand and over to his colorful choice for her and added, “Almost.”
The next words out of their mouths came in choreographed unison. “Dare you.”
Instantly they both broke out laughing, only she had to drop the shirt and use both arms to wrap around her middle. “Ouch,” she winced, struggling to contain her mirth. “You’re not supposed to make me laugh.”
If the dress he’d held had been on fire, he couldn’t have dropped it any faster. “Oh, Lord, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
Nodding, she sucked in a deep breath, then bit back another smile. “Maybe I was a little hasty.” She grabbed the nearest floral shirt. “How do you feel about blue?”