I loved them so damn much.
Coop handed me his cup to hold and I watched as he opened the card. It was thin, one hundred percent camouflaging the contents as just an ordinary birthday card.
The front had a giant horn on it and a piece of cheese, declaring him the great cheese on the cheesiest of birthdays. He snorted, then flipped it open and the business card fell out.
Frowning, he picked it up, and for a moment, his whole expression froze. It wasn’t the only thing inside the card, but I could almost see the thoughts racing behind his gray-green eyes.
The business card read:
Cooper Brennen, Ph.D. Licensed Clinical Therapist
Practice Coming Soon
“Guys…”
“You,” I told him, “are going to be the best damn therapist ever. You are great with those kids, and they love you. We love you more. You want to get licensed in New York, and we want you to know that we’re with you every step of the way.”
There was no mistaking the misty look in his eyes as he stared at me. “I mean—this is great—but what I really wanted was a pony.”
“How about I ride you like a pony later?”
He tossed the birthday card. “Sold.” Then he kissed me again as the guys laughed. The card didn’t go far as it fluttered down onto the bed, along with the list of the best degree programs in the state for clinical child psychologists. A list we’d put together with help from his advisor and his boss at the community center.
“I love you,” I whispered.
“Hmm, me too,” he agreed, then laughed almost hard enough to make our teeth clack when my stomach gurgled. “Guys? Please tell me there’s food for Frankie somewhere so that she can ride me like a pony later?”
“Yeah, but we gotta get dressed for it,” Jake said, stretching a hand out to me. “Jeremy’s fixing breakfast and there are a few gifts waiting downstairs. We also promised your mom you’d video call her before Frankie steals you away for—well, I won’t tell you what for. Some surprises are just better experienced.”
I let Jake help me up, grimacing only a little at the mess running down my legs. The boys all looked very pleased with themselves. “Be nice, gentlemen, and if Coop’s in a good mood, I bet I can ride you all like ponies today. I’m feeling adventurous.”
With that, I carried my coffee into the bathroom as Coop muttered, “Best birthday ever,” behind me.
Twenty-five minutes and one blowjob later, Coop and I were the last two down the stairs to breakfast. Jeremy just gave us an indulgent look as he set out the food, including the sparkling cinnamon rolls with a candle stuck in them.
It was the most ridiculous thing, but Coop grinned at it. I knew the moment he noticed the new picture we’d hung on the wall in the dining room. It was a mural with three panels made by all his kids at the community center—their impression of Mr. Coop.
“Later,” Coop said against my ear as the guys talked about the pickup game that weekend and Jake’s upcoming hockey season. “I’m gonna cry like a baby about that.”
I turned into his kiss and whispered, “Your secret is always safe with me.”
It always would be.
CHAPTER FOUR
LETTER TO ME
ARCHIE
Leaning back against the Bugatti, I checked the messages on my phone. Frankie sent a rather delightful rant on her contracts and acquisitions management professor. Apparently, he was a snore, a bore, and a misogynist. Lips pursed, I scrolled through the series until I got to the last message.
I have no idea who thought he was worth hiring, but I’m tempted to ask if we can get him fired.
Followed swiftly by…
Tempted, not actually asking.
Then another:
I mean it.
I didn’t laugh, mainly because there were three dots indicating that she was typing. Then the message came in and I laughed.
But I am thinking about it. Ask me later if you dare.
The adorable little winky face at the end, coupled with the smirk, was just so her.
Don’t worry, Babe. I sent back. I absolutely will.
Two kisses were her only response. I flicked a look at the building and then flipped over to the browser on my phone to look up the name of her instructor. Never hurt to be prepared if she asked me about him. I was reading his bio when Eddie came striding out of the building, loosening his tie.
“Sorry,” he called. “Hong Kong ran long.”
Checking the time on the phone, I raised my brows. “It’s almost midnight there.”
“Exactly,” he said, making a face with a sharp shake of his head, pulling the tie all the way off. “I got here at five. They were punctual, and the meeting started at six. But London was late.”
“Have you introduced Frankie to international meetings yet?”
But Eddie didn’t answer, he was staring at my car. “This is new.”
I laughed. “Yes, and it’s a gift. I don’t get to take her out often, so be honored.”
He shot me an indecipherable look. “I already was.”
Right. That was enough emotions for that.
“As for Frankie and international meetings, no, I did have her sit in on the meeting with some of our French partners over the summer, but I wanted to test her language skills and our translator’s.”
I had zero doubt in my mind that she had passed, but I waited to continue the conversation until we were in the car. “How did it go?”
“Excellent. Even our translator was impressed, and theirs was delighted. It’s been the first time in four years I got a concession out of them. We’ll be able to work out of that airfield we wanted.”
“She mentioned the airfield was still in negotiations because the company from Norway had made a significant offer.” She’d also been very proud of herself because of the wording they’d used.
“She also said the wording suggested it was already in the past, and they might be trying to leverage us for a higher fee, so I hard balled at five percent less than our first offer…”
“And they came back five percent higher?” I got this game and heard him and Grandpa Ted discuss it way too many times. “But you stood fast, and they finally dropped it to one percent below your original offer and you caved.’”
“One point five,” he said with more than a little pride. “One point five and the right to renegotiate in five years.”
“That’s a good deal. Not bad for an old man.”
His snort made me laugh as I pressed the button to get the engine rumbling to life. The latest text from Frankie popped up on the dash screen.
You looked up his name, didn’t you?
I chuckled.
“Whose name?”
He waited while I checked traffic before I accelerated. We were heading out to Long Island for the afternoon to inspect the last of the changes the contractors were to have finished once we were back in the city.
“Frankie’s contracts and asset management professor is making her crazy.”
“Runkle,” Eddie said as he stretched his legs. “Kind of a quirky guy and definitely an acquired taste.”
It didn’t surprise me that he knew who the man was. The Bugatti handled like a dream as I flowed through traffic. It was nice that it wasn’t too damn busy in Midtown today. It would be even better once we got on 495.