more reason to stay.
Zoe was quiet for another few seconds, then from the look on her face Cooper could tell she’d drawn some kind of conclusion. He wasn’t a bit surprised when she said, “I think I know why it drives you nuts to have me in here.” Apparently having changed her mind about the sandwiches, she lifted the second one from the plate. “When I was in the great room, you knew what I was doing. While I’m in here, you don’t. You don’t like to be left out.”
He supposed it was because he’d just mentioned Seth’s name, but in his head Cooper heard his younger brother say the same words eight years ago. You don’t like to be left out. You have to know everything. Even when you know as well as Ty knows that having you involved is going to cause trouble. It would be such a relief if you would just leave!
As if it were yesterday, emotionrushed through Cooper. Fear. Pain. Pride. Anger. He remembered Seth had stormed out of the bedroom and Cooper had decided to oblige him and leave. He had packed in less time than most people took to change clothes and was gone before Seth could have second thoughts about what he’d said or Ty could realize his middle brother was heading out of town.
Not that he thought either of them would have stopped him, but at the time he had needed that sliver of doubt. He’d needed to believe they cared enough not to allow him to go and that he could only get out of town if no one knew he was going.
“I’m actually better on my own.” He rose to leave, but Zoe gaped at him as if he were crazy.
“How can anybody be better off on their own? When I turned eighteen my parents divorced. I don’t know how I missed it, but they were only staying together for me. Me.” She shook her head and looked at the ceiling. “Anyway, they got divorced and my mom moved to California where she hoped to get into movies and actually married an actor who does a lot of bit parts. My dad moved to Florida, where he fishes. The parents who were so careful to make sure I had a family left me totally without one, as if eighteen was some sort of magic number that made it okay.”
Cooper said, “That’s rough,” but he didn’t sit again. Instead, he turned to the door. “If your coffee’s cold there’s a whole pot out here to refresh it with.”
Zoe smiled ruefully and heknew she hadn’t missed his not-too-subtle escape from their personal conversation. But he didn’t care. His family was the last thing he wanted to think about. Unless she wanted to take him up on his proposition; then he would keep his end of the bargain and dredge up memories of how he and his brothers didn’t get along. But Cooper didn’t think she would sleep with him, so her virtue and his sanity were safe.
Zoe stayed in the bedroom another twenty minutes and though Cooper tried to watch TV, there was nothing interesting being shown. He walked to the French doors and stared at the falling snow for a few minutes. Paced for a few more. Turned off the coffeepot. Rinsed it out. Wiped down the countertop. Watched it snow some more.
Finally, he skulked over to the bedroom again. “Still asleep?”
“She whimpered a few times. I sung her back to sleep.”
“I didn’t hear you sing.”
“Do you think I’m going to sing loud enough for you to hear?”
He grinned. “Is your voice that bad?”
“No. But baby songs aren’t exactly top ten. I sing about bunnies and cats and puffy clouds that talk.”
“Now, see. There might be some entertainment in that. Sing a bunny song.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Sing about the puffy clouds then.”
“No! I will not entertainyou. Go watch TV.”
Once again Cooper felt himself tumble back through time, and as if he were ten he heard his father say, Go watch TV. How many times had his parents said that? They’d regularly shoo him and his brothers to the television or to the store…anywhere so they could have peace and quiet. And Ty, Cooper and Seth would run
Zoe was quiet for another few seconds, then from the look on her face Cooper could tell she’d drawn some kind of conclusion. He wasn’t a bit surprised when she said, “I think I know why it drives you nuts to have me in here.” Apparently having changed her mind about the sandwiches, she lifted the second one from the plate. “When I was in the great room, you knew what I was doing. While I’m in here, you don’t. You don’t like to be left out.”
He supposed it was because he’d just mentioned Seth’s name, but in his head Cooper heard his younger brother say the same words eight years ago. You don’t like to be left out. You have to know everything. Even when you know as well as Ty knows that having you involved is going to cause trouble. It would be such a relief if you would just leave!
As if it were yesterday, emotionrushed through Cooper. Fear. Pain. Pride. Anger. He remembered Seth had stormed out of the bedroom and Cooper had decided to oblige him and leave. He had packed in less time than most people took to change clothes and was gone before Seth could have second thoughts about what he’d said or Ty could realize his middle brother was heading out of town.
Not that he thought either of them would have stopped him, but at the time he had needed that sliver of doubt. He’d needed to believe they cared enough not to allow him to go and that he could only get out of town if no one knew he was going.
“I’m actually better on my own.” He rose to leave, but Zoe gaped at him as if he were crazy.
“How can anybody be better off on their own? When I turned eighteen my parents divorced. I don’t know how I missed it, but they were only staying together for me. Me.” She shook her head and looked at the ceiling. “Anyway, they got divorced and my mom moved to California where she hoped to get into movies and actually married an actor who does a lot of bit parts. My dad moved to Florida, where he fishes. The parents who were so careful to make sure I had a family left me totally without one, as if eighteen was some sort of magic number that made it okay.”
Cooper said, “That’s rough,” but he didn’t sit again. Instead, he turned to the door. “If your coffee’s cold there’s a whole pot out here to refresh it with.”
Zoe smiled ruefully and heknew she hadn’t missed his not-too-subtle escape from their personal conversation. But he didn’t care. His family was the last thing he wanted to think about. Unless she wanted to take him up on his proposition; then he would keep his end of the bargain and dredge up memories of how he and his brothers didn’t get along. But Cooper didn’t think she would sleep with him, so her virtue and his sanity were safe.
Zoe stayed in the bedroom another twenty minutes and though Cooper tried to watch TV, there was nothing interesting being shown. He walked to the French doors and stared at the falling snow for a few minutes. Paced for a few more. Turned off the coffeepot. Rinsed it out. Wiped down the countertop. Watched it snow some more.
Finally, he skulked over to the bedroom again. “Still asleep?”
“She whimpered a few times. I sung her back to sleep.”
“I didn’t hear you sing.”
“Do you think I’m going to sing loud enough for you to hear?”
He grinned. “Is your voice that bad?”
“No. But baby songs aren’t exactly top ten. I sing about bunnies and cats and puffy clouds that talk.”
“Now, see. There might be some entertainment in that. Sing a bunny song.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Sing about the puffy clouds then.”
“No! I will not entertainyou. Go watch TV.”
Once again Cooper felt himself tumble back through time, and as if he were ten he heard his father say, Go watch TV. How many times had his parents said that? They’d regularly shoo him and his brothers to the television or to the store…anywhere so they could have peace and quiet. And Ty, Cooper and Seth would run
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