outside and have a ball, probably making enough noise to wake the dead.
But Zoe hadn’t had siblings. When her parents had said, “Go watch TV,” she had been alone.
And she was alone now. Except for this baby. It was no wonder she was so protective of her.
“So what happened with your husband?”
She peered up, studied him for a few seconds, then sighed. “He left when I discovered I was pregnant.”
“He didn’t want kids?”
“He wanted to be successful first.”
Cooper understood wanting to succeed. In his best daydreams he didn’t as much as say hello to either of his brothers until he had proven himself. Which was why they were foreclosing on his ranch. For as much as he wanted to prove they were wrong—he wasn’t a no-account troublemaker who would never amount to anything—they were determined to prove they were right. But as God was his witness, he would win that battle. He would prove himself.
She sighed. “I’m guessing you understand that, since you didn’t say something sympathetic when I told you why he left.”
Cooper licked his suddenly dry lips, then said the only thing he could say. “I can’t understand someone leaving his own child. But I do understand him wanting to achieve success. Sorry.”
“It’s all right. I know men and womenare different. All I have to do is look at my parents to see that. She’s in California drinking green tea and taking vitamins and my dad’s in Florida swilling beer and wearing the same clothes for three days.”
Cooper laughed. “Oh, come on.”
“It’s true. He’s not much on laundry and he claims fish have no sense of smell.”
“So you talk with him by phone?”
“When I can afford it.” She paused. “He doesn’t call me.”
Inwardly, Cooper groaned. Zoe Montgomery was pretty, sweet and the most devoted mother he’d ever seen, yet she’d been treated abysmally. If he didn’t at least dole out one line of commiseration, he would be no better than the mother, father and husband who had left her.
“Men aren’t much for talking.”
She laughed quietly. “No kidding.”
He took a breath, deciding this would be a nice time to leave the room, but before he could she said, “So what are your parents like?”
“My parents were nice,” he said, “but they were killed in an automobile accident.”
Clearly mortified by her mistake, she gasped, “Oh, God! I’m so sorry.”
“It’s all right. It was years ago.”
“And now your brothers are taking the family ranch and cheating you out of your share of the inheritance?”
He grimaced. “No. My brothers and I wereraised in a tiny town in Arkansas. My parents owned a small construction company that came to us when they died. I bought the ranch in Texas a few years after I left home.” He paused, then added, “Technically, I walked out on my share of the inheritance a long time ago. They didn’t cheat me out of it.”
She stared at him, obviously waiting for him to continue. He said nothing.
“You’re really not going to tell me why, are you?”
“You know my price.”
“Right.”
“Besides, you’ve already gotten more out of me than most people.” Without a pause, he changed the subject. “What do you want for supper?”
It took her a second to catch up, but finally she said, “Didn’t we just eat lunch?”
“Not much to do here. Besides, if we want roast or something, the meat will need time to thaw and bake. There are potatoes in the one cupboard. I can make mashed or baked or just plain buttered.” He paused, then said, “Anything tempting you?”
“No. But I just ate.” She waved her hand in dismissal. “Go cook, Chef Boyardee. Make whatever you want. I’m not picky.”
He turned to leave, but Zoe called after him, “Hey, and check the Weather Channel again.”
He grimaced. He knew why she wanted him to check the Weather Channel. She wanted to leave. Maybe to get Daphne to a doctor. Or maybe because he wasn’t any more entertaining than
But Zoe hadn’t had siblings. When her parents had said, “Go watch TV,” she had been alone.
And she was alone now. Except for this baby. It was no wonder she was so protective of her.
“So what happened with your husband?”
She peered up, studied him for a few seconds, then sighed. “He left when I discovered I was pregnant.”
“He didn’t want kids?”
“He wanted to be successful first.”
Cooper understood wanting to succeed. In his best daydreams he didn’t as much as say hello to either of his brothers until he had proven himself. Which was why they were foreclosing on his ranch. For as much as he wanted to prove they were wrong—he wasn’t a no-account troublemaker who would never amount to anything—they were determined to prove they were right. But as God was his witness, he would win that battle. He would prove himself.
She sighed. “I’m guessing you understand that, since you didn’t say something sympathetic when I told you why he left.”
Cooper licked his suddenly dry lips, then said the only thing he could say. “I can’t understand someone leaving his own child. But I do understand him wanting to achieve success. Sorry.”
“It’s all right. I know men and womenare different. All I have to do is look at my parents to see that. She’s in California drinking green tea and taking vitamins and my dad’s in Florida swilling beer and wearing the same clothes for three days.”
Cooper laughed. “Oh, come on.”
“It’s true. He’s not much on laundry and he claims fish have no sense of smell.”
“So you talk with him by phone?”
“When I can afford it.” She paused. “He doesn’t call me.”
Inwardly, Cooper groaned. Zoe Montgomery was pretty, sweet and the most devoted mother he’d ever seen, yet she’d been treated abysmally. If he didn’t at least dole out one line of commiseration, he would be no better than the mother, father and husband who had left her.
“Men aren’t much for talking.”
She laughed quietly. “No kidding.”
He took a breath, deciding this would be a nice time to leave the room, but before he could she said, “So what are your parents like?”
“My parents were nice,” he said, “but they were killed in an automobile accident.”
Clearly mortified by her mistake, she gasped, “Oh, God! I’m so sorry.”
“It’s all right. It was years ago.”
“And now your brothers are taking the family ranch and cheating you out of your share of the inheritance?”
He grimaced. “No. My brothers and I wereraised in a tiny town in Arkansas. My parents owned a small construction company that came to us when they died. I bought the ranch in Texas a few years after I left home.” He paused, then added, “Technically, I walked out on my share of the inheritance a long time ago. They didn’t cheat me out of it.”
She stared at him, obviously waiting for him to continue. He said nothing.
“You’re really not going to tell me why, are you?”
“You know my price.”
“Right.”
“Besides, you’ve already gotten more out of me than most people.” Without a pause, he changed the subject. “What do you want for supper?”
It took her a second to catch up, but finally she said, “Didn’t we just eat lunch?”
“Not much to do here. Besides, if we want roast or something, the meat will need time to thaw and bake. There are potatoes in the one cupboard. I can make mashed or baked or just plain buttered.” He paused, then said, “Anything tempting you?”
“No. But I just ate.” She waved her hand in dismissal. “Go cook, Chef Boyardee. Make whatever you want. I’m not picky.”
He turned to leave, but Zoe called after him, “Hey, and check the Weather Channel again.”
He grimaced. He knew why she wanted him to check the Weather Channel. She wanted to leave. Maybe to get Daphne to a doctor. Or maybe because he wasn’t any more entertaining than
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