Page 18 of Summer Nights

I chewed my lip. I'd need to figure out the times and whether I could pick him up around my work.

"I'll forward you the link."

"Can I play?" Duncan asked.

"We'll have to see when the games are and whether I can fit it in."

"If you need help, I can pick him up too."

I shook my head. "I couldn't ask you to do that," and I never would. Duncan and Rae were my responsibility.

"Please, Ivy," Duncan asked, and for a second, it felt like he could have replaced Ivy with the word Mom, and it would have held the same meaning.

"I'll see what we can figure out," I promised him. I wanted him to have all the opportunities the other kids had, and I knew firsthand how important sports could be. I'd played volleyball despite not having the money for camps and summer leagues.

Duncan grinned before taking the ball back onto the court and shooting.

"He loves playing basketball."

"I think he likes the attention more than anything."

Cooper's forehead creased. "What do you mean?"

"He doesn't have any male figures in his life. You're becoming important to him." My heart rate picked up. Duncan would be upset if Cooper lost interest in him. I knew it was only a matter of time before that happened.

"Are you worried about that?" Cooper asked, his voice low.

"I'm always worried about my brother and sister. I don't want them to get hurt."

Cooper shook his head. "I don't want to hurt him."

"I'd say then don't, but you're not his father. You don't owe him anything."

Cooper was quiet for so long I wasn't sure he was going to answer. "I know you don't expect much from people, and I think I know why. But not everyone is going to disappoint you."

"I'm talking about Duncan." I needed to deflect him because he was getting too close to the truth.

"Just because you experienced life a certain way doesn't mean that they will too."

"I'm ensuring that they don't. As much as I can anyway. I can't change my mother's living circumstances. But I'll do anything else I can to make their life better. No free school lunches or thrift store clothes."

Cooper's gaze narrowed on me. "You pay for their lunches and clothes, don't you?"

I shifted on the hard bench. "I want them to have a better life."

Cooper's brows pinched. "You realize that's already the case because they have you looking after them. It's not about how much money you spend on them. It's your presence. Your concern. You didn't have an older sibling looking out for you."

I let out a breath that felt as if I'd been holding it my entire life. I always worried I wasn't doing enough. I'd researched whether I could get custody of my siblings, but it wasn't possible. My mother might not have been the best mother in the world, but she wasn't legally unfit. "I hope that's true."

"I've been watching you for a short while with him, and I know that to be true."

I wasn't sure what his end game was. Did he think flattery would work on me? I'd already had sex with him. "You're not spending time with Duncan?—"

"Don't even finish that sentence," Cooper said sternly. "One has nothing to do with the other."

I worried I'd offended Cooper with my distrust again. I couldn't help it. It was natural for me to question people's motives. No one had been there for me growing up, so I couldn't understand why he'd go out of his way to help Duncan.

"I know your upbringing was different than mine, and you don't trust easily, but please don't insult me." Then Cooper turned and stalked toward the court where Duncan was squaring up for another shot.

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