Page 41 of The Cowboy's Bullfighter
That’s up to your uncle.
There was a lot in those words, because they assumed things that Coop intended him to stay. That they were, at least for a while, throwing in together. He had to think about thatfor a bit, because they were supposed to meet this afternoon, work out a schedule.
“…looking into those soda machine things and, sweetie, they take a lot of work but they could also draw bugs.”
“Who’s drawing bugs?” Johnny came wandering down and immediately crawled up into Coop’s lap, snuggling in. It was hard to remember sometimes how that smart little kid was just a baby. “Morning.”
“Morning, sweetheart, how you doing?”
“Good. Good morning, Uncle Brooks. Thank you for last night; I got tired. I guess. I don’t even remember coming home.” Little Johnny had crashed, falling asleep right in his arms, and Brooks had brought him home. He’d left Coop there with the kids who weren’t staying over at the Chiaras with his blessing to go back and have another couple beers.
That reminded him. “I got a ride back over here last night. I didn’t feel like I should be driving. I need to get someone to run me over to get my truck later.”
“No problem. We’ll go over to go riding anyway, right?”
“Yeah, I appreciate you letting me have the time to go hang out.”
Coop waved one hand, winked, even as Johnny asked, “What are you riding?”
“Uncle Kase is going to let me go riding with the horses, probably.” Lucy beamed at him, and Brooks hoped to hell Kase and them didn’t mind.
Johnny shook his head. “I don’t like horses. They’re scary. They bite, and they kick, and they throw you off, and they can trample you and kick you in the head. I don’t like them.”
He started to argue, but Coop was right there. “Oh, now. I don’t know. Do you remember my friend Shirl with one blue eye and one brown one?”
Johnny nodded.
“That man is a horseman, the safety man. He rides therodeo, he ropes horses, he ropes cattle. He does all the things he needs to do. He’s cowboy protection and worked with me every day that I worked. He’s still out there doing his job. He’s a good guy, and he can train horses to a treat. Remember, your Uncle Brooks can too.”
“I can. That’s my job, training horses. I bet I can help you learn to like them.” He had no doubt, in fact.
“Maybe. I don’t know. Where’s everybody else?”
“Mason and Ricky and Benji all spent the night over there at the ranch. Mina is still in bed.” Brooks answered. He’d checked on Mason before he’d left, and the boys were eating pizza and playing video games.
“I don’t think I’m old enough to do that. Go spend the night over there in the big place. It’s easy to get lost.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “Ryder and Kase would never let anybody get lost. It’s not what they do. They’re the best except for Uncle Coop and Brooks and Benji.”
“Can I go watch cartoons?” Obviously, Johnny was done with that conversation.
Coop snorted softly. “You can. We’re going to have eggs here in a bit.”
“I like eggs. No runny stuff though.”
“I know, kiddo.” Brooks had been explained that fact. Thoroughly.
“I’m going to go jump in the shower. I smell like chocolate chips.” Lucy ran off, leaving him and Coop staring at each other.
“Did you make coffee?”
“Yeah. I can get you a cup.”
Coop stood, shook his head. “No, no, no. I’ll do it. I don’t mind. Did you sleep good last night? You got home safe, obviously.”
“Yeah, I wasn’t drunk or nothing, just toasty.” It had been fun to hang out and get to know all those guys. Every one to aman had said the same thing about Coop—he was tough but fair, firm but decent to the bone. One of the best cowboy protection out there. It was a little bit weird living with a superhero.
“Nothing wrong about that, huh?” Coop poured them both a cup of coffee, putting milk and sugar in for him before handing it over.
