Page 69 of The Cowboy's Bullfighter
“Okay. I’ll just hang out here.”
Coop smiled at them both, nodded once. “I’m going to head inside so we don’t have a Mina out here. It’s bitter.”
“Be in soon. Coop?—”
Coop turned to him, raising an eyebrow.
“Thank you.” That didn’t begin to cover it, but he meant it with all his heart.
“You’re more than welcome, honey. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas.” And it was going to be. Dammit.
The first one he’d really had in years.
Chapter Eighteen
The kids were fed, the animals were fed, the grown-ups were fed.
Everyone was tickled with their bikes and their toys and the promise of a piano so everyone who wanted could have lessons.
It was deeply satisfying to see Mina and Johnny coloring, while Lucy unpacked a new sewing machine. Mason was outside riding his bike with Suki chasing him, and Ricky and Benji set up their new phones.
Brooks sat in one of the recliners he’d bought, the pair of them his gift to Coop. With so many kids, there was never any room on the couch, or even on the damn floor.
And this chair, the one he was sitting in? It had a heater and a massager. Built in.
He had both turned on, and he was warm and buzzing and blissful.
“Uncle Coop? Can you play babies with me?” Mina didn’t wait for his answer, she just plopped the dolls on his belly and climbed into his lap. “This is Sally and this is Lisa and they are so sweet. You can hold Sally and feed her.”
He grabbed the tiny toy bottle and put it between the doll’s lips. “There, now, little baby doll. Have some milk, huh?”
Mina beamed at him. “You play the best.”
“Thank you, honey. Feed yours, and then we’ll burp them.” He understood make-believe.
“Okay.” She sang a little weird momma song as she fed her baby, then she handed him a fake towel.
When he glanced up, Brooks was watching him with a gleam of…well, it wasn’t amusement. He thought it was more than fond, too.
“Oh, thank you, sweetheart.” He put the baby on his chest and gently patted her cloth body.
She did the same, and then she was curling up with him and she was asleep in no time, the excitement wearing her right out.
“That is one happy baby girl.” Benji shook his head. “She loves you.”
“Of course she does. She’s my Mina.” He wasn’t a dad, no, but he was Uncle Coop, and he knew it.
“She is. I’m thinking about heading out on the third. There’s a three-week bullfighting intensive in Toronto, and I’m competing for a couple of positions.” Benji wasn’t asking permission exactly, but he kind of was, wasn’t he?
“Huh. Well, that’s good, kiddo. Right, Brooks?” He wanted Brooks in on this discussion.
“It is. Good on ya, Benji. You’ll do great.”
“How long will you be gone?” Johnny frowned at Benji. “You’re coming back, right?”
“Sure. Sure, three weeks this time, and then it’ll depend on my job? But Uncle Coop and Brooks are going to be here, okay? They’re going to stay here.”
