Page 76 of The Cowboy's Bullfighter
“It’s been hard to get Mina and Johnny to sleep.”
“Shit.” Brooks blew out a breath. “Well, I have three solid candidates, and we’re meeting them all tomorrow at the event. So I should be home in a few days.”
“Good. Media room is done. I want to watch a movie with you. With the door locked.”
“Woo.” Brooks laughed, and he heard a murmur, and then Brooks telling someone he was on the phone.
“Everything okay?”
“Just Cookie wanting some help with potatoes. She can wait.”
“So is this the same cook?”
“Nope. This is number-two new cook since I left.”
“Good Lord and butter.”
“Yeah. Things went south fast, I guess.” There was a pause. “I miss you. All of you, but you in particular, Coop.”
Coop got it. He really did. The bed was too big, and everything was too cold, somehow. “I hear you. I been taking care of your horses.”
“You have, have you?” Coop thought maybe Brooks loved the horses as much as them. “How are they doing?”
They were horses. They lived outside. But Coop shrugged and smiled. “They’re fine, I guess. I mean, they’re horses. They’re out there doing horsey things and making horsey noises. Lucy comes out there with me every afternoon, and we give them some love. That little girl is horse crazy.”
“I’m fairly sure all thirteen-year-old girls are horse crazy. Have you convinced Johnny to go out there with you?”
Coop couldn’t have fought his snort for love or money. “Are you kidding? Honey, there is no way that boy would never even leave the house if he didn’t have to. I did find a piano teacher though. She’ll be coming to the house and then Mina, Johnny, Mason, and Lucy are all going to get piano lessons at first.”
Brooks gasped, the sound oh so dramatic. “Mason? My tough guy? The bulldogger-in-training, left-tackle-to-the-stars Mason?”
“The heart wants what the heart wants, man.”
Brooks laughed. “I reckon it does. God, my heart wants to be home and taking you to Tequila’s so I can watch you eat sopapillas.”
Coop’s cheeks went hot. “Talking dirty to me now, huh?”
“Got to keep the fire alive, Coop.” Brooks’s voice was full of laughter.
“Yeah, yeah. You’re a butthead.” He cackled though, didn’t he. “Hire your people, Brooks, and come home to us. We’re ready for you to be back where you belong.”
He was fine—honest he was—but they had a good thing going, and a family of little ones that needed attention and routine.
And Coop was ready to be back to being a couple of men making their lives together, dammit.
It was way less fun alone.
“Pete, I need to go home.”
“Aw, now, Brooks. I need you here.”
He scowled, his mood as black as the clouds rolling in today. That kind of storm was never good news around these parts. And he could feel it in the air. So could the horses.
“Look, I’ve done your competition and won you a big check.”
“I know.” Pete beamed at him, clapping his big hands with satisfaction. “You’ll get your commission.”
“I don’t doubt it, but I’ve done what you asked. Jacob Nash, Carter Hall, and Simon Noori would all be amazing choices to do my old job.” He kept having to make that distinction. He didn’t work for Pete now. He was here as a favor and working on a contract basis.
