Cooper (The Family Simon 6)

No one answered. He knocked again. And again. And again. Eventually, it slowly cracked open.

“She doesn’t want to see you.” Sara stared back at him, face dark with anger and a whole lot of other stuff he deserved.

“I know.” He squared his shoulders, not afraid to play dirty if he had to. “But I’m not leaving until I see her. I have something to give her, and then I’ll go.”

“You’ve got your nerve.”

“I do.”

Sara was clearly surprised at his response. Her eyes narrowed; her dislike showed in the disdainful curve of her lips. She pushed on the door, but he shoved his foot inside enough to stop it.

“Are you kidding me?” Her head jerked up, but he didn’t budge. Hell, they’d have to arrest him before he’d leave without seeing Morgan. But Sara was pissed, and he had nothing to lose.

“Please.” It was a plea torn from the depths of his heart, and as he stood there feeling the early spring sun on his back, he would have gotten onto his knees to beg if that was what it took.

“Let him in.”

Morgan’s voice slid from behind Sara, and after a few moments, the door opened enough to let him inside.

The house was dark, but he found her immediately. She stood alone in the room to the side, the one with all the family photos. Sara glared at him and then looked toward her sister.

“Are you sure you want him here?”

Morgan didn’t reply, and with a disgusted shake of her head, Sara retreated to the back of the house.

Morgan stood near the window, gazing out at the craziness just beyond her home. He could see how tired she looked. How fragile and spent and hurt. All of it because of him. All because he’d been so caught up in his own hang-ups and weaknesses, his own need to run and hide, that he’d never trusted her enough with his secrets.

This was his shot. He needed to get this right. He wasn’t a man of grand gestures, and he hoped that this would be enough.

He cleared her throat, hating how she flinched at the sound.

“You might find this ironic, but words aren’t always my friend. Most of the time, it’s easier to get things on paper than it is for me to say. But I came here today because I need to tell you something.” He paused, fighting the urge to grab her into his arms and take away her pain.

“I love you.”

Again she flinched. And then there was silence. A long stretch of silence that bore down on him so hard, it was painful. He heard a cell phone ring somewhere. Muted voices coming from the back of the house. A car horn from outside.

All the while, his gaze never left her. She dropped her hands, played with the edge of her sweatshirt, and slowly turned to face him.

“That’s all you’ve got to say to me?” Her voice was raw, her eyes puffy, and that sweet mouth of hers trembled.

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; He shook his head and walked toward her. “No.” Cooper handed her the large manila envelope, and after a few seconds, she took it from him, careful not to touch his fingers. “This is what I worked on with you in my life. This is what I turned in to my editor. Everything that you are to me is in here.

“I know you need time and space.” Cooper stood back. “All I ask is that you read it.”

He held her gaze for as long as she’d let him, and when she turned back to face the window, he took a step back and then headed for the door. He paused when he caught sight of Ryan Campbell watching him from the shadows. Morgan’s father raised his chin, and then, with a small nod, turned away.

Cooper hoped like hell he’d got this right, because if not, he was walking away from the best thing that had ever happened to him. Walking away from the one person he needed in his life. He hesitated because he was suddenly plagued with a doubt so strong, he felt like puking. What if he’d read this all wrong? What if this was the biggest mistake he’d ever made?

Did he have a choice? From what he could tell, there was no going back. He squared his shoulders, reached for the door, and stepped into the sunshine.

32

Morgan didn’t leave the house. She didn’t take any phone calls or accept any requests for interviews. When Charlie and Maverick wanted to stop in, she made her sister tell them she was sleeping. No way could she deal with them now. She withdrew to her room and sat on her bed, the large manila envelope Cooper had given her at her feet. She recognized it—had seen him with it at his place over a month ago.

She didn’t eat, didn’t sleep—didn’t do anything but sit on the damn bed and stare at the envelope.