“Not all your life. I wasn’t there when Annalise needed me most.” His shoulders hunched at the memory.
Cooper walked around the desk. He put his hand on Mercer’s shoulder. “My mother loved you,” he said again. “And she wouldn’t want you blaming yourself for the way things ended.”
Annalise had been good. Such an open heart, a warm smile. “You have her eyes,” Mercer whispered.
Cooper’s hand tightened on his shoulder. “I gave Gabrielle the ring.”
Mercer nodded. “Annalise...she would have liked Gabrielle.” He found that he could smile. “Gabrielle’s got a lot of fire in her. She’s not afraid of anything. Just like you.”
“Oh, I’m afraid,” Cooper surprised him by saying. “Because of Gabrielle, I’m terrified. I’m afraid that if I don’t grab on to her, if I don’t take my chance with her, I’ll lose out on the best thing that could have ever happened to me.”
Mercer glanced up at him. “Hold her tight. Fight like hell for her, and never let your enemies get close.”
Cooper nodded. He lifted his hand and turned to walk away.
Mercer stood. The chair rolled back.
Cooper glanced over his shoulder.
“And...if you ever need me,” Mercer managed to say, “I’m here. I—I know I’m not much, not in terms of...” He trailed off because he didn’t know what to say.
Not in terms of family.
He’d been a shadow in Cooper’s life for so long. Mercer knew he didn’t have the right to ask for anything more.
Not that he could. Not really. He’d made sure that no one would ever be able to trace his blood link to Cooper. That protection was his gift to the man.
Not that he expected Cooper to believe that.
Not that he had the right to expect anything of Cooper Marshall.
But...Cooper hadn’t left yet.
“Gabrielle and I are talking about a wedding in the fall. We have to, uh, wait for her boss to get back in town.” Cooper’s lips twisted. “Seems someone sent Hugh to the Cayman Islands, and seeing as how he’s the one who will be giving away the bride, Gabrielle wants to make sure the guy’s back.”
“I can make sure of that,” Mercer promised softly.
Cooper nodded, but he still didn’t leave. “You know, when Gabrielle found out that I was an agent, she could’ve kicked me out of her life. Told me that I was a liar and just walked away from me.” He paused. “She didn’t. She gave me a second chance. She’s letting me prove myself to her. I’m going to show her that there’s a whole lot more to me than she thought.”
Mercer’s fingers had started to tap against the desktop once more.
“I believe in second chances,” Cooper said. “Deuce didn’t. I do.” Then he exhaled slowly. “So don’t make me regret this but...you’ll be invited to the wedding, too. I’d like to learn more about you. About the soldier my mom loved so much.”
Mercer’s hand lifted and rubbed against his chest. It wasn’t his new wound that was aching.
It was something that went much deeper.
“Maybe you can tell me about her, too,” Cooper continued softly. “Because I’d like to share those stories. I’ll have kids one day. They should know about her.”
“Yes,” Mercer’s voice was too rough. He couldn’t help that. “They should.”
One more nod and Cooper slipped away.
The door shut behind him.
Mercer closed his eyes for a moment. You have a good son, Annalise.
His eyes opened.