I grab his phone and dial my number into it and hear the ringing on my phone.
“Here’s my number. Call me when you decide. But Cooper, think hard because she deserves more than a guy to claim her as his just because he thinks it’s what he is supposed to do, and then change his mind later because he doesn’t really want her. You can hurt me all you want, but you will not hurt our daughter.”
And with that, I hand him back his phone and head into the checkout line. He grabs me by my wrist, looks deep into my eyes, and says, “You gave her the flamingo I gave you.” He doesn’t ask. He states it. He remembers.
I nod my head quickly and then he nods back before walking away as Kayla and Bella walk over to join me.
“You okay?” Kayla whispers.
“Yeah, let’s go make some yummy brownies and ice cream.”
“Finally,” Bella huffs out, and we laugh at her impatience.
Fifteen
Cooper
Total. Mind. Fuck. That’s what I feel right now as I watch Liz walk out of the store holding hands with my daughter. Our daughter. Liz and I have a daughter. We created that precious little girl five years ago. I have a daughter that I had no idea about and it’s my own fault for walking away that day and leaving her no way to contact me.
She looks like a perfect, beautiful mixture of Liz and me. She has my green eyes and light brown hair, but it is curly like Liz’s. She has tanned skin just like the both of us, and when she smiles, I can see a piece of my mom in her from her happier days.
For the last fifteen years, I’ve told myself a wife and kids will never be in my future. After watching my parents destroy each other and our home, I never want to put anyone I care for in that position, which means there has never been any room for love in my life. But looking at that precious little girl and her mother walk away from me makes me want to run after them. I can’t believe my dad actually told her I wanted nothing to do with her. He and I are definitely going to get a few things straight.
I jump in my car and head back to the gym and go straight to his office. He’s finishing up a phone call, so I wait. He looks up at me without a smile and I’m once again reminded of how miserable this guy really is. I don’t think he’s smiled in years. He has no real friends and he hasn’t dated that I know of since my mom. I can’t imagine living my life like this.
“To what do I owe this pleasure, Son? Are you planning on training at all today or are you taking a page from Bentley’s book and are simply here to take up space?”
To think for a second I almost felt sorry for him. The truth is he’s chosen to live this way. He’s chosen to push everyone away, including his own son, and now, without even realizing it, he tried to push away the mother of his granddaughter. I’ve had enough.
“I’m so sick of the way you treat everyone around you. We all bust our asses at this gym, yet nothing is ever good enough. You walk around here all high and mighty, putting everybody down. I get Mom cheated on you, but did that make it okay to destroy her? And what the fuck did I ever do to you? I have tried to love you and be a good son to you, but you don’t want love and you sure as hell don’t want me as a son.”
He leans back in his chair, annoyed that I am ranting to him. “What’s got your panties in a twist now, Liam? I don’t have time for this. Get to the point, please.” I hate when he calls me Liam. It’s why all my friends call me Cooper. Since I was little, he would only use my first name when he was upset with me.
“All right, I’ll get to the point. Did you tell Liz I want nothing to do with her and then send her away?”
“Yeah, I did. You don’t need that distraction and she definitely doesn’t need to be coming in this gym looking for you. Keep your pussy where it belongs, in the bedroom!”
It takes everything I have not to punch him in his face. I only refrain myself because I know if I do punch him, I’ll be falling into his trap. He’s always looking for a fight.
I do and say the only thing I can, because at the end of the day the only person I can control is myself. “I’m done here. I’m done with you and this fucking gym and I doubt that you even care, but I’m done being your son. Find a new moneymaking machine for this gym. I. Am. Fucking. Done.”