Fighting For a Second Chance (Fighting 1)

Bella runs around the room, checking it all out, and then stops right in front of Cooper, making him look up. “Is this all mine? Like really mine? Like black-black no trade back mine?”

“Um, I’m not sure what black-black no trade back means, but yes, this is your room. I hope you like it. I wasn’t really sure what you’re into,” he says, his lips curling into a slight frown.

He’s second-guessing all of this, and he shouldn’t be. He just made Bella’s entire year and he doesn’t even know it. “What you did here is amazing,” I tell him. “I don’t even know how to thank you. Any chance my room looks half as good as this?” I ask jokingly to lighten up the mood.

He starts laughing, and I get to see his beautiful smile return. I can’t help but smile back.

“Well, I haven’t done anything to the master bedroom since I moved in, but you’re welcome to add or change anything you like,” he says with a huge knowing smirk across his face.

It takes a second, but then I remember when he named all the rooms, he didn’t mention a room for me. Motherfucker. He thinks he’s slick. Two can play this game.

“Oh, that’s okay. I’m sure this bed is big enough for Bella and me to share.”

Liz: 1 Cooper: 0

Bella glances back and forth from the bed to me, and with hands on her hips, says, “Mommy, I’m almost five years old. I don’t want to share a bed with you. Remember when I tried to sneak in your bed and you told me big girls sleep in their own beds.” Well damn it, she has me there.

I swivel around to give Cooper the evil eye and almost run right into his chest. He must’ve moved closer to me while Bella was giving me her mom speech.

His eyes are dancing with laughter as he sucks in his bottom lip to keep from laughing. When my eyes lock with his, he says, “Don’t worry, baby girl. My bed is big enough for both of us.” Then the cocky bastard winks. He actually winks. He’s so lucky our daughter is in the room or I’d choke him with my bare hands.

Cooper: 1 Liz: 1

I rub my hands over my face in frustration then walk out of the room. I walk toward the room he said holds the gym and open the door to see if I can put a bed in here. Unfortunately, the room is filled with tons of gym equipment, and a bed, no matter the size, would never fit. I continue down the stairs opening each door along the way. I open the door to the master bedroom and close it immediately. I can feel Cooper on my heels. but I ignore him.

When I open the door to the library-slash-office, I notice there’s a comfy oversized reading chair in one corner and a chaise lounge in the other. Well, this will have to do.

“I’ll just sleep in here. Hopefully, I’ll find a job soon and then we’ll be out of your hair. Until then I can just sleep on this couch. It looks super comfy.” Ha! Another point for me.

Cooper walks up to me slowly like he’s afraid I might attack him, and I almost laugh at how nervous he looks. He grips the curves of my hips, and before I realize what he’s doing, he kisses me softly. I can’t help the sigh that escapes my lips as I get lost in his touch. When the kiss ends, I assume he’s going to pull back, so I’m shocked when he places another kiss to the corner of my mouth. When nipples tighten and my lady parts tingle, I back up before I completely embarrass myself.

“Look, I know I’ve messed up,” Cooper says. “But I’m here now and I’m fighting. Just give me a second chance to fight for us. Let me at least have one more shot. I have a proposition for you, if you’ll hear me out.”

There’s now a huge lump in my throat. This is all I ever wanted, all I ever prayed and wished and hoped for. I nod my head for him to continue.

“I have a job opening at the gym. My dad ran all the books. I have no clue what I’m doing and I’m too busy training to focus on the money aspect of the business. Come to work for me and live here. Give me this last chance to fight for my family. If, after a while you don’t want this, you can move out and we can figure out the custody arrangement for Bella. But I really hope it doesn’t come to that. I want both of you. Please.”

I want to say no because I feel like he’s offering me a job I didn’t earn, but I need the money and it would be great to work in the same place as Hayley and Kayla, plus Cooper would be there often. The problem is, can I give him another chance? He’s already broken my heart once, and I honestly don’t think I would survive a second time.