LITMIR.BIZ

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her happy, doesn’t he?”

      She nodded. “That’s just it. What if she wants a life of her own, and the kids and I are in the way?”

      Coop frowned. The Beth Staley he’d gotten to know in the past week would never turn away from her family. “I doubt that. She loves having you here.”

      “But it’s different now. She’s dating. She’s never dated, not that I know of.”

      “Look, your mother has just started seeing this Sean. It might not lead to anything.”

      She pointed to the other room. “You didn’t see how the two of them were looking at each other.” She paused. “I don’t want her to feel she can’t think of her future because of us.”

      Coop reached out and gripped her upper arms. She was a combination of softness and strength and he found he liked both. “Lilly, you can’t do this to yourself. Your mother seems like a person who speaks out when there’s something on her mind. If there was a problem with you and the kids being here, I’m sure she’d talk to you about it.”

      She raised those green eyes to meet his and it sent a jolt through him. “I’m being silly, right?”

      Hell, he wasn’t sure of anything, except he had to fight to resist her. “No, not at all.” He managed to release her and when he tried to step back, she reached for his hand.

      “Noah, thank you.”

      He nodded, feeling the warmth of her hand. “Anytime.”

      “Lately it seems you spend all your time talking me in from the ledge.”

      “That’s me, rescuing damsels in distress,” he said, trying to make light of the situation.

      “It’s not the usual me. There’s been a lot of changes in my once-organized life. I actually run an entire elementary school, and do it very well.”

      He smiled. “So you’re a real tough guy underneath.”

      She began to laugh. “It’s a hard job but someone’s got to do it.”

      He couldn’t help himself and did the same.

      Once she sobered, she reached up and brushed her lips across his cheek. “Thank you again, Noah.”

      He could only nod and glance away, feeling a burn throughout his body. What was she doing to him? “Hey, we better get this food on the table. I’m hungry.”

      “Then I better feed you.”

      Five minutes later, they’d managed to carry the food in and called everyone to the table. Sean was filling the wineglasses as the kids took their seats. Once seated around the linen-covered dinner table, he realized it had been a mistake to sit so close to Lilly.

      In the short time Coop had been in the Staley household, he’d been made to feel like a part of this family. Something he’d never felt growing up.

      Most of the time it was just him and his brother. His mother either worked, or had a date with some guy. Why would Cindy Cooper-Morales want to hang around a slum apartment with her kids, anyway?

      This was the homiest he’d ever gotten, and it was a farce. He had to remember that, too. Not real. Remember why he was here and not get personally involved.

      However, the family thing might be a good cover, for people to think that he was dating Lilly. But the last thing he wanted to do was lead her on. She’d been hurt and lied to enough.

      In the end, a lot of people could be hurt. This time, he could be included in the scenario.

      Saturday was a perfect day for a barbecue, sunny, but not too hot. Coop drove Lilly and the family in his truck. It was silly to take two vehicles since Beth would meet Sean there and he’d take her back home.

      Once again, he was geared up to do his job. The problem was he had to use Lilly and the kids for cover. If something didn’t happen soon, he had to wonder if his captain would pull him from the operation.

      Of course that didn’t mean that Santos and Stephanie were going to stop being a threat to Lilly. The entire family could be in danger. He needed to get more information and soon.

      Every night this past week, he’d returned to Perry’s Landscaping, hoping to learn more, or at least see something happening. Nothing. He hoped today would provide a break, because his captain wasn’t going to leave him here forever.

      “I can’t wait to ride the horses,” Robbie called from the backseat.

      Lilly smiled. She knew Alex would have horse rides for the children, along with swimming and several games so parents could enjoy themselves.

      “What are your plans, Kasey?”

      She shrugged. “It’s going to be boring.” She stared out the window. “I wanted to stay home but you wouldn’t let me.”

      “Come on, Kasey, it’s going to be fun,” her grandmother coaxed. “A lot of your friends will be here today.”

      Lilly agreed. “Yes, they will.” She reached back and touched her daughter’s leg. She felt her tense. “Just give it a chance, Kasey. If you’re going to be so bored this vacation, I could put you into summer classes.”

      That got a cold stare. “You can’t do that.”

      “I’m not going to put up with your bad attitude for the next two months. Your choice, Kasey, so think about finding something constructive to do. And I’m not talking about you staying up in your room all day, either.”

      Lilly turned back around and saw a happy look on her daughter’s face when they drove through the large, iron gate that read, A Bar A Ranch. They stopped beside the ranch hands standing on either side of the road, greeting each carload of guests and giving directions.

      Noah continued on past the ranch compound to the wooded area that was Cherry’s Camp.

      The summer camp for handicapped kids was opened a few years back by Alex and Allison. Their eldest daughter, Cherry, had been in a wheelchair after a childhood accident. Now she was fully recovered and walking.

      The facility wasn’t scheduled to open until the following week, so there was plenty of room for today’s barbecue.

      Once parked, they all got out and walked past several of the family cabins to the large two-story structure where several barbecues and smokers were set up on the deck.

      Inside the main hall there was a huge common area with a wonderful stone fireplace. Already friends and neighbors were milling around the area. The building also housed an exercise room, an indoor pool and a large kitchen and dining area.

      Along the walls were tables of food; everyone brought a dish to share. By the looks of the limited space left, no one would go hungry.

      “Lilly.”

      She turned to see her friend and new mother coming toward them. In her arms was her new son. “Jenny. I was hoping you would be here.”

      “Wouldn’t miss it.”

      Lilly smiled down at the baby. “Oh, and look at this guy.” The baby was dressed in a little shirt that read, Cowboy In Training along with jeans. “Oh, could I hold him?”

      With Jenny’s nod, Lilly scooped up the infant in her arms. She inhaled the baby’s scent, the warmth of having his sweet weight against her. She rocked him and kissed his head as she smiled and cooed at his sweet face, then looked up and caught Noah watching her.

      She glanced at her mom and Jenny. They were talking and not paying attention to her. “I get a little carried away,” she finally said to him. “There’s something about new babies.”

      Coop nodded in agreement, but in truth he had never thought much about babies. He had a niece, but with his work, he’d never been around her much. Yet something about Lilly holding the kid got to Coop. He didn’t like that, reminding

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