Love Me (Coopers Creek #1)

by Bronwen Evans

  Tyler gave him a direct stare.

  Tucker put up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Just saying. Anyhow, people make proposing harder than it has to be. They think it should be like it is in the movies. A big fancy dinner, a huge bouquet of flowers—all that shit. Sure that’s nice, but that’s not what’s most important to a woman.”

  That was exactly the sort of thing Tyler had been planning to do, but Tucker’s answer made him rethink that idea.

  “Picking a wife is one of the most important decisions a man ever makes,” Tucker said. “Or it used to be. People don’t want to work on their marriages anymore. Too easy to get a divorce at the first sign of trouble. So the first thing you need to know about proposing is to make sure that you’re absolutely ready for that kind of commitment.”

  Tyler nodded. “I love Emily more than ever and I want to spend the rest of my life with her.”

  “Good. Second thing you need to know is that a proposal has to come from your heart. It has to be sincere.” Tucker opened the driver’s side door of the car and popped the hood. “You’re a smart fella. Think outside the box, or whatever. Do something that fits your relationship with Emily.”

  Tyler shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, take me and Leanne. We were sweethearts all through high school and we knew we were going to get married. I wanted to show her how much I loved her, so I took her up on the Bluff for a romantic picnic and proposed to her over dessert just as the stars were coming out.” Tucker’s face took on a faraway expression. “God she was beautiful. When she said yes, I was so happy that I felt like I was floating.”

  “Tucker, I never knew that you were such a romantic guy.” Tyler grinned. “You should write greeting cards.”

  “Screw you. Then came Anna and our relationship was fiery from the beginning. She took me completely by surprise, but she made me happy as hell. That woman was as stubborn as the day is long. Hell, we went together for almost two years and I was more than ready to make it official.” Tucker shook his head.

  “She kept dragging her feet, though. I didn’t propose to Anna so much as I just told her that we were getting married. I finally just informed her that we were going to the magistrate the following Friday, so she’d damn well better get a dress and pick a witness. I didn’t even give her an engagement ring.”

  “You didn’t?”

  “Nope. That wasn’t the type of woman she was. She didn’t wear jewelry much. So I gave her a car. A black GTO,” Tucker said with a chuckle. “Boy, did I get lucky that night. She was very grateful, I don’t mind telling you.”

  Tyler grinned at the wicked gleam in Tucker’s eyes. “So basically what you’re telling me is that there’s no right or wrong way to propose as long as I mean it and do it with love.”

  “Bingo! You’re not as stupid as you look.”

  Tyler flipped him off and Tucker laughed. “Do you think Emily will move to New York?”

  “Nope. She loves it here and this is Hayley’s home. It’s where she belongs. Where we all belong. I know that now. Don’t tell anyone, but Ric, Chase, and I are going to buy the hospital.”

  Tucker put down his wrench. “You’re buying the hospital? As in buying, buying it? As in you’ll own it?”

  “Yeah. We want to update it and bring in specialists that we don’t have right now.”

  “Holy shit. You got that kind of money?” Tucker asked, wiping his hands on a rag.

  His amazement amused Tyler. “And then some. We’re getting it for a good price. A fair price, though.”

  Tucker let out a low whistle. “Damn. Well, congratulations about your pending engagement and your new venture.” He thumped Tyler’s shoulder.

  “Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

  “No problem. Now go get that gas guzzler so I can get it done,” Tucker said.

  Tyler snapped off a salute to him. “Yes, sir!”

  Chapter Seventeen

  The early November wind blew leaves against the windows and moaned around the house. Snow laden clouds moved in as Emily looked out the window. It was starting to get dark and flurries swirled around on the turbulent air. She hoped that the snow held off until Tyler got home. With a sigh, she went back to work. She sat on a recliner with her laptop, editing the latest manuscript she’d been given while Hayley slept on the couch.

  She and Tyler had made the decision to hold Hayley back that year because she’d missed so much school already and Dr. Wright didn’t think that she’d be up to returning until January. Hayley wouldn’t be able to make up so much work by the beginning of June.

  After conferring with the school’s guidance counselor and the principle, they’d come to the conclusion that holding her back would be the best course of action. It would give her time to completely heal and Emily would work with her over the summer on lessons that the teachers would give her so that Hayley didn’t lose any ground.

  Emily stopped working again as she thought about the way Tyler included her in all decisions concerning Hayley. They were a team, working together to create the best life for the little girl they loved so much. It made her smile when she thought about how far they’d come. Her reverie was interrupted by a knock at the front door.

  She closed her laptop and laid it on the coffee table as she got up. Hayley opened her sleepy eyes, but didn’t move.

  When Emily opened the door, a huge jolt of shock ran through her. “Simon?” She had to be dreaming. Hayley’s father must be a figment of her imagine. Except he wasn’t. He stood before her on the porch, his green eyes meeting hers.

  He smiled sheepishly. “Hi, Emily. It’s good to see you. I’ll bet you never expected to see me again.”

  “I…well…actually, no I didn’t,” she stammered. “What do you want?”

  He shuffled his feet a little. “I want to see Hayley.”

  Emily crossed her arms over her chest. “No. You don’t deserve to. You ran out on her and never looked back. You deserted her.”

  Simon nodded and ran a hand through his short blond hair. “I know, but I had good reasons to. Can I come in? Just for a few minutes?”

  Emily grudgingly admitted him into the house. “You go no further than right here.”

  “Fine.” Simon seemed to gather his thoughts. “Look, I left because I was a mess. I was addicted to cocaine, had no job, no prospects, and after losing Lizzie, I didn’t care if I lived or died. I was no good for Hayley and I loved her enough to let her go. I knew that she was a lot better off with Maggie. I was really sorry to hear about her passing. She was a good woman.”

  “Yes, she was. Where have you been all this time?”

  “Well, I went back to Cincinnati and Mom finally convinced me to go to rehab. I spent six months there. Then I joined the Navy.”

  Emily’s eyebrows shot up. Another surprise. “The Navy? Are you still in?”

  “Yeah. I’m home on leave until January and then I ship out again,” he said. “I, uh, I want to reconnect with Hayley again.”

  “No, Simon. You’re not going to get her attached to you and then break her heart when you leave her again. She’s sick right now and can’t take a lot of stress,” Emily said.

  Simon’s expression grew annoyed. “Emily, I don’t want to be a prick , but neither you nor Tyler have the legal right to keep her from me. I know all about Hayley’s accident. Some of Mom’s friends who still live here told Mom and she told me.”

  Fear made Emily’s heart thud. “Are you going to sue for custody of her?”

  Simon shook his head. “Not unless you and Tyler make me. All I want is to get to know my daughter. I love the Navy and I’m going to re-up when the time comes. I’ll be away too much to raise her. Mom isn’t set up to take care of a kid and I can’t take Hayley with me.

  “I know that she’s better off with you guys, but I want to be in Hayley’s life. Believe it or not, I do love her. I had to go away and get my head screwed on straight. If I’d stayed and kept her,
who knows how miserable she’d have been with me. I know you think I ran away because I was a coward, but I left because I love her. I knew that I couldn’t give her what she needed, what she deserved.”

  Searching Simon’s face, Emily couldn’t detect any trace of dishonesty.

  “Can I see her? Just for a few minutes.”

  “I don’t know,” Emily said, uncertainly. Tyler wouldn’t approve, but if they stood in Simon’s way, there was every possibility that he’d try to take her back.

  Simon smiled. “Come on, Emily. She’s my daughter. You have to understand why I need to see her. I’ve been turning my life around for her sake. I want to start paying child support, seeing her whenever I’m on leave, and keeping in touch with her when I’m not. Please?”

  What choice did she have? Like it or not, Simon was Hayley’s father. Besides, Hayley had a right to know her father. Her only living parent. It was up to Hayley as to whether she would want to keep seeing Simon. “Okay, but only for a few minutes. She needs to rest a lot, so I don’t want her wearing herself out by getting too excited.”

  Simon’s grin was so happy that it touched Emily’s heart.

  “Come in.”

  She led him into the living room. Hayley was now sitting up, playing with her stuffed puppy dog that Chase had given her. She’d named it Little Lola.

  “Honey, you have a visitor,” she said, sitting down by her.

  Simon stopped and stared at Hayley. “God, she looks just like Lizzie. She always did.” He crouched down in front of Hayley. “Hi. Do you remember me?”

  Hayley studied him intently, working to recall him. Her eyebrows puckered as she thought. Then she slowly tilted her head in a questioning manner. “Are you my daddy?”

  Tears welled up in his eyes. “Yeah. That’s right, sweet thing. It’s Daddy. I’m so happy you remember me.”

  Hayley leaned against Emily, unsure of what to do. “Where have you been? You left me.”

  Simon swallowed hard and wiped away a couple of tears. “I know and I’m so sorry, but I was sick and had to go away to get better. I couldn’t be a good daddy to you then.”

  “Are you better now?”

  “Yeah, I am. Can I sit by you?”

  Hayley considered it for a moment before nodding. Simon moved to sit on Hayley’s other side.

  “I was really sad to hear that you had an accident and that you’re not feeling well,” he said.

  Emily could tell that he wanted to hug Hayley, but wasn’t sure if he should.

  “Are you gonna take me away?” Hayley took Emily’s hand and hung on tightly.

  Simon smiled slightly. “No, I’m not. I’m in the Navy now and I won’t be around a whole lot. So it’s better if you stay with your uncle.”

  Hayley’s grip on Emily’s hand relaxed and relief shone in her eyes. “Do you live on ship? Do you catch bad pirates?”

  Simon chuckled. “I sometimes live on a ship and we do catch bad guys, but they’re not pirates.”

  “Wow. That’s pretty cool,” Hayley said. “I’m glad you’re better now.”

  “Me, too. Would it be okay with you if I stopped by to visit with you sometimes and maybe call you?” Simon’s shoulders tensed.

  Hayley looked at Emily, who said, “It’s your decision, honey.”

  The little girl’s hand tightened on Emily’s again. “I guess so, but I don’t want to call you Daddy.”

  Simon had started to smile, but his face fell. “But I’m your father.”

  “Yeah, but real daddies don’t leave their kids,” Hayley said, solemnly. “They stay and do daddy things. Like Uncle Ty does. He’s my daddy now.”

  A pang of sympathy hit Emily as Simon’s eyes filled with pain. He swallowed hard and his jaw clenched as he fought back tears.

  “But you can be my friend,” Hayley said.

  Simon bit his lip, unable to speak for a moment. In a thick voice, he said, “Okay. Friends it is then. Maybe later on, if I earn it, you’ll call me Daddy?”

  Hayley played with Little Lola’s ears. “Maybe.”

  Simon’s eyes brightened with hope. “Okay. That’s fine.”

  Lola?”

  “Little Lola?” Simon asked and took the stuffed animal.

  “Chase has big Lola in LA. When they come to Coopers Creek they can play with me.”

  He looked over Hayley’s head and smiled. “So Chase has a real Lola, I hope.”

  Emily smiled at his joke.

  Watching Simon and Hayley together, Emily couldn’t help feeling that she’d done the right thing by letting him see his daughter. It was evident that he’d gotten his life together. He looked good, healthy, unlike the last time Emily had seen him.

  Back then, Simon had been thin and pale, the effects of his drug addiction. Now, he was clean-cut and he’d filled out. He was tanned and his eyes were bright and clear instead of glassy from cocaine or whatever else he’d been on at the time. The man sitting with Hayley now was a far cry from the man he’d been almost five years ago. He’d come a long way since then.

  After another fifteen minutes, Simon said, “Well, I’d better go so that you can get some rest, but I’d like to come see you again in a couple of days, if that’s okay?” He looked at Emily.

  What else could she do but agree? “That’ll be fine.”

  “Great. Can I give you a hug?” he asked.

  Hayley nodded. “Yep.”

  Simon gently embraced her, closing his eyes as he did so. Tears trickled down his face as he held her and he rocked her a little. “I missed you so much. You got so big.”

  Hayley pulled back and looked at him. “Why are you crying?”

  Simon laughed a little and wiped away his tears with his coat sleeve. “Because I’m just so happy to see you. They’re happy tears. It’s okay.”

  “Like when people cry at weddings?” Hayley asked.

  “Yeah. Like that. Okay. I’ll see you soon,” he said, cupping her face. “I love you.” He kissed her cheek and rose, quickly leaving the room.

  Emily followed him. He stopped at the door, but didn’t turn around as his shoulders shook. “Thanks, Emily.” Then he opened the door, went out, and closed it after him.

  Emily put a hand over her mouth as she fought to regain her composure. She could only imagine all of the emotions that were going through Simon and she admired him for handling it all so well. He hadn’t gotten angry with Hayley about not calling him Daddy and he’d accepted the role of friend for now. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

  Once she felt in control again, she went back to Hayley. As she fixed her a snack, she tried to figure out how she was going to tell Tyler about Simon’s visit. Her stomach clenched because she knew that he was going to hit the roof. Emily awaited Tyler’s return with a feeling of impending doom.

  *****

  Tyler couldn’t sing worth a damn, but that didn’t stop him from singing along with Kansas’ Carry on My Wayward Son as he drove home from Tucker’s. Snow had started to fall in earnest, but that didn’t bother him a bit. The Beast could handle almost whatever Mother Nature threw at it.

  Anticipation to get home to his girls tempted him to drive faster, but he didn’t want to get a speeding ticket, so he resisted the urge to put the pedal to the metal. He laughed at himself, at how much he’d changed over the last few months. The fullness of his life now made him realize just how empty and sad it had been before Emily had come back into it.

  He turned into their lane, his mind turning to Thanksgiving. Ric and Chase would be coming back to Cooper’s Creek for the holiday and it was shaping up to be quite the day. For the first time in several years, he was actually looking forward to the holidays. His only regret was that Lizzie and their mother wouldn’t be there to share in the good times.

  He parked in front of the garage and cut the engine. Looking at the two-story house, he wondered where all of the Christmas lights were that his mother had always put up. He got out, making a mental note to look up in the attic
for them later on.

  Entering the kitchen, he found Emily standing at the stove.

  “Mmm, something smells good,” he said, taking his coat off and hanging it on a kitchen chair.

  “It’s just breaded chicken and scalloped potatoes,” she said.

  Tyler wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek. “Sounds good. How’s Blue Eyes?”

  “She’s good.”

  “And how are you?” He bit her earlobe, loving the way she shuddered in reaction. “You certainly feel good.”

  She giggled when he rubbed his hips against her backside. “Don’t get me horny before supper.”

  “Why not? The anticipation makes it even hotter,” Tyler said, his voice low and sexy. “Makes me even harder for you.”

  “I’m going to kill you. Get away from me,” she said.

  Tyler chuckled and went to the sink to wash his hands. “Anything I can do to help?”

  “Not right now.”

  “Okay.” He got a beer from the fridge and twisted off the cap. “Tucker’s going to come for supper tomorrow night. I’ll let Ric know that the Beast got a clean bill of health from him.”

  Emily sent him a tense smile. “He’ll be happy to hear that.”

  “It’s really starting to stick out there now,” he said.

  She nodded, but didn’t say anything.

  “What’s wrong?” he said.

  The fear on her face when she turned to him made his pulse rate rise. “We have to talk, but you have to stay calm.”

  “All right,” he said cautiously.

  She put her arms around her stomach. “Simon was here today.”

  His hand tightened around his beer bottle as disbelief set in. “What?”

  Emily’s gaze lowered. “I said that Simon came here today.”

  Fury burned in his gut as her words fully sunk in. Why now after all this time?

  “I had no choice but to let him see Hayley. He’s her father.”

  “There’s always a choice. You let him in the house?” Tyler asked.

  Emily’s chin rose. “Yes, I did. No one knows more than me what a screw-up Simon used to be, but he’s changed.”