“I’ll need the money upfront.” Her mind raced ahead to what she should pay first with the money.
“I can do that, but you’re ultimately responsible if something goes haywire when I’m out of town.”
“Not a problem. I’ll find someone.”
She heard his relieved breath. “One more thing. The kid refuses to go shopping with me, but his clothes are too small for him and threadbare. Maybe you could persuade him to go shopping.”
“Cooper, I’m not your personal assistant.”
“I’ll pay you to take him shopping.”
Izzy was starting to feel like an opportunist. She sighed. The things she did for her sisters so they’d have a better life. “Okay. I get off in another hour.”
“Good. I’ll pick you up at your place in an hour and a half.”
* * * *
Izzy paced the small apartment, pausing on each pass to pick up an item of clothing, a plate, or a glass. Her younger twin sisters didn’t understand the concept of tidiness. Izzy sighed and shook her head. Four females in one two-bedroom apartment with one bathroom bordered on insane, but at least she could watch out for them, whether they liked it or not.
Old habits were hard to break, and she’d been her sisters’ rock for as long as she could remember while their parents shirked their responsibilities and chased after the next big recording opportunity or played a slew of gigs up and down the Pacific coast, leaving their then teenage and younger daughters to fend for themselves.
Rock and Fawn Maxwell weren’t exactly bad people, just free spirits who couldn’t be tied down. Why they’d ever had four children was anyone’s guess. Izzy had been in charge since her early teens when a family friend was supposed to care for them and never showed up—seems Fawn’s friends were as flaky as Fawn. Izzy did such a great job caring for her sisters, Fawn and Rock never bothered with a sitter again.
At least Cooper wasn’t leaving his nephew on his own, which gave the man bonus points in her mind, not that any amount of points would earn him back into her good graces. Depend only on yourself then you’re never disappointed. Cooper had disappointed her one too many times. In her book, he’d used up his chances, even if he was mouth-watering delectable, even though her panties melted just thinking of his intense blue eyes, even if his deep voice vibrated right down to her core. Yes, even then.
Hearing his big SUV pull up, she looked out the window, grabbed her light jacket, and ran downstairs. She hopped in the front seat and turned to extend a hand to the boy sitting in the back.
“Hi, I’m Izzy.”
The kid looked up at her and blinked a few times. What a good looking kid, a younger version of his uncle with the same black hair, handsome face, and deep blue eyes. With a tentative smile, he took her hand and shook it with a firm grip. “I’m Riley.”
“Well, Riley, Coop tells me you need some clothes.” She glanced at Cooper who stared straight ahead and didn’t say a word. Obviously he and his nephew weren’t exactly on the best of terms.
“I don’t need any clothes. I don’t want anything from him except help finding my mother.” Riley met her gaze, and the sadness in his eyes cracked open her heart.
“Honey, everyone can use clothes now and then. You like girls, don’t you?”
He nodded, puzzled but looking as if he was well aware he might be walking into a trap.
“Girls are impressed by a sharp-dressed man.”
Riley continued staring at her and saying nothing.
“Cooper can afford it. Let’s have a little fun with his money. You’ll be starting school soon, and you want to dress to impress.”
She caught Cooper’s quick glance. “You did enroll him in school, didn’t you?”
“I—uh—hadn’t thought of it.”
“He’s already a few weeks behind.” She turned back to Riley. “Were you attending elsewhere before you found Cooper?”
“No.” He looked away, as if embarrassed.
“Well, we’ll get you taken care of. Clothes first, school next. Do you play sports?”
Cooper’s gaze flicked to hers, and she realized he didn’t know the answer to that question either.
“I love football and baseball. There was never any money to play, but I played when I could.”
“With the Black genes, you’ll be a natural,” Izzy assured him.
Cooper swallowed and glanced in the rearview mirror. “Do you skate, Riley?”
“No.” Riley shot Cooper a glare and focused his full attention on Izzy. “I guess I can go shopping with you.” He emphasized the ‘you’ as if he didn’t want to include Cooper.
Izzy caught the hardening in Cooper’s eyes, the flash of guilt combined with pain and wondered what the story was. Cooper had talked about his family to her with pride in his voice on more than one occasion, but he’d failed to mention a sister.
If they’d still been going out, she’d be getting to the bottom of this particular mystery, but they weren’t, and his family troubles were none of her business.
* * * *
Wow, Izzy was hot. Really awesomely hot. Riley had to consciously remind himself to shut his mouth because he was pretty sure his tongue was hanging out.
He was in love. He’d never met a classier, more beautiful woman in his life, and she smiled at him as if he mattered. Not like his mother’s trashy friends or her boyfriends who weren’t really boyfriends but paying customers. Some of her boyfriends looked at him in a way that gave him the creeps. His mom tried to shield him from men and women like that, but he’d been exposed to a lot in his fourteen years, and knew there were women and men who liked younger boys. His skin crawled thinking of it.
He liked Izzy. He wished he could say the same for Uncle Cooper.
Izzy grilled him in ways Uncle Cooper hadn’t cared enough to bother. She’d asked him if he played sports. He’d skirted the question somewhat. Two years ago, he’d lived in a great foster home for six months until his mom got out of rehab. They’d let him play football, and he’d loved it. In fact, he’d been damn good at it. He’d made friends for the first time in his life, buddies in the locker room, even dated a junior high cheerleader. Then his mother ripped him out of that suburban home and school and back they’d gone to the rat-infested one-bedroom apartment in urban LA. He’d hated it, but he had to take care of his mom. She depended on him.
Unfortunately, the drugs sucked her back into their web months later.
She’d been up and down ever since. Straight for a few days and back on whatever drug she could get her hands on for a few more. Riley washed dishes in the greasy spoon on the first floor of their building for meals and a few under-the-table dollars, which he used for rent money.
Now she was gone. He didn’t know if she was dead or hurt or what. But he’d swallowed his pride and come to his uncle for help. He didn’t have anywhere else to turn.
Yet, Uncle Cooper didn’t want him, had tried to pawn him off on other people. When that hadn’t worked, he paid people to take Riley off his hands. Riley didn’t care, wouldn’t care. Once his mom was found he’d be out of his uncle’s life and never have to see him again.
Finding his mom was all that mattered. If he had to put up with his uncle for a while, it was a small price to pay, especially when his uncle had friends like Izzy.
* * * *
Later that night Cooper walked Izzy to her apartment door while Riley snored in the back seat, exhausted from their shopping spree and dinner out. They’d worn the kid out. Hell, he’d worn himself out. Izzy shopped like a crazed terrier, zipping from one shiny thing to the next, and making him dizzy as she tore clothes off the racks and piled them in Riley’s arms. The kid followed her around with a stunned expression on his face the entire time.
“Thank you.” Cooper paused in front of her door. “He’s crazy about you.” Cooper was too. In fact, he couldn’t stop staring at her and was pretty certain he was as lovesick over her as his teenage nephew.
Izzy shrugged. A soft smile crossed her face cau
sing his breath to catch. “He reminds me a little of me. He’s had to be the adult for most—maybe all—of his childhood, and that’s sad.” Her gaze grew wistful as she looked over Cooper’s shoulder toward the SUV.
Cooper nodded. “Since he won’t talk to me, I don’t know what he’s been through. I think he blames me for what happened to his mother.”
“Blames you? Why?” She gazed up and him, and he fought the urge to take her in his arms and inhale her sweet scent.
“Because I wasn’t there for her, and I’m pretty sure she blames me.” Guilt twisted his insides. “He doesn’t know the half of it.”
“What do you mean, Cooper?” She touched his arm, giving him hope, even though he knew the gesture didn’t mean what he wanted it to mean.
“Someone tried to call me several times the week before she went missing.”
“And you didn’t answer.” Her accusing tone made him cringe.
“I never answer unknown numbers. The caller never left a message.” He shook his head, compelled to explain further. “My sister ripped my family apart with her addiction issues which started in high school. My parents did everything they could to help her, going deeply in debt for attorney fees and rehab costs. She put us on a roller coaster ride for years. My mom has health issues, and the stress was dragging her down. We had to cut my sister off in order to save ourselves. She called a few times after that until the calls dwindled to nothing.”
Izzy’s expression softened. “Sometimes what your family did is the only thing you can do.” She rubbed his arm and gazed up at him.
Cooper nodded, a lump forming in his throat. “I can still remember what a great sister she was before the drugs. Julie was four years older than me, and she used to take me everywhere with her. She never missed a hockey game of mine in those early years, and she’d evaluate every performance. She was a figure skater, and we did a routine together once for a charity skating exhibition. She taught me to skate, instilled the love of skating in me. I’d never be what I was if it wasn’t for her. Mom wasn’t into sports, and Dad was gone a lot. Julie was my best friend, despite our ages.”
“I’m sorry. You must mourn the loss of her—the life she had with your family, the loss of the person you knew.”
Cooper nodded, almost choking on the huge lump in his throat. “I miss her. I didn’t know she had a son, but I want to do right by him, make sure he doesn’t fall to the same fate as his mother. I owe the real Julie that much.”
“Get him involved in sports. You saw how his face lit up when he talked football.” Hers shone as she talked, and he fell a little deeper in love with her, not that he was in love with her, just falling, but falling didn’t mean he was there, or so he figured. Cooper moved back a step, trying to free himself from the spell she cast over him.
He’d prefer Riley loved skating and hockey but he’d settle for football, a team sport like hockey with great team camaraderie, even if he didn’t like some of the players on the local team—specifically Tanner.
“What if she shows up and wants him back?” Izzy studied him as if she could see right into his very soul.
He shifted his stance. “She is his mother. I don’t plan on being a surrogate parent.”
“What do you plan on being, Cooper, to a boy who needs a little stability in his life?”
“Like I’d give him that,” he answered defensively.
“Of course you would. You’re not a partier, you’re a straight-arrow guy who plays by the rules and expects everyone else do to the same. You’re a hard worker and a great role model for kids.”
Cooper’s face grew hot, and he looked away for a moment. “I’m never home.”
“Maybe it’s the quality, not the quantity.”
He rubbed his hands across his face and heaved a huge sigh. “I don’t know what I’ll do when I find Julie, or she finds me.”
“Cross that bridge when you come to it. Have you had an attorney look into temporary custody? It’ll make it that much more difficult for her to rip him out of your home.”
“Yeah, I have. I don’t foresee any problems with it. And you? Have you made any progress on a combination live-in housekeeper and teen-sitter?”
“I have—Aunt Barb, my mother’s sister, just lost her job and is thrilled to get the work. She’s a great cook and very neat and tidy. I’ll text her contact info so you can meet her.”
“Your endorsement is good enough for me. I’m out of time.” He pulled out his wallet and counted out ten one-hundred-dollar bills. Izzy snatched the money out of his hand, almost too eagerly, cluing him into her current financial situation.
“Thank you.” Her sincerity struck a chord deep inside him.
“Izzy?” His voice cracked a little when he said her name.
“Yes?” She cocked her head and looked up at him, sexy as hell with those glossy, so kissable lips, and eyes such a deep brown they pulled him in and held onto him.
“Do you need more?”
She hesitated and shook her head. “No, thanks.” With an nervous smile, Izzy turned to unlock her door, swinging it open to the sounds of the twins fighting over who’d worn whose clothes and put a stain on an expensive dress. She sighed. “Family.”
“They might be pains in the ass, but they’re our pains in the ass.”
Impulsively, Izzy leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Good night, Cooper. Take care of our boy.”
Cooper stared at the door long after she shut it. He could hear her voice rising above her sisters’ shouting. The corner of his mouth twitched in a smile.
Our boy.
She was a good friend to him, better than he deserved.
And he wanted to be her man. Again.
A lump of regret settled in his gut for what could’ve been if he hadn’t behaved like a jealous jerk.
Chapter 6—Blocked Shot
Being out of his element didn’t come close to describing Cooper’s situation. He liked kids, hell, he worked with kids on a regular basis, but spending a few hours at children’s hospital or a school didn’t exactly equal living with a teenager, especially one with a stubborn streak to rival Cooper’s, not to mention all the other shit the kid must be dealing with, stuff Cooper couldn’t begin to understand.
Walking into the high school to enroll Riley as a freshman didn’t rank up there as one of Cooper’s shining moments, especially when he couldn’t furnish most of the information required to register Riley. The old crone handling the paperwork glared at him in disgust, making him feel like the worst uncle in the entire world.
“Birthdate?” she demanded, sniffing as if she smelled dog shit on his shoes.
Cooper wrung his hands under the table. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He glanced at Riley who stared straight ahead and said nothing.
“I, uh—”
She glared up at him, bony fingers poised over the keyboard and tapped one toe of her sensible shoes on the floor. “Mr. Black, surely you know your nephew’s birthday?”
Cooper hated looking like an idiot. He definitely looked like an idiot. He shot a quick glance at his nephew and caught the kid’s disinterested expression. No help there. The woman’s frown couldn’t possibly get any deeper; disapproval added more lines to her face than he’d seen on his ninety-year-old grandmother’s face. Despite his embarrassment, Cooper didn’t air his family’s dirty laundry in public, so he let the woman think the worst of him.
“Riley, would you please answer the lady?” Cooper publicly conceded defeat.
Riley’s smile was triumphant, yet laced with sadness, making Cooper feel like a real shit.
A half hour later, they finished the paperwork, and Cooper stood, fully intending to get the hell out of the place. He nodded at Riley. “You have a key and can catch the bus home?”
“Yeah.” The kid looked completely lost.
“I’ll be home by dinner.” Cooper didn’t know what else to say so he awkwardly patted his nephew’s shoulder.
Riley stiffened and stared straight
ahead, swallowing hard. “Whatever.” He glanced at the door as if he wished either he could disappear out of it, or even better, that Cooper would.
Cooper gladly obliged. He escaped to the comfort of his car, glad to be long gone. Crap, he was a big, brave hockey player known for his toughness, and he’d just been taken out of the game by a little old lady and a fourteen-year-old boy. He was beyond pathetic.
He needed to talk to someone who’d understand or at least commiserate, which ruled out any of his teammates, especially Cedric. Without thinking, he dialed Izzy. He wasn’t really sure why, and he knew he should just leave her alone, but he needed to talk to someone who might make some sense of all this.
But she didn’t answer.
So he called the PI he hired, hoping like hell the man had news for him.
He didn’t.
And the rest of his day pretty much followed the beginning.
He should’ve stayed in bed.
He couldn’t even handle a fourteen year old. Hell, he was good with kids. Why wasn’t he good with his nephew? Maybe because his sister stood between them, a ghost who accused him of countless sins.
At least, that appeared to be how Riley saw it.
* * * *
Tonight had been Izzy’s idea, and it was a damn stupid one if she did say so herself.
Izzy was just concerned about Riley; that was the reason she suggested the Kids at Play team meet at Cooper’s tonight. Cooper hadn’t been overly thrilled to have Tanner in his house, but he’d grudgingly agreed.
She’d ignored Cooper’s phone calls last week, refusing to get sucked back into his life. Riley started school a week ago and two weeks behind the rest of his class. Cooper most likely needed to talk about it. Regardless, she didn’t call him back.
Each time fate threw them together, it was harder and harder to resist the man, not that he did anything she needed to resist. Swear to God, she wanted him to do something. Anything. Instead he stared at her almost warily, and she didn’t quite know how to take that. She’d dumped him, sent him packing, ripped him up one side and down the other. A proud man didn’t get over that kind of humiliation easily, if ever.
Crashing the Net Page 5
