He gripped her shoulders to still her. “Julia—” he began, then looked down at the way she was clutching her purse. Worried, he did a careful assessment of her face. Her stomach lurched. How would she ever go on without him? “Are you going somewhere?” he asked.
“I’m leaving. I’m going to stay in town until the plane comes.”
Visibly taken aback, his hands tightened on her shoulders, and his body stiffened. “What the hell?”
“It’s okay, Coop.”
“Like fuck it’s okay,” he bit out, his face tightening warily. “What, you were just going to leave, without telling me?”
“I have to go.” She tried to push away, but he wouldn’t let her go. “Coop—”
“You’re not making sense,” he cut in, a strain in his voice she’d never heard before. “After today…I thought…”
“You don’t owe me any explanation.” In the distance she caught a glimpse of Tessa. “What you do in your private life is none of my business. I knew what I was getting myself into when I decided to stay here.” Okay, she was rambling, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. What the hell happened to the calm, collected lawyer who always thought with her head and not her heart?
Coop got quiet for a moment, and then a muscle in his jaw rippled. “Did you, Julia? Did you really know what you were getting yourself into?”
“What? Yes, of course.”
Coop stared at her longer than was comfortable, then grabbed her hand and tugged. “Come with me.”
Her stomach tightened as he marched her toward the cottage, and she had to hurry her steps to keep up. “Coop, I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“There is someone I want you to meet.” The tension in his tone was replaced by sadness. A sadness so deep she felt it in her core. “Someone very important to me,” he added with a whisper.
The protest went out of her as he walked her across the field and eased open the door to the cottage. Julia’s nervous glance landed on Tessa, who exchanged a knowing look with Coop before disappearing into the other room. After the pretty brunette exited, the sight of the elderly lady sitting at one end of a floral sofa came into view.
“Coop,” Julia asked quietly. “What’s going on?”
Just then the woman turned her head, and Coop started for her.
“Mom, it’s okay. It’s me, Coop.” He hurried out and ducked in time to dodge the remote control aimed his way. He picked the remote up and set it on the sofa.
Her heart ached as she watched Coop drop to his knees in front of his mother. He took her hand in his and was speaking quietly to her, soothing words for her ears only. Understanding dawned quickly. This was the curveball life had thrown him. Her throat tightened, and her legs weakened beneath her. A few moments later, the woman blinked and turned to face Julia.
“This is Julia,” Coop said, standing back up. Warmth moved into his eyes when they met hers, and she nearly forgot how to breathe, the love she felt for him twisting inside her. “Julia, this is my moth—”
“Are you in Chase’s class?”
Julia looked at his mother, then back at Coop in search of answers. When he nodded, she took a tentative step closer.
“Yes, I am.”
His mother frowned. “Chase’s friends don’t come around much anymore, and he’s never brought a girl home before.”
“That’s because this one is special, Mom.”
Her smile returned, and with hands gnarled from arthritis, she waved Julia over. “Come let me have a look at you.”
Julia took a few measured steps toward the sofa, and as she neared, Coop held his hand out to her. She took the offered hand, and when she slid her palm into his, he gave a reassuring squeeze.
“Julia, I’d like you to meet Lois, my mother.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lois.”
“She’s a very pretty one, Chase. I can see why you like her.”
Julia dropped down onto the sofa next to Coop’s mother, and when she took Lois’s hand in hers, she didn’t miss the way Coop’s tense shoulders relaxed, or the mixture of pride and possessiveness on his face when his glance met hers.
Julia turned her attention to the television to take note of the soap opera Lois was watching. “I see you’re watching The Rich and the Famous. It’s one of my favorites,” Julia said.
That brought a smile to Lois’s face. “Mine too, dear.”
With her heart full of all the things she felt for Coop, Julia spent a few more minutes talking about the characters, having become familiar with the show when an old friend joined the cast a few years back, but then suddenly, a confused look came over Lois’s face and her lids began to flicker.
“I think she needs to rest now,” Coop said quietly.
Understanding that Coop needed a moment alone with his mother, Julia stood and gestured toward the door. “I should—”
He gave a quick shake of his head and placed his palm on her face. “Please stay.”
She nodded, the heat of his hand stirring all her emotions. Coop was sharing a very private part of his life with her, and if he wanted her there with him, then she was damn well going to be there for him. He put a blanket over his mother, and as he worked to make her comfortable, all of the pieces known as Chase Cooper fell into place. Tears pricked her eyes, because the boy she knew from high school had turned into the most amazing man she’d ever met.
“Julia.”
His soft voice startled her, and she blinked the moisture from her eyes.
There was a tenderness in his eyes as they moved over her face. “Are you okay?”
“I didn’t know.”
“Who’s there?” his mother bellowed, and Julia jumped.
“Mom, it’s me, Coop.” He turned, just as his mother threw the remote at him again, and he caught it in the shoulder. It clattered to the floor, and Tessa rushed in to help his mother as he picked it up.
There was a real sadness on his face, but he tried to inject humor when he pointed to his nose and said, “Sometimes she has great aim.”
Her heart squeezed. “I’m so sorry.”
“Come with me.” He captured her hand, and the two made their way back outside.
Julia glanced around at the wide expanse of land and took Coop’s situation into consideration. “You bought the ranch and moved here for your mother.”
It was a statement, not a question, but he answered anyway. “Yes and no.”
Her glance darted back to his, and all she wanted to do was take him into her arms and hold him, soothe him, tell him everything would be all right. “Yes and no?”
Coop leaned against the white railing and pulled her into him, his legs wrapping around hers. He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and began, “Yes, I bought it for my mother because she grew up on a ranch, and the familiarity helps with her Alzheimer’s. The guys chipped in on it with me because I couldn’t afford it by myself. And no, I didn’t move here.”
Confused, she asked, “What do you mean you didn’t move here?”
“I don’t live here, Julia. I live in Kentville.”
“Kentville?” Okay, that took her by surprise. “As in an hour outside of Halifax?”
“I’m a sports medicine doctor, and I have a practice there that I can’t just up and leave.”
She widened her eyes. That’s how he knew about her ankle. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this?” As soon as the question left her mouth, she shook her head, already knowing the answer. “Wait, never mind.” She waved a finger back and forth between the two of them. “This situation wasn’t about us getting to know each other.” She inched back, and she could feel his tension like it was her own when he cupped her elbow and hauled her closer.