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Coop rubbed the back of his neck. A headache was coming on. There was too much crowding up in there, too much he’d been sorting through. And now, his daughter was making sense. Too much sense. “She is my friend.”

“You like her, Daddy. I know you do.”

“It’s complicated, Cass.”

“It’s not that complicated,” Joe chimed in.

His father had shown up in Cass’s doorway, leaning his body against it and giving him a pointed look. Two against one.

“Dad, you’re not helping,” Coop said.

“Here, I thought I was.” He winked at Cassie and she smiled.

Oh, man.

“Okay, enough said. I’m sorry you’re disappointed, Cass, but sometimes we—” He stopped himself.

He couldn’t tell his daughter that sometimes we don’t get what we want. She’d lost her mother, someone who’d cuddle her at night, someone who would know to buy her dresses, someone to confide in about female things. Cass certainly hadn’t gotten whatshewanted in life. So, telling her that would cut into her still seeping wound.

He walked over to her and kissed her forehead. “I love you, Cass. It’s going to be okay.”

Cass only nodded and lifted her book again.

Thirty minutes later, Coop plopped his hat on his head, got in his truck and drove into town. He was determined to put a smile on his daughter’s face today. He parked in front of Char Pie and stepped out of his truck. Taking his hat off, he breathed in cool fresh air. Summer would be here soon, but today was brilliant, the sky blue with no sign of Texas humidity. He heard footsteps on the sidewalk and a couple laughing, their laughter reaching over to him and as he pivoted around recognizing the female voice, he spotted Taylor being escorted into a restaurant with Blake.

Something twisted in his gut.

Taylor and Blake?

Whatever they were talking about sure made Taylor laugh.

Coop stuck his hat back on his head, pushed it down and barreled into the pie place.

“Hey, there.” The cheerful girl behind the counter smiled. Why was everyone so darn happy around here? “How can I help you?”

Was there any help for him?He scoffed and looked at the pie shelves. “I’ll take a cherry pie and one of those big, giant chocolate fudge brownies.” The brownie was all for Cass. It was her favorite and she loved cherry pie too. So she could have some of that as well.

In the back of his mind, he knew this wasn’t what Cassie wanted. But it was the best he could do at the moment. His head wasn’t exactly clear.

Cheerful Christy packed up the items and sent him off with her big smile.

Once he got home, his dad offered up dinner, meatloaf and potatoes, not his best meal and they ate it in silence. “Hey, Cass, guess what I picked up today?”

“What’s that?”

Coop walked over to the counter and opened up the bag. “Cherry pie and…your favorite.” He pulled out the brownie and Cass’s eyes grew wide for a few seconds.

“Thanks, Daddy.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

“Want some now?”

She nodded, and he set the entire brownie in front of her. He was certain he was breaking half a dozen parenting rules right now. “Here you go.”

“I think I’ll skip cherry pie for now,” his dad said.

“That’s not like you, Pop. You okay?”