Page 16

Chapter 16

They had my back

Callie

I had started to look forward to Sundays at Briarwood. It was good to get out of the office and leave work behind. One week Darcy came with us and pretended to caddy. I’d played better that day, more relaxed with him around. I’d been happy to see him and Cooper getting along. Technically, I was doing this to advance my career, but neither tax nor law were mentioned all day.

I didn’t have to worry about how I looked, since that was covered. And now, my game still needed improvement but I knew what I was doing. And I was doing it well enough. This week, no one had played through, which I counted as a major accomplishment. It had been rainy this morning, so people had canceled their tee times and there were fewer people on the course, but I was feeling good about my progress, and tremendously grateful to Cooper.

I’d decided that gratitude was why I’d leapt to defend him from Duffy. It didn’t explain that strange urge I’d had to cuddle, but I had enough problems to deal with so I set that aside.

We’d agreed to head to the locker rooms before meeting for dinner. I changed into a dress and fixed my hair and makeup. I no longer ended the day with a pink nose. There was something almost like a tan on the skin visible through my freckles. I looked okay, I thought. More than okay. I looked good. Would Cooper approve?

A woman came into the restroom, nodded at me and continued into the next section. She didn’t even raise an eyebrow—she thought I belonged.

I pulled the door open, ready to share my triumph with Cooper, but before I got close to him I heard a Boston accent drawl out, “If it isn’t the little Cooper.”

My brows shot up, not just at calling Cooper little, since he was anything but, but at how his whole body stiffened. Should I step forward and offer support, or would he rather handle this without me around?

“If it isn’t the big Winthrop,” Cooper responded.

A man, early thirties, stopped in front of Cooper. He was a few inches shorter than the hockey player, softness around his arms and middle indicating an easy life. No question who would win a fight. Some might call the other man attractive, with dark brows and thick dark hair, a firm chin and straight nose, but something about the eyes and the drawl convinced me this was another Benson.

“I didn’t think you golfed.” That drawl had to be an affectation.

“I’m with a friend.” Cooper looked back and I moved beside him. Was that a flash of relief in his eyes? “Callie, this is a friend of my brother’s, Remington Winthrop.”

Seriously? What a douchebag name.

“Pleased to meet you.” Douchebag’s eyes ran down my body, coming back up to land on my breasts.

Yep, douchebag.

“Winthrop lives in Boston. So, slumming it up north?”

He moved his attention back to Cooper. “Something like that. We’re working with a firm up here. I came to make sure they’re getting their shit done.” He looked around the clubhouse, late afternoon sun lighting up the interior. “Not a bad place.” He smirked at Cooper. “You don’t mind sharing with me, do you?”

I could feel the tension in Cooper’s body. This was not the confident man I was used to. What the fuck had happened with Douchington Winthrop?

“What do you do?” I asked, distracting him.

He gave me a dismissive glance. “Finance. Business stuff.”

Right . Like I wouldn’t understand. Cooper was still stiff beside me.

“All those big numbers, right?” I poked Cooper in the ribs. He jerked, but it finally got him moving again.

“How long are you here for?”

“We’re leaving the club after we eat. But if things go well, I might be in Toronto frequently. I should ask about a membership of my own.”

Finally Cooper smirked, and it felt like he was back. “I hear there’s a long waiting list.”

Winthrop narrowed his eyes. “How long were you on the list?”

Cooper shrugged. “I didn’t go on a list.”

“Because?”

A big smile, showing white teeth and dimples. Actually, more of a grimace. “Lots of hockey fans in the club.”

Winthrop’s mouth pinched. “Maybe this isn’t my kind of place.”

“Maybe not. It would be terrible if someone blackballed your application.”

Winthrop drew in a sharp breath. Cooper had won a point in whatever the fuck battle they had going on. “Apparently this place has run downhill lately.”

“Be sure to tell the PGA that. They’ll probably move their event from here.”

“I won’t keep you.” I got a glance again but was dismissed. “I’m sure you’re…busy.”

“Yes, more…I mean, important things to do.”

“I’ll tell Pierce I saw you.”

“That will make his day.”

Winthrop stalked toward the dining room. He joined a group of similar, well-dressed, well-maintained, douchy-looking men.

Cooper stared at the wall, as if he’d forgotten I was there. I could give him time to deal with whatever that had been, since I didn’t particularly want to eat in the same room as Winthrop. After a few minutes, though, it was getting awkward.

“Did his parents really name him Remington Winthrop?”

That brought Cooper back to the here and now. “They did.”

“Were they determined to raise an asshole?”

A laugh escaped him that he quickly reined in. “My name is Whittaker. Whittaker Zane Cooper.”

“I thought Calliope was bad.”

He shrugged. “Dining room?”

“Would you mind if we didn’t?”

Now I had his full attention. “Is something wrong? Are you tired?”

“I’m always tired after marching around in the sun for the afternoon, but nothing special. I just don’t want Remington staring at my chest while I eat.”

“Should I speak to him?”

“Like it would change anything?”

That faraway look hit his face again. “Not at all.”

“Then let’s go. I think I’ve had my quota of pretentious for the day. At least at work I’m paid for it.”

Cooper stalked to the valet, and I had to hustle to keep up with him. Something had upset his deeply ingrained manners, and that something was called Winthrop.

He didn’t speak as the young man brought the Bentley around. They put the clubs in the trunk, and I waited patiently as the valet opened my door. Sliding into the comfortable seat was familiar. Probably best not to get too accustomed.

We drove in silence for ten minutes before Cooper realized he was ignoring me.

He turned and gave me his polite, public smile. “Sorry, I was lost in thought there. Did you have any questions after today’s round?”

That hurt. I’d thought we were friends. Of a kind. He didn’t need to tell me what was up with Winthrop, but if he didn’t want to make conversation, he didn’t need to put on his facade. “You don’t have to make small talk.”

He shot a glance at me. “Sorry. Not in my best mood.”

“That’s okay. I’m not one of your fans who has to be placated. If you don’t want to talk, don’t talk.”

“Okay.” He shrugged and sank back into his thoughts.

And irrationally, now I wanted to make him talk. To tell me what the tension with Winthrop had been. Was it something about his brother? He had said his family wasn’t very nice.

As the car moved through the outskirts of the city, he spoke again. “I don’t think I’m going to be a good dinner companion.”

“Fine.”

“We can do dinner another night. You can even pay.”

“Cooper, you don’t owe me. If you’re in a bad mood, be in a bad mood. Go punch a bag or kill people in a video game or whatever you want to do.”

“I want to drive.”

“Lucky for you, you’ve been doing that.”

He shook his head. “Not this car.”

I frowned, but of course—why would I think the man had only one car? This might be Toronto, where the traffic was insane, but he had more money than he could spend. “Let me guess, a Lamborghini? Ferrari? Porsche?”

That got a smile. “A Ferrari.”

“I knew it.”

He shot me a glance. “It’s not what you think.”

“And what do I think?”

“It’s not about the image. What other people think. It’s about how she feels to drive.”

There was no doubting his honesty. His voice had gone deeper, and he almost smiled again. I shivered. Not something I could relate to, but I’d never driven a vehicle. “I’ll have to take your word for it.”

Something sparked in his eyes. “Do you want to come for a drive?”

Didn’t he want to be alone? “When?”

“Now? Do you need to be somewhere? Fuck, you’re probably hungry.”

I wasn’t ready to head back to my apartment alone. I’d planned to be with Cooper at Briarwood for the rest of the day. I wasn’t that hungry, and when would I get a chance to ride in a Ferrari again? Was I trying to justify saying yes? “I didn’t have anything planned, and I’m not hungry.”

A smile picked up the corners of his mouth this time. “Okay.”

I wasn’t just curious about the sports car. I wanted to understand this man who was helping me. And his family. I wanted to help him. Meeting Winthrop had shown me that the Cooper family would be a challenge, and I wasn’t prepared for what was coming. Those undercurrents indicated problematic issues that could set Cooper off, and I didn’t know how to avoid them. Or protect him when they came up.

We pulled into the underground parking of a luxury condo building near the waterfront. It looked like the kind of place Cooper would belong. He pulled into a parking stall next to a sleek, red, low-slung car that was probably the Ferrari. I peered at the back bumper. I thought that rearing horse was the Ferrari symbol.

I opened the door of the Bentley carefully, pretty sure dinging the red vehicle beside me would be considered sacrilege. Once I was safely standing behind the cars, I looked at the gleaming vehicle. “So, this is a Ferrari?”

He nodded.

“It’s…low.”

He looked at me, as if just remembering I was wearing a dress.

I waved a hand. “It’s okay. No one is here to see me flash them when I get in.”

I got another smile of approval, and this one—a real smile, not a polite expression—warmed something inside me. Very few people got to see this person beneath the perfect facade. I liked this man, more than I’d expected. And I liked knowing he’d let me see past the mask.

And hell, I was going to ride in a Ferrari. Darcy would be so jealous.

Cooper drove the sports car with the competence he seemed to have for everything. I was confident in my work, but not in all the aspects of being a lawyer—hence the need to learn how to behave at the golf tournament, and how to dress. Today was the first chink I’d seen in Cooper’s armor. I hadn’t known there was one, but realistically? Everyone had their secrets and weak spots. Some just covered it better.

There wasn’t much chance to show how the car performed on the city streets, but he was soon on the Gardiner Expressway, weaving his way through traffic, and the car attracted a lot of attention. We curved onto the Don Valley Parkway, heading north. Then the 401 East, heading out of the city, traffic lighter as few people were exiting the city on a Sunday.

The car was smooth and fast, and with a good driver, exhilarating. Like a roller coaster that didn’t need to suspend you on a hill to make your stomach swoop. It was reckless and exciting, and totally unlike me, but I was just along for the ride. Enjoying it more than I’d have predicted.

Cooper eventually pulled into a service center along the 401. He stopped near the doors. “You have to be hungry now. Why don’t you get us some burgers or something, and meet me around back?”

He looked out the windshield, and I saw the eyes staring at the car. Of course.

“Sure. What can you eat?”

He shook his head. “Anything goes tonight.”

I opened the door and managed to exit without flashing the watchers. Those were disappointed sighs I heard as I wasn’t any kind of celebrity. Sorry, people. The celebrity was still inside.

I was a little overdressed for a service center, but the range of clothing here was broad so I didn’t attract attention. I analyzed the vendors available, and got an assortment of burgers, salads, sandwiches, fruit, veggies and drinks. The prices were inflated for their captive audience, but this time I wasn’t going to stress about it.

The sun hadn’t set yet, so it wasn’t difficult to find my way to the Ferrari parked in the back. Cooper was sitting a little distance away on a picnic table. He had his back to the building, and so far had escaped attention. A minor miracle.

He must have heard me approaching, but he didn’t react. I climbed up on the picnic table beside him and spread out my findings in the space between us.

He looked down and forced a grin. “You must be hungry.”

I shrugged. “I wanted to give you options.”

He picked up a burger. It was greasy and had about a zillion calories, but he opened the wrapper and took a large mouthful, groaning in pleasure. “I haven’t had something like this in too long.”

I rolled my eyes. “Obviously, or you’d be as big as a house.” I chose a sandwich. I was worried less about the calories in a burger and more about getting grease spots on what I was wearing.

“Afraid I’m going to get fat?”

“Not my business if you do or not. But I’m sure you’ll burn it off, since, you know, you’re playing a sport professionally.”

“I won’t be forever.”

That was true, but I’d never heard him mention that before. “Does that worry you?”

“I’ve got plans. Financially, I’m set for life, and I’ve been approached about different options when I’m done.”

Of course he had. But still… “Will it be hard to not play anymore?”

He was still staring at the horizon. “It’ll make my family happy.”

He finished the burger and reached for the fries. Apparently, if he was going to eat junk, he was going to eat all the junk. I took a bite of my sandwich. No groans, because it was a barely adequate sandwich, and I looked out across the pavement to the bushes behind the service center. The sun had almost set, so the shadows were long and the evening was cooling. I didn’t get moments like this. I’d enjoyed Briarwood, and I enjoyed this. Maybe, once I made partner, I’d learn to drive and explore outside the city. Or take the train.

Cooper picked out some slightly dry carrot sticks. Apparently he could only handle so much grease. “You’re still willing to come to the wedding?”

I swallowed. “Yes.” I wouldn’t renege on our deal now.

“Then I should explain a bit of family history. Remmy will be there, and my brother, and it might come up.”

I was as curious as any cat, but I hated the resignation in his voice. “Only if you want to.”

He let out a humorless laugh. “I don’t want to, but it’s not fair to you to go in blind.”

I set down the sandwich. “Okay, then.”

He leaned back on his hands, watching the shadows stretching farther across the pavement.

“I was sixteen. At that point, my brother Pierce and I had the normal older brother/younger brother relationship people had, as far as I knew. I secretly admired him, and he gave me a hard time. I didn’t see him that often. He was at Harvard and had his own friends he kept busy with. I was going to a private boys’ school, but I also played on a local hockey team. It was a lot of fun, and I was good. I’d started going out with one of the girls who came to the games and hung around with us. She was…gorgeous.”

Like that was a surprise. The mediocre sandwich didn’t rest well in my stomach.

“I was home for reading week. Pierce and his girlfriend were there too. I didn’t think much of it, was mostly counting down till I could see Vicky and get back on the ice.”

He crunched up the can of sparkling water he’d emptied.

“Pierce’s girlfriend made a pass at me. I turned her down, obviously, but somehow Pierce found out. I went back to school, back to Vicky, and began planning, god help me, a promposal.”

I pictured a young Cooper, perhaps a little awkward and gawky, but undoubtedly attractive. More so than his brother, I expected. But I braced myself, because this story was going somewhere bad.

“We went to a hockey tournament, were gone for most of a week. I’d taken a couple of days off school because there were some hockey scouts there and I’d hoped they might notice me. Maybe I’d make the team at Harvard—because obviously, as a Cooper, that’s where I was going.”

He’d also said he’d gone to college in Vermont, so…

“Pierce sent me a picture. Sent me a few of them. He was in a hotel room with Vicky.”

My fingers twisted into claws on the picnic table.

“He messaged something about making us even, so I knew it was about his girlfriend. I told him I’d turned her down, but he didn’t care. When I got back to school, Vicky came to our next hockey game, crying, begging me to forgive her. She told me a story about him seducing her and I wanted to believe her. So I took her back.”

I wouldn’t have.

“I didn’t realize, back then, that she wasn’t interested in me. I was the rich kid on the hockey team. She wanted someone to provide the kind of life she dreamed of. That became obvious a couple of weeks later, again when we had an away game and Pierce sent me a photo of Vicky with his best friend, Remmy.”

The fuckers.

“I told my family. My dad said ‘boys will be boys.’ Vicky wasn’t the right kind of girl, and I needed to focus on my future and give up hockey. But my teammates? They had my back. Pierce and Remmy found their cars vandalized while I was at a family dinner and had an alibi.”

No wonder he chose hockey.

“I stuck with the people who supported me. My maternal grandmother had set up a trust fund for each of us, and she let me use it to go to a hockey college. My family was offended but I wanted to be with people who had my back.”

His family obviously didn’t. Benson could only aspire to that level of spite. And the girl? I saw myself in Vicky—growing up poor and wanting to be financially secure. But I didn’t lie and manipulate and use people. I made my own security. “I hope she sees your underwear billboards every time she leaves her fucking home and regrets her choices,” I growled.

Cooper shrugged. “I learned an important lesson. Not everyone is trustworthy. It was brutal, but it was better to learn that when I did.”

This was something real about Cooper. I wondered if anyone else outside of his family knew about this. Seb Hunter? Was he a teammate back them?

“I got that lesson in foster care. But what a bitch.” But there’d been a deeper betrayal. “And your brother deserves an STD. A really disgusting and painful one. What—who would do that?”

“Pierce. And Remington fucking Winthrop.”

“Fucking Pierce as well. He was jealous.” I understood Cooper better now. “They hate the underwear billboards, right?”

“Immensely.”

I frowned. “Was that why you did them?”

He shrugged. “They pay me a shit ton of money.” I was about to argue that couldn’t be the only reason when he continued. “But yeah, knowing how they feel about it makes it even better.”

Families were mostly screwed-up entities determined to fuck up their kids for the future. Even wealthy ones like Cooper’s. “I wish I’d known this before I met the fucker. I’d have taken my driver to his balls.”

Finally, a laugh. “As your mentor, I have to warn you that behavior like that can get you removed from Briarwood.”

It would be worth it. Cooper took care of everyone else, but who took care of him? Someone should.

For now, I was the only candidate in sight.

* * *

We were quiet on the ride back to Toronto. I didn’t know if Cooper regretted telling me, or if he was still dealing with the encounter with Remington fucking Winthrop, but I was comfortable in the quiet, enjoying the feel of the car around me.

Cooper stopped in front of my building. “Are you okay going in on your own?”

I rolled my eyes, as if this wasn’t something I did all the time. “I’ll be fine.”

“Thank you.” Then he reached over and pressed a kiss to my cheek.

I froze for a moment, and then my face heated. “It was nothing.” My voice came out low and gruff.

I scrambled out of the car, a major effort, and closed the door carefully. I waved, unsure if Cooper would see it through the tinted windows, and turned to enter my building.

I wished that kiss had been somewhere other than my cheek.

Cocky Cooper, with his confidence and money and charm, was someone I didn’t understand and couldn’t relate to. But vulnerable, betrayed and mistrusting Cooper? That was someone like me. That was the person I wanted to defend and snuggle up to.

I was glad I was going to this wedding. He might think he needed someone to impress them with a legal background, but what was even more important in this situation was someone like his hockey teammates. Someone who had his back.

I tilted my chin up. I was more than ready to be that person.