Page 93 of Cooper

Femke doesn’t hesitate to hug him. “I’m so happy to meet you!” she says in accented English.

“Likewise.” Cooper smiles before turning to my father and extending his hand. “Mr. Farkas.”

“You make my daughter pregnant?” My father asks in broken English.

Cooper shakes his head. “No, sir.”

“Papa.” I groan in frustration. What is everyone’s preoccupation with pregnancy?

“You will marry?” My father isn’t beating around the bush.

“Papa!” I try again but Cooper puts his arm around me and hugs me to his side.

“Yes, I’ll marry her when the time is right.”

He will?

Papa grunts and stalks toward the house.

But not before pausing to study the railing Cooper installed.

“Tell him we need more wood for me to stabilize it, but I’m happy to finish it tomorrow.”

I repeat what he said, and my father doesn’t react at first.

Finally, he nods. “Good.”

“He will be more friendly after he eats,” Femke stage whispers to Cooper.

“Why is he like this?” I mutter.

“It’s fine, baby. Don’t worry about it.”

“It’s actually good news that he didn’t immediately tell you to leave his house and never come back,” I say glibly.

“She’s right,” Femke agrees, making a face. “He can be… what’s the word, Natalia? Too much?”

“Too much. Over the top. Ajerk.”

“He’s getting more mellow now that he’s older,” she says quietly. “Especially with Greta around. Do you ever remember him carrying one of us?”

“Never,” I reply. “It’s a little scary.”

“Give him a chance. I hear him and Mama talking late at night when they think I’m asleep. He worries about your safety and feels guilty because he thinks the only reason you became a Royal Protector is for the money. So you can take care of us.”

“That’s not the reason!” I protest.

“I know, but he feels that way. Be gentle with his feelings. I know he struggles for your safety. He was beside himself when you were shot.”

“And yet, he never once called, never once came to see me.”

“It’s not his way. You can’t expect change to happen overnight. Not in Limaj and not with our parents’ generation.”

“I guess that’s true.”

“Let’s go inside,” Femke says, taking Cooper’s arm. “Tell me about America.”

Cooper chuckles. “Where do you want me to start? It’s a big country.”

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