Page 73 of Swiped By My Dad's Best Friend
He didn’t seem to know what to say either. His expression seemed to be vacillating between confusion and anger. Finally, he settled on, “What’s going on here?”
I knew what he meant, but I deflected. “Cooper fell off a ladder, but he’s okay. They think he has a concussion and sprained ankle.”
Cooper’s father nodded stiffly. “His friends told me that, and so did the admissions desk where I sorted out the insurance. I meant, what’s going onhere?”
I glanced back at Cooper. He looked overwhelmed, his expression drawn and tense. He’d been through enough without witnessing his father lose his shit.
“Maybe that’s a conversation for later?” I suggested. “Cooper looks worn out.”
Matthew shifted his gaze to his son, his lips pressed tight.
“We’re seeing each other,” Cooper said firmly. He met my eye, as if to challenge my belief that he wasn’t strong enough for this. Then he shifted his gaze to his father, his voice growing more uncertain. “I know it’s a little awkward, because of your friendship.”
“Awkward?” Matthew scoffed. “Cooper, he’s old enough to be your father. Hell, he’s a year older thanme.”
“His age really doesn’t matter to me,” Cooper said. “We’re both adults.”
“Barely,” Matthew muttered.
“I love him,” I said quietly.
Matthew looked hard at me. “Sure, you do.”
“Ilove him, Matt.”
“And I love Trace,” Cooper added.
Matthew shook his head, raking a hand through his hair. “Cooper can’t even figure out his life enough to get through school, and now you’re distracting him with, with ideas you’ll what? Have some kind of happy ending? You’ll hurt him, that’s all you’ll do.”
“I won’t.”
“You live six hours away, Trace!”
I winced, glancing toward Cooper. His eyes were downcast. We hadn’t even had the chance to discuss our future beyond my days teaching the seminar, and now Matthew was putting us on the spot. Could we maintain a long-distance relationship? I could continue to drive up here on weekends, but would Cooper be willing to move for me once he graduated? I had an entire business. I couldn’t just pull up stakes and move here, could I?
You could sell it,a voice whispered.You could start somewhere new, if it meant having Cooper.
I cleared my throat. “We’re still working out the details.”
Matthew barked a laugh. “Oh, well, great. Let me know when you decide how exactly you’re going to work out your fling with a kid half your age.”
I ground my teeth. “It’s not a fling.”
Matthew turned toward his son. “Cooper, why would you want someone so much older? What’s wrong with the kids your age?” He shook his head. “I swear I’ll never understand you.”
Cooper drew in on himself.
“Take it easy on him,” I said. “He’s had a rough day. Can you just…direct your anger at me? I’m the one you’re mad at.”
“Damn right. I apologized about accusing you of making a move on my wife all those years ago. And now you’re sleeping with my son? Jesus.Whywould you think this is okay?”
“Dad, don’t,” Cooper said. “I know you’re disappointed in me, okay? I know. Just…don’t put all the blame on Trace. I came on to him. I went after him, okay?”
“I’m sure that’s what he wants you to think,” Matthew said.
“Look, this isn’t doing Cooper any good,” I said. “Can we just table this for now?”
Matthew looked back to Cooper, who was looking more exhausted by the minute. He didn’t like to admit it, but Cooper was sensitive. His emotions lived close to the surface. He tried to ignore them, to avoid them, but they were there. And I knew he had to be hurting now, and not just physically. He cared what his father thought. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t still be in school when his heart was clearly not in it. He wouldn’t worry so much about being like his mother.
