Making a Comeback. Kristina Mathews
thoughtfulness. “But eat first.”
He helped the twins plate the pancakes and arranged the bacon on a paper towel-covered platter. The syrup was already warmed and placed on the table with the butter. After pouring himself another cup of coffee and waiting for Annabelle and the girls to sit down, he took the chair across from her.
“This is delicious.” Annabelle savored her first bite. “Oh my goodness, you didn’t make them from scratch did you?”
“Yeah.” Cooper shrugged, as if it was no big deal. “I try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. I used whole wheat flour, organic buttermilk, and cage-free eggs.”
“You’ll have to give me the recipe. Or else come by every morning and cook for us.”
“I do need a job.” Cooper winked at her. “But I don’t think you could afford me.”
Something crackled between them. Attraction, sure, but there was something more. He had a secret. And it wasn’t about the stack of magazines he kept by his bed.
“So how much do you charge?” She took another bite of the delicious whole-wheat pancakes.
“I recently turned down an offer for three million.” He said it in such a way that she didn’t think he was kidding.
“That’s a little pricey for pancakes.” Maybe he was a celebrity chef, and that was why he was so comfortable in her kitchen.
“Well, I’ll start on the cleanup.” Cooper rose, taking his empty plate and cup to the sink. He loaded the dishwasher and set the skillet in the sink to soak.
She watched him, fascinated by this man and his mysterious background. Judging by his build, he could be an athlete, but why would he keep that hidden from her? Most of the athletes she knew were only too happy to brag about themselves.
Olivia, who was happily licking syrup off her fork, would suggest that he was a prince, in hiding from being forced to marry a girl he didn’t love. Oh dear, she really needed to wean that girl off her princess fantasies. They were becoming contagious.
“Mommy, can we go to the beach today?” Sophie asked. She was finishing off her third piece of bacon.
“Maybe this afternoon.” If she felt up to it. But she didn’t want to keep the girls inside all day, watching TV.
“Can Mr. Cooper come, too?” Sophie asked.
“I have some things I need to take care of.” He turned from the sink. “Maybe some other time.”
“Oh, okay.” Annabelle hated to hear the disappointment in her daughter’s voice. She hated her own disappointment even more. She was getting far too used to having him around.
“But I’ll be at the bus stop when you girls get home from school tomorrow.” Cooper offered a sincere smile. “I’m sure your mom will need to take it easy for the next few days. I’ll be here as backup, okay?”
“Okay.” Sophie’s smiled widened.
Olivia stood and carried her plate to the sink. She handed it to Cooper with such admiration in her eyes, Annabelle was starting to think the princess obsession would quickly turn into a Cooper obsession. Or maybe that was her own fear. She could get attached to this man far too easily.
“I’ll run and grab that lotion for you.” Cooper wiped his hands on a dishcloth once the last of the dishes were loaded into the dishwasher. “You can use it after your shower.”
“Yeah. Thanks. Are you going to stay and make sure I don’t drop the bottle?” Annabelle swallowed, tempted by the thought of him rubbing the lotion on her sore muscles.
“I think you can manage.” He folded his arms across his chest. “You did make it through the night just fine.”
“Yeah. Just fine.” Except for the longing that had kept her from getting enough sleep. He hadn’t come into her room during the night. Was he also afraid of the sizzling attraction between them? That kiss. If it wasn’t for her injuries, it could have easily burned out of control.
* * * *
Cooper went back to his place, took a long shower and tried not to think about Annabelle doing the same next door. He had to get the woman out of his head. Maybe he should have taken that offer from Toronto. Canada would be a lot better than somewhere like Japan and it would get him away from the lovely Annabelle Jones.
But if he wasn’t here for her, she’d have no one. Or her ex-husband would have to take care of her. He couldn’t let that happen. He hadn’t spent too much time around Clayton Barry, but he didn’t trust the man. The last time he’d seen his former owner had been shortly before his suspension. He’d made a compliment to Barry about his wife and the look on the other man’s face was almost enough to make Cooper believe he’d been behind his surprise drug test. But that would be counterproductive, since Cooper’s downfall had resulted in FITNatural’s downfall, and the loss of large sums of money for Mr. Barry.
Maybe he felt a little guilty about his crush on Annabelle. He wanted to blame her husband for a mere coincidence. Because if she was his wife, he’d have a hard time with any man who even looked at her.
It was time to get back to work. He should hit the gym, find a mound to throw off. But he couldn’t leave Annabelle and the girls alone. Those kids were something else. They’d chatted all morning while they were making breakfast—about their teacher, their favorite movies, and even how they got to see their Uncle Marco win the World Series, even though he wasn’t really their uncle.
They talked a little bit about their dad, but it was clear they were much closer with their mother. They did mention he’d met them in Dallas for Christmas and had promised to take them to Disneyland when he finished his “hearing test” and sold his “vitamin company.” He could only assume they meant the hearing for FITNatural and its involvement in the steroid scandal that had started with his own suspension. He wasn’t about to correct them.
What would Annabelle think when she found out he was the one who’d brought her husband’s side business to the attention of the league? And how much was the dissolving of the company going to hurt her and her children financially?
Had he truly believed his agent’s assertion that turning in evidence against FITNatural would convince the league to reduce his suspension? Not when the new commissioner had taken office with the vow to clean up baseball “once and for all.”
At least the union had prevented the hundred-game suspension for first-time offenders from passing before last season, but he was certain increases were coming. Not that it would have mattered. He’d missed that many games after all, with the fifty-game suspension and then the surgery that ended his season three days after the trade.
Cooper took his frustration with the whole mess out on his weight bench. He turned up the music and started lifting. More than he’d been lifting, but he had added frustrations to work out, especially with Annabelle so close. So close, yet so far out of his league.
The iPod shuffled to a quieter song and he thought he heard the doorbell.
Shit. Annabelle or the girls needed him. He dropped his weights and nearly sprinted to the door.
“Hi.” Annabelle stood on his doorstep with a smile and the bottle of healing lotion. “I tried this stuff on my shoulder and it works. It really works.”
“Good. I’m glad.” He was also relieved she wasn’t here for an emergency. “It’s all-natural. Really, not just as an advertising claim. It’s made by a little old lady from—”
“Pasadena?” She interrupted him with a wide grin and a twinkle in her beautiful blue eyes.
“No. Mendocino.” Why did she have to be so great? Funny and sweet and appreciative. Why couldn’t she be more like her ex? A spoiled, rich asshole.
“And have you met this little old lady personally?” She still had a smile on her face.