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The door to her office opened and she smiled for the first time in days as a tall, handsome man walked through. “Cooper! I didn’t kn
ow you were in New York City.”
He gave her a hug. “I’m only here overnight. Heading out to New England until after the holidays. Thought you could use some cheering up.”
Her smile faltered. Wow. Did everyone know her sad, pathetic little secret?
“Mom put you up to this.”
Cooper grabbed her jacket and tossed it to her. “She might have mentioned that you could use some fun.”
Fun. “I don’t even know what that means anymore.”
“Then I’m sure as hell glad I stopped by.” He winked. “Come on. Let’s go.”
Cooper Simon had more charm in his little pinky than most men managed to acquire in a lifetime. There was no way she could resist.
“Okay.” She reached for her navy blue trench. “But I might be a drag. Just saying.”
They headed over to The Black Dog, a pub not far from Times Square, one owned by Abby Mathews, Tucker’s wife’s family. Her oldest brother Mitch was behind the bar and he greeted Cooper with a hearty handshake and Grace with a big hug.
“I guess you’ve heard the news?” Mitch said with a smile as he filled a large mug of dark ale for Cooper.
“I was just about to tell Grace.”
Grace looked at Cooper and then back to Mitch. Something was up.
“What’s going on?”
Mitch handed her a blue cocktail—something called a Jack Frost—and then said he’d let Cooper spill. She followed her cousin over to a booth in the corner and once they were settled, she arched an eyebrow and waited.
“You know how Abby and Tucker have been trying for a kid, right?”
She nodded slowly. “I knew there were problems. Tucker told me she’d had a miscarriage in the spring.”
“She’s had several miscarriages, all within a few weeks of getting pregnant. I don’t know the details but she had a procedure last summer and she’s just made it through her first trimester. I don’t think she’s out of the woods yet, but it’s a big win for them.”
“That’s amazing.” Grace was thrilled. No wonder Abby had been so quiet up north. A frown quickly stole her smile. “How long have you known?”
Cooper set his mug down. “A week I guess.”
“And I’m just finding out now?” Okay. Grace had never been the overly emotional type, but what the hell? Why was she the last to know? And why were there tears pricking the corners of her damn eyes? Again?
“Tucker called you, darlin’. He said you didn’t get back to him and asked me to let you know.”
Right. He’d called a few days earlier and she’d been so busy she forgot.
“Oh, sorry. He did call,” she admitted, taking a sip from Jack Frost.
Cooper’s eyes saw too much and she glanced away. Her gaze landed on a couple a few tables over. They were smack dab in the middle of a very busy and very loud pub, yet the two of them were so caught up in each other Grace bet they wouldn’t know if a freaking earthquake ripped The Black Dog in two.
The man held her hand, gently stroking his fingers across her knuckles and he leaned forward, kissing her on the cheek and smiling into her face. It was an intimate moment and Grace felt as if she should look away…yet she couldn’t.
“You want to talk about it?” Cooper asked quietly.
She shook her head and sighed, turning back to her cocktail. “No.”
“Okay. But can I just give you a little piece of advice?”
