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“I still would have wanted my coat,” Dotty grumbled.
“Don’t apologize, Violet,” Kelcie piped up. She sat in the middle seat between Dotty and Simon. “I may have a hangover from whatever someone put in my drink, but last night was one of the best nights of my life. Right, Simon?” She kissed his cheek.
“Right.”
Coop drove them home, grateful for their friendship and love, and marveling that he’d managed to find it in the most unlikely of situations.
Later, after Coop had gotten some sleep, he drove the ramshackle pickup to his parents’ house and perched on a chair in the living room to have a heart-to-heart with his father.
“I have no interest in the oil business right now, Dad.” That much was clear to Coop. “And—”
“I was afraid of that.” Anger pummeled his father’s words. “I won’t support your irresponsible lifestyle anymore.”
“I’m not finished.” He placed a hand on his father’s arm. “I want to make a difference in the world.”
“One party at a time, I’m sure.” Dad rolled his eyes.
“If you look and listen, you’ll see that my heart is on my sleeve.” Coop let that Shakespearean reference sink in. “I want to help people start their own businesses.”
“Throwing money away at the whim of your friends, no doubt.” But despite his words, there was an absence of anger in his father’s tone.
But Coop was tired, not just physically but of the constant struggle to prove himself to the one man who should believe in him. He stood. “If your opinion of me is that low, there’s no point in me saying anything else. You can have your credit cards and anything you’ve bought me.” He gestured out the window to the old truck. “I can make it on my own.”
His father took in the truck parked outside and then Coop’s cheap attire. “I’m listening.”
“I’ve met people here who have big dreams about their future,” Coop began slowly. “But they can’t make their dreams a reality without risking a roof over their heads. There’s Dr. Maggie Summer. She wants to open her own veterinary practice for large animals. It’s a capital intensive business start-up given the type of equipment she needs.”
Dad’s brow furrowed.
Coop hurried on with his examples. “And there’s Simon Marchand. You know his family. He wants to start his own high-end restaurant. But he has no equity to secure a loan. And Rafi Moretti, a hard-working horseman who wants to start a horse farm.”
His father shook his head. “Why can’t these people just go to the bank?”
“You know why,” Coop said, using some of that patience Dotty credited him with. “They aren’t deemed a good financial risk. They’re too young or lack savings or a home to secure a loan.” Coop paused, letting that sink in. “I want to start a small business loan and mentoring program, an angel investment firm. I don’t want togiveour money away. And I’d like to have you and other experienced business owners on the board.”
“You’ve thought this through.” His father seemed shocked.
“Some,” Coop agreed, although he knew there was a long road ahead until his idea was operational. “I’m passionate about helping people. I always have been. And although I know someday I’ll run the family fortunes, that day is a long way off. And we’re too much alike to work side-by-side every day.” The words were still coming out fast, but Coop hoped with sincerity. “I’d like your funding and blessing to run the project. But if you don’t approve, I’ll find my own backers. If I’ve learned anything in the past two months, it’s that I can make my own way.”
“I’d be honored to support this venture of yours.” His father beamed at him. “I’m proud of you, son.”
Coop couldn’t remember the last time his father had smiled at him in such a way. “And there’s something else.Someoneelse. I’m going to marry a literature professor. I love her and she…” He gave a little laugh. “She loves Shakespeare.”
“Not that it matters if you love each other,” Dad said gruffly, standing and hugging Coop.
And Coop couldn’t remember the last time that had happened either.
Chapter Fourteen
“I love you, but I’m not going to argue with you, Shakespeare.” Violet crossed her arms over her chest and sat back in her seat in the display area of Summer Diamonds in New York City. She fixed Charles Cooper Pearson the Third with a hard stare, daring him to challenge her.
“I want you to have a diamond that shines just as brightly to others as you do for me.” Coop took Vi’s hand and slid a ring on her finger, a thick, platinum band with a five karat diamond mounted on it.
“You’re too tall to have short man’s disease.” Vi let her hand drop on the top of the display case as if the diamond was too heavy for her hand to support. Her cousins, who ran the place, sniggered. “This rock says more about you than me or our love.”
“Professor Summer, I’m wounded.” Coop made a puppy-dog face beneath the brim of his black cowboy hat. They may have been in New York, but true to his word, Coop was a Texan through-and-through. “This is supposed to be a celebration of our love and accomplishments.”
She’d recently made tenure at Harvard and his investment firm was going to launch in the new year.
