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CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
Rosalie could not believe Lee Cooper. Now she’d have Autumn begging for a pygmy cow every single day until she turned eighteen. Maybe even after that.
She also couldn’t believe how quickly the four-year-old had twisted the surly cowboy around her pinkie finger. She should’ve been more prepared for that. She’d seen Lee with Ford, and even if the boy did almost everything his father said, the moment he said it, didn’t mean Lee wasn’t compassionate and caring with his child.
He was, and Rosalie cocked one hip and folded her arms as Lee continued to chuckle with Autumn. She wanted to believe this could be her reality, so when Gretchen said, “Rosalie, will you come grab these buns?” as if they were already both married to a Cooper brother, Rosalie went to do it.
Gretchen was as nice as peach pie on a summer afternoon, and Rosalie had grown quite fond of her over the past couple of months. “Sure,” she said. “What else needs to go out?” Out of all the women in the Cooper family, Gretchen was the easiest to approach. Rissa had as loud of a bark as her brothers, and Shayla seemed even busier than Rosalie was.
“Everything on the counter,” Gretchen said, already carrying a huge tray of hamburger toppings. “I’m going to yell at everyone on the lawn.”
Better her than Rosalie, but she did pick up several bags of buns and follow the blonde past the huge dining room table—and Lee and Autumn still making plans for a miniature cow. Rosalie hadn’t even known such a breed existed, and she shot Lee a dirty look as she passed.
His eyes sparkled like dark emeralds, and Rosalie wouldn’t be able to stay mad at him for long. Not if he entertained and took care of Autumn the way he currently was.
“Come on,” Spencer called from the kitchen. “Lee, come get something. Trav has the grill going, and we’ve got to get people fed.”
Rosalie went out onto the deck, where several folding tables had been set up. Blue and white checkered cloths covered them, which were perfect for the holiday. Rosalie put the buns on the end of the food table and turned to go get more. Several more people joined the fray, and Rosalie hadn’t met them all. She knew the Coopers, but there were more cowboys than ever.
She recognized a couple from Travis’s wedding, and soon enough, Lee appeared at her side, easily slipping his hand into hers. “I set Autumn with Mama on the swing,” he said. “Okay?”
“Sure,” Rosalie said. “That’ll keep her out of the way for a bit.”
Once they emerged out onto the deck again, the scent of grilling meat lifted into the air, and plenty of smoke rose from the largest grill Rosalie had ever seen. She shouldn’t have been surprised. The Coopers didn’t seem to do anything small—or quietly.
The back deck held no less than two dozen people, with more arriving all the time. Lee took her around as he shook his cowboy’s hands. She met or re-met Mack, Gary, Chris, Floyd, and Cole.
When he started introducing the Forrester family, Rosalie decided she didn’t have to memorize all the names or know who was who right this minute. She smiled and shook hands, made small talk, and watched Lee’s older sister flirt openly with one of the Forresters.
Jed, she thought, but her memory continued to develop holes with every new face she looked at.
“And these are the boys from Hope Eternal Ranch,” Lee said, indicating yet another group of cowboys Rosalie hadn’t met. Lee laughed and shook hands with a tall, dark-haired cowboy holding a baby with shocking red hair.
“Nate Mulbury, and his wife Ginger.” Lee hugged the redhead. “She actually owns the ranch. Nate’s just infested it with all of his friends.”
That got a laugh from everyone, and Rosalie kept smiling and shaking hands with Ted, Dallas, Luke, Jill, Emma, Jess, Hannah, and finally Slate.
“I used to work over there,” Spence said, grinning as he joined the group.
“Somehow we lost him to Sweet Water Falls,” Ted said, his voice loud and boisterous.
“It’s the fireworks,” Lee said.
“Or your sister,” Nate said, and another round of laughter went up. In that moment, Rosalie realized how they were all connected—through friendship—and a powerful sense of belonging accompanied her smile now.
“Daddy, let me,” Lee said, releasing Rosalie’s hand as his father went by with a huge platter of desserts in his arms. “Go sit in the swing with Mama. Have you met Autumn?”
“He did,” Rosalie said, giving Wayne Cooper a smile. “He even had her favorite treat, mysteriously.” She watched Lee and his father exchange a glance, and Rosalie knew there was something going on there.
“Everyone loves a moon pie,” Wayne said. “It wasn’t anything special.”
“It meant a lot to her,” Rosalie said sincerely. Cherry let out another peal of laughter, and a couple of people turned in her direction. She clung to Jed’s arm now, and Rosalie quickly turned her attention back to Lee to judge his reaction.
He wore a frown from here to the Mississippi, his eyes locked onto his sister.
“Is she okay?” Rosalie asked.
“I’m not sure,” Lee said. “She doesn’t like coming home much. I’ve never seen her take a shine to Jed, though.”
