Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
That was the one he was least proud of. He could give them good intel, but it would mean blowing his cover.
“I think Zach is distracted,” Cooper said with a chuckle.
He needed his head in the game. He hated that. Hated that he couldn’t simply relax because the game never took a break. It was waiting to expose him. He shook his head and stood, stretching. “Zach is tired because he was on a red eye from DC this morning after someone’s dad pulled strings and forced me to leave my hermit house.”
Cooper shut his locker and leaned back against it. “I’m sure that was fun for you. Did Adam call, or Jake? Is it true that they bound Tristan in plastic wrap in order to force him to attend a family brunch?”
That plastic had been surprisingly effective. Also, Tristan’s mom, Serena, made a hell of a Bloody Mary. “Yeah, I got to witness part of that come to Jesus. They did not hold back. There were tears and everything. Those were from Serena and Bri. Adam used logic. Jake growled a lot. Does that dude talk?”
“I don’t think he has to. Adam talks enough for both of them,” Cooper explained. “And I’m happy someone finally knocked some sense into Tris. He’s been in love with Carys forever. If Aidan and Carys got married without him, he would regret it.”
Dare put up his hands as though ceding the fight. “I live in this world now. This world where it’s perfectly normal for two dudes to decide to marry one girl. I do not get it, but they seem happy. Adam and Serena and Jake, that is. Tris, Carys, and Aidan are a mess.”
“I don’t see why it’s weird,” Coop admitted.
Dare gave Zach a shake of his dark head. “Because you grew up around it. Zach and I didn’t.”
Zach shrugged. “Dude, I grew up in a trailer park. Let me tell you there’s a lot of drama in a trailer park. Honestly, I think there would have been way less if Suzy Nelson hadn’t cheated behind her husband, Gorge’s, back. Not a nickname. The dude was legally named Gorge. If she’d walked to old Gorge and told him she wanted to screw Bubba Ham, maybe they would have tag teamed her instead of trying to shoot each other with BB guns. Also, Bubba was a nickname, but where I come from if you have several siblings, your momma looks around and decides one of the males is Bubba. He’s usually the one who says ‘hold my beer’ a lot. There’s always a Bubba, and if you don’t know which one it is, it’s probably you.”
Cooper grinned. “I love trailer park stories.”
“It wasn’t all bad,” Zach admitted. Cooper never had to know that when he told those stories, he was doing it so Cooper knew a little about the childhood that was almost his, too. His mom was awesome when she was around. She was smart and funny. She also happened to be a wanted criminal. “It was good to have a roof over my head and food in my belly, so I can’t complain.”
Except it would have been better with a brother.
He shook that off. Cooper loved his parents. He loved his life here in Dallas, and the Agency team that took him around the world. If their mom hadn’t given him up, Cooper likely wouldn’t have learned to fly, wouldn’t have had the big found family he’d grown up in. Wouldn’t have fallen in love with the most complicated woman in the world.
And that would be a shame because Kala Taggart was a hell of a woman. Zach genuinely loved her like a sister.
“Well, that sounds more fun than…” Dare began.
Zach snorted and stopped him since he knew what was coming next. “Rich boy, I know your dad was a massive ass, but really, let’s not compare childhoods. I would totally win.”
Even if he didn’t tell them about his mom who was in and out of jail, and his aunt who loved him but also had some mental health issues. He had plenty of stories about growing up poor and being called white trash. Dare Nash had a nasty dad who was now doing time in jail—though it was Canadian jail, so there was that—but otherwise the world had been his oyster. And he’d gotten Tasha. And Ian Taggart kind of loved him.
Dare pretty much had everything Zach wanted. He was now the head of sales for McKay-Taggart. He would be part of the family, and no one would ever threaten to take it from him. His place was set.
Cooper glanced down at his watch. “I should get out there. We’ve got a couple of scenes to run tonight. Julian sent over one of his problem children. Not a real problem. He just hasn’t gotten what he needs, and I don’t think he’s going to find it at The Club. I already set up the space, but I want to walk Kala through it and make sure it’s everything she needs.”