I was a little more careful with his personal possessions, like the picture of him and his dad together that actually made me smile. I was hoping I’d run into Coop’s dad soon so I could say hello to him. He was a sweet bear of a man and I miss him. Pictures, books, and a pair of handcuffs I found in the nightstand drawer all went into the box. Admittedly, I couldn’t stop thinking about why he’d have those there, although really…I knew why. I wasn’t stupid. I also flushed warm thinking about Coop and cuffs, but I eventually drove those thoughts out of my head and focused on my annoyance over the situation.
When the room was cleared, I quickly moved my stuff in, making sure to unpack and hang all my clothes, put my panties and bras in the drawers, and fill the bathroom with my girlie stuff. I even sprayed one of my favorite body mists around the bathroom and onto the bedding, which I’d also brought over from my room, as it was more feminine than the dark green bedding Coop had. That was also lying in a pile in the hallway.
The attorney explained to me clearly yesterday that Coop did indeed inherit a life estate of Goodnight House. That meant that this was his house as much as mine, and he was entitled to live in it if he chose for the remainder of his life.
It took me a few moments, but I accepted it. It was Valeria’s choice what she did with the house, and if Coop truly took care of her the last few years, I wasn’t going to begrudge her decision.
But I’ll be damned if he was going to get the master suite with the fabulous third-floor library and sitting room. It was one of the things that made Goodnight House magical, with its stained-glass windows, tall shelves crammed with books that required a rolling ladder to reach, and plush seating in which you could either read or take a long nap—all of which I wanted to take advantage of while I was here.
Coop said he wasn’t moving out of the room, so I went ahead and helped him along with that.
My smile grew bigger as I imagined the look on his face when he came home tonight.
Satisfied with my work, I decided to enjoy my new space. I turned to the wrought-iron spiral staircase and walked slowly up to the sanctuary beckoning to me. I spent a moment when I reached the third floor, just looking around at things. The furniture was fairly new, I’m guessing added by Valeria sometime since I’d left home to go to college. I seriously doubt Coop would have chosen the cream leather chaise with lacy pillows in pale lavender or the sumptuous rug of cream flowers on a gray background.
I walk to the first bookcase, which runs contiguously around the large, circular room that boasts twelve-foot ceilings. I place my hand on the rich mahogany wood and drag my fingers along the edge as I peruse the titles while walking the perimeter. I see the classics like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jane Austen, and Tolstoy. A few cases down are my mom’s favorites. She was into romance and a huge Nora Roberts fan. Beside those are my dad’s books, almost all nonfiction. There are even two shelves where with my favorites, which include a complete set of every one of Dean Kootnz’s books.
“What the holy fuck did you do?” I hear Coop bellow from below.
My entire body tenses and a jolt of adrenaline spikes through me. I knew he’d be pissed and I’d have to deal with him, but I wasn’t ready for it to happen this soon. I have no clue what he’s doing here in the middle of the day.
I hear him stomping through the bedroom as I rush over to the spiral staircase. I look down just as his foot is on the bottom step. His hands on the railing, he looks up at me with ferocity and demands, “Are you fucking insane?”
“Not that I know of,” I answer pertly as I start to descend the staircase. “I merely took what was mine by right.”
Coop doesn’t move out of my way when I near the bottom. His jaw is clenched so tight he has a muscle jumping at the corner. “It is not yours by right. It was mine. I was settled in here,” he says in a low, guttural voice that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I’m not sure if it’s because his voice is sexy or frightening with the underlying menace in it.
“This has been my house far longer than it has been yours,” I point out calmly, even though my racing pulse says otherwise. Still, I stiffen my spine and stand my ground. “I’m keeping this room.”
“You are such a spoiled, princesslike brat,” he snarls at me as he comes up full on the bottom step, which puts him face-to-face with me. “Nothing but a diva, although frankly, I didn’t expect any different.”
I suck in a harsh breath, his words slicing deep. When I force the air back out, I snap back at him, “You know nothing about me.”
“I know plenty,” he says with a grimace, clearly showing his dislike. “I know you never bothered to come back here to see Valeria except for her funeral. That she died a lonely old woman. You turned your back on your heritage and your family business and your hometown because you were too good for all of this.”
His words almost cause my knees to buckle, as I’m weighted down with guilt and regret, and my nose starts to sting. But there is no way in hell I’m going to let him see me cry, and the only way I know how to stave off the tears is to defend myself. “You know nothing of Valeria or what we were to each other. You may have seen a lonely old woman, but I was her granddaughter and I was nothing to her. She was emotionally closed off and distant. She was controlling, and when she didn’t get her way, she cut me out without a backward glance. She never called me. It was always me calling her to check in, but fuck, Coop…You can only reach out so many times and get the door shut in your face before you eventually give up. She never once said she was proud of me. Never acknowledged my accomplishments. Never offered support when I was down. So don’t give me this shit about her dying a lonely old woman. She apparently had you, but I’ve had no one.”
During my rant, I saw the heat start to cool in Coop’s eyes as he considered my words. I’m not sure of the depth of talks that he had with Valeria as they got closer, but I can tell he really doesn’t know anything about me as a person.
I barrel down the next two steps and push my way past him. He moves easily to the side and I cling to the railing so we don’t touch.
Marching to the bathroom, I almost stop when he says, “I just stopped by to grab a quick sandwich for lunch, but I want this shit cleaned up and my room put to rights by the time I get home tonight.”
He gets nothing but my back and my silence as I stomp into the master bath and slam the door shut. I’m going to take a nice long bath and then perhaps I’ll go into town for lunch myself. I’m on vacation. I have no agenda. I can do what I want.
And I absolutely do not want to put Coop’s room to rights. Too bad for him, I’m staying right here.