helps to have a plan.” He withdrew the cell phone he’d charged overnight using a portable charger and texted Dan.
Call me when you have a minute to talk strategy.
Dan called a few minutes later, and Seamus pitched the idea to him. “What do you think?”
“That could work. Let me contact the attorney first thing tomorrow morning and see what he wants. I won’t offer anything until we know what he’s after. I’d also want to know why Lisa cut him out of their lives before we open the door to possible visitation.”
“That’s a good point.” And one he should’ve thought of.
“I’ll call you the second I’m off the phone with him.”
“Thanks, Dan. Appreciate the help with this.”
“No problem at all, my friend. Keep breathing. It’s going to be okay.”
“Thanks for the reminder. Talk to you tomorrow.”
“He likes the idea,” Seamus told Carolina. “He’ll keep it in mind if need be.”
“That’s good. Now let’s try to relax and enjoy your day off.”
Seamus felt better after formulating a plan with Carolina and discussing it with Dan. However, he wouldn’t rest—or relax—until he knew for sure the potential threat to his family had been neutralized.
Chapter 29
Awaking to sunlight streaming in through the blinds he’d left open, Cooper James stretched and jumped out of bed, pulling on a pair of shorts before using the bathroom that adjoined his room. His brother’s island house was sweet and much homier than the ultrahip contemporary penthouse Jared had made available to Coop while he was at NYU.
He’d had some rad parties at that place, not that Jared knew anything about that. Like he’d care. Ever since he’d married Lizzie, his brother had spent almost no time in the city, preferring this cozy house on the island he’d retreated to when he decided to leave the Wall Street rat race.
Jared was happy here. Anyone could see that. That was due in large part to his adorable wife, who was one of the nicest, most genuine people Coop had ever met. Take what she did yesterday, bringing a young mother and her newborn home with her while she herself was mourning yet another failed round of IVF.
That took a special kind of person, capable of putting aside her own pain to step up for someone else. And Lizzie was a very special person.
Coop wandered into the kitchen and was surprised to realize he was the first one up. That never happened when he was around his family. Thanks to a whole-home generator, Coop was able to make some coffee that he took outside to the pool deck. He stopped short at the sight of a goddess swimming in Jared’s pool.
Who in the hell was that?
She wore a white bikini and cut through the water with a smooth, efficient crawl stroke and flip turns that indicated swim-team training.
He was mesmerized watching her as he sipped from his coffee mug. The girl could’ve been an Olympian with the way she ate up the water.
By the time she finally came to a stop at the end of the pool where he was standing, he was seriously intrigued. When she removed her goggles and looked up at him, his heart nearly stopped. What in the ever-loving fuck was Gigi Gibson doing in his brother’s pool?
“Hey, cutie,” she said. “What’s your name?”
“Uh, Cooper?”
“You’re not sure?” She pulled herself up and out of the pool with practiced grace.
He tried and failed not to gawk at her smoking-hot body, finally diverting his gaze so he wouldn’t embarrass himself. His very own wet dream was standing before him—and dripping wet. Stuff like this didn’t happen to mere mortals like him.
“Hello? Earth to Cooper, if that’s your name.”
“It is. Cooper James. I’m Jared’s brother.”
“Now that you mention it, I see the resemblance.”
“Wh-what’re you doing here?” He never, ever, ever felt nervous around women, but this wasn’t just any woman. This was the woman, his hall pass, the one he canceled plans for so he could watch her show.
She pointed to the garage apartment. “I live here.”
“You live here? On Gansett Island?”
“For a few more weeks.”
“Why?”
“Jordan and I are shooting the new season of our show here. You see, it’s like this. My girl came to Gansett after her disastrous marriage ended, fell in love with the tall-as-a-motherfucker fire chief, and next thing I knew, she wanted to film the show here rather than in LA, and so here I am.”
How had he not heard about this? Perhaps because he’d been working night and day on his business since