The Perfect Stroke (Lucas Brothers #1)(77)

I swallow down the anger and frustration when I see the pain on her face. Right now, CC reminds me of a little girl, lost and…unloved. Except she is; she’s loved more than she could ever imagine.

“Okay. You’re right. You’re completely right. It’s just… damn it, CC. You should have told me what was going on.”

“Why?”

“Why?” I repeat in disbelief.

“Yeah, why? It’s my garage, my horrible past that was circling. Whatever happened, it didn’t affect you. It was my problem and my business. That’s it.”

“That’s it? What affects you affects me! You’re my woman. You’re part of my life. I thought we were building something here? I thought we were in a relationship. Instead, I find out that you’re going through all this shit and that my mother is the one who paid Riverton off and got rid of it.”

“I know you’re upset about the money. I mean, two hundred and fifty thousand is a lot of money. But you have to know I will find a way to pay her back. It may take me some time, but I will. I had no idea that she was going to—”

“Will you stop?! Do you honestly think I give a f*ck about the money? I’ll give mom the money back tomorrow—if she’ll take it.”

“Gray! It’s two hundred and fifty thousand dollars!”

“So?”

“It’s a lot of money!”

“CC, how much money do you think I’ll make if I win tomorrow?”

“You don’t even know for sure if you’ll be able to compete.”

“I will. But it doesn’t matter. I can pay the loan back without even winning. Still, if I win, I’ll make over a million dollars.”

“Over a million?”

“Yes.”

“I… think I need to sit down,” she says, falling back on the coffee table.

“Are you okay?”

“You get a million dollars for hitting little balls all day?”

“It’s a little more complicated than that, Cooper.”

“If you guys make that kind of money, why do you wear such weird clothes?”

“Will you stop fixating on golf clothes? Jesus! We have things to discuss here.”

“We don’t. Not really. Your money is not mine. I’m going to pay your mom back.”

“Jesus Christ, Cooper. Will you quit talking about the money? It’s not important!”

“Spoken like a man who makes a million dollars for getting ducks all day.”

“Ducks?”

“You know, when you don’t make a hole-in-one, but you manage to get the ball in before the hole number, or something…”

“Are you talking about a birdie?”

“Whatever. They both have wings and beaks.”

“You are completely insane, Cooper.”

“I’m starting to feel that way…”

“You should have told me you were in trouble.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you! Jesus, it shouldn’t be this hard, Cooper.”

“You love me?”

“Of course I do! What did you think we were doing here?”

“I… I wasn’t sure.”

“CC, I love you. I want you in my life. Not just for a week here and there, or a month. I don’t want quick sex with you. I want to grow old with you. I want kids with you. Fuck, I want to spend every f*cking day of my life with you by my side. I’m not doing this until I grow tired of f*cking you, CC. I’m here because I know in my heart that I will never get tired of you. I will never be happy unless you are with me.”

“Gray…”

“Please tell me I’m not alone in this, CC.”

“Gray,” she says, walking towards me with tears in her eyes. She pulls me near, going up on the tips of her toes so that our faces are close. “Gray,” she whispers again, her voice thick with emotion.

“What, CC? What?”

“I…”

“CC?”

“I love you. I just really love you,” she whispers, then brings her lips to mine.





“You love me?” I ask her when we break away from each other. My heart feels tight. I wasn’t sure how this talk would go. In the back part of my mind, I really thought she was going to break up with me. The fact that she told me she loves me seems completely unreal.

“I do. I love you with all of my heart.”

“If I knew this would be your reaction, Cooper, I would have cornered you a long time ago.”

“I’m not sure I would have been ready until right now.”

“You’re ready now? For everything? To go all the way?”

“Are we talking about sex here? ‘Cause we kind of already…”

“Not sex, you nympho, though we will be doing that. I’m talking marriage, kids, happily ever-afters.”

“I haven’t had many role models for parents, Gray. I might not make a good mother.”

“You have Ida Sue and Banger.”

“If Banger heard you refer to him as a good mother, he’d come back and gut you.”

“Quit busting my balls, CC. You get what I’m saying. Tell me you’re willing to go on this crazy ride with me.”