Going Down Easy (Boys of the Big Easy #1)(20)

Cooper nodded. But his mental wheels were clearly still turning.

“I think it would be really fun,” Caroline said. “There are a few companies. We’d have to pick one.”

Suddenly, Logan jumped with an oomph. Then he nodded and said, “I think it sounds really cool, and I know a guy who does those kinds of tours.”

Apparently, Caroline had kicked Logan under the table on the other side. Gabe smirked, then lifted his glass of tea to hide his smile. He was going to have some bruised shins tomorrow.

“You do?” Cooper asked Logan.

“I do. His name is Sawyer. He’s a great guy.”

Cooper’s brow furrowed, and he frowned at his plate. Then he looked at Gabe. “You think I should go?”

Gabe didn’t know where Cooper’s cautious side came from. It wasn’t from him or Logan, that was for sure. They’d climbed trees, played ball, gotten dirty, had grass stains—hell, bloodstains—on their clothes regularly, and had even broken a couple of bones each. And Cooper’s mom had been wild and fun and carefree. Gabe had first been attracted to her because she’d pulled up outside the bar on a Harley.

But Cooper didn’t want to dig in the dirt or go swimming or climb up on, well, anything at all. He would jump and spin around with lightsabers or swords, depending on if he was into Star Wars or pirates at the time, but for months he’d resisted even getting on the tricycle Gabe had gotten him when he was three. Now he would ride his bike with Gabe in the evenings, but only when Gabe insisted, and even then he sometimes had to give a health-and-wellness lecture before Cooper would grudgingly head outside.

“Buddy,” Gabe said sincerely, “you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. I think it would be cool, and I’d be happy to take you, but I don’t want you to be scared.”

Cooper twirled his fork in his potatoes, clearly pondering. Finally, he nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

Gabe shot his mother a glance. She was frowning as she chewed. “Yeah, you think about it,” Gabe told Cooper. “Let me know, okay? We can look up some information online later. I’ll bet the companies have photos of what the tours are like. Then you can get an idea.”

Cooper nodded, his frown easing a little. “Okay.”

A few minutes later, Cooper had eaten all his beans and chicken and asked to be excused. Gabe knew he’d head straight for the computer and start looking at swamp-boat tour companies. Gabe gave permission and then scooted his chair back and started gathering dishes from the table.

“Gabe,” Caroline said, halting him as Cooper disappeared into the living room.

He paused with a plate in each hand. “Yeah?”

“I really think the swamp-boat tour would be good for him.”

Gabe frowned. “Okay. We’re going to look into it.”

“But he’s going to see photos of people outside on boats, with life preservers on, touching alligators, and he’s going to change his mind,” Caroline said.

“You looked up companies already?” Gabe asked.

“I did. I wanted to know more about it before I suggested it.”

Gabe appreciated that. “And the photos include the life preservers, huh?”

“They do.”

That would freak Cooper out for sure. He wasn’t someone who looked at stuff like that and thought, Oh, good, they’re all about safety. He’d probably see that as, Well, it looks like there’s a pretty good chance we’re going to end up on the bottom of the bayou.

“And they touch the alligators?” Gabe asked.

Caroline nodded. “Baby ones. The photos show someone holding it and then kids petting it.”

“Great,” Gabe muttered. He was sure that most kids would find that exhilarating. Cooper would stare at it and try to figure out how much of his hand the baby alligator could take off in one chomp. “So I guess that’s out.”

“No,” Caroline said firmly. “That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that you should definitely take him. He needs to get out there and quit worrying about stuff so much.”

“You don’t think I wish he’d do that?” Gabe asked. “Don’t you know how much I wish he’d get out there and get his hands dirty and try new things?”

“Then you need to encourage it,” Caroline said.

Gabe sighed. “I can’t make him do things that scare him.”

“Yes, you can. You acknowledge that there are sometimes risks, but that you’ll keep him safe and that the people who run the swamp tours know what they’re doing. He’s never going to get over this worry and being so damned careful about everything if you, the man he looks up to the most in the world, don’t start pushing him.”

Gabe’s frown deepened. “My job is to keep him safe and make him feel secure and taken care of.”

“Your job is to teach him,” Caroline argued. “And yes, teaching him that he can depend on you and that you’ll take care of him is important, but so is teaching him that taking risks can be worth it and what to do when things do go wrong. Because they will, and if he’s never done anything, he won’t know how to handle it.”

“He’s five!” Logan suddenly exclaimed. “Why would you make him do something that you know is going to freak him out? There are plenty of things that freak him out that we’re not expecting.”