The Long Way Home (Corps Security #6)(75)

“Hey, let’s just get this part over with. Asher will always be your dad, Zac. I’m not trying to replace the role he’s had in your life. If you want to think of me as a father, damn that would be fine with me, but Ash is your dad.”

He studies me, stirring his spoon in his coffee while he does. “No one said I can’t have two.”

Well, fuck me.

“That what you want?”

He places his spoon on the napkin it had been resting on and holds my gaze, showing me just how much he wants that without words.

“I wasn’t joking when I said I spent years wishing for you every chance I got. Dad and I talked about what happened and why you did what you did. I understand it, even if it sucks that it had to happen. I’m thankful …. Now. Now I have both of my dads. Just not sure what to call you, to be honest.”

My body moves with silent laughter. “You can just call me Coop, bud. No need complicating things. Something else feels right, then go with that. There’s not a single rule to this and, way I see, we can figure it out together.”

“Sounds good.”

“You always like this?”

“Like what?”

“Reasonable.”

He laughs, the rich sound so much like my own. “I can be as unreasonable as it comes, but I’m not stupid. You saved lives that day and sacrificed your own so that everyone that matters to both of us were safe. Mom told me you didn’t know she was pregnant. Doesn’t seem right to continue punishing a man who’s doing a real bang up job of punishing himself. Don’t you think?”

I nod, a small smile curling up one side of my lips.

A pretty young lady comes up to the table before either of us have a chance to speak again.

“Hey there.” She smiles at me and looks over at Zac. Her smile falls off her face slowly. “Zac.”

Looking over at him, I see some of the cocky confidence sparking fire as he looks up at the server with nothing short of a predatory grin.

“Bess. Looking nice today.”

“I look nice every day and you damn well know it.” She looks back to me and replaces the annoyed look she had given Zac with a friendly smile again. “Can I get you something to eat?”

“Not going to offer to take my order?” Zac continues.

I lean back and feel something shift in my chest. It’s like looking back in time and seeing a younger version of myself. The only thing my mind ran on was pussy and food at that point. I ate both because I enjoyed the fuck out of it—searching for anything that would make me feel full. God, I had been such a fool. It’s something he’ll learn one day—judging by the scowl Bess keeps gracing him with, making his cocky grin so much like my own grow. Bess doesn’t know it now, but if she’s what he wants I have a feeling nothing will stand in his way.

“Surprise me,” I tell her, bringing her attention back to me.

“Surprise you? Can’t say I’ve gotten that before.”

“Yeah, surprise me. Good with coffee, but bring me a water too please?”

“Do you eat meat?”

“Look at him, Bess. You think he doesn’t?”

“You look just like him and I haven’t had you order a thing with meat in it for two years.”

Oh, my boy … you are in trouble.

“I eat meat. Nothing I can’t have. Really anything is fine. I’m not picky and I like food.”

“Okay, sounds good. What about you?” She frowns down at Zac.

“How about you get me a steak, Bess?”

“Smart-ass,” she mumbles, scribbling on her notepad. When she finishes, she looks back up and focuses on me. “Anything else?”

“Yeah, actually. Can you put in a to go order when we’re finishing up? Hamburger with onion, lettuce and tomato. Ketchup and mustard on the side, please. Fries and veg for the sides. To-go Coke as well. Oh, and some apple pie.”

She finishes writing it all down and looks back at me with a twinkle in her blue eyes. “So you do care what you eat?”

I smile, big. “I care what my woman likes to eat.”

Her own smile grows. She’s pretty. Young and innocent-looking with something wild behind her eyes. The kind of woman I would have avoided when I was his age. She might as well have a billboard over her that announces she’s the type you don’t screw around on.

“Right on, mister. Lucky lady.”

One more smile for me and a scowl for Zac, she walks back behind the counter.

“Wanna talk about that?”

“Nope.”

I grunt out a laugh. “You change your mind, just let me know.”

“Wanna talk about why you keep looking at your lady like she might disappear?”

My brow furrows, but I stay silent.

“It was quick, but I saw it.”

I take a deep breath. “Heavy conversation for the first time I take my boy out to eat.”

“Nothing about this whole situation isn’t heavy.”

Bess comes back, bringing my water. She places one on the table in front of Zac a little harder than she did mine, splashing water over the edge and down on to the table. Zac just smiles sweetly at her, grabbing a napkin to clean the spill. When she leaves, he looks back at me, and one dark-blond brow goes up silently, encouraging me to talk.