“Jude?”
“Cooper. Jude Cooper,” he says, still not taking his eyes off me. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, a wave of calm washes over me. It’s so unexpected that all I can do is nod. I watch himfor longer than I should before I tear my gaze away and turn back to where Blair is tending to Dad.
A glance over toward the door shows Asher, Emmett, and Bennett are standing watch too.
Needing to be closer to him, I move around the bed and reach out to hold Dad’s hand while Blair listens to his chest and adjusts his IV drip.
When she’s finished checking his vitals and administering some more fluids, she tilts her head toward the door as if wanting to talk outside but I shake my head. Dad made it clear that he doesn’t want any of us to talk about him like he’s already gone or that he doesn’t have a say in his own life.
Out of everything my father has ever asked of me, there’s no way I won’t respect his wishes now. I’ll do whatever he asks, whatever it takes to keep him happy.
“Whatever you need to say, you can say in front of all of us. Yeah?” I say, looking from Derrick to the rest of my brothers and then back to Blair. “Dad’s already given you his permission, remember?”
“OK,” she says gently, taking Dad’s hand in hers and giving him her full, undivided attention. “As you know, we’ve talked about what will happen when the time came.” Dad nods and I bite my lip to distract myself from the huge lump in my throat.
A hand presses into my back, a warm, comforting, calming touch that I lean back against before I even know what’s happening. It feelsright. And somehow, I know it’s Jude standing behind me because the moment he moved close to me, it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
“How long?” Dare asks, his voice stronger than his wrecked expression.
“Days. Maybe a week, but not much longer than that I’m afraid.” Blair sounds just as sad as all of us as she strokes Dad’sarm. “I’ll do everythin’ I can to make you as comfortable as possible.”
Dad nods, his face more at peace than I’ve seen in weeks, maybe years.
He looks over my shoulder and I see a glimpse of the staunchly proud, determined father I’ve always known. “Your family owes me. There’s only one thing I want.”
“Dad—” Dare says but stops when Dad slowly lifts his palm in the air.
“Just… one… thing, Cooper. Then I can leave this earth in peace,” he rasps.
“What is it, sir?” Jude’s strong steady voice asks from my back, his palm firm against me as his body heat brands my skin as if there weren't two layers between us.What is happening?
“Take care of my girl.”
“I will,” he says back without any hesitation.
Dad slowly shakes his head on the pillow as a breathless cough wracks his frail body. “I need to know she’s goin’ to be taken care of. Wanna see it with my own eyes.”
My body stills as it hits me what Dad is asking. “Dad, no…”
“My boys, they can look after themselves. Em, I know you can too, but there’s this soft spot that you let nobody see that is so rare and precious…thatis what I need to protect,” he rasps. “And I know this man will do it.” He coughs again and Blair reaches out to support Dad’s neck as she holds a cup of water to his lips. Once he’s settled back down again, he continues.
“The Coopers might be many things, but Derrick tells me this generation of brothers are honorable.” He struggles to breathe for a moment but when Blair offers him the oxygen mask, he takes it in his hand but refuses to put it on. “My girl brought this family together and it’s her that will unite the mountain again.” He strains his neck to look around the room before fixing hiseyes on me first, then Jude. “I promise it’s the last thing this family will ever ask of yours.”
“Anything you want, Sir,” Jude replies without any sign of uncertainty. In fact, his answer is so automatic—sosure—that I wonder if this is truly happening.He’s a stranger. He doesn’t know me at all. Why would he agree to this crazy proposition?
“You know what I want, Jude,” Dad says.
The room is deathly quiet as I hold my breath, waiting for Jude’s answer. Surely he’ll change his mind. Dadcan’tbe serious…
What Jude says next is the very last thing I expect. “I have your blessin’ then?”
Dad studies him for a moment before he slowly jerks his head. “Knew it the minute you walked in the room, didn’t you? I saw it in your eyes when you saw her.”
“What are you talk?—”
Jude’s fingers flex against my back and whatever I was going to say gets stuck on my tongue. Glancing around the room, I don’t miss the way everyone’s eyes are glued to the two of us, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion. Not EJ and BJ of course, they’re leaning against the back wall with their arms crossed looking like they’reenjoyingthe show.
Dare frowns, Blair and Sutton are sharing a silent conversation with each other, and Asher is scowling at Jude.