Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

E ric barged into Cooper's office, shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbows, no tie, and a killer crease in his navy trousers, his usual work garb. His father never conformed, though he expected nothing less than perfection in his employees. "What's all the ruckus about?"

Cooper sank into his chair and gestured for his dad to take the seat Ariel had just vacated. "Ariel Wallace was here."

Cooper held up his hand to forestall his dad's usual interrogation. "The deal will be done by the close of business today."

"Good."

Cooper struggled to hide his surprise at his father's one syllable answer without a hint of emotion. He'd expected cartwheels from the man who had been after the last piece of prime land in Fitzroy since forever.

However, what shocked him more was his father' morose expression. It resembled how Eric had looked after his wife's funeral, the same devastating lost look that came with realising you would never see that person again, would never talk to that person again, share a hug or a laugh with them again.

"What's up? You don't sound so thrilled."

Cooper expected Eric to give him the brush-off, the usual ‘back to business' gruff response he normally got.

Instead, his dad ran a hand through his thick thatch of peppery grey hair, his gaze darting around the room as if he wanted to look anywhere but at him. "Guess I can't change your mind about leaving?"

"No, Dad. You can't," Cooper said, deliberately keeping his voice devoid of emotion.

Close on the heels of his draining confrontation with Ariel—and the stunning realisation he loved her—he didn't need this. He'd waited long enough, hoping his dad would broach the yawning gap between them. He'd given his all to Vance Corporation , playing the dutiful son, trying to prove his worth rather than live off the family name, but it looked like his best efforts weren't good enough.

Nothing he could do or say would ever be good enough for his father and he'd stuck around too long already. Time to cut his losses and hope that his dad would realise what he'd lost when Cooper wasn't around every day.

"That's the first time you've called me Dad in a long time," Eric said, the uncertainty in his eyes surprising Cooper.

His dad was never uncertain about anything. Ruthless, domineering and pushy, yes. Uncertain and plagued by doubt? No way.

The crafty old devil. This had to be the old man's last ditch effort to make him stay at the company.

"I haven't called you Dad because you haven't encouraged familial bonds since I joined the company," Cooper said, opting for blunt honesty to get this over and done with. No use rehashing the last year and how Eric had squandered his right to be called dad.

Once again, Eric surprised him. Rather than blustering his way out of an unwelcome topic and changing the subject, his dad seemed to crumple before his eyes: slumped shoulders, head slouched forward, mouth slack with pain.

"Forget I said anything—"

"No." His dad's head snapped up and some of the familiar fire blazed in his dark eyes. "You're right. I don't blame you for not calling me dad. I've been a prick, pushing you away. Not giving you the acknowledgement you deserve. Staying away from you." He shook his head. "I've made a mess of everything."

Cooper didn't respond, considering he agreed with everything his dad had just said. Besides, Eric had a look he hadn't seen in twelve months, a look that he genuinely cared about Cooper enough to want to talk to him about something other than business.

"I thought I'd never recover from losing your mother but having you got me through her death." He dragged a hand through his hair and it shook. "You were my world. Then you started working here…" Eric drifted off, pain glazing his eyes and accentuating the multitude of lines fanning out from their corners.

"But that's what you wanted," Cooper said, confusion lending a sharp edge to his words.

"I know." Eric raised pain-stricken eyes to his, his mouth twisted into a grimace. "Seeing you every day has been the only reason I've been able to function, to get up in the mornings and make it into the office."

"Then why?"

Cooper didn't have to add ‘why ignore me? Why treat me like dirt? Why act like I didn't exist, like I wasn't your son anymore?'

"Because I'm a gutless old fool who saw his life flash before his eyes the minute you sealed your first deal." Eric dragged in a deep breath and blew it out again, embarrassment flushing his cheeks. "I'm jealous, Son. I've been so jealous I couldn't see straight. Throw in the fear I'll soon be redundant, and the fact you keep negotiating deals I can't seem to seal these days, and there you have it. The most pathetic old fool you'll ever see."

"You're jealous ?" Stunned, Cooper pondered the revelation, knowing there had to be more to it. "That's it?"

His dad sagged before his eyes. "Age does stupid things to a man. I was bursting with pride when you first signed that contract to work at the company, then within two months, I wanted to boot your cocky ass out the door."

"Then why hold me to the contract? Why not let me go months ago when I wanted to?"

Eric looked away. "Because you're an asset to the company. You've brought more business in over the last year than I have in the last five years. I pushed you harder, knowing you wouldn't disappoint."

"You took advantage of the fact your son wouldn't tell you to shove it," Cooper said, glad he'd discovered the reason behind his dad's animosity but feeling like he was still missing a major piece of the puzzle.

"There's something else."

Cooper leaned forward, not sure if he'd heard Eric's whispered words.

"What?"

"A guilty conscience." Eric shook his head, sorrow ageing him. " Masterson's approached me just after you started here. They were headhunting you, heard about the whiz kid from uni, knew you were my son. They were fishing around, wanting to know if you'd signed a binding contract, that sort of thing." Eric grimaced. "All over a friendly beer, of course. They were going to approach you directly after paying me the courtesy visit, so I lied to put them off."

A light bulb went off in Cooper's head. "So that's why you made me sign a contract like everyone else the month after I started?"

Eric nodded, his mouth downturned. "I told them you were legally bound to Vance Corporation and that was that."

"Before I signed the contract?"

"Uh-huh."

"Was their offer any good?"

"Unbelievable." Eric hesitated, wringing his hands before continuing. "I'm sorry, Son. I was selfish, wanting you to carry on the family tradition. Then when I had you where I wanted you, I couldn't handle your success." He tapped his temple. "Stupid, irrational, call it what you like. I'm an idiot."

Cooper digested his father's revelations, knowing he should feel more angry, more deceived. Instead, a strange feeling of relief seeped through him. He finally knew the truth and his father's indifference and belligerence over the last year had been born of insecurity, not a lack of love, as Cooper had thought.

His dad might be a lying old coot and going a bit senile but now he knew everything, he had more important things to worry about: like convincing Ariel that he wasn't the bastard she thought.

"I know I've treated you like crap but I want you to know I'm damn proud of you, Coop."

Finally, his dad looked at him with pride, with recognition, with love, and Cooper smiled.

"For a smart guy, Dad, you've made some pretty dumb judgement calls, but I'm willing to forgive and forget if you'll do one thing."

"What's that?" His dad glared at him with some of his characteristic suspicion and Cooper's grin widened.

"Go fishing with me this weekend. Have a beer or two, just like old times."

"I'd like nothing better, Son."

Eric's grin matched his and Cooper wished they'd had this conversation months ago.

"Does this mean you're staying?" Eric asked.

"Don't push your luck, old man."

Though his dad had posed a valid question.

Today was the first time he'd really looked at his dad in a long time and Cooper didn't like the changes he'd missed over the last year because he'd done everything to avoid being in the same room as his father. His dad looked older, more fragile than he had in ages, and maybe now wasn't a great time to spread his wings and leave the Vance nest, particularly as it looked like re-establishing familial bonds would be high on both their priority lists for a while.

Eric held up both hands as if warding him off. "Fine, fine, no harm in trying. By the way, is there something going on between you and the Wallace woman?"

Cooper hesitated a second before answering. "No, why do you ask?"

Not a complete lie, considering Ariel would probably never speak to him again after today.

His dad shrugged. "Just a hunch, by the doomsday expression on your face when I first came in here, and by the tears streaming down her face as she raced out of your office after slamming the door."

"A difference of opinion," Cooper said, his heart stuttering at the thought of Ariel crying over what he'd done.

"Looked more like a lover's tiff than a difference of opinion over a business deal to me." His dad paused, giving him ample opportunity to deny it, but Cooper merely clamped his lips together. "Then again, what do I know? I'm a stupid old fool and now we both know it."

His dad rose to his feet, pushed his shirt sleeves higher, and stuck out his hand. "You know I'm proud of you, Son?"

"Thanks, Dad." He shook hands with his father, filled with hope for their future.

After Eric left the office, Cooper sank into his chair, the relief of reuniting with his father fading as he realised he had to come up with a way to rectify the monumental mistake he'd made with Ariel sooner rather than later.