The Best Mistake Read online

  “Sure you do. So do I, when they’re with you.”

  “You’re trying to charm me,” she said unsteadily. “That’s new.”

  “You know what I am. The way this house is set up, we’ve practically been living together for the past month or so. People get to know each other quicker that way than just by socializing. So you know what I am, and you fell for me anyway.”

  She took a drink. “You’re awfully smug about it. I told you my feelings are my responsibility, and that holds true. A romantic dinner doesn’t change it.”

  It looked like strike two, but Coop knew that if he was going to go down, he’d go down swinging. “So I want to give you a nice evening. Is something wrong with that? I want to do better than propose over scrambled eggs when I’ve got a hangover.” His voice had risen, and he bit down on it. “Damn it, this is my first time, have a little tolerance. No, don’t say anything, let me finish this. You don’t need me.” He took another long breath. “Not for taking care of things, for you or the kid, I mean, for mowing the grass or putting stupid barbecue grills together. What about what I need, Zoe?”

  She blinked at him. “Well, that’s just it. Don’t you see? You made it clear that you don’t need or want ties. I come with ties, Coop.”

  “I made it clear,” he muttered. “I didn’t make anything clear, because I didn’t know. Didn’t want to know. I was scared. There. You feel better knowing that?” He glared at her. “I was scared, because I need you. Because I need to see your face and hear your voice and smell your hair. I just need you to be there. And I need to help you mow the grass and put the grill together. I need you to need me back.”

  “Oh.” She shut her eyes. “I like hearing that.”

  “Then tell me you will.” He took her arms until she opened her eyes again. “It’s my last swing, Zoe. Marry me.”

  “I—” Yes. She wanted to say yes. “It’s not just me, Coop.”

  “You think I don’t want the kid? God, open your eyes. I’m crazy about him. I fell for him before I fell for you. I want to marry both of you, then maybe have another kid or two so I can start out on the ground floor. We already worked that out.”

  “You— Who did what?”

  He swore, stepped back and shrugged. “I kind of ran it by the kid. I figured I should smooth the way a little, and find out where he stood.” When she just stared, he jammed his hands in his pockets. “It didn’t seem fair not to bring him into it, since he’d be mine.”

  “Yours,” she murmured, staring blindly into her wine.

  “Since you two are a team, it would be sort of like an expansion. Anyway, he’s for it. So it’s two against one.”

  “I see.”

  “Maybe I don’t know a lot about the daddy stuff, but I love him. That’s a good start.”

  She looked at him again, looked into his eyes. Her heart opened, flooded. “It’s a good one, all right.”

  “I love you.” His hands relaxed in his pockets. “That’s the first time I’ve said that to any woman—except my mother. I love you, Zoe. So why don’t you marry me and give me and the kid a break?”

  “It looks like I’m outvoted.” She lifted a hand to his cheek.

  “Is that a yes?”

  “That’s definitely a yes.” She laughed as he swung her into his arms. “Daddy.”

  “I like the sound of that.” He crushed his lips down on hers. “I like it a lot.”

  Also by Nora Roberts

  Hot Ice • Sacred Sins • Brazen Virtue • Sweet Revenge • Public Secrets • Genuine Lies • Carnal Innocence • Divine Evil • Honest Illusions • Private Scandals • Hidden Riches • True Betrayals • Montana Sky • Sanctuary • Homeport • The Reef • River’s End • Carolina Moon • The Villa • Midnight Bayou • Three Fates • Birthright • Northern Lights • Blue Smoke • Angels Fall • High Noon • Tribute • Black Hills • The Search • Chasing Fire • The Witness • Whiskey Beach • The Collector • Tonight and Always • The Liar • The Obsession • Come Sundown • Shelter in Place • Under Currents • Hideaway

  Series

  Irish Born Trilogy

  Born in Fire • Born in Ice • Born in Shame

  Dream Trilogy

  Daring to Dream • Holding the Dream • Finding the Dream

  Chesapeake Bay Saga

  Sea Swept • Rising Tides • Inner Harbor • Chesapeake Blue

  Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy

  Jewels of the Sun • Tears of the Moon • Heart of the Sea

  Three Sisters Island Trilogy

  Dance Upon the Air • Heaven and Earth • Face the Fire

  Key Trilogy

  Key of Light • Key of Knowledge • Key of Valor

  In the Garden Trilogy

  Blue Dahlia • Black Rose • Red Lily

  Circle Trilogy

  Morrigan’s Cross • Dance of the Gods • Valley of Silence

  Sign of Seven Trilogy

  Blood Brothers • The Hollow • The Pagan Stone

  Bride Quartet

  Vision in White • Bed of Roses • Savor the Moment • Happy Ever After

  The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy

  The Next Always • The Last Boyfriend • The Perfect Hope

  The Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy

  Dark Witch • Shadow Spell • Blood Magick

  The Guardians Trilogy

  Stars of Fortune • Bay of Sighs • Island of Glass

  Chronicles of The One

  Year One • Of Blood and Bone • The Rise of Magicks

  The Dragon Heart Legacy

  The Awakening

  eBooks by Nora Roberts

  Cordina’s Royal Family

  Affaire Royale • Command Performance • The Playboy Prince • Cordina’s Crown Jewel

  The Donovan Legacy

  Captivated • Entranced • Charmed • Enchanted

  The O’Hurleys

  The Last Honest Woman • Dance to the Piper • Skin Deep • Without a Trace

  Night Tales

  Night Shift • Night Shadow • Nightshade • Night Smoke • Night Shield

  The MacGregors

  The Winning Hand • The Perfect Neighbor • All the Possibilities • One Man’s Art • Tempting Fate • Playing the Odds • The MacGregor Brides • The MacGregor Grooms • Rebellion/In from the Cold • For Now, Forever

  The Calhouns

  Suzanna’s Surrender • Megan’s Mate • Courting Catherine • A Man for Amanda • For the Love of Lilah

  Irish Legacy

  Irish Rose • Irish Rebel • Irish Thoroughbred

  Jack’s Stories

  Best Laid Plans • Loving Jack • Lawless

  Summer Love • Boundary Lines • Dual Image • First Impressions • The Law Is a Lady • Local Hero • This Magic Moment • The Name of the Game • Partners • Temptation • The Welcoming • Opposites Attract • Time Was • Times Change • Gabriel’s Angel • Holiday Wishes • The Heart’s Victory • The Right Path • Rules of the Game • Search for Love • Blithe Images • From This Day • Song of the West Island of Flowers • Her Mother’s Keeper • Untamed • Sullivan’s Woman • Less of a Stranger • Reflections • Dance of Dreams • Storm Warning • Once More with Feeling • Endings and Beginnings • A Matter of Choice

  Nora Roberts & J. D. Robb

  Remember When

  J. D. Robb

  Naked in Death • Glory in Death • Immortal in Death • Rapture in Death Ceremony in Death • Vengeance in Death • Holiday in Death • Conspiracy in Death • Loyalty in Death • Witness in Death • Judgment in Death • Betrayal in Death • Seduction in Death • Reunion in Death • Purity in Death • Portrait in Death • Imitation in Death • Divided in Death • Visions in Death • Survivor in Death • Origin in Death • Memory in Death • Born in Death • Innocent in Death • Creation in Death • Strangers in Death • Salvation in Death • Promises in Death • Kindred in Death • Fantasy in Death • Indulgence in Death • Treachery in Death • New Yo
rk to Dallas • Celebrity in Death • Delusion in Death • Calculated in Death • Thankless in Death • Concealed in Death • Festive in Death • Obsession in Death • Devoted in Death • Brotherhood in Death • Apprentice in Death • Echoes in Death • Secrets in Death • Dark in Death • Leverage in Death • Connections in Death • Vendetta in Death • Golden in Death • Shadows in Death

  Anthologies

  From the Heart • A Little Magic • A Little Fate

  Moon Shadows

  (with Jill Gregory, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Marianne Willman)

  The Once Upon Series

  (with Jill Gregory, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Marianne Willman)

  Once Upon a Castle • Once Upon a Star • Once Upon a Dream • Once Upon a Rose • Once Upon a Kiss • Once Upon a Midnight

  Silent Night

  (with Susan Plunkett, Dee Holmes, and Claire Cross)

  Out of This World

  (with Laurell K. Hamilton, Susan Krinard, and Maggie Shayne)

  Bump in the Night

  (with Mary Blayney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas)

  Dead of Night

  (with Mary Blayney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas)

  Three in Death

  Suite 606

  (with Mary Blayney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas)

  In Death

  The Lost

  (with Patricia Gaffney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Blayney)

  The Other Side

  (with Mary Blayney, Patricia Gaffney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas)

  Time of Death

  The Unquiet

  (with Mary Blayney, Patricia Gaffney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas)

  Mirror, Mirror

  (with Mary Blayney, Elaine Fox, Mary Kay McComas, and R. C. Ryan)

  Down the Rabbit Hole

  (with Mary Blayney, Elaine Fox, Mary Kay McComas, and R. C. Ryan)

  Also Available …

  The Official Nora Roberts Companion

  (edited by Denise Little and Laura Hayden)

  About the Author

  NORA ROBERTS is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including The Awakening, Hideaway, Under Currents, Shelter in Place, Of Blood and Bone, Year One, and many more. She is also the author of the bestselling In Death series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than five hundred million copies of her books in print. You can sign up for email updates here.

  Thank you for buying this

  St. Martin’s Press ebook.

  To receive special offers, bonus content,

  and info on new releases and other great reads,

  sign up for our newsletters.

  Or visit us online at

  us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup

  For email updates on the author, click here.

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Also by Nora Roberts

  About the Author

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Published in the United States by St. Martin’s Paperbacks, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.

  THE BEST MISTAKE

  Copyright © 2005 by Nora Roberts.

  All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Publishing, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.

  www.stmartins.com

  Cover design: Michael Storrings

  Cover photographs: couple © Skynesher/Getty Images; sky © Miriam Gimbel

  Author photo © Bruce Wilder

  eISBN 9781250775269 (ebook)

  Our e-Books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, ext. 5442, or by e-mail at [email protected].

  First eBook Edition: 2020

  eISBN 9781250775269