Page 16 of Peer & Coco

Chapter 6

"Damnit," muttered Coco.

Tyr turned at the sound of Coco's voice. Peer, curious about her outrage, lifted his gaze to watch for her.

She entered the living room, rubbing her elbow. From his sitting position on the floor, he leaned his back against the couch.

He palmed the rubber ball he'd been rolling to Tyr. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." She shook her arm. "I hit my funny bone coming out of the bathroom."

Tyr crawled over to the chair and pulled himself to his feet. He put the ball down, his son's attention pulled away from the game.

"Are you going to walk to me?" Coco leaned over and held out her hands. "Come here and tell me what you had for breakfast."

His son bent his knees to drop to the floor and surprised him by stepping forward. He focused on the strength of Tyr's bare feet being able to balance as he walked, flinging himself into Coco's arms, knowing she'd catch him.

His son was smart and a good judge of character. There wasn't a better woman in his life who would love him unconditionally than Coco.

"Look at you go." She hugged Tyr, rubbing his back. "Good, boy."

She looked at Peer beaming a bright smile at him. He lifted his chin, sharing the success for Tyr's latest stepping stone. It'd taken both of them working every day to get his kid mobile.

Once the pediatrician urged him to work with Tyr on his balance and stability at his twelve-month checkup, he hadn't even had to ask Coco to help him.

"Did you eat?" Coco walked into the kitchen, carrying Tyr.

He stayed in the living room, having a view of her looking on the counter for evidence of his breakfast—which came around noon that day.

"I finished up the cantaloupe and made a piece of toast." He pushed off the floor and sat on the couch. "I put it in that blender you bought and smeared it on the toast, so Tyr had the same thing."

She wrinkled her nose. "Sounds disgusting."

"He liked it."

She put him down on the floor, close enough he could hold on to her leg while she poured herself a cup of coffee.

Tyr walked away, holding out his hands to touch everything he passed. Once he was sure his son could entertain himself, he went into the kitchen and sat on the counter, facing the living room.

Coco glanced at him. "What's up?"

"About last night..." He lowered his voice, even though Tyr would have no idea what he was talking about. "I want to make sure you know if you ever have Tyr, and Kelli approaches you, I want you to call me."

"Sure." She sipped from the mug. "I would regardless of her calling you the other day or not. That goes for anyone who isn't a constant in his life, not just Kelli."

She walked in front of him to leave the room, and he tagged her arm, keeping her in front of him. "Whatever you do, don't let her touch or hold Tyr."

Coco frowned. "I don't really want to get in the middle of what you two have going on."

"There's nothing going on."

"She's Tyr's mom and—"

"Hell, Coco," he muttered. "You're more of a mother to Tyr than Kelli. I don't want her around him."

She sucked in her lips and nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?"