Cooper had been hesitant to start dating again. When you're trying to raise a kid alone dating becomes a minefield. Janey was his pride and joy, and Cooper would not compromise her happiness for his own. He'd only gone on one or two dates since the divorce and none of them had led to anything substantial.

There were a lot of factors to consider. Did she want kids? Was she okay raising a kid that isn't hers? Is she okay with horses and dogs? Did Janey feel comfortable with her?

Yes, Janey was the dealbreaker for any possible girlfriends Cooper pursued. If she wasn't okay with whoever he introduced her to, Cooper broke it off. It was the sensible thing to do, after all.

He had high hopes for you, though. He'd done a cowboy act for your cousin's birthday a month or so ago. You two had hit it off and he took you to dinner one night while Janey slept over at Barb's for visitation. Things went smoother than they had in a long damn time.

And now the ultimate test. Meeting Janey.

Cooper was sitting on the living room floor, a pick working through Janey's coily hair. He did his best on styling but usually ended up just tying it back. If there was one thing Barb had always excelled at, it was Janey's hair. It didn't help that Roosevelt, their border collie, kept trying to lick Janey all over.

"Is she nice?" Janey asked through a fit of giggles, Roosevelt sticking his nose in her face again.

"Sure is, sunshine. But remember our rule?"

Janey nodded, disrupting his hair styling once more. "If I don't like her, tell you."

"Atta girl." The doorbell rang, making Roosevelt bark. This was it, you were here.