Chapter 15
15
Cooper
I take the fastest shower known to mankind before drying off and getting dressed. My chain is cold against my neck, and I swipe on deodorant before stuffing my bare feet into socks and then my sneakers as I hurry from the bedroom. I’m almost out the front door when I realize I forgot my wallet, so I run back for it and then I’m finally out the door.
My dad and brothers are waiting on me at Dad’s house, and normally I’m the first to arrive, but with Jensen here I completely lost track of time, and now I’m way behind. Hitting the local coffee shop drive through, I order my usual coffee and then head to his place.
Haley and Jensen took Roman to his doctor’s appointment earlier, and they’re all going to meet us at my dad’s as well. Today we’re meeting his girlfriend, and to say I’m nervous would be an understatement. Not because he’s with someone that isn’t my mom, but because I want so badly to make a good impression with her. All three of us kids do.
Ever since we lost Mom, Dad’s only priority was the business and us. Well, now it’s finally time for us to have his back, and make sure his happiness is the priority. Haley offered to stop and pick up flowers from us, and I’ve never been more grateful for her. While she’s long since met my father, it’s been really amazing to watch her bond with him over the last couple months.
After everything she went through with her own parents, I love seeing them together. He’s without a doubt the father she never had, and I know she’s really excited for Dad and my brothers to meet Jensen. He only has one more day here with us, and she’s trying really hard to be strong. His flight is very early in the morning, so I’m going to take him to the airport myself, so that we don’t have to wake up Roman that early.
Pulling in the driveway, I get confirmation that I’m the last person here, and I quickly rush inside. I find my family sitting in the living room, and the woman who is currently sitting with them most likely my future step-mother. Nerves take over my stomach. Stepping into the room, Dad and her stand, before coming over to me.
“Son, this is Serena Scott. Serena love, this is my oldest Cooper. He’s the firefighter.” She’s taller than my mom was, and she has dark brown eyes with long gray hair. She’s beautiful, and I take in the smile on my dad’s face, and the way he’s holding tight to her hand.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Cooper. Your father has told me so much about you. I’m looking forward to meeting your girlfriend and your son in a little bit.”
My son.
Reaching out, I pull her into a gentle hug before pulling back to kiss her on the cheek. “It’s great to meet you, Serena. Welcome to the family.”
Dad’s eyes shine with love and pride, and I pull him into a separate hug, before I whisper how much I love him into his ear. We separate, and he wipes his eyes. He’s trying to be discreet, but I just jostle him and we all sit down to get to know each other.
The only thing missing is my own family.
Thankfully, it’s only an hour or so later that my phone starts vibrating with a call.
Hitting speakerphone, I answer. “Hi Hales.”
“Hi Coop. Everything went okay, so we’re on our way over.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“Poop!”
Joey starts laughing when everyone hears Rome’s shout, and I just groan. I’m about to catch so much shit.
“Drive safe, and I’ll see you when you get here, baby.”
“We will, bye.”
Ending the call, I settle back in my seat to wait for them. I can hear one of my brothers snickering, so I just roll my eyes and flip them off.
“He still can’t pronounce my name. Leave my little dude alone.”
Serena finishes telling us about her job as a real estate agent, and I see Joey’s eyes perk up when she offers to show them some of her listings.
“It’s not that I mind living with Ax, I just think I’m ready to get out on my own,” he states, and Axel just rolls his eyes.
“You’re just mad that I make you do dishes,” he throws back.
“Well, I didn’t move in to become Cinderfella, dude.”
“I asked you to do your own dishes, dumbass.”
“Well, why didn’t you hire cleaning fairies? Rude, bro.”
We all laugh at the two of them, and Serena leans over to me. “So, I guess he doesn’t really want to see any houses, huh?”
I crack up. “Nah, they do this every couple of months. The truth is, they can’t live without each other and the day one of them gets married is the day they have to build a tiny home in the married one’s backyard so they can still be close.”
“Shut it, Pooper!” Joey screams, and I hurl a pillow at his head.
“Sorry, darling,” Dad apologizes to Serena. “They may look like grown men, but really they’re all mentally stuck at thirteen.”
“I think they’re cute,” she states, and I toss my arm over her shoulder.
“Yeah, Dad, we cute,” I say, sticking my tongue out at him.
“Where is your girl? Isn’t it time for someone else to help me deal with you pains in the asses.”
“Sorry Daddio, no can do. My girl is firmly team Cooper,” I joke, and then Joey throws the pillow back at me.
“Dude, getting the D doesn’t qualify her as team Cooper,” he says, and I stand up from the couch. “I’m just saying. Besides, it’s probably subpar D at most. We all know the oldest brother only rocks a few?—”
His words cut off when I jump on top of him, shoving the pillow into his face as we mess around, before rolling off onto the floor, Axel following us and laying down on the floor next to us, slapping his palm a few times next to our heads.
“Match over. Cooper wins!”
Rolling off Joey, I hold my stomach as I double over laughing, and he just kicks out at me. “You are so mean, big bro. Since when can you not take a joke?” he groans, and I brush my hair back off my face.
“Jokes about your future sister in-law are off limits. I’m sure Jensen would love to hear them once he gets here, though.”
“Noo,” he joking wails, jumping up off the floor and rushing over to Dad, climbing onto his lap and pretending to suck his thumb.
“Joey, what the hell?” Dad groans, and he sticks out his bottom lip in jest.
“Jensen is a big bad Navy dude, he’s like seven feet tall. Don’t let him hurt me, Daddy!”
His antics have us all in stitches, and Dad just smacks him in the head when he rolls off.
“Brian, your children are completely out of control,” Serena says with a laugh, and Dad just pretends to pray.
“Please, please don’t hold it against me, my love.”
Laughing, I get up from the floor and move out to the kitchen so I can make another pot of coffee, when Joey joins me a few minutes later.
“Brother,” he begins, running his hand over the back of his neck.
“What’s up?” I ask, rummaging through the pantry for the good coffee.
“I wasn’t trying to be an asshole about Hales, I promise.”
“Dude,” I begin, abandoning my search for the tin. “We’re good. I mean, no, you shouldn’t make any more sex jokes in front of Dad’s girlfriend, cause that’s weird, but yeah. We’re good, always.”
“It’s just hard,” he says softly, and I go back to the pantry while I let him get out whatever it is he’s thinking. “I didn’t expect this to hurt as much as it does.”
Setting the coffee down on the counter, I walk the few feet that separate us and reach out for his shoulders. “Talk to me, Joe.”
“I’m twenty-four, dude. Mom died twelve years ago and…. I’m so happy for Dad, and I can see how much Serena means to him, and she’s cool as shit. But fuck, man. I miss Mom, and I don’t know how to tell Dad that without sounding like a bitter asshole.”
“That doesn’t make you an asshole, bud.”
“I forget what she looks like,” he says softly, and he bites down on his bottom lip. “I mean yeah, I recognize her in pictures and stuff, but when I try to come up with memories, or birthday parties, she’s barely there. I don’t even remember what she sounds like.”
Pulling Joey into my arms, I hug him tightly and hold the back of his head against mine. “I miss her too, every single day. Dad still has the box of videos in the basement. Maybe we should watch them sometime? I know Axel would like that, too.” He nods against my shoulder, before he tightens his hands in the back of my shirt.
“Yeah. Maybe we could watch with Haley, too? I know she’d love to know Mom too.”
“She would.” Releasing him, I ruffle the top of his head. He helps me get some extra coffee cups together while I go about brewing a full pot. I’ve just hit start when the front door opens and closes.
“Papa!” Roman yells, and I just look over at Joey with a smile.
“Uncle time!” he cheers, running into the living room with his hands held high. I can hear the melodic tones of Haley’s laughter, and when the pot begins to brew, I make my way out to the living room. She’s shaking hands with Serena, and Jensen is talking to my dad. I don’t get a chance to say anything before Roman comes running to me and I toss him up in the air before I settle him on my hip.
“You have fun at the doctors, Romey?” I ask, and he blows a raspberry at me.
“He needed a shot, and he’s mad at me,” Haley informs me, and I just hold out an arm in invitation to her. She joins Roman in a hug with me, and I lift her chin so I can kiss her.
“Hi, sweetheart.”
“Hi, Coop.”
“Missed you this morning,” I tell her, dropping a kiss to her nose, and she just burrows in under my chin. Roman pulls at strands of her hair, and Jensen bops him on the top of the head.
“Be nice to Mommy, buddy. It’s not her fault the doctor was mean.”
“Jensen,” Hailey hisses, covering Roman’s ears. “We do not say that about the you know who.”
“Sorry, sis,” he says, holding his hands up in front of him.
Haley just points her finger at him with her best mom face she can make, but she fails when he can’t keep a straight face.
“I have more coffee on,” I tell everyone, and Haley makes a thank God face. It’s a nice day out, so we end up taking the coffee out on the back deck and spend the rest of our visit out in the backyard watching Roman play with all his uncles.
More than halfway to the airport, Jensen clears his throat and turns off the music playing softly in my SUV. “You mind if we talk for a minute?” he asks, and I shake my head.
“Of course not. What’s going on?”
“I just wanted to ask what your intentions are with my sister.”
I’m not surprised by his question, Jensen is incredibly protective of Haley, and I know if the shoe was on the other foot, I’d be asking the same thing.
“I want her to be my wife one day. Soon, if I have it my way. I want to adopt Roman and give them both my last name. I want forever, Jens.”
Nodding, he accepts my answer and swallows thickly. “I haven’t told her yet, because it’s still about a year off. But I’m not reenlisting.”
My eyebrows shoot up in shock. “What?”
“It’s time, man. I joined the Navy because I knew it would give me a solid future, and wasn’t what my piece of shit father expected of me. But it’s kept me away from Haley for far too long, and I know how hard my deployments are on her. She’s my only family, so it’s not as if I have anyone else sitting around praying that I stay safe.”
“Bullshit. You spent the day with your family yesterday,” I point out, referring to my family. “My family is your family, man. But if that life isn’t for you anymore, nobody would blame you. And I can guarantee you’ll have nothing but support from your sister.”
“Yeah, I know this. Eventually I want to move out here, but I think if I can get a job flying domestically, it will be easier for me to come visit.”
“Works for me,” I tell him honestly. “I want more kids, and I know eventually we’ll have to upgrade the house, so there will always be a guest room for Uncle Jensen.”
He gives me a watery smile, before the GPS tells me that we’ll be arriving soon. When we pull in, I take the road to departures, and pull over to let him out. I help him get his bags out, and there at the trunk of my SUV he gives me a hard hug.
“Take care of my sister, and the next time I have leave I’ll come back out.”
“Have a safe flight,” I tell him.
“Thank you for bringing me out,” he says, and he scrubs his hand over the back of his neck. “I’ve worried about Haley her entire life, but knowing that I’m leaving her with the man she loves, and who treats her like the precious girl she is, makes this easier.”
“I love her, and I promise to always take good care of her.”
He gives me one more hug, and then with his suitcase in his hand he walks away, waving at me when he reaches the door. I stand there until I’m yelled at to move my car, and I hop inside, before driving home to my girl.
I know she’s gonna be a mess, and I don’t want to be away from her any longer.