Chapter 30
COOPER
Dad Joke Of The Day:
What do you call a sleeping bull?
A bulldozer.
Music plays through my house as I walk downstairs towards the kitchen, leaving Ally to read Lucas his book for the night, at his request of course because the boy has been all about her since he got home from Levi’s this morning.
It’s been adorable. She’s tried to simmer down her excitement over him wanting to spend so much time with her, but I keep catching her smiling back at him, and the way she hasn’t been able to say no to him, even when he asked her for one more piggy back ride in the pool—five times.
At this rate, I might not see her again tonight because he’ll have her reading three or four books, knowing all it would take for her to fold and say yes is him smiling up at her, those long lashes looking her in the eyes—yeah, she might read the entire library.
Ally loves reading, and lately my son loves to do anything she does.
I don't blame him on that one. I feel the same way.
Moving through the dimly lit kitchen with ease, I collect dishes from dinner and load the dishwasher before walking around and making sure all our takeout Chinese food made it to the fridge or the trash.
We all had such a fun day together, starting with waking up to Ally by my side and ending with watching a movie with my two favorite people, eating Chinese after a day filled with mini golf and more donuts than any humans ever need.
We didn’t need anything else, just to get out, the three of us, and have fun together.
All day, the only thing I’ve been able to think about is that Ally and I will have some time together once Lucas goes to bed, so I can’t wait to get back down here so I can steal some alone time.
Time to talk, time to solidify what she means to me and make sure we’re on the same page.
I mean, yeah, I love her as Lucas’s nanny; it’s been a long time since he’s seemed this happy with everything, and I think Ally has a lot to do with that.
It’s more than that though. I want her to know that as long as she’s interested, I want to make her mine.
Ours.
Wiping down the last of the counters, I move to turn the light off when I hear a key in the door. What the fuck?
Turning, I walk from the kitchen towards the front door, curious who the fuck is trying to get into my house at eight at night, but when I turn the corner, the door is already opened, and Kenna is standing there, suitcase in hand.
“Surprise,” she says with a smile as she struggles to pull her luggage inside, looking over at me like she needs help, but I just stare.
What the fuck is happening right now? Why is she using a key—one I thought she returned—and breaking into my house unannounced like she owns the place? No. This isn’t okay.
This isn’t okay at all.
“Uh, hi,” I say, standing there staring at her like she’s going to start explaining why she’s here, but she doesn’t, just brings her two suitcases inside, dragging one of them up the stairs while I watch. “What are you doing here? With a key at that?”
“I told you I was going to come see you when I got into town, and well…I’m in town!” she says, her smile wide as she comes over to give me a hug, her arms wrapping around me. “What’s wrong?”
“You didn’t answer my second question,” I ask as I grab her hands, peeling them from my body, not wanting to be a part of this weird hug any longer. “What are you doing with a key, letting yourself in?”
She takes a step back at my words, my tone clipped as I grit my teeth, doing my best to keep my voice down so Ally and Lucas don’t hear me yelling.
“Cooper, we’re family. I wanted to come over and see you and Lucas,” Kenna says, her usual fake smile back in place as she tries to reach out for me, but I step back—not wanting any part of this.
I knew I was going to have to have this conversation with her, but I was hoping for it to be on my terms. I wanted to be the one calling the shots and at least sort of plan out what I was going to say.
But this? Blindsiding me by just showing up? Especially when she knows Lucas heads to bed at 7:30 every night unless it’s a game day. This is just a bullshit excuse, and I’m starting to see everyone's point about Kenna and the way she views our friendship.
“Family still needs to call, Kenna, and even my own parents don’t just let themselves into my house, especially not unannounced. So please explain how you thought that was appropriate.”
“Cooper, you gave me a key,” she starts, but I cut her off.
“I know I gave you a key, but you were supposed to have returned that when you left. And that was for when you were watching Lucas! Not to break into my house while we’re home. Besides, Lucas is upstairs getting ready for bed.”
“I want to see him,” she says, her eyes narrowing as her mood starts to change.
Interesting. The second she realizes she’s not getting her way and I’m not happy with her, she changes her tune.
Yeah, this has got to come to an end.
“No.”
“What?”
“No,” I repeat, saying the word slowly. “He’s already upstairs brushing his teeth and reading—”
“Who’s reading to him?” she snaps, her entire body language changing as she crosses her arms, glaring at me like I just kicked an animal or something.
“Excuse me?”
“Who. Is. Reading. To. My. Nephew,” she growls, spitting each word out slowly, precisely, a side of her I’m not used to starting to come out.
This attitude of hers pulls out a version of me I’m not used to. One I don’t really love, and it leaves me having to rein myself, and my emotions, in.
“Well, Kenna, currently Ally is up there reading to my son, and I am the one in charge here,” I say, reminding her whose opinion actually matters. “She’s helping him get ready for bed so, no, you may not go see him. It's late, so you can see him some other time.”
“How long have you been fucking her?” Kenna spits out as her eyes snap back to me, the soft, sweet presence from before gone—replaced by something worse.
Jealousy. Rage. Disappointment. Hatred.
All mixed into one hellfire look that should have me scared.
Instead, it just pisses me off more. Kenna has always been close to me, and I just figured it was because we were friends, and she wanted to be there for me and Lucas—especially because, for as long as I can remember, I’ve made it clear that we are just friends.
We spent time hanging out with the same friend group through high school, and then most of us remained friends going to the same college.
Rachel and Kenna were three years apart, with Rachel being a year older than me, but we all got along.
As we got older, we started partying together, and one time when I was home for a weekend I ran into Rachel, who was getting ready to move for work, and we ended up drinking and dancing and having fun.
One thing led to another, and that thing is what led to Lucas, my beautiful boy born just about nine months later.
After that night, she moved for her job, and I didn't hear from her until she showed up at my house five months later with fire in her eyes and an ultrasound in her hand.
She didn’t have many symptoms, and the way her body carried the pregnancy, she didn’t start to show until the last two or three months. It was short, but still hell—because every single day, Rachel made it clear this wasn’t what she wanted.
She didn’t want to be pregnant. She didn’t want to be a mom; that was never in her life plan. That’s why she was on birth control and so strict about condoms—which, to be fair, is exactly how you should be if you’re not trying to be a parent. But that’s beside the point.
But that night, after a few too many dances and far too many drinks, we threw caution to the wind.
While she blamed me and was pissed, she still came to me to talk and gave me a say, which was an immediate yes that I wanted him. The second I knew she was pregnant with my baby, my own flesh and blood, my son, I was one hundred percent in regardless of what she did.
In this case, she signed over all parental rights, and once he was born, she went on her way, chasing her dreams of being a traveling doctor.
It was terrifying, I had no idea what I was doing, but I had read every book I could get my hands on, asked every question that came to mind, and tried to prepare myself the best I could.
That’s when this whole mess started with Kenna interjecting herself from day one—and until today, I couldn’t figure out why.
I stare at her, dumbfounded at the ridiculousness of her question and how she thinks she has any right to ask me it.
“Well, Cooper, are you going to answer, or are you going to ignore me now that you’ve got a hot body warming your bed?”
“What the fuck, Kenna?” I finally say, trying to keep my voice down as I don't know for sure how long Ally will be gone putting Lucas to bed. “Who the fuck do you think you are asking me that question?”
“I don't know, maybe the person who’s helped you from day one with your son and takes an interest in his life.”
“While I love that you love him, it’s none of your business if I’m fucking someone, let alone who it is.”
“Didn’t take you long to replace me, did it?
Less than a month and I’m no longer needed,” Kenna spits out, tears brimming as she glares at me through clenched teeth.
But I don’t see someone sad or broken—I see someone who completely misunderstood what this relationship was.
And I can’t help but wonder where I went wrong in setting that boundary.
What the hell is happening?
All I see now is my son’s aunt—manipulative, deceitful—trying to grab control of something that isn’t hers to control.
My life is mine. She can choose to be part of Lucas’s life or not.
That’s up to her. But the boundaries? Those are non-negotiable, and if she chooses to stick around, she will follow them.
She’ll respect me, and she’ll respect Ally.
“I just think I should know who’s spending time with my nephew,” she yells back, her voice raising. “Especially when for years it was only me who you were bringing around him.”
“See, that’s where you're wrong, Kenna,” I say, my voice steady, yet inside I’m shaking.
“I wasn’t bringing you around him. You stepped up and offered to help me, and I appreciate it more than you know.
But who spends time with my son is my business and my decision.
I’m not sure how that got lost in translation or how I gave you the impression otherwise, but nothing has changed in our friendship.
You took a job in a different state, left to help your family, and that is not my fault.
You are Lucas’s aunt and one of my oldest friends, but Ally—she’s something else entirely, in a different category.
So no, you didn’t get fucking replaced because there was nothing to replace”
I hear the sound of a door shutting from upstairs, and I realize I need to end this, go see Ally and Lucas and check on them.
I haven’t really had a chance to talk to Ally about Kenna, not that I needed to—she’s just my kid’s aunt, and she used to watch Lucas.
Now I’m starting to think she had it in her head that we’ve been playing house and feels like I’m replacing her with Ally.
Nothing has ever happened between me and Kenna, so I’m not sure what gave her the impression that something ever would—especially when I have a kid with her sister. Let’s not further muddy the already muddy waters.
Fuck, I’ll never be able to admit to the guys that they were right, and Kenna was a little nuts, but goddammit…those assholes were right.
“You’re such a jerk. I’ve waited for you for years. Waiting for you to pull your head out of your ass and stop gallivanting around the country and just be with me. But no, you had to go knock my sister up and not me. The one who just wants to travel the world, no roots, and you picked her?”
“What are you even talking about? You’re my friend. We’ve been friends for years. What the fuck is happening, Kenna?”
“What’s happening is you’re an idiot, and I’ve been in love with you since high school! But you’ve been too stupid to see it,” she spits at me, her words sharp, jagged daggers that she’s throwing my way, all aimed to hurt.
But I’m just so fucking confused, and pissed, and truthfully, I just want her to get the hell out of my house for the night so I can go back to what I actually want to do, spending time with Ally and Lucas.
“Kenna, I’m not doing this with you, and we are done with this conversation.
I’ve been crystal fucking clear—We. Are.
Friends. That’s it. Even your sister and I are just friends.
So get it through your head: we have not been playing house, and I’m not shattering some picture-perfect family because I’ve fallen for someone.
You were hired to help. Yes, you’re his aunt, but that doesn’t change the fact that this was a job. Nothing more.”
“Cooper, don’t do this. Don’t pretend like this nothing,” Kenna says, her voice cracking, and I want to feel bad, I just fucking don’t.
“It is nothing!” I shout, her eyes widening like I just slapped her. “Kenna, we are nothing outside of friends. The girl upstairs, she is everything to me. I think it’s time for you to go home now. It’s getting late.”
She looks at me for a moment, a lone tearing falling down her cheeks, but fuck, I am so mad right now. Grabbing her things, she barely even gives me a second glance between turning and heading towards the door. It isn’t until her hand touches the handle that she finally turns to look back at me.
“By the way, that girl that you’re talking about, the one upstairs? She went out the back five minutes ago. I watched her car driving away while you were screaming at me.” Then she’s out the door.
My heart drops as I turn, running upstairs to go check Lucas’s room, but he’s in there asleep, all alone. The guest room is empty when I check it, and when I finally make it to my room, the only thing I find is a note.
Cooper—
I can’t be the reason someone else’s happy ending gets ruined. I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye.
Ally
She ran, again.