Chapter Eleven
I've never been more thankful for the busy day to distract me from staring at Cooper's ass all day. Of course seeing it naked and in person only makes it more enticing. But now I'm back home with Lily to get her ready for Easter dinner with all the Keatons.
"Mommy! I want to wear this pwetty dwess for Coopa!" She hands me a yellow sundress that matches one I have.
"This is a beautiful dress, I'm sure Cooper will love it.”
"You wear too, Mommy!” she rushes into my closet digging out my yellow dress and tugging on it.
The eyelet lace and light color isn't something I planned to wear but if it makes my girl happy, I'll wear it proudly. "Okay, love, I'll match you."
"Yay!” She runs off to the bathroom next. "And I wear pwetty mateup?”
"Sure. Mommy will let you use some eyeshadow. But that's it."
She pouts at me with her big puppy dog eyes. "No pwetty wips?"Smacking her lips together for effect, she pulls my light pink gloss out of my makeup bag.
Sighing, I give in. "Okay, fine, you can have lips too. But that's it!”
It's not often she asks for makeup or to dress up, so, I allow myself to have a little fun with my daughter who's endured far too many challenges in her short life.
Once Lily deems us acceptably beautiful enough to leave, I text Aggie.
Me: We're ready to go.
Aggie: So are we. Meet you by the path?
Me: sounds good. See you there, oh, tell Lily how much you love her makeup. >
Aggie: That girl and her makeup. >
She tried to convince Aggie that I let her have a full face of makeup one time at the store. When they came home with a few chapsticks and a light pink eyeshadow I was thrilled that she drew a line in the sand at mascara and blush for Lily.
“Come on, Lily girl. Let’s go to dinner.” She slips on her clear, sparkly jelly shoes and follows me out the door with her pudgy little hand in mine.
She happily skips next to me, holding my hand all the way to the inn. I dread the days when she doesn’t want to hang out with me anymore, when she thinks that matching dresses and lip gloss aren’t cool anymore.
“Welcome, welcome!” Mrs. Keaton, Anna, calls from the front porch. She looks every bit the small town wife with her apron on and kitchen dish towel slung over her shoulder. “We are just so tickled pink that you could join us tonight!”
“Thanks for havin’ us, Anna, and loaning us the boys today. We appreciate you.” Tommy hugs her as he passes through the door.
“Thank you so much for inviting us, Mrs. Keaton.” I say, stepping up the front porch.
“Stop with the Mrs. Keaton, darling. I’m just Anna. And pleased to have you.” She hugs me, then Lily before we’re allowed to enter.
Stepping into the front room I’m a little overwhelmed by the amount of people here. I know they were over for dinner, but it appears they multiplied. Or at least feels that way.
A chorus of hellos and greetings are ended with Cooper coming to us along the edge of the room.
Holding an Easter basket. My heart feels like it stutters in my chest when I see that it’s full of all Lily’s favorite things; a little piglet stuffie, bubbles, her favorite chocolate, and some chalk for the concrete.
This man, who’s known us for less than half a year, took time out of his day to build my daughter an Easter basket and not only that, but filled it with things he’s noticed she loves.
Because you’re an idiot for not giving him the chance he deserves. Get over yourself.
“Hey,” he quietly says as he approaches us.
“Coopa!” Lily runs over to him.
“Hey, Lily May!” He matches her enthusiasm, and there’s that damn heart stutter again.
“What’s dat? Fo me?” She unabashedly reaches for the basket.
“It is for you. The Easter bunny left it here for you this afternoon!” He hands her the basket and watches as she rips open each and every item in there.
“Dank you, Easta bunny!” she shouts.
“How about we say thank you to Cooper too, he found the basket and kept it safe for you,” I tell my daughter, in hopes she will find some extra manners in front of this picture perfect family.
She throws herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Dank you, Coopa!”
“You’re welcome, princess.” He hugs her back, keeping eye contact with me.
When she finally releases him, she runs off with the rest of the women to the kitchen for a promised cookie before dinner. I’m already preparing myself for the sugar crash and temper tantrums later tonight along with a too late bedtime.
“Aubrey, come join us!” Aggie calls from the kitchen.
I give Cooper a small smile and follow them through the swinging door.
It’s a bustle in there, women moving all over the space, pulling dishes from every surface and appliance but they move like a choreographed dance with each other.
“You guys are like a well oiled machine.” I point out.
“Many holiday parties have been had in this kitchen.” Emma laughs.
“And the family keeps growing.” Anna hugs Evelyn and Violet.
My phone pings in my hand, and I look at it to see Cooper’s name on the screen.
Cooper: You look stunning tonight.
Me: Thank you. You look handsome as always.
Cooper: When do I get to see you again?
Me: I’m here now.
Cooper: I mean all to myself. You and Lily. I’d like to take you both out to dinner. Or I can get us a sitter. Ma would happily babysit.
Me: Maybe next weekend for a sitter? But only if Lily is okay with it. I can ask Aggie.
Cooper: You handle Lily, I’ll handle the sitters. >
Me: That is some real dirty talk there, mister.
Cooper: I know how to please.
Damn, does he. And I haven’t even gotten a taste of the real thing with him yet.
Cooper: Are you guys eating all the cookies?
Me: > No.
The kitchen door is thrown open and Cooper stands in the middle of the doorway.
“I heard there was a Cookie Monster around here. Anyone seen her? She’s in a yellow dress and stealing all my chocolate chip cookies.” Cooper asks us, as if he doesn’t see Lily. “I need to catch her so she doesn’t eat all the desserts.”
“Not me, Coopa! I no Tootie Monsta!”
“Oh I think you are!” He runs at her, wiggling his fingers like he’s going to tickle her, and she takes off through the office door giggling, Cooper hot on her tail.
“God, it’s so nice to see my boy smile again.” Anna says, looking longingly at the door he just ran through.
“I think between the positive response to the blog and Lily, he’s happier than he’s ever been. You guys are good for him, Aubrey.” Emma hugs my shoulders.
“I don’t think you should give us any credit. He’s just a really good guy.” I don’t miss the eyebrow raise, and smiles between Anna and Aggie.
“While I agree my boy is one of the best, that old job of his took his spark and his smile and in the last few weeks here, I’ve seen it return in full force.
” Anna smiles at me. “And I attribute that in part to you and that little girl comin’ into his life.
Don’t discredit yourself, pretty girl.” She rubs my shoulder before walking away to pull a ham out of the oven.
Before I can respond, Violet is yelling out into the living room. “Boys, come serve yourselves, dinner is ready!”
Then the kitchen is descended upon in more chaos than before as everyone moves around the room making their plates and finding seats at the dining room tables.
Dinner was quite the affair. Loud voices, dishes clanging, and laughter filled the space. It’s nothing like I’ve ever experienced before, and Lily, well, she ate. It. Up.
She loved every minute of being with this loud, boisterous family.
Being glued to Cooper’s side could have something to do with it.
He has quickly become her favorite person and hasn’t warranted me a second glance tonight, deferring to him for anything and everything.
It makes my ovaries burst and at the same time cause me to pause.
What happens if I let things progress and it doesn’t work out? She’ll be crushed beyond repair. Already her relationship with Cooper is stronger than it ever was with her father.
Part of it could be how young she is, the other part could be that her father was choosing drugs over her on a daily basis.
“Mommy, walt wit me and Coopa?” Speak of the Devil. She tugs on the bottom of my dress while I wash up dishes.
“You want to go for a walk with Cooper?” I ask. While I can mostly decipher her speech, I like to repeat it properly for her.
“Yes, pwease. To da beach.”
“Okay, let Mommy finish washing the dishes and then we can go, but it’ll be dark, are you okay with that?” She has at least four nightlights in her room and still won’t fully potty train at night because she’s afraid to go down the hallway with a measly one nightlight.
“Yup.” Popping the P, she runs off to find Cooper. Presumably to tell him the good news that I said yes.
Violet bumps my hip. “You go, Mama. Enjoy a walk with your man and baby.” She winks at me.
“He’s not… You know what? I will. Thank you.” I’ve learned over dinner there is absolutely no fighting the matchmaking that these women are working at. I have a feeling that I can’t fight anything they want.
Dropping the apron I was wearing onto the island, I run out of there faster than they can marry us off to find Cooper and Lily.
Only I’m not prepared for the sight. They’re coloring by the fire that’s roaring in the large fireplace.
It’s not the first time they’ve colored together, but it still hits me right in the feels every time.
Her little face leaned into his, cheek to cheek, giggling over a Disney Princess coloring book that he got her for Easter.
“She’s not bwue!” she chides.
“What? A princess can be blue. Or pink?” He holds up the pink crayon.
“Nooo, neva!” She giggles at him.
“Are you guys ready for a walk?” I peek out the window at the setting sun. Lily jumps up, and runs toward the door. “Whoa there, we need coats and shoes, little miss.”
“Fiiinneee.” She pouts but comes back to get what I told her to.
Cooper slides next to me as we leave the inn behind us. “I can’t wait to show her this spot.”
“How far is this walk?” I side eye him.
“Not far. Just down the hill. It opens to a cove that not many people know about. She can look for shells and rocks to her little heart’s content and we can hang out on the large rocks.”
Lily wiggles her way between the two of us, and grabs each of our hands.
“I so excited!” She lifts her little feet as we swing her wordlessly.
The trees open to a small beach and she takes off for the sand. Immediately picking up broken pieces of shells and rocks.
“This is beautiful, Cooper.” I take in the sprawling rock cliffs, the trees at the top, and the sand meeting the water with the sunset in the background on the horizon.
“It’s one of my favorite spots.” He pulls me over to the rocks to sit with him. “I hope Ma and the girls weren’t too hard on you today. They get ideas in their heads and then run with them.”
“Yeah, I see that.” I laugh. “But no, they were fine. They told me that I’m the reason you’re happy and smiling now.”
“You are,” he admits quietly.
“I’m sure there’s more to it.” I chuckle, feeling uncomfortable with the compliment.
“Being away from my old boss is a nice bonus, but he’s been texting me and threatening me since I posted that first blog.
He recognized some of the photos I used even though the magazine didn’t purchase them, he’s claiming I took them when I was on a trip they paid for.
So, I’d say it’s mostly you. And Lily.” He looks out toward the water where Lily is splashing in the waves that are crashing on shore.
“Cooper.”
“I know it’s too much. Too soon. I’m falling hard, Aubrey. I can’t lie to you about it. I’m falling hard for you and Lily. You both make me happy.”
I think I can physically hear my heart clenching in my chest.
Because I feel the same, I’m just too afraid to let myself accept it.