Chapter Seventeen
I’m panicking.
We’re leaving in thirty minutes and I’m staring at a bed full of options for daily wear, pajamas, and bathing suits.
This man has seen me naked. Tell me why I’m worried about pajamas.
Ugh. This is hard as fuck.
“Mommy, weady?” A sticky little hand grabs at my leg.
“Almost, love.” I sigh and grab a pair of shorts that have made the cut.
“I lite this one.” She grabs one of my favorite comfy dresses and tosses it, unfolded into the suitcase.
“Thank you. I like this one too.” I pronounce the K in like for her.
Together, we spend the next ten minutes picking clothes for me. She is having a blast picking Mommy’s clothes, and I’m not having to make choices, so it’s a win-win.
“Otay! Let’s go, Mommy! Coopa is waiting!” She runs out to the living room and I hear her talking.
“Love, who are you—”
I stop in my tracks when I hear the low rumble of a man’s voice. My heart speeds up in my chest and my body goes cold. I run to the living room, my flip flops slapping against my heel. How did I miss the door opening? How did I miss my daughter talking to someone?
When I see the familiar blonde shaggy hair, I freeze. It’s just Cooper. We’re safe, she’s safe, it’s just Cooper.
“Hey, you okay?” His eyes snap to me, concern written all over his furrowed brow as he tries to figure out what’s wrong with me.
“I… just… I didn’t know there was anyone in here. She didn’t ask me to open the door, or tell me you were waiting.” I almost accuse him, like he did something wrong.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to come back without an invitation.” He turns to Lily. “Did you forget to tell Mommy I was here?”
Her little head nods up and down. “I saw her pwetty dwess.” Her bottom lip juts out, and I know the tears aren’t far behind.
Kneeling on the ground in front of her, I pull her hands into mine and turn her to look me in the eye. “You aren’t in trouble, baby. But you opened the door without Mommy around. You know the rule is that you don’t open the door without me.
“But, just Coopa!” The tears well in her little eyes.
“I know, baby, I know. But Mommy worries if it’s not Cooper. If it’s a stranger. You just need to come back and get Mommy first, okay? We’ll open the door together.” I reiterate the rule, not knowing how to get her to stop opening the door, short of adding a deadbolt at the top.
Which, now that I think about it, isn’t a bad idea.
“I sowwy, Mommy.” She launches herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck so tight, I nearly choke.
“I love you, baby, I want you to be safe. Always.”
“I pwomise.” She smacks my cheek with a maple syrup kiss.
Cooper kneels down next to us. “I’m sorry too. I should have called you first.”
“It’s not your fault.” I give him a wobbly smile. “I’m just over protective.”
“Never. She’s your baby. You can be as protective as you want. I should have known. I’ve heard that rule and I still just let her open the door.” He turns to Lily. “I’m sorry that I didn’t follow the rule either.”
She reaches her arm out to wrap around Cooper’s neck as well as mine.
“It’s otay. We’ll do betta next time,” she says, the tears dried up in her eyes and the incident already forgotten.
I chuckle at her ability to move on. “Are we all ready to go? Have a fun time?”
“Sure are! I’ve got the bags and the princess, you just lock up.” Cooper scoops Lily up like a football making her giggle wildly and then wheels the suitcase behind him.
He came by last night to switch the car seat into his truck so he’s getting her buckled while I lock up the front door.
I won’t admit it to him, but I’m nervous as hell that someone is going to break in while I’m gone. I’m close to Aggie and Tommy, but not in a way that they can see my cabin or anything going on over here. I also haven’t gotten cameras because until a couple nights ago, I felt safe here.
Something I apparently can’t let myself feel.
Cooper waits at the truck for me with the passenger door open. “Your chariot awaits, my queen.”
“Hmm I think I could get used to that nickname.” I wink.
When I step into his space, he blocks me from getting in the truck, leaning down to whisper in my ear.
“Are you still worried about hearing something the other night? Have you seen anyone or heard anything else?”
“No. No. I just… I really don’t like her opening the door because of what happened with Jack and his buddies.” I peck his cheek with a quick, discreet kiss. “Seriously, I’m just being paranoid. There’s nothing.”
He moves to the side, squeezing my pinky with his. “Okay.”
I swallow hard getting in the truck. My belly feels like lead, keeping this from him. But I need to message Sophia first.
And I guess now with a five hour drive ahead of us is as good a time as any.
Me: I got a text last night from an unknown Montana number. Does Ryder know anything about it?
Sophia: What?! Seriously? I thought Ryder had it handled. He put his guys on it. Not Hugh’s.
Me: >
Sophia: Shit. I’m so sorry, Aubs. I’ll get to the bottom of it. I’m going to see Ryder now. I’ll text you as soon as I know anything.
Sophia: Are you safe?
Sophia: I can be there in… twelve hours.
Me: No. I’m fine. Cooper is actually taking us to a resort this weekend for his travel blog. So we’ll be in Vermont. I’ll share my location with you.
Sophia: No! Don’t do that.
Sophia: Hugh has ways. If he wants answers, I don’t want to be the one to give it to him. I’ll trust Cooper for now.
Sophia: Emphasis on the for now. >
Me: You can trust him. He’s the best man I’ve ever met, not a mean bone in his body, I swear.
Sophia: I’m happy for you. I really am. I hope that Hugh is behaving himself. I’d hate for Ryder to have to follow through on his threat.
Me: What threat?
Sophia: Just family shit. You know.
Me: Noted. Let me know what Ryder says. I love you and miss you xo
Sophia: Love you too. And absolutely will. Kiss my baby bestie for me.
I hate being so far away from her. I hate not seeing her everyday like I did. Her fiancé is a grade A douche, and I’m not one hundred percent sold on the fact that he isn’t just like her father, that he isn’t an abusive prick, just like Hugh Chiave.
“Wake up, love.” I shake Lily gently in her car seat.
“We hewe?” she asks, rubbing her eyes.
“Sure are. Ready to go check it all out?” I unclip her, and she jumps out of her seat.
“Yes!” She jumps out of the car and grabs both my hand, and Cooper’s.
He manages to hold her hand, pull our suitcase, and carry his own bag across the parking lot. Like he was made to be a family man.
“You guys are going to love it here. There are three water slides, pools and splash pads, an arcade, mini golf, annnnndddd—” he looks at Lily, like a kid himself “—bunk beds in a treehouse!”
“YES!” Lily jumps up and down. For some reason she’s been obsessed with treehouses lately. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Tommy had one built in the Maple outside my kitchen window when we get home.
Cooper handles all the check-in with the manager, Eric, while Lily and I raid the cookie bar they have set up for afternoon snacks.
“We got upgraded to the suite.” He winks before picking up all of our stuff once again. “Are you ready to see it?”
Lily hands me her cookies and leaves me for Cooper. “Sure, I’ll carry these for you,” I mutter, no one actually listening to me.
We reach the elevators and Lily is already begging to press the buttons. If only these simple pleasures could stay the simple pleasures of life, and not get bogged down by all the pressures of adulthood.
She is practically jumping out of her skin with excitement standing at the door while Cooper flashes the key card. He pushes it open a little bit, then shuts it again.
“Are you sure you’re going to like this room?” he teases her.
“Yes!”
“I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s up to the Princess standards.”
“Wet me in!” She nudges at the door.
“Lily,” I warn. “What do we say?”
“Pweeeaasseeee wet me innnnn.” She sounds exasperated.
He steps back after pushing the door open for her and before I can even take my first steps, I hear her delighted squeals from within, making me laugh.
Cooper catches me before I go in, pulling me flush against him with his free arm. “I missed you yesterday.”
“We’ve been in the car together for six hours!” I laugh.
“Yeah, but I didn’t get to do this.” His warm lips press against mine.
I melt into him just like I do every time he kisses me. His kisses soothe something in my soul. Something that feels uneasy when he’s gone. Something that hasn’t been at rest my whole life. But with him, everything is right.
Our kiss ends too soon when he pulls away from me.
“I missed you too,” I whimper at the loss of his lips.
“Maybe tonight we’ll be able to spend some more time together after someone crashes.” He holds my pinky as I lead us into the suite.
“You’re so cute. She isn’t crashing. She just slept for four hours in the car… in the daytime. She’s good for like a month of awake.” I laugh heartily at his naivete when it comes to her sleep habits. He tries, but sleep will come around midnight.
“I can dream right?”
“Yeah, and you will be, before her.” He shoots me a glare dragging our bags to the room with the king sized bed while I go off to find my nap and sugar high daughter.