Chapter 10 #2
Cooper stretches his leg out and nudges my knee with his foot. “You a secret romantic, Rhodes?”
I pause, thinking of the stories I write, the way my heart practically melts every time I watch Chris and Rio together, how I liked catching the glimpse of how devoted Cooper’s brothers are to their girls when I saw them at the baseball game, and I say the truest thing. “I think I might be.”
I watch Cooper’s eyes change, darken a little, swirl with something I can’t quite name.
My stomach tightens, and I get lost in those deep blue eyes just a little as he opens his mouth to speak.
But before he can, the moment is broken when the door to my apartment flies open, Chris and Rio barging in like they own the place.
“Oh, good, you’re not dead,” Chris says, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at me with narrowed eyes.
I roll my eyes. “Do you have to be such a drama queen? It’s five in the damn morning.”
“And yet here you are, eating fucking breakfast on your couch with him.” Chris gestures at Cooper. “With not a care in the world when you haven’t managed to return a single one of mine or Rio’s texts or answered our calls in two fucking days. What gives, Ev?”
“Sorry.” I shrug and take another bite of my bagel. “I’ve been dealing with some shit.”
“Ev, we’re your people,” Rio says, standing next to Chris and laying a hand on his shoulder. “You tell us when you’re dealing with shit so we can help you.”
I glance at Cooper, not entirely sure what to do. We haven’t discussed telling people, and I have no clue what the rules are. His eyes soften and he nods. “Tell them, Rhodes. I think it’ll help.”
I nod, because he’s right. Chris and Rio are my people, and right now I need all the people I can get. I gesture to the kitchen. “Cooper made bagels. Go grab one. I think you’re going to need it.”
And I need a minute to figure out how I’m going to tell my brother that he’s going to be an uncle.
Fucking shit.
“You’re WHAT?”
I snicker at the shock in Chris’s voice, the confused expression on his face as he looks from me to Cooper.
“Pregnant.”
“With a baby?” Rio asks, looking even more bewildered than Chris. “His baby?” Rio gives Cooper a hard stare that has me rolling my eyes because, holy patriarchy.
“For fuck’s sake, Rio, stop looking at Cooper like you could kill him with your eyes. You’re not fucking Superman. Yes, I’m pregnant. Yes, it’s Cooper’s. End of story.”
“No,” Chris says, pointing at me. “Not end of story. You haven’t even told me a story. How? When? Why?”
“You really want the details of our little two a.m. conference room interlude two months ago?” I say dryly, as Cooper snorts out a laugh.
“I mean, maybe? I thought you hated him.”
“I do hate him. Did hate him?” I phrase that like a question, glancing over at Cooper, who has the audacity to look amused.
“I think the hate part is still under negotiation,” he says wryly. “Considering the whole baby thing.”
“I always thought there was some weird sexual tension in the way you talked about him,” Rio says thoughtfully. “I guess it finally snapped, huh?”
I choke on my sip of seltzer. “Uh, no.”
“I don’t know, Rhodes,” Cooper says, nudging my knee with his foot again. “Sexual tension could explain the way you mauled me in that conference room.”
“Temporary insanity could explain the way I mauled you in that conference room,” I mutter, and the asshole has the audacity to smirk at me.
“Honestly, Ev, I totally get it.” Rio gives Cooper a once-over. “The glasses alone would do it for me.”
“Um, I’m literally right here,” Chris says, laying a hand on Rio’s cheek and turning his face, leaning in to give him a searing kiss that is absolutely not suited for public consumption.
Rio grins against Chris’s mouth. “Mi amor, you know you’re the only one for me. It’s just that there’s no denying that the father of our niece or nephew is hot as fuck. And you should see his brothers.” Rio lets out a low whistle. “Excellent genes in that family.”
“My brothers and I thank you,” Cooper says with a grin. Rio winks at him, and aren’t we all just one big happy family. Internal eye roll.
Chris pales just slightly. “Holy fuck, we’re going to have a niece or nephew.” He turns to me, staring at me like he’s never seen me before. “You’re having a baby.”
I shrug, even as the words have a shot of panic lancing down my spine, my shoulders stiffening.
I think maybe Cooper notices, because he leans back, tossing an arm over the back of the couch and brushing a hand over my shoulder in a gesture that settles me immediately.
I probably shouldn’t think too hard about why that is.
“I am, in fact, having a baby. I have the nausea and the puking multiple times a day to prove it.”
Chris stands immediately, coming to sit next to me on the couch and tossing an arm around me. “The night of my game. You left and said you were sick. It wasn’t a stomach bug,” he says, putting the pieces together.
I sigh, leaning against him. “No, it sure wasn’t.”
“Are you okay? Do you need anything? I wish you would have told us sooner. Did you think we would judge you for this or something? You know we’re on your side, Ev. Always and no matter what.”
I lean my head on Chris’s shoulder and glance at Rio, feeling a rush of love for both of them.
“I have no idea if I’m okay or not, and to be honest, I hate the very thought of this.
I didn’t tell you yet because I’m still trying to tell myself that this is real life.
I don’t know how to be a pregnant person. ”
Chris squeezes my shoulder. “We’re here for you. Day or night. Whatever you need. Are you…” Chris cuts himself off, and I know exactly what he was going to say.
“Just say it.” I sigh.
He blows out a breath. “Are you going to tell Mom and Dad?”
I close my eyes, feeling the low hum of a tension headache settle over me. “I guess I’ll have to eventually, but let’s not rush that day. I’m holding on by a very frayed thread as it is.”
“You’re doing fine, Rhodes,” Cooper says. “This is one big mindfuck, but you’re not doing it alone.”
Rio gives Cooper an approving smile. “I think maybe you’re one of the good ones, Cooper Wyles. And did Ev say you made these bagels? Because if so, we need to keep you around forever.”
Cooper smiles back. “Cooking and baking is a hobby of mine, and Evan said bagels were all she could eat right now without getting sick. Figured I would bring breakfast.”
Rio takes another bite of his bagel. “Well now, that’s the kind of caretaking I can get behind. And I do love a good hobby. Has Ev told you about hers?”
I shoot Rio a Shut the fuck up look, because I’m not quite ready to open that part of myself up, and Cooper definitely catches the look because he grins lazily. “She sure hasn’t, but babies cook for a pretty long time, so we have a while to get to know each other.”
“Let’s not rush that,” I mumble.
Cooper trails a finger over my knee and goosebumps rise on my skin.
“All in good time, Rhodes. And I meant it when I said you’re not doing it alone.
I’m here, and so are your brother and Rio.
And if you want it, I have a whole family full of brothers, sisters-in-law, a mom, dad, and a zany possibly psychic grandma who would really love to get to know you. ”
“Definitely one of the good ones,” Chris whispers in my ear so only I can hear.
And as I sit back and watch Cooper chat with my brother and Rio, getting up multiple times to refill my drink or get me the second bagel I want or relight one of the candles when it goes out, I think that maybe, just maybe, with the three of them on my side, I’ve got this handled.