Chapter 36
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
COOPER
APRIL
“Bathroom,” Evan whispers, handing me her boxes of candy and slipping out of our row, heading for the theater exit while on screen, Joe Fox shows up at Kathleen Kelly’s apartment with get well soon daisies in all of his late nineties, rom-com cinematic glory.
For the past month or so, Evan has been having trouble sleeping, and when she’s up, she’s restless.
She hasn’t wanted to sit and write, so instead, when she can’t sleep, we walk.
On one of our first late-night sojourns, we found this tiny, old-school movie theater in Brookline that has midnight showings of classic rom-coms. It’s the kind of Boston gem that’s rarely advertised—an if you know you know sort of thing—so stumbling on it together one cold, clear March night felt like magic.
We’ve been back at least five or six times since, always with gas station cherry slushies and bags of drugstore candy hidden under our coats like art thieves sneaking rolled up canvases out of a museum.
It's my favorite little tradition of ours, but this is the fourth time Evan’s gone to the bathroom since we sat down an hour ago, and she’s edgy and more restless than usual tonight.
She’s never complained, but I wonder if maybe it’s time to move our movie nights to the couch instead.
I also wonder if she’ll cut off my balls for even suggesting it.
Probably better not to risk it.
When ten minutes, and then fifteen, go by with no sign of her, unease curls in my gut.
It’s late on a Tuesday night, and we’re the only ones in the theater, so there wouldn’t be a line for the bathroom, and no way should it be taking this long.
It’s possible that the closer we get to Evan’s due date, the more protective I get.
Okay, fine—it’s not just possible; it’s absolutely happening.
But I can’t actually grow the baby, so I figure I can do just about everything else.
Including checking on my very pregnant girlfriend when she’s taking too long in the bathroom.
Setting all the candy on the floor, I leave the theater and head straight for the single stall ladies’ room. “Hey, Rhodes, you okay?” I call, knocking on the door.
“Cooper?” I can practically hear the eyeroll in those two syllables, and I smile to myself as the lock clicks and the door swings open.
My heart skips in my chest when I see her standing there, hair tumbling down her back in thick blonde waves and blue eyes flashing with her signature combination of amusement and irritation.
The tight black leggings she’s wearing mold to every single gorgeous curve of her legs, and a feminist is my second favorite F word sweatshirt hugs her belly in a way that makes me want to get down on my knees and thank her for being here.
For being her.
For being mine.
She has absolutely destroyed me, in the best way possible. I never want to be put back together.
“Uh, Cooper?”
I realize suddenly that I’ve been standing here doing a slow perusal of her body without saying a single word, but instead of stopping, I take my time, letting my gaze sweep back up until I finally meet her eyes, smile tugging at my lips. “What’s up, Ev?”
She cocks her head to the side, eyeing me. “You tell me. Any particular reason you came to fetch me from the bathroom?”
I shrug. “You were taking a long time. I got worried.”
Normally she would take a swipe at me about my overprotective streak and tell me she’s been going to the bathroom by herself for years and definitely doesn’t need any help from the likes of me, but she doesn’t do that.
Instead, she just sighs, leaning back against the small counter next to the sink.
“I’ve had to pee, like, every ten minutes all day today.
I figured I should just stay in here until the next time instead of getting up and down over and over again until I want to die.
Also, I got another text from Milo just as I was finishing up. ”
I bite back a smile at the interest in her voice.
Ever since Milo Pierre offered Evan the general counsel job, he’s been texting her every few days touting the perks of working for Pierre.
I’ve known since the second she told me about her conversation with him that it would only be a matter of time before she accepts the job.
But she’s been grinding it out on partnership track for a long time, and stepping off is a complicated choice for her, especially when she still feels like she has something to prove to her parents—and maybe even to herself.
This is a decision she has to come to on her own, and I love watching her brilliant brain work it out.
“What was today’s incentive?”
She huffs out a laugh. “The in-house cafeteria. Apparently, meals for all Pierre staff are provided free of charge by some, like, Michelin-starred chef or something. He was extremely enthusiastic about the daily omelet bar.”
I laugh, leaning against the doorframe. “You do love breakfast.”
“Am I an idiot for not just accepting the job?”
The question takes me by surprise, and I take a step into the bathroom, letting the door close behind me and framing Evan’s face in my hands, pressing my lips to hers.
“There is no universe in which you could possibly be an idiot. You got an opportunity to make a really big career change right before you’re about to have a massive life change too.
Taking the time to decide what you want, and how you want the next years of your life to look, isn’t idiotic. It’s smart.”
She closes her eyes, leaning into my palm, and not for the first time, I notice how tired she looks. Pregnancy is fucking impossible, and those who claim women are inferior fully have no clue what they’re talking about.
Men could honestly never.
When Evan opens her eyes, they’re awash in conflict.
“I think in a lot of ways, it would be simpler to be a parent in the Pierre job. There’s no pressure to bill hours and no partner track.
I don’t have to generate any business, and I wouldn’t be beholden to clients.
It will be a lot of work, but it’s a different kind of hard.
” She looks up and meets my eyes. “I think maybe it would be easier for us.”
I shake my head, stroking my thumbs over her cheeks.
“The only decision you need to make is whether you want this job for you. Whether you want to take this step in your career. Whatever you decide, we’ll make it work.
” When she tries to look away, I slide a hand down to her neck, feathering my fingers over her jaw to keep her eyes on me.
“Together, Ev. We’re in this together, no matter what.
If you want to stay at the firm and make partner, then that’s what I want for you, and we’ll figure out a childcare arrangement that works for us.
And if you want to go to Pierre, we’ll do the same.
It might take some trial and error, but we won’t stop until we get it right. ”
“What about you?” she asks.
“What about me?”
She shrugs, laying a hand on my hip. “You never talk about it, but I know you’re not happy at the firm. I think you really like the work, but law firm life isn’t for you.”
I blow out a breath. “You caught that, huh?”
She smiles. “Not an idiot, remember?”
“No, you definitely aren’t,” I murmur, running a hand down her hair and skimming it over her belly, delighted when it ripples under my palm.
“I’m…indifferent about law firm life. The partner grind doesn’t interest me at all anymore, but neither does a job search right now, so I’m just kind of biding my time I guess.
” I grin at her. “Maybe I’ll just chuck it all and be a stay-at-home dad. ”
Her eyes sharpen with interest. “Is that something you would want?”
I lean in and kiss her cheek. “I have no clue. I honestly hadn’t thought about it until this second.
But my point is that we get to decide what our life looks like.
We don’t have to adhere to any kind of norm or do the thing that’s expected.
Everything about us has been unexpected from the very first second, and I kind of like it that way.
Take all the time you need to decide on the job.
Milo didn’t give you a deadline, and you shouldn’t give yourself one either.
You’ll know when the time is right, and we’ll go from there. Let’s do the unexpected, Rhodes.”
“We, huh?”
When I press a kiss to her neck, right over her pulse, she moans, tilting her head to give me more access. “We,” I murmur against her skin. “Always we.”
“I like the sound of that,” she says, sucking in a breath when I flick the spot behind her ear with my tongue.
Lifting my head, I lock eyes with her. “I’m really glad to hear you say that, because it may have been unexpected, but being a we with you is my favorite thing in the entire world.”
Evan slides both of her hands to my hips and pushes up under my hoodie, lightly tracing my abs with her fingertips, making my whole body shiver. I know she feels it because she gives me a grin that’s just a little wicked. “I can think of something else unexpected we can do right now.”
“Oh yeah?” Goosebumps break out over my skin as her fingers drift higher, ghosting over my nipples. “What’s that?”
“You could fuck me in this bathroom.”
She pinches my nipples between her fingers, and I suck in a harsh breath as all the blood in my body drains to my cock.
With a growl, I curl my fingers into the waistband of her leggings and shove them down over her ass, then grasp her hips, lifting her up onto the small counter before freeing her legs from the fabric, somehow managing to yank her shoes off at the same time.
Mine.
Evan smirks at me, leaning back on her hands, her ass sliding to the edge of the counter. “So, that’s a yes?”
Reaching back, I flip the lock on the bathroom door, my eyes on her the whole time. “That’s a hell yes.”