Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Cooper
“We don’t have to stay late.” I glanced at Jack as he pulled into Ryan’s driveway. “I can plead a long week if you want an escape hatch.”
It had been four days since Martin had strutted into The Coffee Cove and accused me of health code violations. Two days since the Instagram spoofing. The past days felt like a nightmare—the kind where you’re not sure what’s real and what’s your mind playing tricks on you in the dark.
The truth was spreading now, thank God. Customers were trickling back in.
Mrs. Hendershot had returned this morning with an apologetic smile and ordered her usual lavender latte.
Frank Erhart had stopped by, complaining about dogs crapping on his lawn like nothing had happened.
Meta had finally taken down the fake profile after what felt like an eternity of back-and-forth chats.
It wasn’t perfect. The sting of suspicion still lingered at the edges of conversations. Wary glances didn’t quite fade fast enough. But it was getting better. The Coffee Cove was breathing—shallowly, maybe, but breathing all the same.
And through it all, Jack had been a constant: steady as the tide, fierce as a storm when he needed to be. Every time the weight threatened to pull me under, I’d find him there. A look. A touch. A quiet reminder that I wasn’t standing alone in this fight.
For the first time all week, I let myself believe we might just survive this. But I was concerned about Jack’s comfort with my family. “I wouldn’t blame you for wanting to skip the whole evening.”
Jack smiled, and the glow from the streetlights enhanced his light brown hair. “I’m looking forward to dinner, actually. It’s been a while since I’ve talked with Ryan, and I’ve only met Lily briefly at the coffee shop.”
Jack slid the car into Park, and we climbed out.
The front door flew open before we even reached the porch, and Lily came barreling through. Her curly hair bounced with each step, and her unicorn-patterned leggings blurred as she ran.
“Uncle Cooper! Uncle Jack!” she squealed and hurled herself at us. I froze momentarily at the “Uncle Jack” title. It was the first time she’d called him that, and it hit me with unexpected force. I caught her flying form first and swung her up for a hug before she squirmed to get to Jack.
Jack looked surprised, but recovered quickly. He took her from my arms with a hesitant smile.
“Hey there,” he said warmly. “I see you’re wearing your unicorn leggings again.”
Lily beamed at him. “They’re my favorite!”
“They’re pretty cool.” Jack set her down gently.
Lily grabbed his hand, instantly won over. “I have lots of unicorn things! Want to see?”
Ryan appeared in the doorway, still dressed in slacks and a crisp button-down from his day at the bank. “Let Jack at least get inside before you drag him off to your unicorn collection, Lil.”
I grinned at my brother. “Too late. She’s already claimed him.”
Ryan stepped forward to greet us and gave me a quick hug. “Good to see you smiling, bro. You look better than I expected after the week you had.”
“We’re recovering.” I followed everyone inside.
“Uncle Jack, come see my room! I have unicorns everywhere!” Lily tugged insistently on Jack’s hand.
Jack glanced at me, eyebrows raised in question.
“Go.” I laughed. “I’ll help Ryan in the kitchen.”
As Jack let himself be pulled away, I watched him go, struck by how willingly he engaged with my niece despite barely knowing her. It felt so natural, somehow, to see him step into this role in my family.
“He’s good with her,” Ryan said as we headed to the kitchen.
“Yeah,” I said softly. “He loves kids. He wants a family.” Jack was an only child, his mother gone when he was young.
After his father died during our junior year, he’d made a drunken confession one night that he’d always dreamed of having siblings, of having a big, extended family. But now it was just him.
I’d never seriously considered having my own children before.
Being an uncle fulfilled me. But suddenly I could picture it.
Could imagine Jack teaching a child to ride a bike, reading bedtime stories in that warm, gentle voice of his, being the kind of father who made everything feel safe and possible.
The thought should have terrified me. We were still temporary.
But instead of fear, I felt a quiet certainty settling over me.
If my feelings for Jack continued to grow the way they had been—and everything in me suggested they would—then maybe someday we could build that kind of life together.
Maybe someday I’d get to watch him be a father to our children.
The idea felt less like a distant dream and more like a future I actually wanted.
I mentally shook my head, realizing I was getting ahead of myself. Jack and I still had a week left in our bargain. A week for me to decide if wanted to confess my growing feelings to him. Because I suspected Jack felt the same way.
Lily’s giggles floated down the hall and mingled with Jack’s deep chuckles. I tuned back into my surroundings.
Ryan’s kitchen was immaculate—the kind of orderly space you’d expect from a senior loan officer—with neat, black granite countertops and cherry wood cabinets. But Lily had added her touch too, with colorful drawings on the fridge.
Including, I noticed with a start, a recent photo of Jack and me at the coffee shop, our heads bent together over something, both laughing. I didn’t remember Ryan taking it.
“When did you snap this?” I pointed to the picture.
Ryan glanced up from checking the oven. “Last week when I picked up coffee before work. You guys were so wrapped up in each other you didn’t even notice me.” He grinned. “It’s a great photo. You both look happy.”
I studied it more closely and tried to see what Ryan saw.
We did look happy. Genuinely, unreservedly happy.
Nothing about us looked like we were unsure of our relationship.
Butterflies tickled my gut, and my mouth curved into a smile.
But I schooled my sappy expression and turned away from the photo. “Need help with anything?” I asked.
“You can make the salad if you’re not dead on your feet.”
“Ever the responsible older brother,” I teased, but his concern touched me.
I was halfway through chopping vegetables when Jack and Lily returned, Lily chattering excitedly about her unicorn collection. Jack nodded attentively as she explained that her favorite was named Sparklefoot and could turn invisible when scared.
“Careful of the knife, Lily,” Jack said automatically as he passed behind me. His hand briefly rested on the small of my back.
It was such a casual yet intimate gesture that I nearly fumbled the tomato I was slicing. Jack didn’t seem to notice, and moved to Ryan with an offer to help.
“I’m happy to pitch in,” he said. “Just tell me what needs to be done.”
Ryan looked a bit surprised, but nodded toward the oven. “The garlic bread needs to go in. It’s there on the counter, ready to go.”
Jack located the bread and slid it into the oven. “Nice house. Great view of the moonlit water from Lily’s room.”
“Uncle Jack said my room is better than a princess tower,” Lily said proudly as she plopped napkins at each place setting.
“High praise.” I smiled at Jack.
Jack shrugged, and a blush stole up his cheeks. “Just stating facts. The bed’s canopy belongs in a fairy tale.”
Dinner was lasagna, my favorite, served with garlic bread and the salad I’d prepared.
We settled around Ryan’s table. Lily insisted on sitting between Jack and me.
The conversation started a bit hesitantly—Ryan and Jack didn’t know each other well outside of casual interactions at the coffee shop—but soon warmed as Ryan asked about Jack’s work.
“Cooper mentioned you’re a cybersecurity analyst.” Ryan served Lily a small portion of lasagna.
Jack nodded. “I work remotely for a company based in San Jose.”
“What brought you to Seacliff Cove? Seems out of the way for tech work,” Ryan asked.
I tensed slightly and wondered how Jack would answer, but he just smiled and said, “I wanted a change of scenery. City life was getting old, and I’ve always loved the coast.” He glanced at me. “Plus, having my best friend already living here made the transition easier.”
“And now, boyfriend,” Ryan said with a smile. “I’m happy for you two.”
“Thanks,” Jack replied, his gaze finding mine across the table. “I am too.”
My breath caught. The sincerity in his voice, the way his expression gentled when he looked at me—there wasn’t a trace of hesitancy. My heart did a dangerous flip as I realized he meant every word.
This thing between us was developing. I needed to figure out what I wanted—what we both wanted—and we needed to talk when our four weeks were up.
I sat back, only an observer at the dinner table. Jack listened intently when Ryan talked about the bank’s expansion plans. He asked Lily questions about kindergarten that made her feel important, and he seemed genuinely interested in my family in a way none of my previous dates had been.
“When are you guys getting married?” Lily asked suddenly and looked up from her dinner with innocent curiosity.
I choked on my wine. Jack patted my back while Ryan gave his daughter an embarrassed look.
“Lily, remember what we talked about? Some questions are private,” Ryan said.
“But Holly’s moms love each other and they got married. Uncle Cooper and Uncle Jack love each other, so they should get married too.” Her child’s logic was simple and straightforward.
“It’s okay,” Jack said smoothly. “That’s a good question, Lily. Uncle Cooper and I haven’t been boyfriends very long. People usually date for a while before they decide to get married.”
“How long?” she pressed.
Jack looked at me, his expression warm but enigmatic. “That depends on the people. Some know right away, and some take more time.”
“Which are you?” she asked.