“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 saidyes.
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 Princesscoloring 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. Herecognized 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.
Five minutes after publishing my next blog, my phone is pinging incessantly with messages from Nolan.
Nolan:You can’t keep doing this, Cooper.
