“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 ofawake.” 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.
Having a four year old tag along on vacations is fun as hell, but man, I’m ready for a nap. Lily finally gained the courage she needed to make friends with the little girl in the kiddie pool next to us, so I snuck out for a few to come sit in the lounge chairs at the edge of the pool with Aubrey.
“Youcantell her no. It’s okay.” She tells me, chuckling at my inability to do just that.
“But then I wouldn’t be the favorite.” I pout.
