“I’ll grab you something. I think it’s time to loop in my family anyway.”
We all say goodbye with the next plans set in motion, and I pull out my phone as I walk back to my truck.
Me:Emergency family meeting. Inn. Twenty minutes.
Cooper:I told you to just leave her alone.
Liam:I’ll be there.
Hunter:So will me and Eve. I’ll grab her on the way there.
Aubrey:Already here with Anna and Violet.
Gunnar:We won’t be back until tomorrow, someone facetime us in?
Emma:I will. Rome and I will be there in a minute. Aubs, want us to grab Lily from camp when we get Livvy?
Aubrey:Yes please. I’ll owe you.
Roman:Do you need anything for this meeting? Beer? Food from Clarke?
Violet:Yes! I’m done cooking. I’m sweating.
Roman:>
Me:Add one more for Kane. I owe him takeout. Cooper you bringing Sophia with you? If not I’ll be there in two.
Aubrey:Yes he’s bringing her, and no he’s not going to keep being an asshole.
Liam:That’s what you think. He’s kind of a grumpy asshole lately.
Violet:Aww, are you feeling nostalgic for personality traits?
I watch as the banter continues between my siblings, none of them knowing what I’m about to drop on them. And it makes me feel like a piece of shit.
Should I have been more honest with them and pushed her to let me tell them?
No.
Letting her take the lead will never be wrong.
I stare out at the living room filled with my family. And while I know that none of them are going to be angry or blame Sophia, it still makes me nervous to tell them everything.
Cooper doesn’t make it easy either. He’s been giving me dirty looks since we got here. I know he’s mad about me and Sophia, but he’s going to have to get over it. I love her, and I’m not going anywhere. In this instance, I only have her best interests in mind, and he needs to realize that.
“Thank you everyone for coming on such short notice,“ I start. “I called an emergency family meeting because of what’s been happening downtown. I think you all know at this point something is happening with Sophia.”
I squeeze her hand in mine.
“I hope you don’t think that you were hiding anything,” Pops says. “We’ve all known now for a while that you and that girl got something going on.”
“That’s true. But that’s not why we asked you to come here today,” I answer amongst the snickers from my brothers, except Coop.
Cooper stands with his fists balled by his side. “Fuck you, Wyatt. I fucking told you to stay away from her. Theonegirl I told you to stay away from and you couldn’t keep your hands off of her. She isn’t some fucking toy to play with.”
“Cooper Keaton!” Mom stands, ready to come between me and my brother before Pops grabs her hand.
“It’s fine, Mom. I can handle myself.” I look Cooper directly in the eye. “First of all, fuck you for thinking that’s the only reason I’m with her. Just so you’re fucking aware, not that I owe you any explanation, I love Sophia, and she loves me. This hasnothingto do with her situation or you saying she was off limits. I fell for her despite trying to follow your dumbass warnings and rules. She feels the same way. This”—I motion between me and Sophia—“is mutual. I did not manipulate her or try to get with her just to piss you off. And if that’s what you think of me, then you can get the fuck out, because clearly you don’t have anyone’s best interests at heart.”
