“I love both.”
“Good, if you stay, I can share my side with you, because Matthew is a gwowing boy and needs all his food, so he can’t share.”
“Okay, Allison, go on inside and ask Matthew, please.”
She walks toward the door, dragging her little suitcase behind her. I hate that suitcase. I hate that I have to share her. I hate that I can’t see her every single day.
I wait for the door to close before looking back at Cooper. If I’m honest I was giving myself the time to build myself up.
“What are you doing here, Cooper?”
“I came to see you. I had to calm down before I said something we both regretted.”
“I think you said everything you had to say. Don’t worry about what this was, I’ll continue to train you.” Turning around to walk away, his voice stops me.
“You walk away from me and I will smack that pretty little ass of yours.” He doesn’t even give me a chance to talk. “You think I’m done, is that it? You think because you have kids I’m going to bolt? I know that is what you are thinking. I can see it in your eyes. I know you, baby, even if you don’t want to admit it.”
“Yes, I don’t think you could have handled me having kids, which is why I didn’t want to tell you. With you, I just wanted to be me. Parker. I didn’t want you to think I was Parker the mom. I love my kids more than myself, but I didn’t want you around them, and before you say anything it was for me. It was because I didn’t want them thrust into this fling. I wanted to keep it separate.”
My voice is shaky because I don’t know how much more I can continue without the tears coming in. I hate that this is getting to me. I hate that this thing is starting to be more than I care to admit it is.
“When are you going to get it into your thick ass head that this isn’t the fling you keep saying it is? I want to know you, all of you, everything about you. What makes you smile, what makes you sad, your fears, your hopes, your dreams. I want it all. I want you to give all that to me. I don’t give a fuck if you have one kid or twelve kids, what I care is that I’m here with you. Now are we clear?”
I’m not sure I’m ready for what Cooper Stone has to offer, but what I do know is that I’m not strong enough to turn him away anymore. I know it’s the smart thing to do for everyone, but for just this once I’m being selfish for me.
“Want to spend a cool Saturday night ordering pizza and probably watching Frozen?”
“What’s Frozen?” he asks, and I feel bad for him for that one second.
“You are going to love it,” I say, knowing he will hate every single second, but he asked for this and who am I to deny him this.
“You there next to me is all I need.” He leans in, laying a kiss on my lips. I intertwine our hands, walking inside my house.
“Let me give you a tour of my home.” I smile up at him, and in that moment I’m happy he is here with me.
In the end, he shared pepperoni pizza with us and snuggled up on the couch with Allison to watch Frozen. Allison loved that he was so into it, she gave him the play by play. She fell fast asleep on his lap right before the sisters shared their love.
“Babe, this was fucking torture. Are they all like that, with the singing and stuff?”
“Yes, they are all like that, and don’t you start. I tried to get you out of it. You were the big man, thinking this is a walk in the park. Ha ha ha, never underestimate the power of Disney!” I giggle at him.
“Babe, where do I put Allison? I don’t want to wake her.”
“I’ll take her, don’t worry about it.” I reach out to grab my baby from him at the same time he goes to stand up, cradling her over his shoulder.
“Lead the way.”
We walk down the hall, placing her in her bed and covering her. I kiss her forehead, turning off her light. Cooper follows me out.
“Want to stay or go?” I ask him, holding my breath. I really want him to stay, but after the shock of today I won’t push it.
“Where is Matthew?” He reaches up to cradle my face as he asks the question.
Matthew had supper with us, but as soon as we mentioned Frozen he bailed and said he had some science to study for.
“I’m going to say he is passed out right now, but we can check to make sure.”