My eyes pop almost out of my head, and I try to bury my head in Cooper’s shaking chest.
“Oh my God, did you not clean up this morning?” I say from his chest.
He can’t stop laughing.
“Mom, why are all your clothes downstairs near the tree?” Allison asks when she sees us. Matthew is in the back, groaning with disgust, while Tom holds up my bra and thong, smiling, and Meghan is trying to snatch them out of his hands.
“Hey, guess what?” I say. “We are getting married.” No time like the present, right?
Allison and Matthew rush to Cooper and me. Allison jumps into Cooper’s arms, and my boy comes to my side.
“Happy, Mom?” he whispers to me.
I turn to look at my boy with tears in my eyes. “Besides you and your sister, this is the happiest thing ever.”
Cooper’s arms reach around me, grabbing Matthew’s shoulder, squeezing.
“I want a white dress and a crown,” Allison states.
“You can get whatever you like,” Cooper says, and I know that he will give her whatever she wants.
“Okay, I’m out of commission but, I think it’s time to pop that bottle of champagne that has been sitting in this bucket all night,” Meghan says.
“It’s eight a.m.” I shake my head at her.
“Mimosa time,” Meghan states.
I shake my head and look at Cooper. “You sure about this? Because look at the family I’m with.” I point my head at Meghan and Tom.
“Wouldn’t want anything else.” He leans down, kissing me.
Yup, this is really what he wants. It’s for the better and worse, right?
Standing in the bathroom looking at myself in the mirror, I try to calm myself down. After drinking more than I care to admit at eight a.m., we celebrated having pancakes. It was everything I could ever ask for.
But now ten hours later, I’m getting ready to attend the annual team’s Christmas party. When Cooper brought it up, I can’t lie and say that I was excited, because I wasn’t.
Knowing that Monica and her father will be there makes my stomach roll. Monica stays clear of me when I’m around, but of course, her mean girl posse still takes the extra dab to state it’s the wives’ room.
I can do this. I look at myself. Meghan had stayed over to help me with my makeup and hair. She has made my eyes smoky so the green is enhanced.
I’m a no fuss kind of girl, so my hair is the most simple it could be attached on the side in a messy bun, with loose curls around my face.
It’s the dress I’m worried about. The chest is in a V-neck, stopping just before it reveals too much. It’s black lace. Another thing I knew Cooper would love. It’s tight-fitting till the knees, and then it’s completely see-through lace till the floor. The sexiness is that the dress has a slit right down the middle, so when I walk you see my legs. The new Christian Louboutin strappy sandals finish the look.
I’m only wearing a silver necklace with three silver bracelets. The only thing I’m looking at really is the diamond ring on my finger.
“Here goes nothing,” I say, turning to see that the V in the back is all tied up and secured.
Turning, I walk out of the room and start to go downstairs, looking for Cooper. It’s no surprise I find him in the family room watching TV with the kids.
Before he sees me, I take in my man. He’s dressed in a black suit that has to be tailored to him because the jacket fits his shoulders like a glove. His white button-down shirt is tied at the wrist with his cufflinks. A skinny black tie completes the look.
But it’s not what he’s wearing that makes my heart putter, it’s the fact that he’s sitting there holding Allison on his lap while she eats chips all around him, not even caring that she might mess him up.
“Okay, let’s get this party started,” I say into the room.
When his eyes find me, a smile forms on his lips.
“Mommy, you look like a princess,” Allison says, touching the bottom of my dress.
“I kind of feel like a princess.” I lean down to kiss her nose. “Okay, we have to head out. Matthew, you know the rules. I have my cell. If you need anything, you call me.”
Cooper makes his way to me, tugging my hand to come closer to him. “I don’t think we should go.”
“What, why not? I got dressed up and everything.”
“I know. That’s why. Babe, that fucking dress is going to be the death of me.”
I laugh at him, leaning in and whispering, “Maybe I shouldn’t tell you that I’m not wearing anything underneath it.” I turn to walk out of the door while I listen to him growl or hiss, I’m not sure which one. “Matthew, come and lock the door, please.”