Ivy didn’t say anything to that. Now wasn’t the time to get her to decide, but I knew Cooperwanted to ensure she knew we would go where she was. Where our daughter was.
“If it’s all right with you, I’d like to take the first shift with Lily tonight,” he added.
Ivy smiled, cupped his cheek. “Of course. And she’s your daughter, too. You don’t need to ask my permission to spend time with her.”
His grin was easygoing, boyish—the old smile I hadn’t seen in nearly a year. “In that case, I’d better take a quick shower and get out of here.”
When he shut the bathroom door behind him, the water kicking on, Ivy leaned against me, her head on my shoulder.
“That was a great thing you did for Cooper,” I said. “Helping him face his fears. He needed that.”
“It was unintentional, I assure you. I wish there had been a different way to get him to fly.” I felt her shudder, probably thinking about what happened. “I didn’t do anything, really, it was just the circumstance.”
I shook my head. “No, that’s not all it was. I’m not really talking about the accident either.” She turned to look up at me, a frown on her face. Clearly, she didn’t understand, so I continued. “He needed someone to care about again. Someone to care for. You and Lily are exactly what he needs in his life to help him move on. He knows I’m here for him. He knows his parents are—you’ll meet them soon—but it’s not the same. You’re…more.”
She smiled. “Then I’m glad we could be that for him.” She paused for a moment. “But what are we to you, Rory?”
I grinned down at her. “Do you even need to ask? You, Lily, and Cooper are everything to me. I love you all so much. You’re my family.”
I saw a glimmer of tears in her eyes at that, but she blinked them back.
Reaching out, I cupped her chin in my hand so she was forced to look up at me. “We need you, Ivy. We always have. I hope you can see that now.”
She gave me a wobbly smile, nodded. “What I see is that Lily and I need you and Cooper just as much as you need us.”
Cooper appeared in the doorway of the bathroom and I saw the intense emotions play across his face. I hadn’t heard the water shut off, but he stood in just a towel about his waist, water beading on his chest, dripping from his hair.
I already knew the answer, but I asked him anyway. “Did you hear that?”
His answer was a growl. “About time she admitted as much.”
Ivy’s laugh was soft and beautiful. “Maybe it took me a little time to get used to the idea, but I get it now. The four of us are family.” She nudged me with her shoulder. “Always have been, always will be.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
IVY
Maybe it was the adrenaline from the accident that had me seeing so clearly. More likely it was being reminded of how easy it was to lose someone I loved. Lily had fallen so quickly. One second she was happily sitting upon Casper plodding along, the next, dangling by her shiny new cowgirl boot.
It had been horrifying and I never wanted to feel that level of panic ever again. She’d woken in the helicopter and because of that, Hannah became optimistic, but I hadn’t truly calmed down until the ER doc ruled out everything but a concussion. I was still shaking and I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
No more debating. No more worries. We just had to live and hope—pray—for the best. The decision to be with these men, really be with them, suddenly felt like a no brainer. We’d wasted enough time apart these past seven years. The last thing I wanted was to waste any more. Perhaps I’d known the inevitable when they stood outside my school, all sexy brawn and brooding stares, but now I was certain.
The way they were looking at me right now—the brooding was hidden by the obvious love, their love—I’d never felt more certain and I told them as much.
“I love you, too,” Cooper said. “I’ve always loved you, sweets.”
Rory nodded. “We claimed you, body and heart, all those years ago.”
I swallowed back tears that threatened. We’d been through so much today, I was done with tears, even if they were happy ones.
“Well, all right then,” Rory said with a grin. A grin that could make my panties wet. “I guess now we just need to figure out how to relocate our business to Seattle.”
His words had the smile slip from my face. Oh god. These men. Tears filled my eyes. They had assumed all along that to be with me and Lily they’d have to move away from Bridgewater. They were willing to give up the town and family nearby. A business. A home they owned. Everything just because I said I wanted to stay in Seattle. I was humbled by them, by the depth of their desire to be with us.
I shook my head. “Don’t do that. Not
yet, at least.”