They stream into the store, a shocked look on Natalia’s face.
The DJ starts playing music, and I look across the road to find Mr. Grump’s face pressed to the window, his permanent scowl even more pronounced somehow as he watches at least a dozen giant men enter the store.
The guys are followed by my girls. Heidi runs over to wrap me in a warm hug, and the others follow, looking around the place in awe.
“Okay, we need to come back here in the summer,” Zara muses, smelling some of the flowers on the coffee table. “This place is magical.”
“I do miss it.”
And I do. I miss it a lot.
I feel the moment Cooper walks through the doors, his presence immediately puts me at ease. He’s followed by the camera crew, and this time, I don’t even care.
They melt away as I watch him hug his sister first, handing her flowers.
They talk for a moment before he heads over to me, immediately wrapping me in a hug.
Mila watches us carefully, and I see her lean into Briar. “God, I hope whatever curse your sister-in-law put on all of us doesn’t touch me.” She looks behind her, but I don’t see who she’s looking at.
She looks almost, ashamed?
There’s nothing I want more than for this moment to go on forever.
Winters in Rehoboth are generally mild, so it’s not surprising that it hasn’t snowed here yet.
It’s a good thing, considering we have to spend the nightat Grandpa Kenny’s house. The idea of having to shovel snow makes me want to puke.
Cooper grabs my knee and squeezes it. “You look gorgeous today,” he muses, and I blush.
“You look even better,” I admit, my eyes sizing him up.
He’s wearing jeans and a nice t-shirt that fits his muscles like a glove, showing every little crevice. His tattoos make my mouth water.
It almost concerns me how much I think about sleeping with him.
We pull into the garage area and jump out.
I follow Cooper into the house, watching as he immediately gets to work making something.
Although there’s not much here, Cooper made sure to stock it with necessities for when we’re here. His sister told him she’d like it if he came back to visit more, and he agreed that he hasn’t been back as much as he should.
He also agreed to finally go through his room and get rid of anything he doesn’t want.
Warming up some milk that we aredefinitelybringing home with us in two mugs, Cooper dumps a packet of hot chocolate into both, stirring.
When he’s done, he hands it to me carefully and walks out the back door.
I’m a curious person, but something tells me to just go with the flow, so I follow silently as he takes us out onto the beach, the wind blowing our hair. I pull my hat further down over my ears as we sit. It’s a little warmer, with the dunes blocking some of the wind.
“What are you thinking about?” I ask quietly.
Cooper worries his lip thoughtfully. “I always feel like I’m a little too impulsive, you know? Like I need to think through things a little more.”
Oh.
My thoughts start swirling in my mind, and suddenly, my cheeks feel hot.
“Us?” I whisper, taking a sip of hot chocolate, almost grateful for the way it burns my tongue.
