And I like it when you’re a good boy, but you’re increasingly theexact opposite.
NICO
“Cooper, can you please set the table?” Elsa asked as she stopped whipping the potatoes.
Cooper answered with a nod. It was the first time in what felt like forever she had asked him to do something instead of directing him to do it. He stuffed his phone in his pocket, grabbed the stack of gold-plated ceramic plates from the antique hutch, and carried them into the dining room.
Stassi sat two seats from the head of the table with her parents sitting across from her. It was a family affair, but only two people in the house knew how fraudulent it all was. Cooper never felt guilt when it came to lying to his own mother because he reasoned she was a major contributor to the necessity of the cage. Luke always believed his parents would have supported him, but nobody would ever know if that was true or not. It was one of Cooper's many regrets, something he could never take back.
Cooper placed five plates on the table and returned a moment later with a fresh bottle of wine to top off everyone’s glasses.
When he returned to the kitchen, a small black bag sat on the counter with gold tissue paper peeking out of the top.
“I thought we said we weren’t doing presents,” Cooper said as he made his way to the counter. He peered inside but couldn’t see anything beyond the gold paper.
Elsa spun to him with a hand on her hip. “This gift is as much for me as it is for you.”
Cooper eyed her suspiciously. It wouldn’t surprise him if the so-called gift was a bomb at that point. He tore away the gold tissue paper to find a black box. Etched in gold were the lettersCC,which was the logo for a luxury brand of jewelry. Cooper knew this because one of the presents he had shipped to Nico’s house was from the same place—a ten-carat diamond necklace.
Cooper initially suspected a necklace, but the box was too small.
He opened it, and underneath the bright overhead kitchen lights, he was blinded by the sparkle of a diamond ring. His gaze tore to his mother’s. “What the fuck is this?”
She sauntered to him, resting a hand on the edge of the counter. “It’s been nine years. I figured you needed a little push.”
Cooper slammed the box closed and tossed it onto the counter. “When I decide I’m ready to marry Stassi, I’ll buy my own goddamn ring,” he seethed. “Fucking return it.”
His disdain was answered with a slap to the face. The skin of her throat pulled tight as she straightened out her apron with her hands. “It’s custom made.”
Cooper checked the entryway to the kitchen to make sure the guests were still seated before turning back to his mother. “Then keep it for yourself. I don’t care what you do with it, but get rid of it before someone sees it.”
She grabbed the box off the counter and carried it to Cooper. “Ask yourself why her family showed up here tonight.” She leaned forward and whispered into his ear, “I told them you had a special surprise and they were delighted to know the day had finally come.” She pushed the box gently into his hands and retreated with a smile. “Do youwant them flying home in the morning, spending five hours on a plane thinking about how worthless their daughter’s boyfriend is. They might even start getting ideas of their own.”
Cooper closed his eyes and inhaled. “You are an awful woman.”
“We just see the world differently.” She patted him on the shoulder. “Now, go out there and wait for your dinner. And when the time comes, be a man for once in your life.”
Cooper stabbed his fork into a slab of turkey and guided it to his mouth. He chewed slowly because when he was angry, he wasn’t hungry.
“The food is great,” Sheree Davies said, eyes angled at Elsa. “Nothing beats a home-cooked meal.”
“Thank you,” Elsa responded, raising a glass of wine. “I wish we had more time with you. I know you don’t get out to Columbus much anymore.”
Sheree looked to her husband. “We’re very busy these days.”
Busy was code for heartbroken. Every second in Columbus was a reminder of the son they had lost. Stassi said as much, and yet she stayed for half the year and spent the other year back home in LA.
“It’s a shame. You should come with me to a home game. I have room in the suite. The Cobras are already locked in for a playoff spot and if they win on Christmas Day, they’ll have home field advantage,” Elsa said. “I think it’d mean a lot to Cooper if you’d come.”
Cooper reached for his wine and chugged half the damn glass. His mother’s cruelty was sometimes blatant, but most of the time it was casual. Stassi’s parents donated to Elsa’s opponent in the senatorial race and Cooper supposed that was the reason she cloaked her cruelty behind generosity. She knew exactly what the fuck she was doing. Knew that they used to attend every damn game. Knew the reason they stopped attending was the same reason Stassi stopped.
Benjamin Davies nodded his head. “Maybe next year.”
Cooper’s foot tapped incessantly against the runner on the floor. “You’re welcome anytime and you don’t need to fly all the way across the country if you ever change your mind. We play in Los Angeles twice every year.”
“We might be able to arrange that,” Sheree said.
Cooper leaned over to Stassi, “Can we go talk real quick?”
