Page 72 of Interception

“Are you okay, dear? Did I say something to upset you? It wasn’t my intention.”

Damn these hormones. I’m a loose cannon of tears and snot. “I’m fine. You’ve just been so kind to me. I wasn’t expecting it.” Her expression looks puzzled.

“What were you expecting? A monster-in-law?” She gives me a warm smile.

“I guess I thought you’d be more like my mom. Indifferent.” The sympathy in her gaze only fuels my ugly cry.

“Oh, Zoey. No mother should ever be indifferent to their child, but I see that you already know that. You’re anything but indifferent when it comes to those babies.”

“What if I become a terrible mother? I’ve never had a good role model.”

“I know a good mother when I see one. You are and will be, a wonderful mom, Zoey. The fact that it worries you is a testament to how much you care. Trust your gut, and I know you’ll be just fine. Now dry those eyes.”

“Thank you, Jennifer.”

Coop comes strolling into the living room like he wasn’t just standing in the hallway listening to our conversation. Wrapping his arm around my shoulder, he pulls me close, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “I was right about her, Mom, wasn’t I?”

“Yep. She’s a keeper.”

“You spoke to your mom about me?” I lean into his side, shy all of a sudden.

“He did,” his mom speaks up. “He called me the week after he met you and told me he’d met the most incredible woman. He said he’d met the woman he was going to marry.”

I’m stunned. I had no idea he felt that way about me after our three-day one-night stand. So many moments flash through my mind, seeing them as if for the first time through a new lens.

“Mom, that was supposed to be a secret between us.”

“Well, I don’t see why it matters now. You’re married, after all.”

“Yeah, but now she thinks I was some creepy stalker dude.” Only Coop would spin insta-love into a stalker situation.

“Now? I’ve always known you were a stalker. I told you, you’re my barnacle.”

“Do I even want to know?” Jennifer asks with a chuckle. She and Coop have the same laugh—conspiratorial.

“Probably not.”

“You ready to go, Mom? We better get going to the airport.”

“As ready as I’ll ever be. Let me just smush my little grandsons one more time.”

“There’s always time for twin snuggles.”

* * *

Today, I have the same gnawing worry knotted in my chest that I had the day we drove home from the hospital with the twins. We’ve been safe in our little bubble for a month now, finding our feet and getting through the days and nights like zombies. Luckily, Coop’s had time off from the Titans to get used to our new normal, but it’s time for him to get back to work, and I’m dreading being outnumbered by the boys. I can’t even think about what happens when it’s time for me to return to work, which is imminent.

I’ve gotten used to spending all of my time with Coop and the twins, and I love it. Before I gave birth, I was constantly worrying that I’d feel trapped or that Coop would just bug the shit out of me. I’ve never been that woman who spends all her time with a guy, but he makes life together feel so effortless. We bicker daily about a million little things, but we never go to sleep on an argument. One of the few kernels of wisdom my mom cared enough to bestow on me.

“Are you sure you want to bring the boys to practice?”

“Yes. You want to introduce them to the team, why not today?”

“I’m just worried about you having to get them ready, loaded up in the car, and then what if you have to deal with the press on the way in?” He’s not wrong. All of those things have been going around and around in my head since Aiden woke me up at four in the morning.

“Faith is going to come and help me, and Hunter said he’d meet us at the stadium to get past any paparazzi. We’ve got our bases covered. If you’d rather we do it a different day and let you stay focused on training, then we’ll hold off.”

“Are you kidding? I’d love to have you there and let the guys meet Aiden and Blake. I’m proud as a peacock.” His panty-melting smile makes all my fears fade away.

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