Page 92 of Swiped By My Dad's Best Friend
I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and tugged him against me, dropping a kiss to the top of his head. “It will take time for everyone to be comfortable again.”
Cooper sighed. “Yeah, I just hope we can get past it.”
Matthew entered the room, the carved turkey on a large platter in his arms. Lena was just behind him with a serving bowl containing what looked like stuffing.
“One small step at a time,” I told Cooper, handing him my plate. Then, I attempted to take that first step.
Moving to the table, I slid aside appetizers and casserole dishes containing side items the guests had brought potluck-style to make room for the platter Matthew held. He grunted as he set it down in the center of the table.
Glancing sidelong at me, he mumbled, “Thanks.”
It was just one word of begrudging gratitude, but I took it as a win. Glancing over at Cooper, I winked, and he smiled and rolled his eyes again.
Matthew turned toward the room, addressing the crowd of college students mingling with drinks and snacks. “The turkey is served!”
A cheer went up, and for one brief moment, Matthew grinned, all the tense lines melting from his face. It reminded me of a time when he’d been less serious, less stressed. He’d been a handsome man then, and he still was. Cooper tended to favor his mother, but when his father grinned, there were hints of the same crooked tilt to his lips.
“Ready to eat?” I asked Cooper.
He nodded. “Let me get the casserole out of the oven. There’s enough here already to feed an army, but…”
“Brat, if I leave here without getting to sample your dish, there will be hell to pay.”
He laughed. “Is that a promise?”
I lowered my mouth to his ear. “It is a promise, and I also promise that if I have to punish you for being a tease, it won’t be fun for either of us.”
Cooper jerked back, eyes wide. “Uh-oh. I better go get it then.”
“Yes, you better.”
I swatted his butt as he hurried past me, forgetting for a moment where we were. When the thought occurred to me, I glanced up to see Matthew watching. He didn’t say anything, only picked up a glass and muttered, “I need a drink.”
While a line formed at the table—we were serving ourselves banquet style and finding any odd spot to sit, it seemed—Matthew headed for the living room. He glanced back at me. “Join me.”
My eyebrows shot up. Well, okay then. I guess we were really going to talk.
I hoped, for Cooper’s sake, this conversation went better than the last one had.
* * *
COOPER
I retrieved the spicy corn casserole from where I’d left it cooling. It was essentially corn bread mixed with whole kernel corn, creamed corn, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and poblano peppers. Lena followed me into the kitchen, picking up two pies she’d probably made the day before and left covered with tea towels. One pumpkin, one pecan.
“Isn’t it a little early to break out the pie?”
She scoffed. “Is it ever too early?” Wrinkling her nose cutely, she added, “There’s a pumpkin cake out there getting scarfed up. I have to make sure my beautiful pies aren’t overlooked.”
That reminded me that I’d left the two pies I’d bought for today in Trace’s pickup. I almost offered to grab them but decided against it. My store-bought pies would never stand up against the homemade goods some of the guests had brought.
“You could just save your pies,” I suggested. “There’s plenty out there already. More for you and Dad.”
She frowned. “Just me and Dad? I thought you guys were going to stop being idiots.”
“I was never being an idiot,” I said, a defensive tone creeping into my voice. “Would you stop dating someone you cared about because Dad didn’t like it?”
“Probably not,” she admitted. “But you didn’t have to go all dramatic exit and storm out of here. You could have given Dad more time to come around.”
