Page 90 of Swiped By My Dad's Best Friend
“I did something, and uh, I did it in good faith, but it occurs to me now that I should have asked first.”
He drew his hand away. “What is it?”
“I talked to your sister.”
I chanced a glance over. Cooper looked more confused than upset. “Okay?”
“I talked to her about Thanksgiving and possibly mending some fences,” I said. “I know you felt you had to take a stand with your father.”
“Yes, I did,” he said tensely.
I reached for him again, and he let me reclaim his hand. All was not lost. Cooper was tense, but he wasn’t angry. “I love that you fought for me, and I love that you’re not willing to set me aside to please your father. But…I was hoping, that if I came with you, you’d consider having Thanksgiving with your family.”
“You mean we’d go together? My dad didn’t seem too willing to consider that.”
“Lena said she’d talk to him.”
Cooper scoffed. “And you’re taking it for granted he’ll listen?” His hand tightened on mine. “What if we get there and he turns us away?”
I wet my lips, feeling my nerves kick up. “I can’t deny it’s a risk. I like to think Lena would have called to let me know if Matthew had been too unreasonable—”
Cooper snorted. “There’s no predicting overconfident sisters. She called me about a dozen times this week too, insisting that Dad and I were both stubborn idiots.”
“Okay,” I said, slowing the pickup to a stop at the corner. Before us, just down the block, Matthew’s house waited. But if I turned left, I could circle back to the campus exit. “Which way should I go?”
Cooper looked out the windshield, weighing his options. He sucked in a big breath and exhaled it in a gust. “I don’twantto be at odds with him,” he said in an aggrieved tone.
“I know, brat.”
He nibbled his bottom lip, looking torn.
“We can swing by, give your dad the chance to accept us together,” I said. “Or, we can head over to the B&B and eat pie. It’s up to you.”
“It’s good pie,” he murmured.
“I’m sure it is.”
“But it won’t be as good as the homemade pecan pie Lena makes,” he added. “Dad makes this cranberry stuffing that’s amazing, and he opens Thanksgiving dinner to any college kid who can’t go home, and they all bring stuff. We usually get close to fifty people turning out. It’s a real feast.”
“That sounds really nice.”
Cooper smiled. “Yeah, it is. I think he really only started it as a way to cope with Thanksgiving without Mom, you know? But it’s taken on a life of its own. It’s become really special.”
“So,” I said, “worth the risk?”
He nodded once. “Worth it.”
I accelerated through the intersection, hoping like hell Matthew wouldn’t crush Cooper’s fledgling hope. If I had to take this boy to a B&B to eat pie because his father wouldn’t let us in, I was going to kick my own ass.
* * *
COOPER
Trace and I walked hand-in-hand up to the porch. I didn’t know about him, but my hand was clammy enough for the both of us. Trace squeezed gently, always ready to reassure me. When we got to the front door, I hesitated. I’d always just walked in before. Now, I paused on the threshold, wondering if I should knock.
I was saved from my dilemma by Lena opening the door. “You’re here!” She hugged me, making me lean more into Trace in surprise, raising my left hand to pat her shoulder. Lena and I had a snarky sibling relationship. We didn’t usually do hugs and kisses. “I was worried you and Dad were going to keep being idiots.”
Dad walked up behind her before I could ask if we were even welcome.
