Yes, annoyed was what she was, at herself? for not holding Cooper’s back to the wall and demanding a full, detailed explanation. Although, even though she may not fully understand what he went through, she’d seen the weight of his confession in his eyes, felt it in every word he’d spoken.
Still. Four years was way too long to go without any communication. She shouldn’t have been so easy, but he’d felt so good, and it had felt so right to be back in his arms again. When he’d left her in the wee hours of the morning, with a kiss and a promise of dinner tonight, a pang of hurt shot through her—it was the same look he’d given her the day they’d said goodbye four years ago. The look that said the hours they’d be apart would practically kill him. She’d had a fleeting moment of panic, and she’d had to fight hard to reject it, reminding herself that she had a life—and a daughter. She was no longer going to hang on his every word or wait around for him—or anyone else, for that matter. Her life was complete. Even if a bit lonely.
She called Tegan to say good morning to Melody, knowing she’d be busy the whole day with the film festival. And hopefully the whole night, with Cooper.
Stop it! God. She was so weak where he was concerned. Annoyed. She had to remember to be annoyed with herself, despite the vibration thrumming through her at the thought of seeing him again.
“So? Did you take my advice?” Tegan asked quietly, letting Cici know Melody was in the room.
“Um…Yes.” She felt her cheeks flush.
“No way!” Tegan nearly shouted. “Really? I want details!”
“Teg, you’re not going to want them, trust me.” She wasn’t about to lie to her sister, but she wasn’t thrilled about sharing the details of her night with her, either. She knew Tegan would be pissed, but Tegan was the only one who knew how much she loved Cooper. Even if she didn’t really want to hear her sister’s two cents on the matter, she knew she needed to, to bring her down to earth.
“Why?” Tegan was whispering again. “Was he really bad in bed?”
Cici laughed. “Definitely not. He was deliciously good in bed, in the shower, on the dresser.”
Tegan squealed, and Cici heard Melody chime in with, “What’s so happy, Aunt Tegan?” Tegan’s voice went serious as she answered Melody. “Mommy got a really good picture yesterday. I’m going to get some juice from the kitchen. Would you like some?” Melody said, “No, thank you,” and Tegan whispered into the phone, “I’m going straight to hell for lying to her. Okay, I’m in the kitchen. Fill me in.”
Cici braced herself for Tegan’s response as she explained about Cooper showing up at her door last night.
“And you just let him in? What’s he even doing at the festival? God, Cici. Seriously?”
“Teg, he came because I was here.” She remembered the look in his eyes when she’d opened the door, and the way her stomach had twisted and her heart had come alive for the first time in years. “What I thought for all this time was so off base, Tegan. He didn’t block me out because of other women or anything like that. His parents were attacked the night he returned to New York. His father was killed, and his mother was blinded and left for dead.”
Tegan was silent for a long time, giving Cici time to reflect on what she’d said, and for the weight of it to sink in.
“Remember when I came home after I met him and you asked me for three reasons that I loved him?” She sank to the bed, remembering her answers. Tegan was still silent. “Teg, are you there?”
“Yes. I’m here. I remember. Even with all the craziness going on around you guys, you were his top priority.”
Cici closed her eyes against the tears welling in them. “And?”
“He was more than just a hot guy; he was smart and funny, and…” Tegan drew in a deep breath before reciting the third reason Cici had given her four years ago. “And,” she said breathlessly. “Oh God, Cici. You said that you admired the way he’d called his father to tell him about meeting someone from his hometown, because he knew it would make him smile.”
Cici wiped a falling tear and said, “And that he hadn’t spent the week texting girls or checking social media, but that he’d taken pictures of stars his mother loved and texted them to her and talked to his brothers. Tegan, his family is everything to him.” As she said it, she realized that Melody was his family, too. She really needed to tell him about her. Cooper claimed he still loved her, and she’d felt it in his touch last night. Even so, she needed to sort out her own feelings first, before she brought a daughter that he couldn’t help but love into the picture.
“Cici, as terrible as that is, four years is a long time. Please tell me you know that.”
“Yeah, I know. He said he was broken, and Teg? I know you’re going to roll your eyes, but I believe him. I’m not saying I’m going to hand over my trust—”
“Or your daughter,” Tegan added.
“What? Why would I…? Oh shit, Tegan, he’d never try to take her away from me. He doesn’t even know she exists.”
“What if he does, Cici? What if this is a plan to take her away?”