Page 63 of Summer Nights

Was he hoping it would be more? It would be awkward to live with him and our baby if he was dating someone else. I had no plans to make what we were doing exclusive once the baby came. From what I read, I would be exhausted and probably wouldn't be interested in sex for a while. Our focus would be on the baby.

"You'll be close so you can help out with the baby. It's practical." The arrangement felt secure to me. There was always the fear that Cooper might not be interested in me at some point. But I could move out whenever I wanted.

"I think it's a great idea. When were you thinking of making the move?"

"I'd like to do it soon, during this second trimester. Everyone says it's a good time to set everything up. We'd only need one nursery, so I'll cancel the second set of furniture. I can always buy one later if I need it." I was already saving money with that move. "I can pay you half for yours."

"You're not paying for the nursery in my house. You're supposed to be moving in to save money, and I'm not expecting you to contribute financially."

"I can buy groceries."

Cooper considered that for a few seconds and then nodded. "Okay."

The idea of moving in with Cooper was a little scary, but the thought of saving money and maybe buying a beach house of my own one day won out over that fear.

For the first time, I felt a little crazy. I was doing something outside of my comfort zone. In a way, I was depending on Cooper to follow through with this offer. But as I looked at his face, I thought maybe I could trust him.

"I'll make space for you in the guest room, and we can set up the baby's room in the second. Have you thought about colors or whether you'd like a theme?"

"Not really. It's tough not knowing the gender."

"Do you plan to find out?"

I appreciated that he made it sound like that was my decision. "I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"It would be nice to know for planning purposes, but it would be nice to keep it a secret too. But I'll defer to you. If you want one of those gender-reveal parties, that could be fun."

The thought of another party thrown in our honor made me sweat a little. "No party. I'd rather it be something for just you and me."

Cooper reached over and squeezed my hand that had been resting on my thigh. "I like that."

I let out a breath. I was taking baby steps to be a little different than I had in the past. Hopefully, this meant I was willing to heal the hurt. Let go of the beliefs that no one would be there for me. Every day, Cooper proved me wrong.

Maybe I could build a future that looked a little bit like Elena and Hudson's. I just had to let go of the constraints that held me in the past. It was daunting, but for the first time, I felt like I could do it one step at a time.

Chapter Sixteen

Cooper

I couldn't quite believe that Ivy had agreed to move in with me. I was shocked that she even considered the suggestion. She seemed to be moving out of her comfort zone. Her desire for independence warred with her need for safety and security.

If I could help her feel more secure, then I was all for it. She'd wanted a week to pack her things, and I insisted on stopping by most nights to help her pack.

She was feeling more energetic every day in her second trimester. But I didn't want her overdoing it.

Her moving in with me was an opportunity I wouldn't waste. Maybe she'd want to pursue a relationship with me but that was a long game strategy. I needed to be patient.

On Saturday morning, my brothers showed up with their trucks to move her things. I already had furniture in the spare room, so her bedroom set and couch would be left here so she could stage the house for sale. Secretly, I hoped she'd never need the items that were going there.

When I arrived on Saturday to help her move, Ivy was carrying a box from the living room to the kitchen. I plucked it out of her hands. "You're not supposed to be doing anything today."

She frowned. "I want to help."

"We'll need coffee."

Ivy sighed; her hair was piled on top of her head, and she wore baggy clothes. "I feel useless."

I set the box in front of the door and moved closer to her. I tugged lightly on one strand of hair that had escaped her bun. "You could never be useless."

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