Page 88 of Summer Nights

There was a lot of people in the room. It was difficult to accept that my perception might be flawed. That I might have continued to think that people were around me because we were business partners or acquaintances, not because they truly liked or cared about me.

Cooper took my hands in his, resting them on his thigh. "I'd spend a lifetime proving that you're deserving of this and so much more."

My breath caught in my throat, and then Elena interrupted us.

"People are starting to leave. You want to stand by the door as they're leaving so you can thank them for coming."

"Of course," I said, moving to join her. As I thanked each person, I felt overwhelmed but not in a bad way. I let the love sink in. Maybe I'd had a bigger impact on this community than I thought. Maybe, just maybe, I wasn't the poor girl from the trailer park anymore.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Cooper

We ate dinner together most nights, unless I was working on Dalton's house. It had become routine to play basketball with Duncan after my weekly pickup games with my brothers, and I joined them afterward for ice cream. I’d carved out time in my schedule to pick up Duncan and take him to the youth basketball league on Wednesdays. It was a good time for me to bond with him.

As Ivy neared her third trimester, she was more likely than not to fall asleep on the couch. I always carried her to our bed, enjoying seeing her sleep on my pillow.

She hadn't officially moved into my room. I noticed her clothes and toiletries were in the guest room and bath. But something seemed to have shifted after the baby shower. She was more relaxed and open to the idea of us. Less suspicious of my intentions.

It was time to officially ask her to move in with me. It wasn't enough because I wanted so much more. But it was a good first step. I didn't want to scare her.

I set up a small, round table near the fire pit on the beach. The ocean was visible, but the table was secluded behind palm trees.

It was the perfect spot to ask her to move in with me. I hung lights on the branches of the trees, lit the tiki torches, and ordered food from a local seafood restaurant. I wanted it to be special and didn't think I could cook a nice meal.

As I decorated the space, it felt like I was asking her to marry me. I suspected this was similar in her mind. Finally, I plucked petals off the red roses I'd bought and scattered them on the table and in the sand. Hopefully, it was romantic enough.

On some level, I thought that I could win her with a grand gesture of sorts, but Ivy was more practical than that. She had to feel like she could trust me not to leave her.

I hoped I'd met that expectation or at least quelled some of those fears. When she was due to come home, I went inside the house, checking on the food that was warming in the oven, and waited for her.

When she came in at seven, she dropped her bag and immediately kicked off her heels.

"I can't believe you're still wearing those."

Her belly had popped, and there was no mistaking that she was pregnant. The idea that the baby was mine never failed to fill me with awe.

"People respect me more if I wear a professional outfit."

"They can respect you just as well in flats." I worried that she'd fall or lose her balance in those things.

I swept her off her feet and carried her to the couch, where I set her down so that her feet rested in my lap. I massaged the soles, and her head fell back.

"That feels amazing."

"Are you hungry? I thought we could eat outside."

"I don't care where we eat as long as I can sleep soon. I'm exhausted. I think the third trimester has hit me."

"You don't have to worry about anything. I can take care of cleaning the house and getting everything ready."

She lifted her head, meeting my gaze. "You already do everything."

"I want to take care of you. That's one of the reasons I asked you to move in with me. Foot massage, food, and then I'll get you to bed."

Her face softened. "Yes."

Once I finished with her feet, she went to the bathroom, and I washed my hands in the sink. Then I carried glasses with apple cider to the table on the beach.

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