Page 57 of Chasing Elliott
“Where’s dad?” Cooper suddenly asked as he looked around.
Jace walked over and sat on the armrest of the couch with a shrug. “Pretty sure he’s in the kitchen making lunch.”
“Can I steal my girlfriend for a minute?” Cooper asked, directing the question at his mother and sister. “I promise I’ll return her back in one piece.”
“You better,” Charlotte told him, her arms now folded over her chest as she let me go. “Barely talked to her and I already like this one.”
Jace laughed, shaking his head as he pushed himself to his feet and walked up to Cooper, slapping a hand down on his shoulder. “You better watch out, brother. I think Charlie may steal your girl.”
“I’d like to see her try,” he fired back, his eyes resting on Charlotte’s before he closed the gap between us and pulled me out of his mother’s grasp. “Come on, babe. One last person you need to meet.”
Cooper led me through two different hallways, and I took the opportunity to scan the endless amounts of family photos hanging on the walls. I couldn’t help but smile, admiring howhappy they all looked in every single picture.
“You know, you could’ve told me you were taking me to meet your family,” I told him as we rounded a corner and I saw the kitchen at the end of the hall. “I may have protested but I stillwould’ve come.”
“Would you really, though?” He pondered, stopping us just outside the kitchen entry. “I know this kind of thing scares you.”
I looked up at him, a gentle smile on my lips as I rested a hand on his arm. “You makethings like this a lot less terrifying. I feel safe with you.”
Cooper bent down and pressed a kiss to my lips, his hands cupping my face in the way Iloved. I kissed him back, my hands gripping his shirt, trying to pull him closer. Suddenly, I heard a throat clear from behind Cooper and quickly pulled away, a flush coming to my cheeks.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t just walk in on that,” I assumed his father said, laughter lacing his voice.
“Like we didn’t walk in on you and mom all the time,” Cooper responded, chuckling softly. “Dad, this is Elliott.”
His father closed the gap between us, holding out his hand in my direction. “It’s apleasure to meet you, Elliott. We’re happy to have you.”
The next hour went by in a blur. We all sat around their large table, his father serving apasta that he had made. Charlotte was the easiest to get along with, countless jokes and laughter flowing between us. Jace and Cooper exchanged in their own brotherly conversation, his fatherpiping in every now and then. I caught his mother smiling at me on multiple occasions, a look Icouldn’t quite place in her eye.
“We need to get going,” Cooper announced as he pushed away from the table an hourlater. “Elliott’s hosting a surprise party for her friend that we need to get ready for.”
“Okay, honey,” his mother said as everyone started to get out of their seats.
Following them over to the door, they all hugged Cooper before turning and giving me one as well. His mother held on a little longer than the others, giving me a gentle squeeze.
“Don’t be a stranger now,” she whispered in my ear. “You’re always welcome here.”
I pulled back and fought back the tears that threatened to appear at the gesture. I gave her a wide smile as Cooper reached for my hand, intertwining ours together. I allowed him to lead me out to the bike and place the helmet on my head like he always liked to do before climbing on behind him and heading back to my place.
"No, I said you were in charge of balloons, and you were in charge of the cake," I scolded the boys as they entered the townhome a few hours later. "One of you needs to go get the cakeright now."
"I have to go pick up Kara," Benjamin said as he began to creep back toward the door. "I'll have her here in two hours like we planned, and I'll text you when we're five minutes away."
Not giving me the opportunity to respond, he slipped out the door and quickly closed itbehind him. Slowly turning to Cooper with a smile creeping up on my face, I folded my hands together in a begging motion.
"Fine, I'll go get it," Cooper huffed as a small smile pulled at his lips. "But you owe me."
"Oh, I will," I told him as I ran a hand slowly down his chest. "Just you wait."
Cooper's eyes twinkled and just as he was about to wrap me up in his arms, I quickly spun away with a laugh which caused him to groan.
"You better hurry back or else you'll have to wait till after the party," I pointed out as Ilooked over my shoulder and sent him a wink. Without a word, Cooper tore out the door and Iheard him running down the stairs.
Laughing to myself, I scratched behind Mia's ears before grabbing the large set of balloons and sauntering around the townhome, trying to find the perfect places to hang them up.
An hour went by when I heard the front door open. Exiting my room, I smiled as I saw Cooper standing there with the cake in one hand and flowers in the other.
"I know you said to not get you flowers but I decided not to listen," he said as he put thecake down on the counter and walked over to me. Grabbing the flowers, I pushed myself up on the balls of my feet and planted a kiss on his lips.
