“Okay?”
Nothing new.
“I’m now in love with Cooper Reid.”
My heart stops. The blood in my veins ceases to flow and I think I'm dead on the floor. There's no way his name just left her lips.
No, I'm hearing things lost in my own daydream.
“What did you say?”
“His name is Cooper Reid, and he’s so dreamy. You need to listen to his new CD.” She sits up on my bed. “He’s got this song called, “My Everything” and whoever it’s about is one lucky girl.”
“Yeah, I bet.” I smile weakly.
“Do you want to listen?” I nod, but I'm not sure if actually do.
“Okay, let me grab the CD.” She springs off my bed and rushes out of my room, eager to show me her new idol.
I pick up my phone, dialing a number I know won’t work.
“The number you are trying to reach has been disconnected.”
Slamming the handset down, I wonder if he changed his number to get away from me, or is it because now he’s some star.
Julie comes back in and hands me the CD. It’s called ‘Blue Skies’ and on the cover is the face of the man who stars in my dreams every night. He finally did it. I’m so proud of him, yet mad that he didn't tell me.
Me.
I was always there for him when his parents weren’t. I believed in him more than anyone. Together or not, I would think he'd share that with me, knowing no matter what I would always want the best for him.
Maybe it’s time to move on. Even though it’s the last thing I want. I wonder if he still thinks of me.
Why would he though? He never called, remember.
“Vi, are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I wave her off, not sure how to tell her. “I'll listen to this later if it's okay?”
“Yeah, of course. But listen, there's no way you'll be able to resist his vocals.”
Nope. There's not. His honey baritone voice always made me wet, but it was when he would whisper in my ear...
Julie pats my leg, grabbing my attention back again. “So, you ready for tonight?”
Julie, Alexa, and I are going on blind dates. Well, I’m going on the blind date; their boyfriends are bringing one of their friends for me. I’m so overjoyed—not.
“Yeah, I guess.” I shrug, unenthusiastic.
I need to get back out there and try to meet someone new. I’m sure Cooper is. The thought makes my heart sink, thinking of other women with him. God knows he probably has all kinds of women throwing themselves at him and nothing to stop him from saying no.
It sure isn’t me.
“Come to my room, let me find you something to wear.” Julie drags me to her room, and I notice right away the picture of Cooper gracing her wall.
I stand in front of it, looking over every inch of his body. He’s been working out. His abs and arms are bigger than the last time I saw him. My fingers brush over my left hip bone, where his name is etched permanently and I frown when I don't see his.
Maybe they airbrushed it off.
Or he’s moved on from you Violet and got rid of it.
“He’s fine, isn’t he?” Julie asks me, pulling me out of my thoughts...again.
I turn away from the poster and mumble, “Yeah.”
“Come on, let's get you ready.”
Hours later, I’m standing at a round table inside Club 99. They have a ‘teen night’, so there are no alcoholic beverages, but there is a dance floor with a pretty good DJ spinning tunes. Alexa and Julie’s dates just arrived and I’m introduced to their friend Austin. He’s a good-looking guy, but he has nothing on Cooper.
You need to stop thinking about him.
Austin is a nice enough guy, though I don’t see this going anywhere past friendship. Alexa and Julie, along with their dates, have moved to the dance floor, leaving me alone with him.
We’re both watching our friends dance, not saying anything. The song changes and all the couples pull each other close. It's a slow guitar melody and when the vocals start, it’s a voice I would know anywhere—my blood runs cold.
It’s like he’s haunting me tonight.
“Do you wanna dance?” Austin offers and I shake my head.
“No thank you.” My eyes close letting the lyrics sink into my soul.
“It was you who made me complete.
You believed in me when no one else could
Gave me the hope to keep on going
Even after you were gone
You’re my everything, my one and only,
My reason for breathing, my only reason for living
And I only started living when you were ripped from me”
I couldn’t dance with anyone to this song. It feels wrong. In a way, I feel like the lyrics are calling out to me. As much as I would like to think he wrote this about me, I’m sure he didn’t. It’s been over a year and a half, there’s no way I'm his everything anymore.
If this song was really about me, and he wanted me, he has the means to come and find me now.
“Who is he?” Austin asks, with no malice in his voice and my head snaps up. I quickly wipe away the fallen tear that has made the great escape from my eyes.
“What?” I whisper, trying to feign confusion.
“I can tell you’re still hung up on someone, Violet. It’s okay. I just got out of a long-term relationship, too. So, I know the feeling. I came tonight to get Craig and Will off my back. They keep saying I need to move on.”
“I’m sorry. Alexa and Julie feel the same way. They think I’m some dating hermit.” I sigh regrettably, knowing it’s my own fault they pushed me into dating. “They mean well, and they don’t know about him, so they don’t understand I’m not ready yet.”
They think I’m some little virgin who’s afraid of men, and I let them believe it.
“Still in love?” he asks with no judgment.
“Yeah, even though I try not to be, I’m sure I will always be,” I admit, and my shoulders sag, realizing I can’t lie to myself about it. Even if I date again, I know nobody will compare or make me feel the way he did.
Damn it, Cooper Reid, you’ve ruined me for everyone.
“We kind of lost touch and there was never a breakup.”
I have no idea why I’m spilling my guts to this guy. Maybe it’s because I don’t know him, or he’s able to relate. “You?”
“Yeah, her dad was in the army, so they had to move to Japan. We decided it would be better to part ways.”
“I’m sorry.” I frown and rest my hand on his shoulder.
“It’s okay. Maybe me and you can be friends?” he offers, and I smile my first real smile of the night.
“I would like that.”
May 27th, 2006
Violet
A fter catching up with Billy and John I excuse myself to the bathroom. The night is going better than I thought it would. Everyone has been friendly and accepts me as Cooper’s wife. Well, except Ainsley.
Evelyn has been tolerable and I wonder if she’s turning over a new leaf. Although, as I come back out of the bathroom, she stands in front of me with her arms crossed, snarling at me.
Yeah, I knew I was just kidding myself.
“Hi, Mrs. Reid,” I greet her cheerfully, trying to go around her, but she moves into my path.
“I didn’t want to say anything in front of anyone else, but now that we’re alone, I had expected you not to come to my house dressed like a whore.”
“Excuse me?” My skin prickles with my sudden, rising anger.
What the hell?
I glance down at my dress and see nothing wrong with it. The dress has an open back with criss-cross straps, and the neckline shows off a bit of my cleavage, but it's more of a semi-formal summer dress. When I’d picked it out, I had thought this would be a family gathering, not a Hollywood wedding reception. I shake it off, knowing I can’t let her affect me.
And she has no right to call me a whore, no matter how I’m dressed, e
specially with Ainsley walking around with her breasts practically falling out.
“Have you seen what Ainsley’s wearing?” I remark, crossing my arms over my chest and cocking my head to the side.
“She’s not my issue. I know the only reason you’ve come back after all these years is because Cooper is famous and raking in the money. I mean there must be at least a couple million dollars on your finger.”
Holy shit, really?
My eyes fall to the glacier on my hand. I knew it wasn’t cheap, but I didn’t expect it to be millions. Maybe I should’ve helped pick it out.
“I find it funny how you two ended up in Vegas at the same time and got married. How did you do it, Violet?” She glares at me.
Did she really just ask me that?
I squint at her. “I drugged him and dragged him to the altar. The bodyguards thought it was funny so they let me,” I bite out sarcastically. “Give me a break. For one, I always knew Coop would be a huge success and it was you who always tried to drag him down. So, maybe it’s you who is only supporting him now because of all the money. I for one couldn’t care less about his fortune or his fame because I loved him and have always loved him before he had a dime to his name. You know as much as anyone else I’m not some fling he just picked up and married. If you could just open your eyes and see how much we love each other, how much we care for each other, maybe you could start being happy for us. But you refuse, don’t you?” I seethe, and she has the nerve to look annoyed.
She looks away like I’m wasting her time. “Are you done?”
Closing my eyes, I count to ten, trying to calm down. I’m not done, but I need to breathe before I go Jackie Chan on her.
“No, I’m not. As for ‘getting’ Cooper to marry me, it’s called fate. It was finally on our side. And so you know, it was your son who asked me to marry him. He picked out these rings. I have no idea what they’re worth, nor do I care. All they mean to me is Cooper and I are joined together in matrimony. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find my husband.”
I storm pass her, making her swallow whatever else she has to say.
So much for Evelyn’s new leaf.
I’m not ready to see Cooper, and instead make my way over to the bar, asking for the strongest thing they can make me. The bartender obliges and pours a Long Island, doubling the liquor.
Bless his heart. I suck it down quickly, letting the burn soothe my anger, and help me de-stress. It doesn’t last long when I see Evelyn come in; she spots me, and just when I think there’s going to be round two, she beelines for Coop.
“I’ll get you another,” the bartender says from beside me. He seems to notice the tension tightening my back and shoulders.
“Thanks.” I give him a grateful smile and he mixes me another drink.
A hand lands on my shoulder and I come face to face with the kind brown eyes of the youngest Reid. “Hey, Vi. You okay?”
I shrug my shoulders and his hand falls away. “Yeah, just a long day.”
“You don’t have to lie. I heard what my mom was saying to you. Just so you know, I’m on your side.”
“Thanks, Dust. But can you keep it between us?”
“Why?” He scrunches his face in confusion.
Taking a deep breath, I glance down at my drink. “Because I don’t want to upset Coop. I’m sure he’s questioning your mother’s sanity already, but I think it’s easier to imagine she’s trying then see the reality. I know personally how much it stings when all you want is good and…” I trail off, realizing I’m laying my feelings on a sixteen-year-old’s shoulders. “Sorry,” I mumble.
“No, I get it. I love mom. But she has her moments where I wonder what she’s doing. But Vi…”
I hold my hand up. “It’s fine and you made my point. You love her, so does Coop, despite those moments. I can handle her, don’t worry. So please, keep this between me and you,” I beg, seconds away from offering money or even finding a way to sneak Cooper’s cars keys to him.
“Fine,” he relents, “Just don’t let her win and I’ll have dad check on her meds,” he jokes, with a little chuckle.
“Well, make sure they double them,” I tease back and the bartender gives me my drink.
“I want you two together…”
I really want us together too. I muse inwardly as he continues.
“I was in the middle of teaching you how to capture a ‘Spearow’ when you left. I probably have to re-teach you the game now though.”
I laugh outright, remembering how he tried to teach me and Cooper how to do play Pokémon cards. Cooper figured it out easily, but I had no idea what I was doing.
“Well, now that I’m around again, maybe you could teach me something new.”
“Sure thing. I’m really into Madden now.”
I pale. I’d rather go back to Pokémon.
Finishing half my drink, I set it back down on the bar and leave the guy a twenty for the tip.
Dustin and I walk over to where Cooper and Evelyn are standing. I slip my arm around his waist and snuggle into him, placing my left hand on his chest. Giving a full display of my ring to Evelyn. Dustin snickers and Evelyn clears her throat, glaring at me. I don’t think Coop notices since he’s too busy staring down at me.
“Husband, would you dance with me?” I purr, and rub my hand in circles on his chest.
“I would love to, wife.”
“Oh, good you guys need your first dance as man and wife,” Evelyn says, and somehow manages to keep the sourness out of her sickeningly sweet voice.
Why is she acting so two-faced? Everyone knows you hate me, lady. Stop playing games.
“Have the DJ play ‘Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman’ by Bryan Adams,” Cooper tells her and leads me out to the dance floor.
Our song.
“I'm glad you remembered, Mr. Reid.” I brush my hand across his cheek.
“I could never forget, Mrs. Reid. Winter Formal, 2000. We got in trouble for PDA in the middle of the dance floor.” He grins cheekily at the memory.
“Mmm…I think it was more because we were dry humping as well.”
“Can I have everyone's attention?” The DJ’s voice booms through the speakers. “Will everyone huddle around the dance floor for the newlyweds’ first dance?”
All the guests circle around us as Cooper pulls me into his arms. The song starts to play and the two of us sway as the romantic lyrics croon through the sound system.
I nuzzle my head into Cooper’s chest, feeling suddenly shy with everyone watching us dance.
This song didn’t only become ours because of the intense make-out session, and being our first slow dance together. It was the lyrics. When Bryan Adams sings of seeing your unborn children in her eyes, Cooper also had sung the words into my ear. The chills it had given me, thinking about being his forever, one day carrying his babies, having a family with him, had sparked and ignited something through my whole body. We had only been together for four months and I’d known then he was my future.
All the same feelings are still there, and as he sings into my ear softly, there’s a different kind of fire burning inside of me.
When the song ends, he cups my face in his hands, taking my lips into a feverish kiss that isn’t at all PG rated for this event. The crowd around us erupts with clapping and cheers, making us break apart. “I love you,” he whispers against my parted lips
“I love you too.”
Once the cheers die down, Elvis’ ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ comes on next and we both break into a fit of giggles.
I glance over at Evelyn, who is standing by the DJ stand, grinning wickedly, and I’m guessing she requested this song on purpose.
Does she really think Cooper or I care that we got married by Elvis, or that we care who knows? It was a blast and will always be the best day of my life.
Cooper twirls me around the dance floor and it’s like we’re the only two people out here. We are the only ones that matter.
H
e pulls me flush to his chest and runs his hand down my face, pushing the loose tendrils out of the way.
“Do you take me to be your lawful wedded husband…uh-huh?” he says in his best Elvis impersonation, grinning like crazy.
“Uh-huh. Do you take me to be your lawful wedded wife?” I ask through my bubbles of laughter. My impression of Elvis is horrible.
“Uh-huh…” He dips me to the floor and kisses me just like when we said, ‘I do’ over a week ago.
When he lifts me, I wrap my arms tightly around his neck, resting my head on his shoulders, another song now strumming through.
My eyes dart around the room and land back to Evelyn who is now standing with Ainsley. They both look like they swallowed a wasp, considering how pained their expressions are.
I nuzzle my head into Cooper’s neck. He’s the only person I need to worry about today. Cooper glances back to where I was looking, and when he turns back to me he lifts my head, his dark blues staring into me intently.
“Did something happen with you and my mom?”
My lips press into a hard line, quickly debating whether or not I should tell him. “Why do you ask?”
“She mentioned you two had some sort of disagreement and that you took what she said the wrong way.”
I took it the wrong way? Ha! “Pfft. I bet she did.”
“What happened?” he urges, but I’m not in the mood for Evelyn to ruin this perfect moment.
“Listen, your mom and I aren't ever going to see eye to eye. Just like you and my mom won't. It’s a given, and I’d rather let it go for now.”
“So, you're not going to tell me what she said?”
“Not right now. I want to enjoy my time with you tonight. I mean this party is for us. We should keep it that way.”
He purses his lips and I know he wants to push the issue more.
“Please,” I beg, fluttering my eyes sweetly.
“Alright,” he relents, thankfully letting it go for now. I nuzzle myself back into his arms and we sway together again. His hand moves down my bare back and lands on the swell of my ass, pulling me into his erection.
I love the feeling of his hard dick poking me in the belly. His warm breath tickles my ear as he leans in to whisper, “I’m thinking of hightailing it out of here soon. I want this dress on the floor, you splayed out naked on our bed, with me deep inside of you.”
I Found You Page 14