Why do I keep letting her make me feel this way?
“That’s because you broke his heart. We were teenagers. Neither of us could rationalize it then. You won for a little while, but now it’s over. We’re married and happy. Let me be happy, damn it.”
Her eyes glance behind me and an evil smirk pulls at the corner of her mouth. “Look at him, Violet.” She points behind me and I turn around to see Cooper at the bar now talking to some woman, his father no longer in sight. “He sure looks cozy with her, doesn’t he? You need to see he’ll eventually break your heart. If not cheating, one way or another, I’m sure.”
I snort, very un-princess-like, and spin back to my mother. I’ve had enough of this for a lifetime. I stand and rest my fist on the table staring my mother down.
“I don’t know what you and Evelyn are up too, but if it’s trying to make it look like Coop would cheat, I’m not falling for it. Because you know what I see?” I stab my finger over back in Cooper’s direction, demanding she take a good look at him, as he shifts on his feet uneasily.
“What I see is a very uncomfortable man, doing his best not to be rude.” I snap my head back to her, my blood boiling. “I’m done with you.”
“Vi…”
“No! You listen to me now. I’ve given you so many chances because my brain tells me I should love you no matter what. But you see, Daddy always told me I should listen to my heart first. And you know what my heart is saying? The heart you have shattered so many times to the point it can’t be mended, is telling me to tell you to fuck off.” Finally, it seems my venomous words get to her and she flinches.
Lifting my dress off the floor, I turn around and head for Cooper.
Let me show you just how much he loves me, and I won’t be falling for your damn shit.
As I approach the bar, Cooper turns around to grab his drink from the ledge. The girl is still flapping her lips. “We can talk about working together, maybe over coffee or something. I swear you wouldn’t be disappointed in what I have to offer.” The double innuendo is evident when she raises her hand up to touch him.
She’s inches from his chest when I come between them, my puffy dress knocking her out of the way. My arms wrap around his neck and I kiss him, which he accepts by pushing his tongue between my parted lips. He enfolds me in his arms pulling me as close as he can with all the fluff in the way.
“Dance with me?” I say breathless, when our lips part.
“I’d much rather go do something else.” He pushes himself into me, with a wicked gleam in his eye.
“Come…” I take his hand and lead him out to the dance floor. Glancing back I see the girl looking crestfallen. She grabs her drink and walks off.
Once in the center of the dance floor, surrounded by all the other couples, some cuter and smaller than others, we wrap around each other and sway to the music.
“Everything okay?” he asks, his forehead pressed to mine.
“My mother approached me wanting to talk. Nothing new besides her trying to make me jealous.”
“Of what?”
I raise my eyebrow at his confusion and answer slowly. “Of you and the girl you were talking to?”
His mouth forms an ‘o’ shape in realization. “Oh. Yeah, my mom brought her over, asking me to listen to one of her tapes. She works in the peds unit with my mom.”
Hmm. I’m surprised she didn’t use Ainsley. Though I’m glad not to see the tramp here tonight. Did she get a clue?
“Are you going to listen to her tapes?” My interest is piqued, but Cooper instantly snorts at the idea.
“No. I have no control over people getting signed. Sure I can suggest, but I wasn’t going to. As soon as my mom left she started gushing over me and my work. That’s when you came in and saved me.” He kisses my nose.
“You did look uncomfortable.”
“I was.” His hand runs down my face. “You know I only want you.”
“I know. I wasn’t worried.” Snuggling into him, I rest my head on his shoulder. From across the crowded dance floor, I spot our mothers talking to each other. The uneasiness is back in my stomach as they both glance our way.
Cooper is unaware of what is taking place in my line of vision as he sings the words of “A Whole New World” in my ear. This is one of my favorite Disney songs, and leave it to our mothers to ruin it.
My hand dances around his neck and I turn my attention away from the pair. “Cooper?”
The lyrics stop cooing in my ear, his eyes now looking at me. “Yeah?”
“Promise me we won’t let our mothers come between us again.” His eyebrows knit together in worry. “Just promise.”
“I promise, baby. Nothing will ever come between us.”
While we dance, a sweet, little girl wearing a Princess Jasmine costume approaches us, and asks Cooper for a dance. She said her name is Teresa, she’s seven years old, and Cooper’s biggest fan—ever—stretching her hands out as far as she could to show the size of her love. Cooper happily agrees to a dance with the tiny princess. I watch as he spins her around and she giggles gleefully, making my heart soar. He’s going to be such a good dad one day.
One day, when we’re ready.
Though the tiny voice in my head is screaming out that Cooper might be ready now, while I’m still hesitant. I really don’t know what I want. I’m back and forth sometimes, knowing we’re still young, and traveling all the time. Though sometimes I think having a child would be nice, we'd be happy, and they would be loved.
Suddenly, the air gets thick and I’m choking once again on my biggest fear. Is having a baby something I can do? My eyes close and I remember back to that night in February, all the blood, and the overwhelming heartache I felt when they told me I lost the baby. What if I have another miscarriage? What if I can’t have kids? Is it something I could handle?
But I won’t know unless I try.
My hand travels to my stomach, the what if’s keep popping up in my head like a game of whack-a-mole, and I keep trying to smash each one down.
Suddenly, Cooper is surrounded by a bunch of other, tiny, adoring fans, and they're dancing crazily to “Footloose.”
“Oh no, he’s doing it all wrong…” Brody teases, watching his brother cut loose.
“Why don’t you go show him, honey?” Alexa nudges his shoulder, pushing him out to the floor.
“Yeah, I should. These kids need to know who the cooler Reid is.” Brody slides over to the dance floor getting in the middle of the fan group and breaks down with the sprinkler dance moves.
Only Brody.
“There’s your man in a nutshell. I hope you know that,” I giggle at Alexa. She doesn’t look at me, fluttering her eyes at the goofball in the middle of the floor.
“Oh, I know.”
After two more songs and a myriad of crazy dance moves the music fades and all the kids are asked to come to the front of the stage for a show: One shoe, One Prince, Only one Cinderella.
Cooper, along with about ten other men walk up to the stage, gather around a large bin. Next to the bin Evelyn stands with two of her co-workers. She looks over at me, and gives me an evil grin that makes her look like Cruella De Vil.
Why can’t she just leave me alone?
At least my mother thankfully took the hint and without another word to me, exited the ball, taking her broomstick with her. I hate myself for still holding onto a sliver of hope she’d come around. That maybe the years and years of heartache could be washed away, but it’s naive thinking. There’s only so much a person can take and I’ve taken enough hits from her, so I know I’m doing the right thing by cutting her out of my life.
“Do you know what’s going on?” I ask Brody, who sits down next to me, a sheen of sweat glistening on his head.
“Oh, how it was explained to me was the ladies donate money to raffle their shoes for a dance with one of the guys. They each pick a shoe and have to match it to one of the ladies. Whoever’s shoe fits gets a dance with said Prince. Mom tried
to convince me to get in on it, but I told her hell no.”
Why didn't he tell me about this?
“Would've been nice to know. I would've donated…” I mumble. Even if I didn't win the dance I would've liked to help.
“Next up is the event of the night,” the MC announces from the stage. “Now, I’m sure you know the story of Cinderella. She goes to the ball and dances with the Prince, but at the stroke of midnight runs off, leaving her slipper behind. The next day the Prince scours the village looking for the fair maiden who would fit the slipper.”
Fifty ladies walk on the stage and sit in the fold-out chairs. They’re all in full ball gowns, but their bare feet peek from underneath the taffeta. One by one a guy is handed a shoe from the bin by Evelyn. Each ‘Prince’ tries the shoe on one the ladies, as the MC continues a playful story for the kids.
When the first Prince finds his Princess the kids and the crowd clap. They step aside, waiting for the others.
I watch as Cooper is handed a stiletto from Evelyn and walks to the first awaiting lady. “Prince Cooper Reid is looking for his fair maiden. This princess will be sure to be his everything, when he slips the slipper on her foot.” I bite the sides of my cheek at the MC statement. I suddenly feel very possessive. It’s bad enough I have to deal with Ainsley and her warped mind. I don’t need someone planting the wrong idea into one of these girls head also.
Cooper looks over his shoulder at the crowd and I know he’s looking for me. When our eyes finally meet, he gives me a wink, easing me just a little bit. The next ‘princess’ Cooper approaches I recognize right away as the woman he was talking to earlier at the bar. I glance at Evelyn as the shoe slips on the woman’s foot, and she looks back at me slyly.
“The shoe fits!” the MC yells.
I’m stewing as Cooper helps her from her chair and walks her to the other side to wait for the other princesses to be claimed. I knew something like this was coming, but I wasn’t prepared for how angry it would make me feel.
“Vi, your head looks like it’s going to explode,” Alexa whispers in my ear.
“Because it is,” I hiss, and I’m stomping my foot waiting for the dance to start so I can find a reason to pull the other wicked witch aside and throw her in the fountain outside.
And pray she melts.
“Violet,” Andrew’s voice pulls me from my stare down with Evelyn, even though I’m the only one staring. She’s clapping and looking at the next couple making a shoe connection. “You have nothing to worry about. This is just for charity.”
Oh, god he thinks I’m jealous. That’s not going to help me with the brownie points I’ve earned with him.
I do my best to put on an Academy Award smile, but I can’t tell if it’s lopsided or not. “I know, Mr. Reid. I actually have a headache. All the fancy food.”
But it’s really your pain in the ass wife giving me the migraine.
“Andrew, sweetie.” He gives me a sweet smile and turns his attention to the final Cinderella couple. I’m unsure if he fell for my excuse or not.
Everyone claps as the couples are announced. “Can you Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King fills the room and the new Princes and Princesses make their way to the dance floor. I have no doubt Evelyn selected this song to push my buttons. Cooper pulls the girl into his arms and keeps her at a comfortable distance. She’s talking up a storm while Coop mutely nods, his eyes darting around the room.
I spot Evelyn and she’s walking towards the garden. I stand and Brody grabs my arm.
“Where are you going?”
“The bathroom. I trust him, but it doesn’t mean I want to watch.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Alexa offers and I shake my head. This is something I have to do on my own and with the least amount of witnesses.
I make my escape out of the ballroom and into the garden. There are only a few people out here in the crisp night, standing around high top tables wrapped in white lights. It doesn’t take me long to find her staring up at the sky.
“Evelyn,” I growl.
Her head drops, looking at me disapprovingly through the slits of her eyes. “I came out here for a moment of peace and quiet.”
“Well, too bad. I think it’s finally time we chatted, don’t you? Lay it all on the line so we can move on?”
“Oh, like you have moved on with your mother?” She crosses her arms and narrows her eyes at me.
“My mother has nothing to do with this. This is between me and you, so I ask, why do you hate me so much?”
“Do you really think it’s appropriate to be getting into this now?” she says, looking contrite.
She might be right, but I couldn’t care less right now.
“Maybe not, but I’ve had enough of you trying to come between me and Cooper. All your snide remarks, the dance raffle, the mix up with the dress, Ainsley, and pretty much every comment that comes out of your mouth at me. Why? Tell me!” I demand, my voice raised to a shrill for my final two words.
“Because you will never be good enough for him.” She points her manicured finger at me. “He needs someone who meets his standard. You caused him to lose focus on what was really important. He was starting to turn around about going to Princeton, ‘till you came along. Sure, he got lucky, but what happens after the hits stop coming, hmm? Now he has no college degree and some hussy of a wife who in the end will take every last penny he has. I mean you made sure you got married so quickly there’s no prenup. What now, trap him down with a baby, is that your next goal? I’m actually surprised you didn’t do it years ago,” she spits out.
Unexplainable rage and hurt pours out of me. I grab a glass of wine sitting on a table and toss the contents at her, the red wine splashing her face and green silk gown. The wine drips off her as she stares at me big eyed and mouth gaping, in total disbelief.
Holy crap. Did I just do that? And why did it feel so good?
I mean she had it coming, right? She’s lucky I didn’t slap her.
She wipes her face with her hand, but remains staring at me in shock. I shakily put the glass back down on the table. “I—um,” I mumble.
Why isn’t she saying anything? Her silence is unnerving me.
My eyes glance around me, lucky no one saw the display.
“Well, you’ve gone and done it now haven’t you…” she finally speaks before angerly turning on her heel and walks back towards the ballroom.
My elbows fall to the table and I hide my head in my hands. I have no idea how I’m going to talk myself out of this. I should have never confronted Evelyn today after dealing with my mother. Will Cooper be mad? Will he understand?
I jump with a screech, startled when someone grabs my shoulders. I’m spun around to face my husband who actually looks worried. His hand runs down my face and I take a moment to lean into his touch. “What’s wrong?”
I should tell him, confess everything that occurred because there’s no way Evelyn had enough time to say anything to him. But for some reason, I chicken out. All I want to do right now is go home, crawl under my covers and deal with it tomorrow with a clearer head.
“Can we go home?” I whisper, at a loss.
“Why? I thought you were having fun?”
“I am. I’m just tired and my feet hurt…” I look down at my feet and nibble on my lower lip.
“Ace, I can tell something is wrong…Does this have anything to do with your mother?”
“Yes.” Not a total lie.
He looks up and over my shoulder. I glance back and see Evelyn with a couple of napkins still wiping off her dress.
“What happened?” Cooper asks curiously looking over at his mother. Cooper has his arm around my waist keeping me close by.
She’s silent for a moment looking between us. I put my head on Cooper’s shoulder, not ready for the showdown. “I—I tripped and spilled my glass of wine all over me. It went up instead of down.” She laughs softly, and my head pops up in disbelief.
Did I hear her
right? Did I enter an alternate dimension?
This was her chance to tell Cooper how crazy I am, anything her imagination could come up with and she doesn’t take it?
I stare at her, trying to get a tell on the game she’s playing. The first thing I notice is her eyes have softened from the angry orbs she glared at me with when I first came out here. The second thing are the waves of hostility I usually feel when we’re in the same room seem to have vanished.
Maybe the wine took the demon out of her?
Cooper looks between us, and all I want is to get out of here before she changes her mind.
“Thank goodness I always have a change of clothes in the car,” she adds, smiling sweetly before walking away to the gates where a couple guards stand to lead her out.
What just happened?
I’ve never been more confused in my entire life.
Could this be the start of something good or is this the beginning of something worse to come?
I’m hoping—praying—for the better.
“I have a feeling I’m missing something…” Cooper grabs my chin staring down at me. I give him a small shrug.
“No clue. I didn’t see it happen.” I lie and he narrows his eyes at me. If Evelyn can keep what happened a secret, well, so can I. “Hey, why didn’t you tell me about the Cinderella dance?” I change the subject and his face drops, his hand falling from my chin.
“Shit…” he mumbles, “I meant too. She asked me while I was at the bar with that girl. Then everything else happened…” he trails off. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, but can you take me home now?” I rub my hands up and down his chest. “I have a few things I would like to do to you.”
“Oh yeah?” He raises an eyebrow, wearing a cheeky smile. “And what would those things be?”
“I want to ride your dick, hard and fast,” I purr, licking my lips. My hand traveling south to his crotch.
Yep, he’s rock hard.
“How hard?”
“Hard enough I’ll feel you for the rest of the week and I’ll walk like I just got off a horse. Please.”
I Found You Page 21