Let Me Love You

She puts a hand up to cover her mouth, I know she’s laughing but she also knows I’m pissed off.

“I’m sorry. Who knew you could think so quick on your feet.” She snorts. “Is there really a new bistro on College Drive?”

“No,” I smile. “I totally pulled that out of my ass.”

Layla frowns, “Poor guy.”

I narrow my eyes at her, “Poor guy? What about poor me?”

“Just go out with him, get it over with and be done with him.” Layla says seriously as we reach my car. I hit the unlock button and we climb in.

“I don’t think that’s going to get rid of him.”

“You’ll never know.”

She’s right, I may never know. I mean, I could just go out on one date, in a public place, make it the most mind-numbing date ever and pray he doesn’t ask for another.

Sighing, “I’ll think about it.”

She reaches up to change the radio station. “Good.”

As I drive to drop Layla off the reality hits me that Cooper and I really are done. I’ll never have his strong arms wrapped around me late at night when it’s just the two of us. He’s not going to be there to dry the tears that are now falling down my face. My stomach tightens at the thought of starting a new relationship.

“Jay,” Layla places her hand on my arm offering me comfort. “I know it’s hard and scary but you’re too amazing to be sitting here wallowing. If Cooper doesn’t see what he lost out on then that’s on him.”

She’s right, I know she is. It’s time to put my broken heart in a box and tuck it on the shelf in my closet. It’s time to move on.

After I dropped Layla off at her house I head over to Chloe’s where MacKenzie is meeting us to go over the plans for Hailey’s shower in a few weeks. We planned the shower on the weekend that Mason and Cooper come home as a little surprise to Hailey. She thinks they’ll be home the last week in March but they’ll actually be home the weekend before. It hasn’t been easy to keep it from Hailey when on a daily basis she’s crying because she misses him. So I think this extra little surprise will make it even better for her.

“I can’t believe she’s almost due.” Chloe says as she rolls up a diaper and secures it with a rubber band.

The three of us are working on a diaper cake for Hailey. It’s a four tier cake with all kinds of goodies wrapped in and around the cake. Since they don’t know the sex of the twins we are keeping it all natural colors with the jungle theme they picked out.

MacKenzie huffs, “I know and she has to be going crazy being stuck inside the house twenty-four hours a day. I’d go insane.”

I pick up a piece of ribbon and secure it around the bottom layer. “She is going insane.” I laugh. “Just last night I swear I heard her in her room having a full blown conversation with herself.”

Chloe and MacKenzie stop what they’re doing, look at each other and burst out laughing.

“Poor girl.” I say.

Chloe wipes the tears from her eyes, “That’s what she gets for messing with Mason. We know which Cahill has the super sperm.”

MacKenzie grimaces. “That’s gross.” She shudders. “I don’t want to know about my brother’s super sperm.”

Chloe giggle, “Don’t worry Kenz, Hunter’s got the sexy sperm.”

My eyebrows furrow, “Sexy sperm?”

Chloe rolls her eyes, “Your brother’s f**king hot.”

“Oh my God.”

MacKenzie gets the dreamy look on her face, “He is f**king sexy.”

“Please,” I beg. “Can we talk about something other than sperm and how hot and sexy my brother is? I’m trying to keep my lunch down.”

“You know who else is sexy?” Chloe asks with a sly smile.

MacKenzie bites, “Who?”

Chloe looks over in my direction and winks, “Eli.”

“Oh hell,” Just the mention of his name and my cheeks start to burn. Damn it.

“Hmm.” MacKenzie moans, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “He is sexy.” She agrees.

Chloe points to me. “Look at you blushing.”

I shrug, trying to play it off. “What?” My voice is somewhat squeaky. “I can’t help it.”

MacKenzie sighs, “I wonder what he’s hiding under that shirt of his.”

I c**k an eyebrow at her, “More than you can handle, honey.”

Both girls burst out into a fit of laughter. I needed this tonight with the girls. I just needed that connection, to feel close to the family I feel like I’m losing now that I’m not a part of Cooper’s life.

Once we’ve settled down Chloe asks, “Have you seen what’s under it?”

I shrug; acting like it’s no big deal that I have. “Yeah.”

“And…” MacKenzie probes.

“It’s perfect, flawless.” I bite down on the corner of my lip. “Damn near magical.” There is nothing wrong with admiring his perfection. Nothing at all if you ask me. Eli is a huge flirt but that’s as far as it will ever go. He knows when he uses his charm on me it gets a rise out of me so he does it often.

Chloe asks with wide eyes, “You’ve seen him shirtless?”

And now my whole body blushes, “I’ve seen him dripping wet and in a towel. A couple of years ago he was showering at Mason and Cooper’s and he walked out just as I was going into Cooper’s room.”

The three of us sigh heavily, each lost in our own thoughts of what Eli looks like without a shirt on, but my mind wanders to Cooper’s impeccable body. His strong and muscular body, the years he’s spent in the gym and playing baseball have done his physique wonders.

Ugh, I have got to stop thinking like that.

“So,” I brace my hands on the kitchen table, “I think I’m going to start dating again.”

MacKenzie smiles sweetly, “I think that’s great Jay.”

My stomach gets little butterflies. “Really?”

Chloe speaks up, “I think you need to do what makes you happy. If you think you’re ready to date then do it.”

Sighing heavily, “I’m not sure I’m ready but I think I want to try and see how it goes.”

MacKenzie covers my hand with hers and gives a little squeeze. “Don’t let him hold you back Jaylinn. He’s an idiot for letting you go and he’ll realize that when it’s too late.”