Chapter Two

Cooper

I've spent the better part of four years trying not to love my best friend's little sister. For one, she's too young. Way too fucking young. Two, she's off limits for a reason. Bros don't date their best friend's sister. It's just not done. It's a general courtesy for everyone involved. Three, Bryan's family has become family to me. They have been since I lost my parents.

There's not a lot of grace in the world for a child whose only living relative was a drunkard looking to collect money from my parents' estate. I was sixteen years old, alone in the world, and I took every chance to be a part of the McAdams family I could get. If they needed someone to do anything around the house, I was their guy. If Collette needed help with her science, I was the first to grab a microscope. If Kenzie needed a new chain for her bike, I had a replacement in my hand within the hour. There was nothing I wouldn't do for them, and they gave me all the love and acceptance I would ever want. And now… I'm a fucking bastard who has feelings for Iris. I can't repay their kindness by falling for their youngest daughter.

I rub Iris' back as she sits on the edge of the bed. Her cheeks are red, and tears fall from her face. Downstairs, she looked sick. Up here, she looks upset. "What's going on?"

She stands abruptly and tosses her suitcase onto the bed. "What? I'm not doing anything. Go downstairs. The love of your life is down there. You said you wanted a family. I'm sure you could find it with her. Women like that like to spend money. I'm sure she'd spend yours and give you babies in return."

I huff out a laugh. "What?" If I didn't know better, I'd think she was jealous.

"What do you mean, what? Go!"

I shake my head. "I appreciate it, but that's not my kind of girl."

"Right."She laughs. "No one likes tall, curvy blondes."

"Are you… okay?"

She flashes a glance toward me and shakes her head before continuing to stuff a weekend's worth of clothes into her bag. "I told you… I'm sick."

"Bullshit. Something else is wrong. You can talk to me."

"Can I? You've known my brother for how long now… twenty years, but you forgot about the rest of the family. We used to hang out all the time. You'd take me to baseball games. We'd go sledding. We'd hunt together. You made time for me. We were close. Then I turn eighteen, and it's like I don't exist anymore. You've barely spoken to me in years. You don't even…" She sighs. Clearly, she's angry. "You don't even look at me. Today is the first time in forever that you've shown the slightest interest, and I'm pretty sure it's because you're being forced. So why would I open up to you?"

I could explain all that very easily if the truth was an option, but it's not. "Why does it bother you?"

She pants out a breath and zips her suitcase closed before looking toward me.

She's so beautiful. I'm not even sure she knows it. Her hair is bright pink, she's got the most captivating dark brown eyes, and she wears these funky gray glasses that twist at the corners. Not to mention that she's probably not even five feet tall. I could lift her up onto my shoulder and carry her right out of here. My cock twitches just thinking about that possibility.

"If you don't know why it would bother me that we don't talk anymore, then I don't even know why we"re talking in the first place." She swings open the bedroom door and Bryan is on the other side of it.

"Everything okay?" He's wearing a t-shirt with baby drool on the shoulder and a pair of gym shorts that could also use the laundry. This is his uniform these days, and I gotta say, I'm jealous as hell.

"Yeah," Iris says, stepping around him, "I'm not feeling great. I'm sorry. I have to go."

"Wait," Bryan twists toward her, "you can't go. I need you this weekend."

"No, you don't. There are four adults here. You have more than enough people who can take care of the kids. Shanna won't leave them alone, anyway."

"I know, but you leaving is going to upset her. She's so stressed already. Please!" Bryan is pleading and I can tell it's because he hasn't slept well in weeks. I remember the look on his face when Shanna told him they were going to have twins. He didn't need to say a word. He knew he'd slept his last full night's sleep.

Iris sighs and glances toward me before looking back at Bryan. "I really want to go home. What if I'm sick? I don't want to get the baby's sick."

"You're not sick," I say, clearly overstepping. "You're upset."

Bryan's eyes narrow and stay on Iris. "What are you upset about?"

Iris shakes her head, storms past us both, and slams the bedroom door. Obviously, this wasn't the right thing to say, but I've never been happier. All I want is for her to stay.

"Okay then…" Bryan drags in a deep breath. "I guess I forgot what it's like to be twenty something."

"She's stressed," I say, conjuring up a story of what I think might be going on. "I bet it's the store thing. She had those plans with the bear and all that. I think maybe it's getting to her."

"Why so suddenly, though?" We walk down the stairs as we talk.

"I'm not sure. When we were talking, she shut down, said I hadn't spent enough time with her lately, and that I didn't have the right to know."

Bryan"s eyes narrow. "What?"

"Yeah. I'll try again later on tonight." I swallow hard as I lie to my best friend. Sure, I'm going to check on his sister tonight. That part is true, but the reason I'm checking is purely selfish.

I need to see her again. Her short little frame, her curves, her soft pink lips. I need to be next to her.

Fuck!

It's so God damn wrong, and I know that. I watched her grow up. I spent years treating her like a kid sister, and now, she's all I think about, all I want, all I need.

No one else compares to Iris, and I've tried. I've tried moving on. I've tried dating. I've tried imagining my life with other people, but the only girl I ever come back to is Iris.

Bryan shows me to the kitchen where the woman he's brought is waiting for me. I have no idea how to handle this. I don't do small talk, I hate fakeness, and I'm not into women that aren't Iris. All of that said, maybe I can find some civility while I count the moments until I see Iris again.

"Cooper, this is Alaina. Alaina... Cooper." Shanna introduces us with a smirk, as though she's made the perfect match.

The woman in fringe cut-off jeans holds out her hand with a bright grin. "Howdy. Great to meet you." Her teeth are neon white, and her breasts look artificially pumped to the brim. It's hard to tell through all her adjustments, but I'd wager to say she's at least a little more age appropriate. "You want to maybe… grab a walk? We could get to know each other better."

I roll my head to the side and drag in a deep breath. I don't want to go for a walk. I especially don't want to go on a walk when the woman I love and care about is upstairs sulking. I want to go back up and see if she's okay. I want to find out why she's so bothered by me pulling away. I want to listen to her, hold her, be there for her.

Though in this moment, I know that's not an option. If I storm off to be by her side right now, there will be no denying how I feel about her, and Lord knows what that will do to everyone here. I can check on her later, when it makes more sense, after I've fulfilled this obligation.

I nod toward Alaina. "Sure. I just have to grab a jacket. You need anything upstairs?" Everything I've just convinced myself of goes flying out the window the second I open my mouth.

Alaina shakes her head and grins, oblivious to the fact that this isn't going anywhere. I should tell her now, but I know I'm doing this for Bryan and Shanna. They think I'm lonely and they want to help.

I turn away from the group and jog toward the stairs, hopping steps two at a time until I'm knocking on the door where Iris is staying.

"What?" Her tone is still frustrated.

I open the door and let myself in. "Still pissy, I see."

She rolls her eyes. "I can hear everything through the vent. You're supposed to be getting a jacket."

I laugh. "That was a lie. I don't need a jacket. I needed to talk to you again."

Her eyes lower. "About what?"

This. You and me. About how hard it is to have self-control when I'm near you. That's why I've stayed away. How I fantasize about my hands on your skin, my teeth scraping against your neck, my arms around you, holding you close. I don't say any of that. Instead, I grin and say, "I want to help. I'm sorry I've been distant. I didn't think you needed me this bad."

She bites back a smile. "I don't need you this bad."

"You do." I poke her side and even the slightest touch has my cock thumping for attention. "Clearly, you do. So… speak. Tell me what's going on."

Her tongue slides against her bottom lip and her eyes roll. "You really want to know what's bothering me?"

I nod. "Yeah, that'd be nice. Is it about the shop? Do you need help with the redesign or something? The guy who did the design should've known the building codes ahead of time. Who did you hire?"

She smiles and looks away. "I agree, but none of this is about permits, Cooper."

"So, tell me. What is it?"

"If I tell what's wrong with me, things won't be the same anymore. Trust me." There's a flutter in her voice as she speaks, and while I want to believe she's about to profess her undying love for me, I reckon that's me projecting.

"I'm not gonna judge you, Iris. Whatever it is. I'll listen."

She drags in a deep breath and paces back and forth in front of me.

Jesus. Whatever this is, it's bad.I wonder if she's gotten herself into some kind of trouble.

"No matter what's wrong, we'll figure it out."

Her tone is ragged as she says, "Promise me you won't run when I tell you."

"Okay," I swallow hard, "I promise."

The scent of wildflowers breezes in front of me as she kneads her hands together. Finally, she stops. "I've, ugh, I can't say it. I don't know why I can't say it."

"What? What can't you say?" My tone is rough. I can feel my anxiety rising as I think of how I can fix anything she needs.

She looks up at me, innocent and sweet. Whatever she did, I have to get her out of it.

"I'm in love with you, Cooper. I've been in love with you for… fuck… as long as I can remember." A tear rolls off her cheek. "That girl down there… and you… and this weekend… and I wanted to tell you this weekend how I felt, but now she's here and this… and us… and we're like never going to work because you're old and I'm young… and Bryan… and this… and us… and I don't know." She collapses onto the bed and covers her face, sounds muffling through her hands. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

My heart is warmer than it's ever been. I kneel down next to her. "How long have you felt this way?"

She speaks through her hands, her face still covered, "Too long. It's so embarrassing. You can leave now. Enjoy your day."

I can't help but smile. I'm not sure I've ever smiled this widely. "I'm not leaving." I reach up and move her hands away from her face. She's so fucking sweet. "I feel the same way. I have for so long. That's why I pulled away from you. I couldn't—"

The door to her bedroom opens and Bryan is standing like a boomerang waiting to be thrown again, and I'm on my knees next to Iris, holding her hand. I can't imagine how this looks.

His brows narrow. "What's going on? Is everyone okay?"

Iris stands and wipes the tears from her face. "Yeah, sorry. Cooper was helping me. I…" She's searching for a reason. I know that, but I wonder if Bryan picks up on it.

"I was just telling her I could help with the shop design to get everything up to code. You should've called me. Everyone knows I'd do anything for you guys."

"Yeah, but you're so busy with everything."

"Never too busy for family."

Family.I said it. I said… family. Now I want to vomit!

Bryan glances toward Iris, then toward me, and I wonder if maybe he's onto us, but his exhaustion works in our favor.

"Yeah, help her out. You've got all kinds of talent. But focus on all of that later, though. Alaina is wondering where you went."

Alaina. Shit!

"I'll be right down." I blow out a sigh and wait for the weight of his frame to hit the steps.

"You should go," Iris whispers, looking up at me.

Every emotion I've bottled for years comes to the surface as I whisper, "I think about you all the time, Iris. Hell, you had an ice cream cone at the lake last summer. Do you remember? The one with the sprinkles? Well, you had more of them on your chest than you did the cone. I've had the image of you covered in sprinkles, licking that cone stuck in my brain for a year now."

She bites back a smile. "Really? Why didn't you say anything? I thought you hated me."

"No… I compare everyone to you. I just… I don't trust myself around you, so I stayed away. I mean, even now… I'm just not sure what we do with this. Every plan I've thought of ruins our relationships with everyone."

"Yeah." She swallows hard and looks away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "That's the thing. We can't be together. I know that. Deep down, I do. Maybe we needed to say our feelings out loud so we could get some closure."

"I don't think I can live that way, knowing you feel the same. It was one thing when I thought it was just me. I can't go on now like nothing happened."

"You have to." She wipes away another tear. "This is for the best."

I don't want to leave. I want to stay and talk this out, spend the night together, make sense of these feelings, kiss her, touch her, comfort her… but I'm not sure what good any of that would do.

"For the record, I really could use your help with the plans for my shop."

"Yeah, of course. We can go over them tonight if you want to."

She smiles. "No. I think you have other plans tonight." She sighs as though she's collecting herself. "I'm sorry I was such a brat earlier. I feel better now knowing that at least you don't hate me."

I hold her small hands in mine. "I couldn't hate you. Not ever."

Bryan hollers from downstairs and I know I have to move, but all I'm thinking about is when I get to come back again.