I nod and her eyes go wide in disbelief.
Yeah, I know the feeling. I don’t quite believe it either.
“What do you think?”
“I mean, I guess.” She shrugs. “Whatever you want to do, but can you hurry with your call? I really want you again.” Her eyes glaze over as she moves her hand down her body, between her legs. Her fingers meet the goal I had been going for earlier and dip inside her glistening core.
Fuck!
I lick my lips. I need to smother my face between her thighs again.
“Cooper?” My mom’s voice pulls me back.
“Mom, whatever you want to do is fine. I need to go.” I hang up, throwing the phone to the floor, and crawl over to my wife and bury my face into her needy center.
May 27th, 2006
Cooper
A fter two full days of steamy passion, locked up in our mansion, Vi and I have been forced to my mom and dad’s place in Riverside. I don’t know why I agreed to this madness.
Leave it to my mother to go to the extreme. I don’t know why I thought it would be a simple gathering of some family and friends. Our birthday parties were always three-ring circuses as well.
This place looks more like a Hollywood movie premiere, than a wedding reception. There are bright lights, streamers, huge tents set up out back, and a DJ. Hell, there’s even a red carpet.
Who the hell did she invite to this thing?
Violet grabs my arm, halting us from going further into the insanity of the backyard.
“Holy crap, Cooper! How many people are here?” She looks up at me nervously, and I pull her to me.
“I have no idea. And I bet I don’t know half these people. We can go back home. I know there are other things I’d rather do.” I wiggle my eyebrows. Fuck this party. I was enjoying being away from the lights of Hollywood for a few weeks.
“We have to at least make an appearance or we’ll never hear the end of it,” she groans, and unfortunately, she has a point.
“If at any time you want to leave, tell me, and we’ll rip out of this place like a tornado.”
“I’ll let you know, I promise.”
I lean down to kiss her soft, pink lips, and I’m drawn back to this morning when they were wrapped around me. She looks irresistible tonight, wearing a sexy, black dress that makes her legs look like they go on for miles. The dress is backless except for a few straps, and I don’t know how I’m going to keep my hands off her. Around her neck is the double heart necklace I gave her years ago for her birthday, which dangles between her breasts.
Okay, let’s not get me started on how great her tits look in this dress.
“Coop? Did I lose you there?” Vi teases, waving her hand in front of my face.
“Sorry, I was thinking how stunning you look tonight. I’m not sure if I told you.”
“You did, about fifty times already,” she quips, “but I won’t get sick of hearing it. Thank you.” She reaches up to kiss my cheek. “Shall we?”
“We shall.” I take her hand in mine, feeling like we're headed to the gallows—the high-end gallows with flashy lights and glitter.
Following the red carpet to the large, white tent, the first person to greet us is Brody, with alcohol. He hands us each a glass of champagne and Violet downs it in seconds.
Brody laughs at her. He grabs another glass from one of the passing waiters, and hands it to Vi. “I had a feeling the two of you were going to need those. Did you really tell mom she could do whatever?”
“I might have, but I got kind of sidetracked.” I nudge Violet’s hip and she giggles.
“Oops, my bad.” Her giggles cease as she looks around the bustling tent. “Do I know anyone here?”
“I saw Billy and John floating around somewhere, other than that I don’t think so. I barely know anyone other than family,” Brody answers, and Violet throws her other drink back.
“Wonderful,” I mutter, and can’t help but wonder if my mother hired people to try and make Violet uncomfortable.
“Was my dad invited?”
“I don’t think so, jellybean. Sorry,” Brody tells her.
“It’s fine. Kind of expected it.”
I’ll have to remind myself to ask my mother about that. Speaking of my mother, when I look up, she’s making a bee-line for us, smiling brightly.
I wonder if she needs to be tested for split personalities.
“Violet! It’s been so long, dear.” My mom opens her arms and pulls my wife into a hug. Violet keeps her hands to her sides, shocked by the affection. She glances to me, begging for help.
“Yeah, it has? How are you?” she mutters and my mom pulls away.
“I’ve been good. Quite a turn out, huh?” my mom gushes, her hand waving around the tent.
“Yeah. Who are these people?” I ask, perturbed.
“Just family and friends,” she answers simply, and I think she’s leaving out the random people she met at the check-out line in Bloomingdales. “I tried to call you for a guest list, but you weren't answering your phone.”
Violet and I smirk at each other, knowing why we weren’t answering. The two of us spent days christening every room of our house and completely ignored the outside world.
We have four years of making up to do. I have no idea how my baby is walking straight.
“We were busy,” I say with a shrug and Brody snorts as he walks away to talk to someone. He has the right idea. “I guess we should go and mingle.” I pull Violet away, heading straight for the bar to get us another drink.
It is going to be a long night.
After we get a good buzz, we finally feel brave enough to greet the guests who have come for us. The first person we conquer is my grandfather. He always had a soft spot for Violet. At least someone besides my brothers sees what an angel she truly is.
“I’m so glad you’re back, sweetie,” my grandfather, Charles, says pulling her into a hug, and kissing her cheek. “How are you?”
“I’m great. It’s good to see you again, Bud,” Violet says, using my grandfather’s nickname. My mother wasn’t too happy about him allowing her to; it supposedly took her years to get his permission.
Only his friends and his wife call him Bud
“I couldn’t tell you how happy I was to learn you were my grandson’s bride. I always knew you two would find each other again.” He slaps me on the shoulder. “Hold onto her this time.”
“That’s the plan. It’s why I weighed her down with that ring so she couldn’t run far,” I joke and Violet elbows me in side.
“I have two left feet, I’m not running anywhere. You’re stuck with me anyways, babe.”
As my grandfather and Violet continue to catch up, making jokes at my expense, my dad and Dustin walk over to join us.
“Oh, my god, Dustin…” Violet pulls my little brother into a hug.
“Hey, Ace.” The little bastard knows how I feel about anyone else calling her that, and I hit him upside the head. “Not cool, butthead.” He growls and rubs his head.
“Well, don’t call her that.”
“Whatever.”
“Okay, enough.” Violet pushes me away so she can look over my brother. “You’ve grown up so much. I’ve missed you, squirt.”
“Violet,” he whines and I know she called him that on purpose. He always hated when we called him that, but the once shorty is now almost six-feet tall.
“I’m sorry. Now we’re all even. How have you been?”
“I’ve been awesome. I just got my license, but mom and dad won’t let me drive the Benz.” He rolls her eyes, looking over at dad, who’s shaking his head as if to say, ‘it’s never going to happen.’
“He can drive anything else, but,” my dad says. “Be happy you get anything or I’ll make you take the bus again.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Dustin mutters.
“But that’s awesome, Dust. You can drive my car if you want.”
His eyes light up and he beams at her offer. I bite my cheek, trying
to contain my amusement, knowing what’s to come.
“Really? What is it?”
“No clue. I don’t have one yet, but,” Dustin’s face drops instantly and she turns to me with a devilish grin, “your brother has a pretty cool Jag. And since you know we’re married and all…it’s mine, and you can take it for a spin.”
“Violet!” I growl, and she breaks into a fit of laughter. At least she’s smiling, so I’ll take it, but no way Dustin is touching my Jag.
“What? Have some trust in the boy. You drove fine at sixteen.”
“And it’s not like you couldn’t buy another one.” Dustin shoves my arm.
“Alright, Alright. I haven’t gotten my ‘hi’ yet,” my dad interrupts the bickering. Good thing because it could last hours.
“It’s good to see you, Violet.” My dad pulls her into a hug, but unlike with my mother, she hugs him back.
By the end, my dad had become a little bit more lenient about my relationship with Violet, even if he did side with my mother.
“It’s good to see you too, Mr. Reid,” she greets with a lopsided smile.
“I think you can call me Andrew now. We’re family,” he tells her sincerely.
Biting down on her lower lip she glances at me, unsure, as she utters my dad’s first name for the first time. “Okay, Andrew.”
“Come with me, I want to introduce you to some people.” He puts his arm around her shoulder and looks back at me. “You don’t mind, do you son?”
Yes!
“No, Violet?”
“No, I guess not.” She shrugs, knowing she’s going to have to suffer.
“Good.” My dad chuckles and leads her out to the sea of people.
“Don’t worry, Cooper. Dad was actually happy to hear about you and Violet, once he knew you didn’t marry some random chick. Mom on the other hand…” Dustin waves his hand. “I’m not quite sure which way she’s really flowing these days. She’s all over the place, but I’m happy for you. I know how you two really felt about each other. It was sickening.”
“Thank you, Dustin”
“Hey, hey…” Brody yells, jumping in the middle of our brotherly bonding moment. Beside him are Billy and John.
“Where’s the little woman?” Billy asks, looking around the room. “It's like a high school reunion tonight.” Dustin slaps my shoulder, telling me he’ll talk to me later, and walks away to say hi to one of our cousins.
“My dad kidnapped her to show her off.” I point in the direction they had walked off in. My dad is now introducing Violet to his brother Rodger.
“Damn!” John exclaims. “How is it possible she got even hotter?” He looks back to me, clucking his tongue and wiggling his eyebrows at my girl.
“Fucker, stop eyeing my woman.” I punch him in the arm and he punches me right back in my shoulder, shifting me back.
“It was a compliment!” he guffaws. I’m about to hit him again when Brody interrupts us.
“Oh, fuck!”
“What?”
Brody points over to the bar and there stands Ainsley Green.
What the hell is she doing here?
She sees me looking and comes walking over with exaggerated sway in her hips. Her emerald lace dress leaves nothing to the imagination. Her breasts are seconds away from spilling out, and if she bent over she’d give the party a view of her nasty goods. It doesn’t look good on her and I’m repulsed, knowing she probably wore it to get my attention.
Ainsley and I had a one night stand a couple years back; huge mistake on my part, and every time she sees me, she thinks we should hook up again. Never going to happen. However, my mom likes to think we’re perfect for each other. She’s the daughter of one of her closest friends. I never liked her, but one day, at one of my lowest points, I caved.
I look at the three guys beside me as they flinch in disgust and I know they’ve all taken a drunken ride on this tricycle.
“Cooper, it’s so good to see you,” she purrs and puts her hand on my arm.
I shrug it away. “Ainsley,” I say curtly and take an extra step back.
“How you been? I haven’t heard from you.”
There’s a reason for that. Fuck off.
“I’m good. Actually better than good. I’m married and couldn’t be happier.”
“Yeah, I heard about your rushed marriage.” She laughs and flings her black hair back. “What about me and you have one last fling?” Her tongue darts out of her mouth and she licks her lips. It isn’t sexy and she reminds me of a giraffe. She takes a step forward and reaches for me again.
Her hand is slapped away by a delicate tiny hand wearing a large diamond on her finger.
“Excuse me?” Violet’s voice thunders through her clenched teeth. “Who the hell do you think you are?” She moves to my side and snakes her arm around my waist.
Brody, Billy, and John are stifling their laughter beside us. I’m glad those fuckfaces are finding this funny.
“I’m Ainsley. Who the hell are you?”
“I’m his wife. I’ll ask again, who the fuck are you?” My baby sneers back. Ainsley cackles and I swear I see Vi’s claws coming out to tear the she-bitch apart.
And well, I’m not going to stop her if she does.
She puts her hand on her chest as her sick laughter calms. “Really Cooper? Her? Over me?” Her hand moves up and down her body. “I don’t believe it.”
“Believe it. She’s my everything,” I say.
Ainsley noticeably flinches at the familiar lyrics, realizing my most popular song was for my bride and not for her. I’m sure with her twisted personality she thought the song was actually for her. I pull Violet to me and kiss her forehead.
Ainsley shakes off her disappointment and sneers towards my wife. “Please. Did he tell you, honey? We hooked up…a lot.”
“So? Am I supposed to care?” Violet cocks her head to the side.
“Girl, are you blind? I’m sure we’ll be hooking up again. Especially, when he goes back on tour. You do know he has a side piece in every state, right?” Ainsley cocks her head to the opposite side of Vi’s, trying to not seem put off—but she is, I can read it all over her.
Bitch, you’re not going to win against my Ace.
“You mean he did! And it’s all fine and dandy since we weren’t married at the time. Plus, he’s going to have a hard time when I’m on tour with him. You know being his assistant tour manager and all.”
“Oh, fucking hallelujah!” Brody cheers, clapping his hands. He’s only been begging me for a year to hire him some help. Now he has it, with probably the only person he’ll be able to work with.
“You’re going to take the job?” I turn to her, holding her by the shoulders. She’s finally saying she’ll do this. I want to pump my fist in the air; my girl always by my side, the way we always dreamed.
“Yeah. I thought about it last night after we talked. I would have been doing something like that for you anyways. It was the original plan. I was just scared I’d fuck up. The music industry is a bit different from what I was learning,” she says quietly.
“Oh, baby.” I hug her tightly, never wanting to let go. My success is in part thanks to her, and I need her to keep it going now. “You don’t know how happy you’ve made me.”
“Oh and me too,” Brody adds.
“Hello?” Ainsley’s obnoxious voice interrupts our moment. Violet pulls away and cocks an eyebrow at her.
“Good-bye.” Violet waves her hand, then pulls me to walk away. The other three follow behind us.
I hear a high-pitched squeal and I know it’s Ainsley stomping her foot, like the stuck-up brat she is.
We make it outside the tent, and the fresh air hits my face, as well as a feeling of peace from all the craziness.
“You hooked up with that?” Violet waves her hand towards the tent, twisting her lips in disgust.
“Mistake years ago. I swear. One time.” I hold up a finger, my eyes pleading with her—I fucked up.
�
�Still promise you’re clean?” Violet looks me up and down, wrinkling her nose.
“Damn! That’s harsh,” John hoots and I glare over at him.
“Do you guys mind?”
“Not at all,” Billy pipes in, laughing.
Violet reaches up on her tippy toes and kisses my cheek. “If you don’t mind, I need to say hi to some people.” Violet goes and hugs Billy and John. “I’ve missed you guys.”
SIX
August 29th, 2003
Violet
I ’ve started my second year of college and I'm renting a house with my best friends, Alexa and Julie. I needed my mom’s help with a deposit but I've never been happier to be out of her home. She divorced Jeremy six months after we moved here. He was the whole reason we made the move in the first place, the reason she ruined my life, and she couldn’t hang on for a year? She changed her whole life for the asshole—yet for some reason me being with Cooper was all wrong.
Maybe she was right, though. He stopped writing me and didn't have the guts to tell me we were over. I wrote my final letter to him a couple months ago. When it came back unanswered, I knew we were over.
I had hoped after so long he would say something—anything—to put me at peace, but he left me broken hearted instead.
Yet, I still love him. I can't let go of it. There’s something not right about it all.
I fiddle with the necklace around my neck that Cooper gave me for my sixteenth birthday. It's two gold hearts linked together, with tiny diamonds around them.
I hate how much I miss him. I grip it in my hand and hold the jewelry tight in my palm. Telling myself I should yank it off, let the pain sear through me as it snaps apart from my neck. But I relent.
My door flies open and Julie comes marching in, flopping on my bed.
“I think I’m in love,” she says dreamily, kicking her leg back like a lovesick teenager who subscribes to Teen Beat Magazine. This girl, I swear, falls in love with some new celebrity every month.
I laugh. “Okay, who is it this week?”
“Oh my god, he’s this amazing singer, super-hot and his voice is out of this world.”
I Found You Page 13
