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The smell of bacon coaxed Coop out of bed. He felt a little bad for letting Nellie deal with his parents all alone, but without more sleep, he wouldn’t have been good company—for anyone.
He trudged down the hall, listening.
Nellie’s laugh rang out, and he smiled. She was enjoying herself.
Dad’s voice broke through the laughter. “And then Coop dropped his pants in front of everyone.” He was telling stories—embarrassing ones.
Coop ran to the kitchen. “Really? This is what you decide to tell her?”
“It lets her know what she’s getting into. In case y’all have kids.” Mom grinned. “We’d love more grandkids.”
Dad laughed and handed Coop a plate. “She didn’t leave. I think you’re safe.”
He dropped into the empty chair next to Nellie, almost afraid to look at her. But when her foot tapped against his, he glanced that direction.
Pools of milk chocolate greeted him. “The stories only make me love you more.”
“You can quit teasing me.” He folded a pancake around his bacon and dragged it through syrup then winked. Loving her more seemed impossible.
If she could love him in spite of his crazy family, he wanted to marry her—and soon.
“Never would I ever.” Her mischievous hint of a smile made him want to scoop her up and tickle her, but with his parents at the breakfast table, it was not the right time or place for that.
“I’m thinking maybe I should see if Tanner wants to go out one night, just guys out having fun, swapping stories.”
Her eyes widened, and she dropped her voice to a whisper. “You’re joking, right?”
Coop served himself more food. “Nope.”
Cindy got up from the table. “His sisters are coming by to meet you. Thought we might all head down to the beach.”
“That’ll be fun.” Nellie had no idea what she was up against meeting his sisters.
If the interrogating went on too long, he’d intervene. “You brought your suit?”
She nodded.
He rubbed his foot against hers. “Can’t wait to see it.”
“I’m going to finish mowing.” Dad walked out the back door, whistling.
Coop hoped all the embarrassing parts of the weekend were over and done with.
***
CAROLINE AND COURTNEY stopped mid-step when they saw Nellie. Clearly, she wasn’t what his sisters had expected. Nellie stood out, not because of the way she behaved. She was just different than his family. Watching her hang out with his clan was like watching royalty at a monster truck rally.
He didn’t even want to think of a metaphor to describe how he looked with her family.
He dumped his arm load of stuff on the beach and clasped her hand. “This is Nellie. Nellie, meet Courtney and Caroline. Mom and Dad are on their way.”
“So nice to meet you both.” Nellie tightened her grip on his hand.
Courtney stared at Nellie over the top of her sunglasses. “Wow. Where did you meet him?”
“At his shop. My Jeep broke down.” She stepped closer to Coop.
He wrapped his arms around her. “She walked in, and the rest is history. Let’s get situated before the interrogation beings. Everyone else coming?”
Caroline shook her head. “We both left kids at home with their dads.”
In only a few minutes, towels were laid out, the cooler sitting on multiple corners to keep the towels from flying off in a strong breeze.
Courtney popped the top on a Coke. “What happened to ‘I don’t date women I meet on the job’?”
“Cara told us all about the blonde who came into the shop—what—fifteen times.”
Coop wanted to slap his sisters. “That was different.”
Caroline exchanged a look with Courtney before turning her gaze to Nellie. “And he just asked you out.”
Nellie shifted. “Well ...” She was probably trying to figure out what to say without admitting that she’d come by the shop after picking up her Jeep.
He decided to jump in. “Not right at first, but after we ran into each other one night and had dinner together, I was smitten. Then I asked her out.” It was mostly the truth, maybe rearranged a bit, but the smitten part was true. That was what mattered most.
“Cara was totally right, though.” Courtney leaned closer to Nellie. “You are nothing like I expected.”
Nellie’s forced smile made his heart ache. If his family could stop pointing out how different they were, he’d be grateful. If they didn’t stop, he’d have to say something.
Caroline pulled off her cover-up. “Well, I’m happy he found you, Nellie. You clearly make him happy. When I heard my brother was bringing someone home—which he’s never done—I had to meet you.”
“What do you do, Nellie?” Courtney still worked her verbal prybar.
“Real Estate.” Nellie stood up and slipped out of her cover-up.
She wore a strapless swimsuit with tiny white polka dots all over it, a different suit than she’d worn that day at her parents’ house.
Coop jumped up and yanked off his shirt. “What do you say we walk a bit? I’ll show you the beach.” He turned to his sisters. “You mind?”
“Go ahead.” Caroline waved them away.
Courtney laid back on the blanket, sunglasses hiding her eyes. “Behave.”
Coop caught Nellie’s hand and led her away, far away. “Little sisters can be a pain. I’m sorry.”
“Thank you.” She sighed. “Have I ever told you what the family business is? What I do for a living?”
“You stare at the clock, waiting until you can see me again?”
“Now I do, but before that.” Her gaze swept over his chest before landing on his face.
“I don’t believe you ever did.” He’d wondered but waited, expecting he’d find out eventually.
“Corporate real estate. That’s what we do.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “I’m not sure they like me either.”
Coop swept her into his arms and carried her toward the water. “I like you. I think that’s what matters.”
She hugged his neck, tensing as she anticipated the water. “Never have I ever been carried into the ocean.”
“Then today is your lucky day. Mine too.” He waded waist-deep into the water. “You ready?”
“Are we taking the plunge?” Her question held only a hint of tease.
He couldn’t propose without a ring. Could he? Her arms still wrapped around his neck, he shifted her, letting her feet dangle into the water, her body pressed to his. “Nellie—”
She let loose a scream that rattled his ear drums. “My leg!” Kicking, she dug her nails into his shoulders. “Get it off of me!”
Coop guessed the culprit immediately. He moved her around in the water, ridding her leg of the jelly fish. “I’m so sorry.”
Crying, she buried her face in his chest.
He knew two ways to make the pain stop, and he didn’t have any chewing tobacco. He got her out of the water and set her down on the sand. “You look over there, and I’m going to make it feel better, okay?”
She nodded and squeezed her eyes closed. “What are you going to do? Do you have to suck the poison out? Like a snake bite?”
He’d much rather suck on her leg than what he was about to do. “Just don’t look okay. I have to pee on your leg.”
She scurried away from him, wincing. “Are you crazy?”
“It’ll ease the pain. I swear.”
“Have you done this before?”
“Never have I ever. I’ve never had to. Someone else has always been around. Want me to run back down the beach and see if one of my sisters will pee on you?”
“No!” She burst into a strange combination of laughter and tears. “Whatever you’re going to do, do it fast. I can’t take this pain.”
He adjusted his suit, trying not to flash the entire beach-going crowd. Peeing on demand was harder than he imagined. Once he’d doused her red welts, he sat down next to her. Cuddling her was out of the question. He could barely look at her. “You okay?” He stared at his sand-caked feet.
“It feels so much better.” She splashed water on her leg. “It still hurts, but not like before. Thank you.” After scooting close, she leaned on him.
“I’d ask what else could go wrong this weekend, but I’m not sure I want to know.” He wiped the tears off her cheek. “I wanted this to be perfect. It’s been anything but.”
“Now I know you’ll do just about anything for me.”
Only halfway through the weekend, one thing was beyond clear: he didn’t want to wait much longer before proposing.
Affording a ring suitable for Nellie was a whole different issue.