I sit opposite her, watch her smile, watch her laugh, watch her be a part of my family.

Dad says, "So Lane, how did you do with that piece you entered into that... that uh..."

"The clothing design contest?" Misty finishes.

I didn't know she'd started making clothes, but it's not surprising. She'd been saving for a sewing machine for a while. My ears perk, waiting for Laney's response. She smiles at Dad and pours ketchup on Lachlan's plate. "I got second prize."

I smile, I can't help it. She sees my reaction but doesn't have one of her own.

"That's great," Dad says.

"So, Luke," Brian jumps in. "First track meet next week. You ready?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, I'm sure Lois will be there. She hasn't missed a single one," he says, his gaze on his daughter. "Right, Lo?"

Swear, if looks could kill, Laney just aimed a gun at Brian and pulled the d.a.m.n trigger. And I hate this. I hate that it's up to our dads to fill the conversation about parts of our lives we know nothing about.

A phone rings, and everyone but Lachlan and the twins searches their pockets, their purses. "It's me," Laney says, raising her phone.

The ringing continues and Misty coos, "Say hi to Cooper."

Jealousy courses through me, spiking through every vein, every cell in my body. Not because it's Cooper on the phone but because Cooper should be me. It should be my name on the end of Misty's sentence, my name making my best friend's dad's girlfriend coo and bat her eyelids. It should be me she knows, not a guy who's only been in Lane's life for a few weeks.

Laney says, "He's picking up his car, so he's probably having trouble finding the keys. I'll only be a second."

I hate that she's smiling as she brings the phone to her ear, hate the way she says, "Hey Coop" like they've been friends since they were kids.

They haven't.

We have.

And I hate, most of all, that I was the one who ruined it.

Logan says, "Why don't you ask your boyfriend to join us?"

I hate Logan.

Laney looks up, first at Logan, then at Leo. Leo shrugs. Since when did Leo make the decisions for her?

"It's behind the frog statue by the front door," Laney says into the phone. "Yes, it is, just double check." ... "There is so a frog there." ... "A turtle?" ... "Oh yeah. Maybe it is a turtle."

"Ask him to come over," Logan says again, shouting over her shoulder.

Laney looks to my dad, then to hers. Brian shrugs. "I wouldn't mind actually meeting the guy who's been taking up all your time."

Please no. Not here. Not in my own G.o.dd.a.m.n home. I keep my mouth shut and make Laney decide on how badly she wants to pierce my heart with her actions.

"I'm sure he's busy today," Laney says, speaking to her dad, but glancing at me. Her voice drops, along with her gaze. She says into the phone, "You don't have to, Coop."

Logan leans across the table, past Lachlan, knocking over his drink. He yells out our address, and everyone laughs like this is some kind of joke, and maybe it is, and maybe I'm the f.u.c.king punch line.

"Really?" Laney says, holding the phone between her ear and shoulder to wipe up the spilled water. "Okay, I'll see you soon."

Three minutes, fifty-eight seconds, and I hear the familiar sound of tires spinning on the loose gravel of my driveway. I don't look up when Dad gasps, whispers a "Holy h.e.l.l," when he must see the car. "Cooper? As in Lance Kennedy's kid?"

Brian says, "I a.s.sumed, but I wasn't sure. I mean, I've never actually seen him before, just his shadow lurking near the front door."

"Dad," Lane whines, getting up from her seat.

By the time I've found the courage to look up, she's halfway across the yard and Cooper f.u.c.king Kennedy's leaning against his car, hands in his pockets.

"Who's that?" Lachlan asks.

Brian says, "That's Lois's friend."

Lachlan's eyebrows pinch. "Her boyfriend?"

"Maybe," Brian says, looking over at them. "We're not too sure on that yet."

Everyone at the table turns to the maybe-couple now walking toward us.

"But..." Lachlan tears his gaze away from them and focuses on me. "I thought you were her boyfriend."

Silence pa.s.ses, all eyes on me and I don't know what to say, how to act.

I stand when they get to us, shake Cooper's hand, do my best to pretend like that act alone isn't destroying me.

"Hey, man," he says, all casual like, and Cooper Kennedy might just be the first person in my entire life I hate enough to punch.

Laney introduces my brothers, my dad, then Misty, and finally, Brian.

"It's nice to finally meet you, sir. I've been asking but Lois, you know..."

Brian smiles at him, shakes his hand, strong and firm. "She's a little on the stubborn side."

Lane says, "Lucy's the oldest and only sister. She and her fiance, Cameron, are on their way so you'll meet them soon."

Cooper smiles down at her. "I know Cam and Luce. We were in the same cla.s.s, remember?"

Lane's cheeks heat. "Oh yeah."

"Wait. You were in the same cla.s.s as Luce?" Brian asks.

"Yes, sir."

"So that makes you how old?" he asks.

Cooper glances at Lane quickly. "I'll be twenty-one in a couple of months."

Brian nods, but I can see the concern behind his eyes, and I wonder if he, too, heard the rumors about why Cooper is actually here in the first place.

Lane tugs on Cooper's arm, asks Lachlan to scoot over so Cooper can sit between them.

"You hungry?" Dad asks him.

"G.o.d yes, and this food smells amazing, Mr. Preston."

Dad loads up a plate for Cooper and he eats, and I watch Laney watch him, a smile on her face, and I die a little more.

Lachlan leans on his forearms, his head tilted, eyes narrowed at Cooper.

"What's up, little man?" Cooper asks him.

"You think you could shove that entire hot dog in your mouth?"

Cooper chuckles around a mouthful of food. He wipes his lips on a napkin and says, "I don't know. I've never tried it. Think I should?"

Lachlan nods, his eyes wide.

"The thing is... I'm still trying to impress your girl Lois, and I'm not sure doing that would help my cause. Maybe another time?"

"Promise?"

"Yeah, man. Of course," he tells Lachlan, then looks over at Lane. "This is cute," he says, tugging on the sleeve of her dress. "Did you make it?"

Lane smiles, looks down at her clothes and nods once, her cheeks red.

He leans closer, his mouth to her ear. "You look really nice."

She pushes him away, the way she's done with me so many times before. "Stop it."

"What?" he shrugs. "I missed you."

Lachlan taps Cooper's shoulder. "Are you her boyfriend?" he asks.

I shake my head, stare at the table.

Cooper laughs. "I'm trying, dude, but she's not budging. If you can give me any pointers, I'd really appreciate it."

I can't f.u.c.king take it. Being here, watching them, makes me physically sick. I stand, say, "I have to go," and then I run and run and I have no idea whether I'm running from them or from myself. The yards feel like miles, my strides like leaps, until I end up at the cemetery looking down at my mother's grave and asking her if she's as disappointed in me as I am in myself.

Chapter Thirteen.

LOIS.

I wasn't sure I wanted Cooper there, and I didn't invite him on purpose. h.e.l.l, I didn't invite him at all. Logan did. So he showed up, charmed the c.r.a.p out of everyone. Everyone but Luke. I get it. In a way, Luke's had to deal with Coop at school, at track practice, he shouldn't have to deal with him in his personal s.p.a.ce. But if Luke's reaction was about me with Cooper, then that was something else. Something I shouldn't care about. Just like he didn't care about me.

"You could've told me I'd be walking into the Prestons' house," Cooper says, driving me to work after the disastrous lunch.

"You didn't really give me a chance... you were all,"-I lower my voice to mock his- "I'm totally down if it means hanging with you."

He laughs, stops the car at a red light. Then he turns to me, his eyes on mine. "When are you finally going to let me kiss you, Sanders?"

"Shut up." I shake my head, look up at the traffic lights, hoping for a green.

"I'm serious," he says.

"You don't want to kiss me, Cooper."

"I don't?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Come on, light. He settles my bouncing knee with his hand, and I choke on a gasp.

"Lo?"

"Is this your thing?" I blurt out.

"What are you talking about?"

"Hooking up with younger girls... is that like, your fetish or something?" Yeah, I'm not deaf, nor am I immune to the high school rumor mill.

He inhales deeply and removes his hand from my leg, places them both on the steering wheel as he takes off again. He keeps his gaze on the road. I keep mine on him. He blinks, his long, dark lashes fanning across his tanned cheeks. His wide chest rises, falls, but he doesn't speak. Not until we're in the parking lot at work. He puts the car in park and turns to me, his lips twisted. "So you heard that, huh?"

I nod. "It's not a big deal or anything. I just don't want-"

"She was fifteen," he cuts in. "But she didn't look it. I swear."

"You don't have to explain, Coop."

"No." Another breath. "I think I do. Or, at least I want to with you."