Inside Out - Lauren Dane [116]
“Where is she? Is she all right?” he asked Elise as they walked slowly toward the noise.
“Why don’t you ask her yourself?”
“Stop busting his b-back,” Brody said, quickly correcting from balls in Rennie’s presence. Kid probably knew the term anyway.
“I wasn’t. It’s a fair question. Wouldn’t you have called me first thing this morning?”
Adrian chuckled. “But he’s perfect. None of us can be as awesome as Brody Brown.”
“He is perfect. He’s the best daddy ever and ever.” Rennie beamed up at Brody, who smiled down, still looking totally surprised and touched by the things she said. Something tugged inside Cope, stirring up the maelstrom of fear he’d choked on the night before.
“Don’t hate, Adrian, don’t hate.” Brody, grinning, picked Rennie up and hugged her before sitting down at the table with her ensconced in his lap.
“You Sorensons are easy for that guy.” Adrian winked. “Cope, she’s at her apartment, or that’s where she headed when she left here last night. Don’t be a jerk and mess it all up.”
“Maybe I’ll see her at the hospital. I haven’t had this coffee yet. Or breakfast.”
“Really? That’s your answer?” Elise’s brows flew up.
“Ren, honey, can you get me the sweatshirt I left on the bed? I’m a little chilly.”
She hopped off Brody’s lap. “Sure! Uncle Adrian, Cope says the cinnamon-raisin bagels are all mine. But since you’re so nice and all, you can have one.”
Once she was gone, Adrian stood up. “Let’s walk, shall we? I think I left something in my car.”
Cope groaned but grabbed a coffee and followed.
“Are you dumping her for the way she confronted your dad yesterday? Because if you are, first I will punch your face and then I will make a move on her myself. But since we’re friends and you’re obviously going through something, why don’t you tell me what the fuck it is before I have to muss up that pretty face.”
“I just didn’t come over here last night. For fuck’s sake! I’m not dumping her. I don’t have to be with her every second of the day to be with her as her boyfriend. I’m not breaking up with her just because I needed some time alone.”
“You’re full of shit.”
“I’m out of here. I don’t want to have this conversation with you or with them. Did she talk about me last night? Say something bad? You’re all overreacting.” It had never occurred to him that she would, but they all seemed so judgy about him all the sudden.
“Do you really think Ella would do that? You’re an asshole if you say yes, because we both know your girl adores you, dumb ass. She only says nice things about you, and I can’t imagine her slagging you off in public, though she might private-like to Elise. That’s what women do.”
“Look, my brother is freaked, and it freaked me too. I’m human, for God’s sake. Why do I have to apologize to people I’m not dating about it? Do you know what it’s like? Huh?”
“Do I know what it’s like to have my sister and nephew in the hospital? Um, yeah. I was there the first time, when she had Adele. Then I was there when we had to claim Adele’s body from the morgue and Erin was still laid up and on pain meds kept extra thick to control the hours upon hours of weeping over the murder of her child. So, um, yeah, yeah I do know.”
Cope sighed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I worry about Erin too, and the baby.”
“Then what are you talking about?”
“Have you ever been in love? Like really in love with a woman. So deeply that she’s sort of like air, or food, you need her with all your heart and soul? She smiles and everything inside you settles down and admires because you know that smile is for you alone? You imagine her in your house, think about her round and pregnant with your children. The sound of her voice makes you happy. No other woman walks like her or sounds like her. No other beauty is like hers.”
“I have liked women I’ve dated. I’ve enjoyed them, and if I’d stuck it out for a while longer, I suppose I could have fallen in love