“Looks like we’re across from you. Come on, Ang.”
She rolled her eyes. “Evangeline, please, Ash.”
“Sorry, Evangeline. Seems like we could maybe use a little scotch, too.” He smirked at Cooper before dragging not-Ang around the table to sit.
We took our seats as the dining room began to fill up. We were surrounded mostly by strangers, other than a few of Cooper’s friends who sat across the table. Once we’d ordered, everyone chatted, and Cooper and I turned to each other, feeling like we were alone for the first time all night.
He slipped a hand into my lap and threaded his fingers through mine as we leaned in. “I want to know everything that’s happened since you’ve been gone. I feel like I’ve missed everything.”
My brows came together just a hair, thinking back. It seemed like a million years ago. “Well, my mom fed me a lot, and I slept and read. Spent time with Brooke. Tried not to think about you or any of the mess. But then I ran into Courtney.”
“Who?”
“My maid of honor.”
“Oh. Her.”
I sighed. “Yeah, that’s pretty much how it went when I saw her too. She actually tried to tell me she missed me, as if there were a possibility that we could make amends.”
“Smart girl.”
I snorted. “No one would ever accuse her of that. Anyway, then it got out that I was home, and a couple of days later, Jimmy came by.”
His face tightened. “What happened?”
“He tried to apologize, told me he wanted me back, blah, blah, blah. And then I unloaded on him. That son of a bitch even had the nerve to try to kiss me.”
Cooper stiffened, and I smiled at him reassuringly.
“He was lucky he caught me off guard because if he hadn’t, I would have either punched him or kicked him in the nuts. Maybe both.”
He chuckled and seemed to relax.
I laid my hand on top of his in my lap. “But mostly, I realized that I didn’t love him, not like that. I never felt for him what I feel for you. Not even in high school. It was never like this. I just thought I’d always be with him, as if that was just what I was supposed to do. He was a catch, and we were happy enough that I never considered it being any other way. But now? I’ve compared every man I’ve ever met to you, and not a single one measured up.”
“I know what you mean. Like the bar is so high, the scale so tipped. The things I love about you are the measure for everyone else. I’ll look at a woman and think, I bet her laugh isn’t as pretty as Maggie’s, or her hair is so dark, not like Maggie’s in the sunshine. No one can compare to you. There are just too many things that I cherish.”
I met his eyes and smiled, my heart so full. “Why are you so perfect?”
He laughed. “You know I’m far from perfect.”
I squeezed his fingers. “Well, you’re perfect for me.”
Cooper reached for my cheek with his free hand. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful as you are tonight.”
I leaned into his hand, cheeks flushed. “Only because Astrid was my fairy godmother and had her makeup artist spray paint my face.”
“No, you’re always beautiful, even with your face naked, nothing to hide your freckles.” He brushed the apple of my cheek with his thumb. “Where did you get this dress?”
“Astrid. It was the dress she was supposed to wear. She apparently knows one of Galliano’s tailors personally, and he was waiting at her place to alter the dress for me. I didn’t think it was possible, but he just snapped his fingers and said, ‘Honey, give me one hour.’”
He smiled crookedly. “Fairy godmother Astrid, huh?”
“She gave me her invitation to the Gala, texted Bobby to pick me up. She got me the dress and the chariot and got me to the ball. She helped me get my prince. So, yes. As far as I’m concerned, Astrid will forever be my fairy godmother.”
He laughed and pressed a sweet kiss on my lips.
A flash popped, and we both looked toward it, Cooper with narrowed eyes, mine full of shock, I was sure.
The photographer smiled. “Sorry. I’m with Getty. Didn’t mean to disturb you.” He nodded and made his way down the table, snapping photos.
“I thought paparazzi weren’t allowed in here?” I asked.
“They aren’t. He’s with the press.” Cooper was watching me — I felt his uncertainty when he finally spoke. “Everyone has seen you tonight. With me. People are going to wonder who you are, which means things might get crazy.” He squeezed my hand. “I’ve lived in the public eye for years. I’m used to it. And I can protect you from a lot of it, but there will be times when it’ll be overwhelming. The talk will die down after some time has passed, but in the meantime, it’s going to be a lot. They’re going to seek you out, ask you questions. Speculate. You might be in gossip magazines, and they’re rarely kind.” He searched my face. “I need to know if you’re sure you want to do this.”
As freaked out as I was by the thought, I smiled. “There’s nothing that could keep me from you. This is part of your life, so now it’s part of mine. You’ll just have to hold my hand.”
The relief on his face was perfectly clear. “Always.”
I smiled at him. “So, what will we do now? Spend all weekend in your apartment?”
He shrugged, smiling slyly. “Or we could drive to the Hamptons in the morning, spend the weekend there instead.”
I felt myself light up, unable to hide my excitement. “Oh, that sounds amazing. We’ll come back Sunday, then? I go back to work Monday morning.”
“Me too.”
My brow quirked. “What?”
He smirked. “Work on Monday. I have to.”
I blinked at him. “I heard you, but what?”
“I talked to my dad about a job and he gave me one. I started last week as a financial analyst at Moore & Co.” He took a sip of his scotch like it was no big deal.
But I just gaped at him. “Cooper, that’s … I mean … I don’t know what to say. Whatever convinced you to do that?”
“You,” he answered.
I was breathless. “But why?”
He set his drink down and faced me, his face open and earnest. “I’ve never felt like I’ve wanted more out of life than what I was living. Not until I met you.” He looked down at his hand as he played with my fingers. “I want to give you everything. I want to prove that I can be serious about life. About you.”
“I know you’re serious, Cooper,” I said softly.
“But this is a way I can show you. I found my purpose, and it’s you.”
I slipped my arms around his neck and pulled until my chin hooked over his shoulder, eyes closed, overcome. “I believe you can do anything.”
His shoulders rose and fell as he sighed, and he shifted to kiss my shoulder.
“I mean, you convinced me to date you for a full week before I even realized it.”
He laughed, the sound reverberating through my chest. I pulled back to look at him, laid a hand on his cheek.
“I’m proud of you, Cooper, and I’m honored.”
He smiled and slipped a hand in my hair. “I’m glad, Maggie, and I love you.”
I laid a kiss on his smiling lips. “I love you.”
“Good.”
I sat back in my chair, feeling giddy.
“Are you going to tell anyone you’re back?”
I reached for my wine. “I’ll text them later before they see us on Perez Hilton.”
He chuckled and took a sip of his scotch. “I’ve barely seen anyone since you’ve been gone. Just West, Tricky, and Astrid. I just … I wasn’t sure what to do with myself, at first. Knowing I had to wait, not knowing if I’d ever hear from you. It was maddening.”
I swallowed my wine and shook my head. “I’m so sorry I put you through that. It wasn’t fair.”
But he only said, “There are no rules to this. You did what you felt you needed to do, and I can’t fault you for that. I just missed you. I worried about you.”
“I wasn’t much better off, if it’s any comfort.”
“I wish neither of us had been unhappy. But we had to get through that to get to where we are. Worth it.”