Cooper and Bentley walk up, overhearing our conversation. “Why don’t you guys schedule a full spa day and I’ll watch Bella and hang out with your dad and brother? Bentley can even come over and chill. We can invite Caleb and Kaden as well.”
Kayla gets excited at the mention of a full day at the spa, but there’s no way I’m spending that kind of money. Yes, I’m working and I’m pretty sure Cooper is paying me more than he should be, and yes, I do have a home to live in and I don’t plan to move out, but I need to start saving just in case. I’m never going to be in the position I was in when our apartment caught fire with no money in the bank and nowhere to go.
But before I can say anything, Cooper gives me a raised brow indicating he isn’t going to let me argue. “And it’s all on me. I’ve been meaning to add your name to the account, so I’ll do that today when we get done at the costume store. Kayla, I know Liz, and I’m willing to bet she won’t book it. So, you’re going to need to book it. Make sure you include whatever you ladies want and I got it covered.”
And with that, he grabs my hand and stalks off, dragging me behind him and not leaving any room for argument, as the sounds of Bentley and Kayla’s laughter ring through the building. Damn this man. This is just another example of why I can’t help but love him.
We leave my car at the gym and take Cooper’s Rover. He refuses to take my car anywhere we don’t have to and he keeps complaining my car needs to be thrown into a junkyard, but I continue to ignore him. I’m hoping to save up enough in the next year to buy a newer used car.
We get to Bella’s preschool, and when she sees her dad, she comes running over to him, jumping straight into his arms. After she shows him her cubby and desk, we say good-bye to her teacher and head out.
“Daddy! Are you here to go with Mommy and me to pick out my costume?”
Cooper smiles wide and gives her a big kiss on her cheek. “You betcha, Princess.”
“Mommy never gets a costume. Do you want to get a costume so you can go trick-or-treating with me?”
Cooper’s smile fades instantly, and I think I’m starting to understand why he was upset earlier. He’s going to be missing his first holiday because of work. It’s part of his job and I won’t let him feel guilty over something out of his control. He works hard and without even blinking an eye has offered everything he has to Bella and me, and the last thing he needs is to feel like he’s done something wrong by making a living.
“Bella, unfortunately, Daddy is going to be working on Halloween. He has to go away for a few days and one of the days he’ll be gone will be on Halloween. But we’ll take a lot of pictures and I’ll text them all to him, and when he gets home, we can show him all the candy you got. Does that sound good?”
Bella’s look of disappoint mirrors her father’s, both of them looking adorable with matching pouting faces. “No, that doesn’t sound good. That doesn’t sound good at all. That sounds bad, really bad.”
Whoa! I knew she was disappointed, but I didn’t expect her to get so angry over him not going trick-or-treating with her. I take her out of her father’s arms and set her on her feet, then I kneel down so I can make eye contact with her.
“Well, I’m sorry that doesn’t sound good, but that’s the way it has to be. I’ll be with you and you’ll have lots of fun.”
She pouts some more. “Will Auntie Kay be with us?”
Oh Lord, this conversation is going downhill fast. “No, you know how Mommy and Auntie Kay work with daddy now? Well, when Daddy travels, sometimes Auntie Kay has to travel too, so she’ll be gone with Daddy. It will just be us this year.”
Bella stomps her foot and crosses her arms over her chest in full-blown temper tantrum mode. “Then I don’t want to go trick-or-treating. This is stupid. Can we go with Daddy and Auntie Kay where they’re going?”
“First of all, Bella,” I say in my mom voice that seems to just make her even more mad. “We don’t say stupid. That isn’t nice, and no, we can’t go away with them. They’re working and you have school. I’m sorry you’re upset, but that’s the answer. Would you like to go get your costume, or go home and take a nap? Because if you keep up this attitude, you will not be going trick-or-treating.”