romance alive." He fake gags, and while I understand the ick factor when discussing your parents love life, I find it sweet as hell. I even issue a breathed 'awe.'
"C'mon." Carter grabs my hand. I attempt pulling it back, but he doesn't budge, and when he shoots a narrowed gaze my way I yield.
I force my eyes straight ahead as we walk through not one but two arches—one with Grecian style pillars—into a spacious living room with a two-story fireplace as its focal point and two couches with three occupants. His father's back is to the doorway, but his mom and sister see us walking in. I swallow what little moisture I have in my dry mouth as they stare.
"Oh." Carter's mother stands. "When you said a friend, I didn't expect one so stunning."
I tug at Carter's hold on my hand once more when Mrs. Cooper's gaze swings to Carter's father, who stands as well. Carter squeezes tighter.
"Mom, Dad, this is Jessica Womick"—I cringe at his use of my last name— "Jess, my parents, Gail and Shawn Cooper, and I suppose you know Chase."
I nod as he introduces them before looking from his sister, a gorgeous feminine carbon copy of his, to Carter. "Um, I knew fourteen-year-old Chase, not this beautiful woman. Congratulations on graduating, by the way."
Chase tucks her glossy black hair behind her ear with a wide smile. "You're too sweet, thank you."
"You two come and sit. Shawn let them have that couch." Mrs. Cooper waves us around and retakes her seat. "Carter mentioned there was an emergency, I hope everything is all right."
"Don't pry, Gail," Carter's father says.
"I wasn't," she argues back.
"Sure, you were." Carter chuckles and steers me to the velvety soft couch. "She will pry until she knows your blood type; ask the twins. She's like a second mom to every friend we ever brought home."
Humming their agreement, Chase and Mr. Cooper level Mrs. Cooper with knowing eyes as she huffs. "I care about the people you care about. Is that a bad thing?" she asks with a faux pout.
The woman is striking. Her Asian roots, the exact origin of which I'm unsure, appear in her children's dark hair and tan skin. Chase is built like her, petite and thin. While Carter gets his height, frame, and magnificent eye color from his father. This family is picture-perfect, and when Mrs. Cooper graces me with her warm smile, the knot in my stomach at meeting his family loosens.
"Not at all. Who couldn't use a second mother?" My tongue falters, and I clear my throat. "And as for the emergency, I'm perfectly fine. Thank you for asking. Your son is a knight in shining armor. He rescued me from spending the afternoon moping."
Because Carter sat me nearest his mom, I’m forced to turn my head away from his family to look at him while I finish speaking. What I discover has me paralyzed.
Those glowing cerulean eyes pour over my face in a way I've never known. His handsome face is open and soft, as the tiniest of smiles touches his perfect lips. Heat rushes up my neck and burns my cheeks, and Carter's smile grows. I turn back to his family when he pulls the hand he holds into his lap and massages my forearm. Their astonished faces and traded glances boost my heart rate.
"Well." Chase slaps her thighs, jolting Carter enough for me to free my tingling arm. "How about we eat?" she asks, standing.
"I don't know if Carter mentioned it, but we're sitting out back by the pool. The weather is warm, but the patio is covered, and there are fans. Dad's grilling. Is that all right? You're not a vegetarian, are you?"
I'm both nodding and shaking my head in reply as I keep up with Chase's questions while she rounds the large coffee table. "Come, we'll stick our feet in the pool while the menfolk cook for us. It'll be fun."
Shooting one last glance at Carter, I allow his sister to grab hold of my hand.
Dinner with the Coopers is nothing like I expect. Though we offer to help, Mrs. Cooper waves Chase and me outside, where we sit with our feet in the water of their resort-class pool and chat. We catch up on gossip about school, teachers, and classes we both had. She asks about the other cheerleaders from my squad, most of whom I lost touch with after graduation since I fell away from that crowd and in with Jules and