"You've seen me at my worst, this is nothing. It's just who I am, the girl who stresses about and overthinks everything because she's scared that one wrong move will make everyone hate her." She sighed, getting the drinks together.
“You have a husband. You’ve gotta try to split the load or… ya know…communicate?” Cooper knew all too well. “I know it’s hard for you but there’s probably no one you trust more than him, right?”
"Well, there is one person." She paused. "Sorry. Was. Yes, I trust him but I trusted Jasmine more. She was my sister, I could tell her anything without feeling like I was risking her leaving me." She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "But I'll try to talk about it more, alright?"
“Ryan’s definitely not going to leave you, that man loves you so much… too much…” he grabbed a few of the drinks and smiled down at her. “Thank you through, for that and giving me a chance,”
She shrugged. "Grudges are exhausting and stressful. I'm newly married, pregnant, and way too tired to deal with it." A small smile tugged at her lips.
He grinned like he couldn’t be happier. “We should get together sometime, just to talk or something?” Cooper didn’t really know who to talk to.
She thought it over for a minute. "That'd be nice." Her smile brightened a little.
Cooper nodded and started for the living room with some of the drinks.
She brought the rest out after him. "Alright, alcohol is served."
“Or not served,” Cooper smiled and handed Elizabeth her water.
She rolled her eyes with a smile, taking the other water on the tray. "The rest of you grab your drinks, I ain't no waitress." She chuckled.
Ryan shrugged, “I see how it is.”
She rolled her eyes again and sat next to him. "Lazy."
“Damn straight I’m lazy!” He chuckled.
"Lazy yet extremely overprotective. Oh my dear sweet daughter I'm sorry." She chuckled.
Ryan leaned forward and grabbed his drink. Elizabeth just chuckled. “Oh my dear sweet niece. I definitely second that,”
"Let's just hope I can learn to not snap my spine in half reigning him in."
Ryan glared at his sister playfully, “watch yourself,” Ryan actually had a right to father her because legally he was her guardian.
"Ryan chill." She chuckled. "Let the teenager have some fun."
Dalton and Cooper had been talking this whole time, surprise surprise, they made fast friends.
“Yeah Ryyyyy,” Elizabeth curled into his side. “Lemme have fun,”
He didn’t want to get into it right now but he was holding back the whole, ‘he’s too old for you’ argument.
"Yeah! Unlike me, I don't think she wants to get married at 18."
“Excuse me. Ouch,” Ryan looked at Belle. “I’m not holding you here, you know that,” he turned back to Elizabeth. “And you already know exactly what I’m going to say to you,”
She laid her head on his shoulder with s small smile. "I love you."
“Yeah sure. Love you too,”
"I mean, I certainly hope you do!"