childhood he had. Some of the pieces of the Cody puzzle were starting to fall into place.
Jim looked into my eyes as if he was sizing me up then spoke. “Cody was in a group home when my wife found him. He had just turned 15. My wife was an artist and she was doing volunteer work at several group homes throughout the state. An art ther apist saw a lot of potential in Cody and made a point of introducing him to my wife. My wife had always wanted children but we couldn’t have them, so she immediately began the process so we could become Cody’s foster parents.”
I nodded. I could see a bit of sorrow move into Jim’s eyes. “Cody made remarkable progress with Lucia, my wife, and really grew as an artist. She was so proud of him. A few months before Cody’s 18th birthday, Lucia was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. The only thing she wanted was for Cody to have a good life. She wanted more than anything for him to be su ccessful and happy. The last thing she did before she passed was to arrange an art apprenticeship for Cody.”
“It sounds like Lucia was a wonderful woman,” I said.
Jim nodded. I saw one lone teardrop escape down his cheek and he quickly flicked it away. He cleared his throat. “Lucia would have been thrilled to meet you. It would have made her happy to see how happy you’ve made Cody.”
When I glanced over at Cody, he was beaming at me. He o bviously had a lot of love for Jim and Lucia. And bringing me here to meet Jim made me realize how much he cared about me. I leaned over and gave Cody a kiss on the cheek. I thought that maybe there was a chance of more than just a vacation fling between us but I didn’t want to get my hopes up. As optimistic as I might have been about the bond that seemed to be developing between us, I was also a realist at heart.
“I know you two have dinner to get to,” Jim said. “I don’t want to keep you.”
“Would you like to join us?” I blurted. I quickly looked over at Cody and he nodded.
Jim waved his rag in the air. “Oh, no. I’ve still got several Jeeps to clean and it’s already getting dark. You kids have a good time.”
Jim reached over and patted Cody on the shoulder. Then he leaned in and gave me a hug. “Real nice to meet you, Jenny,” he half whispered.
“See you tomorrow, then?” Cody said to Jim as he grabbed my hand.
“Bright and early,” Jim said and chuckled.
As Cody led me back out the gate, he said, “I hope that was okay.”
“More than okay,” I said. “Thank you for taking me to meet him.”
Cody grinned. “Let’s get to the burger place. I’m starving.”
***
The Angry Javelina had exactly the kind of laid-back atmosphere I had hoped. I loved places that felt like being in a neighborhood pub.
We both ordered burgers with extra Pepper Jack cheese, mushrooms, lettuce and tomatoes and the house beer on tap. Apparently they have a local microbrewery and Cody wanted me to try it. Everything was delicious.
Cody kept the conversation light. He asked me about school and Pugsy. I noticed when I tried to ask him questions about his past, he was a bit evasive or would change the subject. I didn’t want to pry, but I also wanted to know more about the man I was starting to fall for.
Falling for? Was it possible when I had only known him for a few days? It felt a lot longer. It felt like I’d known him forever. The connection between us was so intense. I wanted to ask him if he felt it, too, but I was afraid. I was also angry that Mel had planted a few seeds of doubt about his intentions toward me. That wasn’t fair to Cody. He had never given me any reason to doubt him.
Cody grabbed my hand and squeezed it.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, why?”
His expression turned serious. “You just got the saddest look in your eyes,” he said.
I didn’t want to lie to Cody, so I mustered my courage to broach the subject that was weighing on my mind.
“My friend, Mel. The one who
Jim looked into my eyes as if he was sizing me up then spoke. “Cody was in a group home when my wife found him. He had just turned 15. My wife was an artist and she was doing volunteer work at several group homes throughout the state. An art ther apist saw a lot of potential in Cody and made a point of introducing him to my wife. My wife had always wanted children but we couldn’t have them, so she immediately began the process so we could become Cody’s foster parents.”
I nodded. I could see a bit of sorrow move into Jim’s eyes. “Cody made remarkable progress with Lucia, my wife, and really grew as an artist. She was so proud of him. A few months before Cody’s 18th birthday, Lucia was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. The only thing she wanted was for Cody to have a good life. She wanted more than anything for him to be su ccessful and happy. The last thing she did before she passed was to arrange an art apprenticeship for Cody.”
“It sounds like Lucia was a wonderful woman,” I said.
Jim nodded. I saw one lone teardrop escape down his cheek and he quickly flicked it away. He cleared his throat. “Lucia would have been thrilled to meet you. It would have made her happy to see how happy you’ve made Cody.”
When I glanced over at Cody, he was beaming at me. He o bviously had a lot of love for Jim and Lucia. And bringing me here to meet Jim made me realize how much he cared about me. I leaned over and gave Cody a kiss on the cheek. I thought that maybe there was a chance of more than just a vacation fling between us but I didn’t want to get my hopes up. As optimistic as I might have been about the bond that seemed to be developing between us, I was also a realist at heart.
“I know you two have dinner to get to,” Jim said. “I don’t want to keep you.”
“Would you like to join us?” I blurted. I quickly looked over at Cody and he nodded.
Jim waved his rag in the air. “Oh, no. I’ve still got several Jeeps to clean and it’s already getting dark. You kids have a good time.”
Jim reached over and patted Cody on the shoulder. Then he leaned in and gave me a hug. “Real nice to meet you, Jenny,” he half whispered.
“See you tomorrow, then?” Cody said to Jim as he grabbed my hand.
“Bright and early,” Jim said and chuckled.
As Cody led me back out the gate, he said, “I hope that was okay.”
“More than okay,” I said. “Thank you for taking me to meet him.”
Cody grinned. “Let’s get to the burger place. I’m starving.”
***
The Angry Javelina had exactly the kind of laid-back atmosphere I had hoped. I loved places that felt like being in a neighborhood pub.
We both ordered burgers with extra Pepper Jack cheese, mushrooms, lettuce and tomatoes and the house beer on tap. Apparently they have a local microbrewery and Cody wanted me to try it. Everything was delicious.
Cody kept the conversation light. He asked me about school and Pugsy. I noticed when I tried to ask him questions about his past, he was a bit evasive or would change the subject. I didn’t want to pry, but I also wanted to know more about the man I was starting to fall for.
Falling for? Was it possible when I had only known him for a few days? It felt a lot longer. It felt like I’d known him forever. The connection between us was so intense. I wanted to ask him if he felt it, too, but I was afraid. I was also angry that Mel had planted a few seeds of doubt about his intentions toward me. That wasn’t fair to Cody. He had never given me any reason to doubt him.
Cody grabbed my hand and squeezed it.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, why?”
His expression turned serious. “You just got the saddest look in your eyes,” he said.
I didn’t want to lie to Cody, so I mustered my courage to broach the subject that was weighing on my mind.
“My friend, Mel. The one who
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