she was going to talk with you about a girls’ night out. Does Friday work?”
“She did. And yes, Friday would be perfect! Riley is going to take Jake for the night. In fact, we’ll probably just plan to have him spend the night because I don’t intend for it to be an early night,” she said with a wink.
“I’ve got a game that night,” Cody added. “I’ll let Riley know. Maybe he and Jake can stop by.”
“That would be great!” Mac said excitedly. “He had so much fun the last time, I’m sure he’d love that. Just go easy on the sugar this time, okay?”
Cody laughed. He knew he was still in trouble for the last time he and Riley took Jake to the ball field. Riley let him have all the candy he wanted and Abby had a hell of a time getting him to go to sleep that night. She still blamed Cody and it had been all Riley’s fault!
“Yes ma’am.” he nodded. “I’ll let Riley know.”
“Alright, I’m outta here. Thanks again for the cooler, Cody,” Mac said as she hugged him then bent to hug Ryan who was still on the swing. “It’s great to see you here with him,” she whispered quietly in Ryan’s ear and winked as she stood up. “See you Friday!”
As quickly as she had appeared, Mac was gone.
Cody looked down at Ryan, feeling like he owed her an apology for the way he completely spaced out on her. “Mind if I join you?”
“No, of course not,” she answered.
Ryan put her foot on the deck to stop the swing so Cody could sit. He sat close enough that their thighs touched and he put his arm around her, pulling her close to him.
“I’m sorry I spaced out on you.”
“It’s okay, Cody. I can’t even imagine the pain you’ve been through. First your mom and then Laura…”
Cody was quiet again, but this time it was different. It didn’t feel like his mind was elsewhere.
Finally, he said, “I really like you, Ryan. I’ve had a really good time with you the past few days and I look forward to spending more time with you. And God knows I think you’re beautiful, I can barely keep my eyes off you.”
Ryan felt her cheeks turn red yet again.
“You’re easy to talk to you, and I’m glad I could tell you about Laura.” He stopped to gather his thoughts again. “I was devastated when she was killed. And angry. I felt like all of the pieces of my life were finally falling into place. And then to lose her … it crushed me.”
Ryan cuddled herself into Cody and he wrapped his arm around her tightly.
“The crash was a little over four years ago. I haven’t really dated; I didn’t have any interest. But that’s changed now. You’ve changed that for me. I can’t say I don’t still get little pangs in my chest when I talk about Laura or see things that remind me of her, but I’m better. I get better every day.”
Ryan looked up at Cody. She wasn’t sure if she was imagining it, but there was almost a plea in his voice.
“Thank you for telling me about her.” She smiled. “I knew someone had to be involved with the decoration of this house. It just seemed to have a woman’s touch.”
Cody chuckled, “Yeh, that was all Laura. I suck at interior design, but she was pretty good at it.”
“The house is beautiful, Cody.”
“You’re beautiful,” he said and leaned down to kiss her forehead, then her nose. He looked into her eyes as though he was asking for permission. Ryan tilted her head to meet his lips with hers. It was a soft kiss, but one that made them both feel as though things were going to be okay.
After a few moments of swinging in silence, Cody asked, “Do you want anything to drink? I’m going to grab a bottle of water.”
“Water would be great. Thank you.”
Cody gave her a quick kiss and got up from the swing. When he came back he handed two bottles of water to Ryan and went to fill the water bowl for the dogs. They had finally wore themselves out and were resting quietly on the other side of the deck in what little shade they could find.
“I
“She did. And yes, Friday would be perfect! Riley is going to take Jake for the night. In fact, we’ll probably just plan to have him spend the night because I don’t intend for it to be an early night,” she said with a wink.
“I’ve got a game that night,” Cody added. “I’ll let Riley know. Maybe he and Jake can stop by.”
“That would be great!” Mac said excitedly. “He had so much fun the last time, I’m sure he’d love that. Just go easy on the sugar this time, okay?”
Cody laughed. He knew he was still in trouble for the last time he and Riley took Jake to the ball field. Riley let him have all the candy he wanted and Abby had a hell of a time getting him to go to sleep that night. She still blamed Cody and it had been all Riley’s fault!
“Yes ma’am.” he nodded. “I’ll let Riley know.”
“Alright, I’m outta here. Thanks again for the cooler, Cody,” Mac said as she hugged him then bent to hug Ryan who was still on the swing. “It’s great to see you here with him,” she whispered quietly in Ryan’s ear and winked as she stood up. “See you Friday!”
As quickly as she had appeared, Mac was gone.
Cody looked down at Ryan, feeling like he owed her an apology for the way he completely spaced out on her. “Mind if I join you?”
“No, of course not,” she answered.
Ryan put her foot on the deck to stop the swing so Cody could sit. He sat close enough that their thighs touched and he put his arm around her, pulling her close to him.
“I’m sorry I spaced out on you.”
“It’s okay, Cody. I can’t even imagine the pain you’ve been through. First your mom and then Laura…”
Cody was quiet again, but this time it was different. It didn’t feel like his mind was elsewhere.
Finally, he said, “I really like you, Ryan. I’ve had a really good time with you the past few days and I look forward to spending more time with you. And God knows I think you’re beautiful, I can barely keep my eyes off you.”
Ryan felt her cheeks turn red yet again.
“You’re easy to talk to you, and I’m glad I could tell you about Laura.” He stopped to gather his thoughts again. “I was devastated when she was killed. And angry. I felt like all of the pieces of my life were finally falling into place. And then to lose her … it crushed me.”
Ryan cuddled herself into Cody and he wrapped his arm around her tightly.
“The crash was a little over four years ago. I haven’t really dated; I didn’t have any interest. But that’s changed now. You’ve changed that for me. I can’t say I don’t still get little pangs in my chest when I talk about Laura or see things that remind me of her, but I’m better. I get better every day.”
Ryan looked up at Cody. She wasn’t sure if she was imagining it, but there was almost a plea in his voice.
“Thank you for telling me about her.” She smiled. “I knew someone had to be involved with the decoration of this house. It just seemed to have a woman’s touch.”
Cody chuckled, “Yeh, that was all Laura. I suck at interior design, but she was pretty good at it.”
“The house is beautiful, Cody.”
“You’re beautiful,” he said and leaned down to kiss her forehead, then her nose. He looked into her eyes as though he was asking for permission. Ryan tilted her head to meet his lips with hers. It was a soft kiss, but one that made them both feel as though things were going to be okay.
After a few moments of swinging in silence, Cody asked, “Do you want anything to drink? I’m going to grab a bottle of water.”
“Water would be great. Thank you.”
Cody gave her a quick kiss and got up from the swing. When he came back he handed two bottles of water to Ryan and went to fill the water bowl for the dogs. They had finally wore themselves out and were resting quietly on the other side of the deck in what little shade they could find.
“I
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