Keys To Her Heart (Brookfield) (14 page)

She went to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him. This rift between them hurt. She hadn’t expected to get so caught up in him. “If you don’t want to meet Heath this weekend, I understand.”

His fingers ran up and down her spine. “If you’re ready, I’m ready. I’ll be here, so you let me know.”

She stared up into his eyes. He was the perfect man. How he wasn’t married, she had no idea. Maybe Cody was right; maybe they did need to talk more. She was curious about his past. Had he ever been married, close to it? She really hadn’t taken the time to get to know him on a deep level, and he’d been doing everything possible to get to know her.

Perhaps it was time to open her heart and let someone in.

* * * *

Cody pushed the cart through the grocery store on Saturday. He’d made a list of things he needed and gotten them all, but he now pushed this metal thing around just because. He didn’t want to go home. Each time he went into that house, his thoughts went to mush about Lily.

She hadn’t called Thursday night after their time together that afternoon, which he expected. He’d sent her a quick good night text and she’d answered. However Friday, he’d called and just gotten voicemail. He thought she’d call back like she always did, but she hadn’t. Last night, he tossed and turned. He’d jumped the gun telling her he loved her. Fuck, he hadn’t meant to say it. It just happened. It was out there now, and he couldn’t take it back. He certainly hadn’t expected it to mean she was going to end things.

Had she?

He hoped she was just busy with her mom and brother. Her ex was there today. So she was most likely sitting around with him and Gunther.

Cody wanted to be the one sitting there with them. No, he could not get jealous. She’d made it clear there was nothing between her and the ex. He had no reason to suspect otherwise. It was good she and her former husband got along. Gunther needed that.

Now he had to decide if he was going to call her again, or not.

“Hey, bro!”

He turned to see Diane and Alyssa heading toward him. Oh, this day just got better. He loved them, but handling them both at one time—no thanks.

“What are you both doing here?”

“We’re having a girls afternoon and just finished getting our toes done.” Alyssa glanced down at her feet.  “And it felt so good. I’m at that point it’s hard to reach them. So now I have cute toes again.”

“It’s cold out. There is a light dusting of snow on the ground and you’re worried about your toes?” He’d never understand women. Why try?

“Yup.”

“What are you up to?” Diane asked. “Figured you’d be with your girl.”

Diane and Alyssa giggled like schoolgirls.

“She’s busy.”

“Aw, sorry.” Alyssa rubbed his arm. “You can hang out with us. We’re getting some ice cream and then watching a girly movie.”

“No thanks.” Ice cream sounded good, but not whatever chick flick they were going to watch. “I’m just going to go home.”

“Something wrong?” Alyssa said it, but they both stared at him like hawks ready to pounce on their prey.

“Everything is fine. I gotta go. I’ve got some frozen food in here.”

Diane waved her hand. “So, go trade it out. Trouble in paradise already?” She glanced at Alyssa. “I told you that girl was flighty.”

Wait, what? Had they been talking about Lily? A new emotion came in. Defense. “Don’t talk about her. She’s perfect for me.”

Their eyes widened.

“Yeah, she’s busy, but I’m the stupid one. That’s why she’d not with me.”

“What did you do?” Alyssa rubbed her belly.

There was no way he was going to tell them. What was he thinking? They’d blow up his phone until he told them. “I…I told her I loved her.”

“Already?” they said together.

“Yeah. It’s how I feel, though. She’s just not ready.” He ran his hands through his hair. “Then I told her to take as long as she needed, I wasn’t going anywhere. Which I’m not.”
Just shut-up now!
He’d said too much.

“Aw, that’s sweet,” Alyssa said with a smile.

“It was dumb.” Diane rolled her eyes. “Not the telling her you loved her part, but the I’ll wait for you part.”

“It’s too late now,” Alyssa added.

Just rub salt in my cut, jeez.

“What are you going to do?” Alyssa asked.

He shrugged. “I don’t know.” He knew the next words were a mistake even as they flowed out of his mouth. “What do you two suggest?”

His sisters smirked. Oh boy, he was in trouble now.

“If you want our advice, then you have to come watch a movie with us.” Diane had an evil smile.

“I’ve got these groceries.”

“Fine, we’ll come to your house. Come on, Alyssa. Let’s get the ice cream. We’ll meet you back at your place, Cody.”

Oh dear, what had he gotten himself into?

* * * *

Lily leaned against the kitchen counter and stared at the text she’d gotten from Cody after she asked him to come for dinner to meet Heath and her mom.

I can’t. I’m busy.

That message was unlike him. Was he mad at her for not calling him back yesterday? She hadn’t done it purposely. After work she had to help Brent find a place to stay. For now he was settled in at Honeycreek Bed and Breakfast in one of their cabins up for rental. Then Heath arrived and the chaos started. Her mom had to learn again that she and Heath were no longer together. It had been an emotional day. When she’d gotten in bed that evening, with the intention of calling him and telling him about her day, she’d fallen asleep almost as soon as her head hit the fluffy pillow.

“Hey.” Heath came over to her in the kitchen, wearing a big grin. “Is the new guy coming?”

“No.” She set the phone down.

Heath frowned and tossed his light hair away from his eyes. Cody and him were total opposites in appearances. Cody was muscled up and Heath was lean.

“You seem down. What’s wrong?” Heath leaned against the counter and crossed his arms.

“I can’t talk about it with you.” He was her ex; she couldn’t exactly share things about her new guy.

“Sure you can. We’re friends.”

Lily picked up the lemon slices and added them to the water. Pushing away from the counter, she went to the pantry and got the sugar.

“Are you going to put a few mint leaves in there?” Heath asked.

Lily went back to the pitcher of lemonade she was preparing. “Of course.”

“Tell me what’s going on. I can see the wheels turning in your head. Next thing you’ll be doing is making muffins or cookies. You bake when you’re upset, and it always starts with a pitcher of your special lemonade.”

Damn it, he knew her too well. “Maybe I’m just making this since you’re visiting.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Fine, don’t tell me anything, but I’m here to listen.”

She sighed. “Cody told me he loved me.”

“And.”

“And…I think I love him, too, but it’s way too early. It’s only been a few weeks.”

“Think back to us.” Heath grinned like a sixteen-year-old boy before prom.

“Seriously. You want to go down memory lane when I just told you I loved someone else.”

He rolled his eyes. “Just hush. We were so cautious and did everything by the books. We wanted to make sure we built a solid relationship before we even had sex. You and I were always friends and we forced the rest because we thought we had to.”

He had a point. She and Cody had been wild about each other since the moment she met him. He’d made her feels things she’d never experienced before. It just seemed too early to be thinking thoughts of love.

“It’s just so fast. Honestly, I’m not sure I have the time with mom and Gunther.”

“They’re your excuse, especially with Brent living in town now.”

“They aren’t excuses.” They needed her. She was responsible for them first, before anything else. Her son and mother deserved it.

“If you say so.” He started to walk out of the kitchen. “It’s a shame he isn’t coming today. I was looking forward to meeting him.” He paused. “Maybe you should go to him.”

“He said he was busy.”

“If he loves you, then he’s never too busy for you.”

Lily crossed her arms and leaned against the counter. Heath had more meaning in that last line. It was a jab at her.

Lily groaned and went the pantry, searching out the ingredients to make chocolate chip muffins. Maybe by the time they finished baking, she’d have an idea on what to do. If not, she’d make those homemade doughnuts Gunther really liked.

Chapter Twelve

Cody sat on his back porch as the sun was setting Saturday evening. His teeth chattered from the dropping temperatures. A week ago, he’d been here with Lily and there had been no snow on the ground, but man had things changed in a week. At this point, he probably wouldn’t get the grill back out until spring, and he wasn’t sure where things had stood with Lily.

She’d texted him earlier, apologizing for not returning his call but wanted him to come to dinner. Diane and Alyssa insisted he needed to be unavailable to her. In fact, it was Diane who replied to the Lily’s text because he was having a hard time telling Lily no. His sisters kept his phone from him until they left; followed by instructions on not giving in.

According to his sisters, if he played hard to get, she’d realize her feelings and come barking up his tree, or something like that. He didn’t feel good about it, though. When she’d left the other day, he told her he still wanted to meet her ex. Telling her he was busy felt like they were taking one giant step back, when he really wanted to make leaps forward.

His body shook as a shiver went down his spine. He couldn’t take the cold anymore, and he headed back inside to start a fire. In the living room, he got it going and went in search of a beer. He sat in his recliner, put his feet up, and sipped his beverage. This was just a normal Saturday night. Each Saturday night, he drank his beer and watched something sports related, all alone.

Damn it. He wanted Lily. He could be at her place right now, eating and doing whatever they had planned, not alone in his house. Maybe he shouldn’t have taken his sisters advice. What did they know anyway?

Diane couldn’t shut her mouth long enough to quit arguing with her husband, Matt. And Alyssa was too afraid of being rejected by Connor to let her feelings be known before they started seeing each other. Yet they were supposed to know just what he needed to do with his relationship. He was going to text Lily. This was silly; he didn’t want to play games. Games were for teenagers. They were adults. If he wanted to go over there, then he would, if it wasn’t too late.

Cody set his beer down on the end table next to his recliner as he put the foot rest down. He dug his cell phone from his pocket
and started to compose a text.

Ding dong.

He wasn’t expecting company. Though, he had told Bo if he was ever in the area, he was welcome to stop by. Cody crossed the small living room and flipped on the porch light. He peeked through the small side window.

Lily.

This was a good surprise. He swung the door open and wondered if she was here for a replay of Thursday, when she’d come in here and ravished him. He’d take it.

“Hey,” he said.

She held out a plate of baked goods. “I brought these for you.”

He took the plate from her. His stomach rumbled at the delicious aromas. “Want to come in?”

She nodded and came in. “That’s a pretty fire. It’s chilly tonight.” She sat down on the couch.

The couch they’d made love on a few days ago. The same place their relationship shifted. He chose to sit in his recliner.

“Yeah, we won’t see a warm day until March, and only then if we’re lucky.”

She glanced around with a nervous look in her eyes. He then realized just how unbusy he looked. He was going to kill his sisters. However, Lily was here by her own free will, so he was going to keep his lips zipped and see where this conversation went.

“So, when I get stressed, or I’m upset, I bake.” She pointed at the plate he’d set on the coffee table. “I usually start with making a pitcher of lemonade, then I move to muffins, and so forth. I would’ve brought you some lemonade, too, but my son and ex drank it all.”

“It’s okay. I’m happy you brought me these. Thank you.”
Finally, she was sharing things about herself.

She took a deep breath, leaned forward, and took a cookie out from under the
wrapping. She bit off a piece and chewed slowly. He was sure she ate the baked goods, as well, when nervous.

“You freaked me out the other night.”

He smiled. He’d done the same to himself, but the words were out there.

“This is moving so fast. I don’t feel like I know you enough.” She fidgeted with a button on her sweater. “I mean I know things like your favorite foods, beer, etc, because that’s what we’ve talked about on the phone. I haven’t given us a chance to go deeper.”

Damn, his sisters really knew their stuff. Here he was ready to throw their advice out the window, yet everything they said would happen was happening.