I laugh at his reference and the serious mood lightens, but I can’t help feeling as if a huge moment took place between us.
The air outside Jimmy’s Pizzeria smells like pizza sauce and cheese as we walk down the street back to where Ryland parked.
“Okay so it’s leather in Italy and jewelry in Mexico. What about France?” he asks, our hands twined together reminiscent of a real couple. One of those cute ones who dress together for Halloween or some shit. Ones I used to find nauseating.
“Baguettes.” I laugh as his nose crinkles up with my answer. “Oh come on. You must eat bread in France. It’s a rule.”
He tugs on my arm bringing me closer to his chest. “A rule, huh?”
“Yes, and I know how you love rules.”
“Marissa?” Behind us, a voice I recognize calls my attention and I turn taking Ryland in a half spin with me.
Dressed in one of his typical grey suits with the black buttoned pea coat I helped him pick out, Cody walks beside a blonde haired woman in black pants and a matching blazer. They walk a few inches apart, but stand close enough when they stop I imagine they’re a couple. Or at least on a date. Cody was never a big hand holder, preferring to keep his in a pocket or wrapped around his phone.
“Cody.” I try to take a step toward him but am stopped by Ryland’s arm when he doesn’t move.
“Wow, you look really good.” I’m shocked by his surprise and open comment. I’ve gained at least five pounds from the ice cream I ate the months after our breakup and Cody wasn’t one to hand out compliments when we were dating.
The woman puts herself a step in front of Cody reaching a hand out to me. “Hi, I’m Emily.” I have to give up my hold on Ryland to shake it. "Do you two work together?”
I snicker under my breath. “Um, no we…” My words fall off. She isn’t the woman Cody cheated on me with — I’d recognize that bitch from the pictures she sent me of them together — but he obviously hasn’t toldEmilyabout me or our history and the spiteful part of me wants to, but it isn’t worth it any longer.
Two months ago there’s a high possibility I’d have spit on Cody had I seen him on the street with another woman. Now with Ryland by my side talking about Italian leather and French baguettes it doesn’t seem important.Wow, is this what growing up and being an adult is about? Scary.
The silence trickles on without an answer from Cody or me until Ryland jumps in saving the day. “I’m Ryland, Marissa’s boyfriend."
My eyes flash wide at his declaration and I cast them downward to hide the stupid grin from my excitement.
The moment passes quickly as Cody’s friend makes a high shrieking sound. “Ryland Bates? From United? What they did to you was absolute crap. One little bar fight? I’m sure Obreski had it coming. Everyone knows he’s an asshole on and off the field. Do you think you’ll go back to an England team or take the offer from Mexico?”
She finally stops for breath and I roll my eyes. Does everyone watch soccer but me? And what offer from Mexico?
Ryland grabs my hand again, his grip tight between my fingers. “There haven’t been any offers as of right now, but I’ll consider them all." He looks to me with a smirk—a warning he’ll be up to no good soon. “Marissa says if we go to Italy I have to buy her lots of leather.”
My body tightens at his brazen comment. Poor Cody turns a shade of green not helped by the faint glow from the street lights.
“Italy?” he asks in a pitch higher than his normal voice.
Emily wraps her arm through Cody’s. “Oh Italy would be great. They have a real chance at the Cup this year.”
With a face full of shock, Cody pulls his arm from hers and checks the watch I bought him for our three-year anniversary. “We’re going to miss our reservation.”
I almost chime in with a reminder of how Cody hates to be late, but I bite my tongue. She’ll have to learn that one the hard way, like I did. With one last glance at Cody’s prim and proper self, I lean a little more into Ryland's side.
He picks up on my cue and we start to turn in the direction we parked. “Have a nice dinner, you two.” I give them a fast wave and say good-bye to my past, a hopeful future on my side.
“Bye, Marissa… I’ll call you sometime.” Cody calls behind him, but I’m already getting in Ryland’s car as he holds the door open for me and I don’t respond.
Ryland’s buckled and weaving the car into traffic before he comments. “If that guy calls, you tell me.”
I release a deep breath hopeful we’d never have to address this. “That was…” Shit how do I explain the whole "I almost got married” mess?
“I know who Cody is.” Ryland stares out the front window with the concentration of a NASCAR driver even though we’re barely going twenty-fives miles an hour with this after dinner traffic.
“You do?”
He laughs and checks his rearview mirror making a turn onto our street. “Yeah. Grant gossips like a ninety-year-old grandmother.”
