“Nah, it sounds so stupid.”
“It won't to her.She’ll probably cry.You mean the world to her, Cord.I know she’s missed you so incredibly much.She’ll never admit it to you and she’ll deny it if I bring it up, but she’s cried almost every day you two haven’t been talking.She tries to blame it on cutting onions or that she stubbed her toe or something dumb, but she was broken up over things being tense between you two.”
“Man, I didn’t think this was bothering her so much.”He scrubs a rough hand down his face.“Are we good?”
“Yeah, we’re good.I'm sorry for dating your sister.In my defense, she asked me out.”
“Seriously?”His brows raise in surprise.
“Yeah, and I screwed up almost immediately.We were supposed to go out the night my house flooded…”
Chapter 25
Cici
Iflipthepageand nibble on my bottom lip.Now, I understand why Covey was feeling overwhelmed by all of this.I'm not overwhelmed, but there are a lot of choices to make and I want to make the right ones.
The thought of getting to live here has me excited.If things were better between Cord and me, I’d be thrilled with the thought of living next door to him.With things the way they are now, I'm trying not to focus on that.I need to believe we can figure this out long before the renovations are finished.
The back door opens and shuts but I don’t bother glancing up to see who it is.I can tell just by the weight of the footsteps that it’s Cord.He’s always sounded different than anyone else when he walks.It’s an odd thing to notice, but I always can tell when it’s him.
“Can we talk?”He asks softly.
“I guess that depends on what version of you I'm going to get,” I murmur, “the loving brother who always has my back or the idiot who thinks he can boss me around… To be honest, I could do without the idiot.If that’s the version I'm going to get, you can just leave before you even open your mouth.”
I tilt my head to the side and examine the cabinet sample.The pale gray is really pretty.It’s subtle, yet more eye-catching than the white.It would be gorgeous in a kitchen.
“I’ve always had your back, Cici.”There’s hurt in his tone, but he doesn’t get to be hurt.Not this time.
“No, you didn’t!You couldn’t see past your own wants and needs to realize I really liked Covey.Ilovehim, Cord.I went to bat against you and Dad literally the day after we started dating.Dad apologized almost immediately… Yet it’s been almost a month and you’re just now trying to fix things.You didn’t have my back so please don’t insult me and say you did.You should’ve been at my side cheering me on and helping me calm Dad down.Instead, you turned your back on me,” I whisper as a tear trickles down my cheek.
Cord doesn’t waste a second.He pulls me to my feet and into his arms.He wraps me in a tight hug and doesn’t let go.
“I’m sorry.I'm so freaking sorry I ever made you feel like that.You’re right, I should’ve seen past myself and realized you two are perfect together.Macy keeps pointing out how this relationship has been building forever.How you two have always gravitated towards each other and I'm an idiot for not realizing it.I just… I freaked out.”
“Understatement of the year,” I murmur under my breath.
“I told the guys to stay away from you.And when I found out someone I considered my best friend didn’t, I kind of lost it.I didn’t want some athlete taking advantage of you.”
“He’s not just some athlete, Cord.”I roll my eyes.“He’s Covey.He’s the sweetest man in the world.He pays attention to everything.He brings me lunch at work because he knows I get busy and forget to eat.He gets up early, even on his days off, just to make me breakfast and eat with me before I go to work.He says the best way to start his day is drinking coffee with me.He’s helped me walk away from work at a decent time and I told Uncle Parker and Uncle Luke I won't let this job rule my life.I’ll work my eight hours, but after that, I'm going home to see my boyfriend.”
“Wow… I never thought I’d see the day Miss Workaholic did something like that.”
“I had no reason to.I had no one to come home to.Work was all I had, especially if the Pit Bulls were traveling.”
“He’s still going to travel,” Cord murmurs.
“Yeah, he will.But when he’s home with me, he’shomewith me.His entire focus is on me and nothing else.It’s incredible.”
“I’m sorry I got angry.I'm sorry I flipped out and wouldn’t listen to anyone.Can you please forgive me so I can have my sister back?Emmett misses his aunt.”
“I do miss him,” I whisper, not wanting to tell him I saw Emmett yesterday.
“I'm tired of finding excuses to leave the house for a few hours just so Macy will invite you over to see him.I’d really rather just be there too.”
My attention snaps up to his eyes and there’s a twinkle in them.A smile tugs on the corner of his lips and he looks so proud of himself.
“You left on purpose?”
