He shook his head. “You don’t know me at all, Vanessa. You broke the trust between us, and that’s not fixable. I’ve moved on, and you should too. Now—I want you to leave andnevercome back.”
Her chest moved up and down quickly with her angry breaths, her head shaking like she was in total disbelief. “You’ll regret this, Cody. You wait!”
When she stormed out, he ran frustrated fingers through his hair. How he’d ever dated the woman, he had no damn clue.
He turned to see Harper step quietly out of the back room. Fuck, how long had she been there? “How much of that did you hear?”
“Enough.” She tilted her head. “Are you okay?”
“Depends. Are you okay with what I said about us?”
“About you moving on with me, and that we’re happy?” A small smile curved her lips. “Yeah, I’m okay with what you said.”
He crossed the space between them and pulled her into his arms. “I am, you know. Happy. Even though we have a lot going on, when I’m with you, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”
Her eyes softened, her hands trailing up his chest. “Me too, Cody.”
He lowered his head and kissed her, yet again feeling the tension of the world around them drift away.
CHAPTER 19
“How does it feel to finally have a new account?” Cody asked as he held the bank door open for Harper.
She smiled up at him. “Wayoverdue. I should have done it a long time ago.”
“But you’re doing it now. Better late than never.”
When he slipped his fingers through hers, her skin tingled right up her arm. A few days had passed since her father had been in the bar, and he hadn’t made a single appearance since. In fact, she’d almost started to convince herself that whatever Kayden had said to him had chased the man away. Probably wishful thinking though.
She’d tried to call Ivy, her old boss, a few times, but so far the woman hadn’t returned her call. She was the only person who knew where Harper was, so she had to have been the one to share her location with her father. Although, why she would do that, Harper wasn’t sure.
“So,” Cody started, “we have a few hours before the bar opens. Is there anything you’d like to do?”
“Well, I’m always up for a stop at Sugar and Spice.” Damn her and her sweet tooth.
He chuckled. “What the woman wants, the woman gets.”
When they turned the corner, two men came into view. Harper frowned. “Is that…”
Cody tensed beside her. “Travis and Dayne.”
The men who’d worked at the bar, who’d stolen from Cody and warned her off him when she’d first started working there. They stood close together on the sidewalk and appeared to be arguing. Travis, in particular, looked like he was talking at a million words a minute.
“Come on, let’s cross the street,” Cody said quietly.
But before they could, both Travis and Dayne looked up. Travis’s eyes narrowed, and right away he started moving toward them. Well, less moving and more marching. Dayne scrubbed a hand over his face before following.
Immediately, Cody pushed her behind him.
“You’re a damn asshole,” Travis yelled before he’d even stopped in front of Cody.
Cody kept one hand on her arm as he spoke, his voice calm. “What are you talking about, Travis?”
“It’s not enough that you fire me and have me labeled a thief around town, but you also set your fucking sheriff brother on me?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Travis shoved Cody in the chest, causing Harper to gasp, but Cody barely moved. “Youdoknow what I’m talking about! Your brother dragged me into the station and questioned me about whether I threatened your precious bartender in the alley behind the bar. Hell, he even questioned me about the fires. Was that your doing? Or should I be talking toher?”
