My gut swirls with a taut pull.
Carli: We totally do. Let’s plan something.
McKenna: Text me tomorrow with a time that works for you.
Carli: I will. Goodnight. Dream of white dresses and crying men at the altar.
McKenna: That’s exactly what I’ll be dreaming of. Goodnight.
I pocket my cell.
Cody smiles down at me. “You’ve always been such a good friend.”
“By refusing to be with her so I can make out with her brother in his pickup truck?”
He laughs lightly and shakes his head. “No. You’re one of the people who stood by her when no one understood what all this social media stuff was about. She had a dream and you supported her. You always had her back.”
“I do.”
He leans in and kisses me. It’s this lazy, we’ve-got-all-night kind of kiss, deep, but sweet enough to almost draw tears. I melt into him and he holds me, exploring, assuring. He’s kissed me playfully, urgently, quickly, but this kiss is different. It’s thekiss of two people settling into what they share. I feel his kiss deep inside me, like a promise. I run my hand through his hair and he hums, pulling back and resting his forehead on mine.
“I think I’m falling for you, Carli.”
His words are quiet, thoughtful.
I officially fell for him years ago. But I know what he means. This isn’t infatuation. It’s not intrigue or attraction. Though I’m beyond attracted to Cody. What I feel for him now is far deeper—like a cord, tethering me to him no matter where I go.
“Me too,” I practically whisper. “I’m falling for you, Cody.”
“Yeah?”
I nod.
It’s not the three words, but we’re tiptoeing up to them. I could say them right now and mean them with everything I am. But there’s something even truer about naming the way we’re falling. Raw and real.
“You’re my person,” I tell him.
“Your person,” he echoes, a smile taking over his face.
He runs his hand through my hair. “I like that. I’m your person.”
Chapter 25
Cody
If you risk nothing, then you risk everything.
~ Geena Davis
The morning airis warmer than it’s been. It’s my day off, but I’m pitching in around the ranch. My older brothers are out in the pasture repairing fences. Luke and I are fixing a hydraulic hose leak on one of the tractors. The hood’s up. He’s in the cab. I adjust my goggles and tug on my work gloves.
“Cycle the loader!” I shout to him.
He wiggles the joystick and the bucket moves forward, back, up and down, relieving the pressure. I pop the pan under the leak. Luke hops out of the cab and secures the hose with a wrench while I crack the line loose.
Ethan comes around the corner of the barn just as I’m saying, “Hand me the other wrench.”
“Good to see you boys finding a way to be useful around here,” Ethan teases.
