Mindy Sue would happily bunk on the couch or even with her. They’d done it a lot over the years.
CODY: Is that what you really want?
I can’t have what I really want.
BROOKE: Yes.
CODY: I will make it happen.
BROOKE: Just give me the guy’s number and I’ll call him and do all the follow up.
CODY: I’ll take care of it.
She knew what he was doing. He wanted her to go through him for updates and changes and whatever came up on the project. He was still protecting and taking care of her.
She appreciated it, but at some point, he needed to let her fly on her own, because he had someone else who depended on him now.
BROOKE: I can take care of myself.
CODY: I know. Just let me do this.
BROOKE: Don’t you have enough to do?
CODY: I always have time for you. That hasn’t changed. It never will.
CODY: I wish you’d come home so we can figure this out.
BROOKE: You already did and put a ring on it.
CODY: It doesn’t have to be like this.
BROOKE: For now, it does. But I’ll be back in town in June and it will be different again.
CODY: What do you mean?
BROOKE: We can’t be what we were, so we’ll have to be different.
BROOKE: See you later
She wondered if he’d remember that he’d said goodbye to her in August and she’d reminded him that they were friends, so it was never goodbye, only see you later.
Cody stared at the final message from Brooke as he sat in his office downtown and a tear slipped down his cheek. This was the first real conversation they’d had since she left after Christmas.
She wanted him to know though things looked dire, they were still friends.
Those simple three words meant so much to him. His heart ached with longing for her and what they’d shared in the past.
Was she still seeing whoever she was having the relationship with?
None of his business. Even if it killed him to think of her with someone else.
He didn’t want to think about how different things would be going forward, both of them with someone else. That was too heartbreaking to imagine. He could only hope that one day soon they’d find their way and things would be okay again between them.
Chapter Thirty
She’s perfect.
He hid behind a large bush and watched her walk down the darkened path. He’d busted three of the overhead lights, providing him the perfect cover.
