“You know I’m not.”
“I mean…” She looked up at him. “What doyouneed?”
“You. More of this. More of you talking to me, sharing with me everything that’s spinning in your head.”
“You can tell me how you feel, too. I can take it. I want to be there for you, too.”
“Just having you back, being able to touch you, that helps me. Taking care of you, knowing I’m able to ease your discomfort or your heart helps me. I feel like this all happened because I let it. I let you go. I—”
“You save me every day.” She hugged him harder, not caring that it pulled at some of her stitches. Most of them were getting better, but there were a few still-tender spots.
Cody kissed her again.
This time the brush of his lips didn’t feel so new. She didn’t hesitate to return the kiss. She leaned into it, him, this step closer to what they used to be. Or at least what they were fighting to be to each other again.
Cody was all in. She knew it. She felt it. She was the one holding back. He’d been right about that. So right here, right now, she made the decision to be open to the possibility that the worst was behind them and this was the beginning of something better. Happier. Forever.
And all of the good vibes she was feeling when Cody walked her out of the building and to his car died when she spotted the slip of paper tucked under the windshield wiper on the passenger side of the car.
“What’s that?” Her heart pounded in her chest for no reason.
“Probably a flyer for one of the local stores or something.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
Cody pulled it from the wiper and opened it, stepping back the second she tried to read it.
“What does it say?”
“Nothing. Get in the car. We’re leaving.” He stepped around her and opened the car door.
She stood her ground. “Let me see it.”
“It’s not for you. It’s for me.”
Her eyes went wide. “Now we’re keeping secrets?”
He stared at her, unbending.
“I kept secrets from you and look what happened. Please don’t shut me out. Not now. I can’t take it if you do.”
“It’s nothing, Brooke.”
“Then show it to me.” She held out her hand.
He simply turned the paper around so she could read the note.
WE’RE NOT OVER.
“Kristi?”
“Maybe.” The fury in his eyes said he knew more.
“What aren’t you saying?”
“It’s not her handwriting.”
The blocky letters could be anyone trying to disguise the handwriting.
