“Maybe I should talk to him. Or at least his parents.”
“I don’t want you anywhere near him.” Cody’s hand fisted at his side.
She put her hand over his and brushed her fingers back and forth over the back of his hand. “I just want it to go away.”
“Are you ready to talk to them? Because more than likely, the only thing you’re going to hear is about them.”
She shook her head. “My mind is finally starting to clear of all those dark thoughts and nightmares. I don’t want to bring it all back. I can’t. Not yet. Not now. In therapy it’s easier. I can take it one piece at a time and as slow as I want.”
“You don’t owe them anything.”
“Don’t I owe it to myself to find a way to put it to rest?”
“Isn’t that what you’re doing by going to therapy, opening up your businesses, being with me, planning the future you want, learning to be happy again? That’s what you owe yourself. You did nothing wrong. He killed your joy, your desire to really live. It’s coming back. Don’t let anyone ever take that from you again, because they’re selfish and only concerned about themselves.”
“You’re right. But you know I can’t put them off forever.”
“If you want to, that’s exactly what we’ll do.”
She glanced at the box of chocolates and the note. “After reading her texts…I think this was him.”
Cody sighed and confessed, “I do, too.”
“How?”
“Someone had to help him.”
“Will it ever end?”
“Yes. I’ll make sure it does. But there’s one way to ensure he never contacts you again.”
“If I go to the police, my whole life will blow up. Everyone will know what happened. I don’t want that for us, Cody. I don’t want a public spectacle made out of our tragedy. I’ve come to terms that he’ll have a decent life locked up in that fancy hospital. I’ve come to terms with the fact he’ll have a cushier life than if he were in prison. Some days, I still wish him dead. Others, I find enough compassion to hope he gets the help he needs. But my true feelings lie somewhere in the middle where I want him to just be miserable the rest of his life, knowing he can’t have me. Ever. And the best revenge I have is being happy with the man I truly love.”
Cody pulled her into his arms and held her close. “I don’t know how you do it. I’m still stuck on killing the bastard.”
She was so glad he shared his feelings. “That’s okay. My best friend’s dad is a really great defense attorney who can probably get you off.”
Cody chuckled. “Yeah. My partner already said he’d defend me.”
“Doug is a good guy.” She frowned. “And I miss Mindy Sue.”
“She offered to come out last week but you said no.”
“Because her boyfriend invited her on a family trip with his parents. That’s a big deal. I couldn’t ask her to miss meeting the parents for the first time.”
“You’ll see her next week at the picnic. If you’re up for attending.”
“I will be. It’s going to be our closest friends.”
Cody checked his watch. “We need to go. We’re going to be late for our reservation.”
“Well, that was your fault.”
“No. It was my pleasure. And I’m coming back for seconds the moment I get you home.”
She put her hands on his chest, went up on tiptoe, and kissed him softly. “I like the sound of that.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
