He pulls up to the driveway, and I’m surprised to see my father is here. He’s getting something from his car. He looks up and sees Cody's vehicle and goes still.
Cody parks and gets out.
He walks around and opens my door, then reaches into the back seat for my library books. He hands them to me and says something quiet that makes me smile.
My father watches all of this.
Cody looks up and sees him.
He walks over and extends his hand.
"Sir," he says.
No speech. No defense. No explanation. Just respect. Offered directly.
My father looks at him for a long moment.
Then he shakes his hand.
My father hugs me, asking how I'm feeling. I tell him that I’m fine. He takes one last look at Cody and then he goes inside.
I look at Cody on my parents' driveway.
"One day at a time," he says, touching the necklace around my neck—the pink Swarovski crystal he got for my twenty-first birthday, the one Theo stole and returned, the one I'm choosing to wear now.
"One day at a time," I agree.
"Are you sure you don't want me to drive you back?"
I shake my head. "My mom won't mind."
"Adela," he says when I start walking toward the house.
I turn around.
"We decided we’ll meet at the lake house every Saturday night."
“We?”
He nods. “I love you. I’ll see you then.”
I smile, turning around to walk in.
“Adela,” Cody calls out.
I turn around again.
“Say it back.”
My chest warms at the look on his face. “I love you.”
I go inside with a blush.
I stand in my parents' hallway with three library books in my arms, and my mom greets me.
"Was that Cody?"
I nod. "Yeah."
