Chapter Nine
Cody
Cody watched Siobhan Mohan enter the supermarket and paused. Licking his lips, he thrust his hands into his jeans and contemplated going in and speaking to her. Four years. It had been over four years since he’d last seen her, and in some ways she’d changed, but in others, she still appeared the same. Before he’d left, he’d been on a downward spiral and cut contact with most, if not all of his friends, and looking back now, he knew he wouldn’t have been as bad as he was if he’d stayed in contact. But that was then, and this was now.
Maybe it was time to re-establish those friendships. He’d come home and his friends were here, so now was as good a time as any. Walking along the sidewalk, Cody pulled his hood up and entered the supermarket. Walking along the end of the aisles, he saw Siobhan and went up to her. She didn’t notice him at first, so he had a few seconds to look at her. She had her hair loose, the auburn waves tumbling over her shoulders, the jeans she wore highlighted her curvy figure, a frown on her face as she staredat the ingredients on a packet. She must have become aware someone was standing next to her because she lifted her head, stared at him for a few seconds, then her light gray eyes widened when she recognized him. “Cody? Is it really you?”
“Hi Siobhan.” Cody grinned. “How are you?”
“Cody!” she shrieked, dropping her basket and throwing herself into his arms. Cody caught her, laughed, then swung her around, holding her tight. “Cody, I can’t believe you’re really here.” Cody put her down, then ducked when she went to hit him. “Where the hell have you been?” She glared at him, then tried to kick him. “Do you know how scared I was? I thought you were dead!” She growled and went to hit him again, but Cody caught her fist and smiled at her.
“I missed you too.”
Siobhan’s eyes narrowed, and she shook her head, her long auburn hair falling behind her shoulders. “I cried over you. I’m really pissed at you right now, but stupidly happy you’re alive. When did you get back, and where have you been?”
“Want to get a drink and then we can talk? I don’t want to do it here.” Cody glanced around, grateful it wasn’t busy.
Narrowing her eyes, she nodded. “Let me grab what I need and then we can go to The Daily Grind.”
“Is it busy? I don’t want people to know I’m back yet.”
“You mean your folks?” Cody nodded. “They have booths at the back. You can grab one of those while I get us a drink.” Picking up her basket, she thrust it at Cody. “You can carry that for all the emotional damage you’ve caused me.”
Cody grinned and trailed behind Siobhan as she finished her shopping. She kept glancing at him, shaking her head, reaching out to touch him. “You’re really here.”
“I am, and I’m not leaving again.”
“Promise?” She stopped walking and touch his arm again. “You’re back for good?”
“Yeah, I am. Finish your shopping, then we can talk.”
Siobhan suddenly went up on tiptoes and kissed his cheek. She sniffed, turned away, wiped her cheeks, then finished her shopping. Once it was bagged, he followed her to the coffee shop. “Up there.” Cody saw where she pointed to and nodded. “Coffee? Latte? Something else?”
“Coffee’s fine, thanks.” Cody took her bags and found an empty booth. Fortunately, it wasn’t busy, with only a handful of people who Cody didn’t recognize. He slipped into an empty booth and sighed. He heard Siobhan laughing and smiled. He’d missed her more than he’d realized. When she appeared with two coffees, he picked his up. “Thanks.”
“Now tell me everything.”
Shrugging, Cody looked outside. “I needed to leave.”
Siobhan reached across the table and slid her fingers through his black hair. “I forgot this was your natural color, and you’re so big now. When you left, you were smaller than me and now, you’re so tall and broad. Do you work out?”
“Yeah, and I worked on a ranch for a few years. They helped me figure shit out.”
Tilting her head, Siobhan’s eyes scanned him. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“I was a mess. You know that.”
“You were a mess. I thought…” Siobhan looked at the table. “I used to wonder how long you had left.”
“You were right to think that. I left here and pretty much destroyed my life, but I found a way through it and now I’m back.”
“There’s more, isn’t there?”
“You’re like Darcy. You see more than you should.” Cody sipped his drink and sighed. “I went off the rails. Did everything I shouldn’t and almost paid the ultimate price.”
“Oh Cody.” Siobhan reached across the table and gripped his hand. “You don’t have to tell me now.”
Cody turned his hand over and laced their fingers together. “I told TJ I had to go through it, and I believe that.”
