Page 86 of Mountain Dreams

“You promised we could have the house to ourselves. Besides, it’ll be fun to hang out with Jax.”

“Fun and Jax don’t belong in the same sentence.”

She laughed and playfully pushed him away. “Avery and Dakota will be here any minute, and I don’t want to get all messed up.”

“I thought you liked it when I messed you up.”

“Cody.”

“Fine, I’m leaving.”

“I’ll see you later.”

“How late is later?”

“I’ll text you when they leave.”

“Knowing my sister, it’ll be after midnight.”

“Cody,” she repeated and gave him a mock scowl.

“Okay, okay. I’m going. Have fun.”

“You too.”

“Doubtful.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and strolled out of the kitchen.

She was still smiling when she heard the front door close and his truck start up. As she took some appetizers out of the fridge, she reflected on how much had changed over the past two months.

They’d long since retrieved the rest of her belongings from Wyatt’s house, and the basement looked like a proper apartment now. However, she was rarely down there. During the day, she worked upstairs, where there was better light, or at the resort office, where she went three times a week to help Avery with the accounting.

In the evenings, she often made dinner for her and Cody, who tried to get off work in time to eat with her. Then they’d hang out or go for a walk around the resort before bedtime. There was no longer a discussion about where she’d sleep. They simply went upstairs to his bed, where she’d slept every night since she’d admitted her feelings for him and vice versa.

Recently he’d suggested she move her clothes and bathroom products to his room too. “It seems silly to traipse up and down the stairs when I have plenty of space,” he argued.

Logically, it made sense; however, something prevented her from doing it. They’d achieved a blissful state of togetherness without the drama that had initially plagued them. As promised, Wyatt had left them in peace, and she’d finally put that part of her life behind her.

However, there was something inside her that niggled—a fear that the bliss she’d found with Cody was temporary. She was afraid that someday he’d wake up and realize he’d made a mistake by getting involved with her. He’d decide he wasn’t a one-woman man after all and miss his freedom. How could a man like him be satisfied with a woman like her?

The doorbell rang and interrupted her downward spiral. “Coming,” she called, taking one last look around the kitchen. Though she’d been lost in thought, she’d managed to arrange the food and drinks in an organized fashion as always.

A minute later, she opened the door and greeted Avery and Dakota.

“Ohmigod, look at you. You look great!” Dakota exclaimed as she gave Maddie a tight hug.

“She always looks great,” Avery said sweetly, awaiting her turn for a hug.

Maddie and Avery had become closer, especially since they’d started working together. Maddie would have liked her even if they weren’t connected through the Sawyer family, and she was happy to call her a friend.

“Come on in. I have drinks and appetizers in the kitchen.”

Avery and Dakota set their purses on the bench by the door and followed Maddie into the kitchen.

“Mmm. Smells good in here,” Dakota said, looking at all the food.

“You made enough for an army. Too bad the guys aren’t here to eat some of this,” Avery said.

“If my brothers were here, we wouldn’t get any,” Dakota said, and they all laughed.