Page 79 of The Deadbeat Next Door

I sent the kids out to the back yard and Mary Ellen and I sat down at Cody’s dining room table. “I heard you and Cody broke up.”

I tensed, expecting her to say something catty. “Yep.”

“He’s a nice guy. And he seemed crazy about you…Maybe…just don’t give up on him, yet.”

My gaze snapped up to hers. “It doesn’t matter. He left town.”

She gave me a sly smile. “Is that what he told you? Funny, because I just saw him at Uncle Bart’s yesterday. He’s settling in nicely.”

I narrowed my eyes. Was she about to tell me she and Cody had something going on? “Good for him.”

“I’d love to bounce on that pogo stick, but he turned me down. Again.” She rolled her eyes. “Where are all the men I read about who are capable of casual sex?”

Frankly, her frankness shocked me. “In the big city?”

She sighed. “You’re probably right. I’ve got my fingers crossed that winery of his will bring in some fresh blood.” She raised her hands in the air and crossed her fingers. “He told me not to say anything to you, but I thought you should know he was still in town.”

I was beginning to think Mary Ellen was speaking a different language. “Um, why?”

“Because my cousin is over the moon about your break-up with Cody and I don’t want you giving him any if he shows up on your doorstep. He is a dawg, capital D A W G, and you should hold out for Cody.”

“I have no interest in your cousin. But trust me, Cody is done with me.”

“Okay.” She shrugged. “Now that I’ve done my good deed for the day, let’s talk about your house.”

After an hour and a walk-through of my place, I had my marching orders for getting the house ready for sale. It shouldn’t take much, Cody had done a great job with the flower beds so the outside was perfect. I had a week to get the inside ready and then Mary Ellen would be back to take pictures for on-line sites. I walked around the house after she left, feeling a bit nostalgic. It had been the first house I’d ever owned, the first place I’d bought with my own money, and I was sure I’d miss it when I was trying to make the mortgage payments on Cody’s larger house.

I waved to Harrison, who was running around with the kids in an intense game of tag, and took a seat at the picnic table on Cody’s back patio.

Harrison collapsed on the bench seat on the other side of the table. He panted. “Damn,” he said. “Those kids make me feel old.”

I snorted. “You’re a baby.”

“And you’re an old lady.” His words and his smile were teasing.

“Sure am.” I forced a smile.

“Everything okay?”

And because I hadn’t had another chance to talk to an adult I knew wouldn’t judge me, I spilled. “I may have had a few more feelings for Cody than a person should have for a fake fiancé.”

Harrison’s eyes widened in mock surprise. “Yeah, wow, because that was never going to get complicated.”

“Laugh it up,” I said. “I know I was an idiot about the whole thing. I just…I miss him.”

“Want me to beat him up for you?”

“No. It’s not like we could ever have a future together anyway.”

This time, his eyes widened with real emotion. “Why not? He seems like a good guy.” He paused. “I mean, clearly he’s an idiot for letting you go, but he’s a good person.”

“He is a good person, just not the right person for me.”

“Because he doesn’t fit some ideal you’ve created from all the books you’ve read?”

I rolled my eyes. “I just need a man who has a steady, dependable job, who’s home by five every night and who puts his family first.”

“You don’t think Cody could be all those things?”

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