Page 17 of Fern's Date with Destiny
“Sit down,” Rose ordered, her grin wicked.“Before I switch you with Chance andyou’llhave to figure out my drawings all night.”
Cody patted the empty chair next to him.“Might as well accept your fate, sweetheart.”
“Better you than Rose.She once had to draw a house, and none of us got it right.”Fern slid into the seat, pressing her knee firmly against his under the table.“Still, try not to embarrass me.”
His reply was low enough that no one else heard.“Only plan on embarrassing you later.Not here.”
Her cheeks went molten.She retaliated by grabbing the marker and the first prompt, sketching so hard the tip of the pen squeaked before ripping the paper.
Chance cackled.“Solid start, Fern.”
“Shut it!”she offered back, half mortified that she was so comfortable teasing the man who was, in fact, her boss.
Cody leaned close, his arm brushing hers as he squinted at her terrible drawing.She tried not to melt at the smell of him—warm skin, clean soap, a hint of the scent of the ranch that always clung to Red Boot’s barns.
“I could have sworn you knew how to draw,” he murmured.“Are you sandbagging it?”
She snickered.“I never cheat.”
He leaned back, studied her frantic lines, and calmly said, “No, you’re right.It’s clearly an alien invasion.”
“No freaking way,” Chance howled.“Cheater!”
“Wait, I was right?”Shock tinged Cody’s voice before his grin widened.“I mean, of course, I’m right.There’s talent on both sides of this team.”
“Horseshoes up his ass,” Luke offered dryly.
They played until their sides hurt from laughing.Chance guessed “spaceship” for everything.Luke threatened to withhold foot rubs if Kelli didn’t stop deliberately drawing what looked like cats with six legs.
Through it all, Fern let her shoulder lean heavier into Cody’s, drinking in the way their secret felt safe here.Hidden in plain sight, surrounded by people they loved.
When Kelli finally called mercy and pushed away from the table to claim the best spot on the couch, Fern helped cap the markers and fold the paper for the recycle bin.
Cody caught her hand as she stacked the last sheet on top of the others.
“Let me,” he murmured.His thumb swept over her knuckles, quick and gentle.
Her breath caught.He shouldn’t do that here?—
Chance’s voice cut through her thoughts.“Hey, Cody.Walk Fern home, yeah?It’s dark already, and while it’s not Samhain yet, who knows what ghosts and ghoulies are about.”
Cody winked over his shoulder.“Sure, bro.”
Fern mock-glared at Chance but made no move to protest.She liked this.Being tucked into Cody’s orbit with no one the wiser.
Instead of leading her across the yard, though, Cody took her to his truck.She didn’t even pretend to sit prim.She scooted over on the bench seat until his thigh pressed warm and solid against hers.He slipped his arm around her shoulders, pulled her close.
“You’re taking me straight home, right?”she teased, trying for stern.“All three blocks?”
Cody snorted, pressing a kiss to her temple.“Sure, sweetheart.Straight home.”
Except he didn’t.
Twenty minutes later, the truck bumped off the main road, tires crunching along the gravel loop behind Miller’s old hayfield.Stars spilled across the clear black sky, big and reckless the way only prairie nights allowed.
He killed the engine.The sudden quiet pressed around them, broken only by the faint chorus of crickets and Fern’s soft, eager breath.
“You lied,” she said, accusing but with an enthusiasm that made his pulse trip.
