Page 41 of Wildly Yours
He opens the truck door for me and takes the desert, laying it the cooler in the back. Then he climbs in and shifts his muscled frame toward me. "Thanks for coming with me tonight. My folks know you're coming, but I didn't say anything to the guys so they might act a little…surprised. Especially Caleb. But don't mind him, he just likes to be an idiot sometimes."
"I've met your brother."
"Serena, I came a few minutes early because I wanted to thank you for making me go see your therapist. The conversation I had with my parents was…" Cody scans my face, his eyes soft. "It was freeing."
Anticipation roils through me. I want him to say he's turning a corner. That he's ready to put all that behind him. And I know that I have to do the same. But isn't that what I'm doing?
"Freeing you up to do what?"
"This."
Cody leans over and cups my face, then he kisses me. His lips are tender, his touch is reverent. I've never been touched like this before. His movements are slow and deliberate. Pregnant with meaning.
And I'm melting again.
He pulls back an inch or so until his eyes meet mine.
"Will you do me the honor of—"
"Oh my god, are you proposing?"
A grin spreads across his mind-blowingly handsome face.
"I was thinking more that we go on a real date first. But it's good to know where your head is at."
I'm shrinking in my seat. I can't believe I just blurted that out.
"Hey. Don't be embarrassed. I'm not. Though I might get plenty embarrassed with the ribbing I'm about to get from my brothers."
"They won't be that bad. It's not like they know. Wait, do they know? Do they know you and I—"
"Only Caleb. Well, okay. I told my parents the other day. So I guess it's Cole who's in the dark."
"And Zoe, and Renée. I haven't talked to them yet. Maybe we can finesse this so I can pull them aside somehow?"
"Do they need an intervention?"
"No, but I'm trying to build trust. And they are going to be hurt if they have to hear it from your brothers that we were together. I need to do that part."
"Well I suggest doing it as soon as we get there. You know how we get when we're together."
I do. And I can't wait to be part of that again.
We pull out of my driveway and head down the main road to Callie and Buzz's place. They live on the edge of town in a house on one of the two lakes in Owl Creek. If I had to pick one place in this town I would have wanted to grow up, it's in this house with this family. I've been here countless times hanging out with Cody climbing trees and swimming, and on official business visiting Callie, who organizes our annual boat festival. Every single time I visit, I feel like I'm being pulled into a warm hug.
The deciduous trees that line the road are budding out, filling in the canopy with fresh green splashes. Spring is my favorite time of year, because it carries a sense of hope in the air. I'vealways held onto hope. Hope that things can turn out differently for me than the path of being single and wary that I was on. We pull into their driveway and I see Caleb's slick black truck, and Renée's classic mustang. We're the last ones here.
I've known the Barone family most of my life, but I still feel sweat trickle down my sides and my hands are clammy. What if this all goes sideways?
We climb out and Caleb grabs my cheesecake and a paper bag with mushrooms in it.
"What's with the mushrooms?"
"The first of spring. My mom loves these. You don't have to eat them if you don't trust my botany skills."
"I trust you Cody."
"How much?"
