Chapter 13 #2
Mike didn’t apologize but he dropped his gaze to his feet.
Cody turned his attention to focus only on Katherine. He understood her family was upset and he was the easiest person to take it out on. But he couldn’t get caught up in their bullshit.
He shoved his hands deep in his pockets. He wanted to reach out, to touch her and comfort her. But now wasn’t the right time. Not with her family breathing down his neck and her afraid for her son. “How’s Ollie?”
“Feeling better. I told him I’d grab him some hot chocolate while Jenna puts on his cast.”
“I want to see him,” Mike said.
Katherine aimed narrowed eyes his way. “You can wait. Jenna doesn’t need you or anyone else hovering over her.”
“Then what the hell am I supposed to do?” Mike tossed his hands in the air, his shoulders slumping forward.
Sympathy shoved aside Cody’s earlier irritation. Mike was a man who wanted to take care of his family, keep them safe. His heart was in the right place, even if his actions pissed Cody off.
“Katherine’s going to grab some hot chocolate while Jenna finishes with Ollie’s cast,” Cody said. “How about I go with her while you three find something for him in the cafeteria? I hear good things about the pudding.”
Mike let out a long breath, as if relieved to be given a job.
“Yeah, Pops,” Tommy said, slapping a hand on his dad’s shoulder. “Pudding here’s great. I might have to get some for myself while we’re there.”
Owen squeezed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes for a beat. When he dropped his hand, he met Cody’s stare head on. “We’re not at our best right now.”
Cody nodded then placed a hand on the small of Katherine’s back to guide her to the vending machine. He might understand her family’s overbearing ways at the moment, but he needed a second to catch his breath.
At the machine, he fished his wallet from his back pocket. “Do you want anything?”
Sighing, she leaned against him. “To be anywhere but here. Ollie was so brave, but I know his leg’s hurting him. This is the first time he’s been injured like this. I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared.”
Owen’s earlier words crashed against him like a sucker punch.
He’d loved having Ollie around but maybe he wasn’t cut out for being any kind of authority figure to a kid.
“I’m sorry I let this happen. I shouldn’t have suggested that hike.
Should have kept you both inside. If you want to head to your dad’s, I’ll understand. ”
“Are you serious?”
“I just want what’s best for you two.”
She flattened her palms on each side of his face and lifted herself onto her tiptoes.
“What’s best for us right now is to be with you.
I feel it in my gut, and my gut’s never wrong.
Kids fall. They get hurt. That’s life. But you swooped in and plucked him up and got him help.
You did everything right, so don’t beat yourself up.
Don’t let my family get inside your head. ”
Scrunching his nose, he rested his forehead to hers. “It’s hard not to when they’re all yelling at me. I can take it—will take it. And I even understand where it’s coming from. I just don’t know what all I should say. Don’t know what this thing is between us to even explain it to them.”
“This thing is new and exciting and no one’s business but ours.”
He grinned. “You make it sound so simple.”
“Oh, it’s far from simple.” She let loose a small laugh. “It’s messy as hell, but it’s our mess.”
Jenna popped her head around the corner. “There you are. I’m all done with Ollie’s cast. He’s eager for some signatures and I told him I’d find a cool superhero sticker for him. There’s one in my office I know he’ll love.”
Cody fed his dollar to the machine and got the paper cup then hurried with Katherine down the hall.
“Knock, knock,” Katherine said, stepping inside.
He lingered in the hallway, not wanting to intrude.
She glanced over her shoulder. “Come on in. We’ll get the best spots for our names and piss off my family even more.”
“Perfect.” He entered the room, and his stomach sank at the sight of Ollie in the big hospital bed. Bright red scratches marred his face. “How you holdin’ up, bud?”
“Good now. I’ve got this cool cast and a new stuffy. I think his name is Snitch. Maybe like Lilo and Stitch,” he said, lifting his shoulders nearly to his ears.
Frowning, Katherine rounded the bed and ran a hand over the brown stuffed rodent of some kind sitting on Ollie’s lap. “Did Grandpa bring you this?”
Ollie shook his head. “No. Some other guy. I think he works here, but he wanted me to have it.”
Intuition tingled the base of Cody’s spine, but he tried to keep the fear from his face. “Can I see it?”
Ollie handed it over.
Cody turned the fuzzy toy over and spied a name tag stuck to the fur. The word Snitch was written in large block letters, the same as the threat attached to the clock thrown into Katherine’s living room.
He cleared all traces of emotion from his throat and handed the toy to Katherine. “Katherine, while you stay here with Ollie I’m going to find your brother. Lock the door behind me.”
Understanding lit her eyes, and she pasted a tight smile on her mouth.
He fled the room then ran down the hall. Katherine’s attacker was inside the hospital, and he had to figure out where he’d gone before he slipped right through Cody’s fingers.