3. Kody
CHAPTER 3
KODY
The sun's sitting high over the trees, beating down like it has something to prove. I wipe the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand and take another swing of the axe, splitting the log clean in two. It's good work. Honest work. And it keeps the noise in my head at bay.
Behind me, Sadie runs wild across the open grass, a crooked stick clutched in one hand like it's a magic wand. She twirls, makes whooshing noises, and chases invisible dragons. Her laughter rings out across the clearing, bright and unburdened. That sound—it's everything. That's the sound I fight for.
Sinking the axe into the stump, I roll my shoulder. That's when I hear the crunch of tires on gravel. I know it's Shane's truck before I even look up.
I turn, wiping my hands on the rag I keep tucked into my back pocket. The passenger door opens and Caitlin steps out first, grinning like a cat who just caught a mouse. Then a woman slides out behind her, slow and cautious, clutching a single duffel bag like it's a life preserver.
I know instantly this is Paige.
She looks different from what I expected. Pale, sure. But steady. There's something quiet and grounded about her. It’s as if she's already had the worst happen and lived to tell about it. She glances up, meets my eyes, and doesn't flinch. That alone surprises me. Most people hesitate around me, so the fact that she doesn't give me a second thought stuns me for a minute.
Sadie notices them too. She freezes mid-spin, her wand-stick dangling. Then, in one quick movement, she darts across the field and hides behind my leg, peeking out at the newcomers.
Paige takes her time to approach us. She then surprises me by ignoring me. Then she kneels right there in the dirt, setting down her bag, and looking Sadie in the eye.
"Hey," she says softly, like they're the only two people in the world. "That is one very cool wand. What spell were you casting?"
Sadie blinks at her. Then whispers, "A dragon-fighting spell."
Paige gasps. "No way. I love those."
Sadie hesitates. Then she steps out a little, offering her the stick. "Wanna try?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
I watch them, stunned. In two minutes flat, Sadie hands over her most sacred possession of the day and starts explaining how to defeat fire-breathing monsters. Caitlin winks at me from her spot, leaning against the side of the truck like she knew all along this would happen. Walking over slowly, I wipe my palms one more time before offering Paige a nod. "Kody."
She stands. "Paige."
Her voice is calm. Not chipper. Not shy. Just real.
Caitlin walks over and takes Sadie's hand. "Come on, sweet pea. Let's go check on the barn cats."
Sadie looks at me and I nod. She skips off, Paige's wand still clutched in her hand.
I jerk my chin toward the tailgate of my truck, and Paige follows. We sit side by side as the silence stretches out. But it’s not feeling quite as heavy as I expected.
"Did she tell you what this is?" I ask.
Paige nods. "Marriage. Temporary. Paperwork only. No expectations."
"Right."
She pulls in a breath. "I used to run the front desk at a wellness center. I knew every client by name and remembered how they liked their towels folded. When they sold to a resort chain, I still got laid off."
I study her. "Is that why you left the city?"
"Part of it. Also, the guy I was with turned out to be more interested in his coworker than in honesty. He took my savings, left me nothing. Then losing my job left me without insurance. I've been... scraping by."
I nod. Not because I understand her life, but because scraping by is something I know all too well.
"You okay with this?" I ask finally. "It's not exactly a fairytale."
She gives me a tired smile. "I'm not looking for a fairytale. Just a chance."
And I get that.
"It looks like we're doing this, then," I nod, and she gives me her first genuine smile, which reaches her eyes.
* * *
The courthouse smells like wood polish and old paper. Caitlin and Shane hover near the window like they're trying not to eavesdrop. Paige stands beside me at the judge's desk, her hair braided over one shoulder, wearing a soft sweater that makes her look even smaller than she already is.
The judge flips through the paperwork, glasses perched on the end of his nose. It's quiet, except for the scratching of his pen and the soft hum of the ceiling fan. I catch Paige stealing a breath, like she's bracing for something, and I wonder how the hell this became our life.
We sign one after the other. Her fingers brush mine as I pass her the pen. She glances up.
"You okay?" I murmur.
"As okay as I can be," she says, and gives me a quick smile. I can fill in the words she didn't say. She means as okay as someone can be who is marrying a stranger, but she can't say that in front of the man who is about to marry us.
But that smile she gives me? That smile hits like a sucker punch.
The judge clears his throat, and we get started. "Do you, Kody Reed, take this woman...?”
We say the words. It's not dramatic or life-changing, like I expected on my wedding day. It's very intentional, and before I know it, the judge says the one thing we didn't plan on.
"You may kiss the bride."
We both freeze.
"We don't have to—" Paige starts and whispers for only me to hear.
"We probably should," I cut in, stepping closer to her.
I reach up, tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, and her breath hitches.
Then I kiss her.
It's supposed to be quick. Businesslike, to seal the deal in front of the judge.
But it's not.
It's soft and warm. The kind of kiss that makes you forget where you are. Her lips part, and my hand finds her waist without thinking, pulling her closer to me before Sadies giggle fill the air from the front row with Caitlin and we break the kiss.
When we pull back, she's breathless, and so am I. The judge has stepped back and is flipping through papers at the side of the room.
"Well," she says, cheeks flushed. "That was... convincing."
"Yeah," I manage. "We sold it."
Caitlin claps with a smile on her face, and Shane mutters something about needing a beer.
Yep, it's nothing like how I pictured my wedding day, but then again, this is nothing like how I pictured my life either, so it fits.
Back at the cabin, I show her around like it's something grand. It's not. It’s a small cabin that sits on Shane's property that he fixed up just before I got here. It's clean, but we weren't prepared for her. The cabin only has two bedrooms. One for Sadie and one for... well, us.
"You'll take my room," I say. "I'll sleep on the couch."
She raises a brow. "You're not sleeping on the couch in your own house."
I can tell by the way she crosses her arms that she has no intention of backing down.
"Well, you sure aren't sleeping on the couch. My momma raised me better than that," I tell her.
She stares at me for a minute.
"We can share the bed, plus we can’t have Sadie asking questions," she nods briskly.
Later that night, we are both in bed with a pillow wall between us, making the boundaries clear.
"You don't have to protect me from you," she says quietly. "I know this isn't a romance novel."
Right. But somehow, this feels like the first chapter, anyway.
* * *
With Paige here now, we have spent the last day getting settled and forming new routines. Like how she insisted on cooking dinner tonight to help out since she is living here.
She's making a french toast casserole. It's simple, but she has Sadie involved with stirring the sauce when I walk into the cabin.
"Perfect timing. Go wash up, and dinner will be ready in about five minutes," Paige says, not taking her eyes off Sadie at the stove.
I rush through changing my clothes and washing up, telling myself it's because I want to spend time with my daughter.
When I come out, Paige and Sadie are setting the table.
"Forks go on the napkin," Sadie announces as she sets the table. "Not under."
Sadie fixes Paige's obviously on purpose mistake, but it has both of them laughing and giggling.
Leaning in the doorway, I watch them. To see such a huge smile on both of them makes my chest ache. It's been a long time since anywhere has felt like home.
After dinner, Sadie tugs on Paige’s sleeve and hands her a book. "Will you read?"
Paige looks at me.
"Go, I'll wash the dishes and then be in to put her to bed," I say.
I watch from the hallway for a moment. Sadie curls into Paige’s side like she's always belonged there. Paige reads in a soft voice, calm and steady.
I've never seen Sadie this peaceful at bedtime.
,After we tucked Sadie in, we get ready for bed in silence. Paige wears leggings and an oversized tee. I'm in sweats and shirtless. It’s how I have been sleeping since getting out of prison.
We lie on opposite sides of the bed, a pillow line between us. It's silent, with only the night animals outside the windows making sounds, but I can still tell her wheels are turning in her head.
"Why do you think they'll take her?" she asks in the dark. I could ask who she means, but I already know, and I owe her more than playing games with her.
"Because they have money. And I have a record."
I tell her the short version of how I was wrongfully convicted and set up to take the fall for my boss, though I wasn't able to prove it. Even though I got out early on good behavior, it's a mark that will always stay with me.
She's silent for a few minutes and I wonder if she’s fallen asleep until she says, "If I had money, I'd bet on you."
Silence stretches between us because I don't know what to say other than a very awkward, "Thank you."
Then, in the dark, her voice fills the room, "You don't snore, do you?"
I huff a laugh, grateful for the break in the tension. "Only when I've had tequila."
"Good," she murmurs, already half-asleep. "I hate tequila."
I lie there, listening to her breathing even out, just like I did last night. In that quiet moment, with her on one side of the bed and my daughter sleeping just down the hall, I realize this might be the first night in a long time where I don't feel completely alone.
And that thought? It's scarier than prison and sweeter than hope all at once.