Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
S eeing Lily again soothed Mia down to her soul.
Cody’s big sister had tagged around with them often and had grown to be a good friend of Mia’s, despite Lily being four years older. The curvy blonde in blue leather leggings stood on the ferry dock, shielding her eyes, until she spotted Mia. Lily let go of her baggage and ran, squealing, into Mia’s arms. Mia held on for an extra beat, not wanting to let go.
“It’s so good to see you, Lil. I love the lavender streaks you’ve added to your hair. I hope you don’t mind that I’m the one to pick you up.” Mia reached out and tweaked a strand of Lily’s hair. “Cody and your parents all had a minor emergency. Something about the washing machine overflowing? So, Cody called me.” Her heart had given a little jump when she saw his name on her caller ID. Maybe he’d called to commiserate with her about the failure of her efforts. Maybe even to return to that discussion they’d had about their relationship. But, no. He’d jumped straight into asking her to pick up Lily, his manner distracted.
“I’m happy for it,” Lily said. She walked back to where she’d dropped her luggage. She lifted a bag onto her shoulder and pulled a small suitcase behind, giving it a tug over a rough spot. “It gives us a chance to catch up a little. Have a little girl talk.”
“I brought our wagon, so you don’t have to try to wheel that thing across the cobblestones.” Mia gestured to Lily’s suitcase, its small wheels already stuck between two pieces of the road.
“Thanks,” Lily said. She stowed the suitcase’s handle and then put her shoulder bag into the wagon.
Mia hefted the suitcase into her wagon, and they walked up the inclined Ferry Road. “Want to walk down Main before I drop you off at your folks’ place?”
“I’d love that.” Lily stopped at the top of the road, eyes wide, head on a swivel as she looked around at Main Street. “Wow. Everything looks so nice. People must really be pitching in to spruce up the place.”
Mia’s chest swelled. She loved this little town. She blinked against a sudden hot pricking behind her eyelids.
“I love Jonathon Island.” Lily echoed Mia’s unspoken words. Was that a note of longing?
“You could come back, you know.” She pulled the cart to a stop right outside the old fudge shop. “We could use someone like you in town. I know Cody already talked to you about it, but I was hoping to convince you.” A line of excitement frizzled through her. Lily could help make her quota. It was perfect. “No one is interested in opening a fudge shop. You could move right into the space your family already occupies—and we could throw in a house for a dollar. Give your two weeks’ notice down in Florida and be here and ready to go by mid-July.”
Lily’s face twisted into a grimace. “I don’t think so, Mia. I’m too addicted to the Florida sunshine.”
“That’s not a good reason.”
“I know.” Lily twisted a piece of wavy hair. “I just…I’ve got a good thing going there.”
“A good thing? I thought your boss was an egomaniac who worked you hard without any recognition.” Mia raised a brow. “Or so Cody says.”
Lily laughed, something strained in it. “That’s the candy business.” But despite her words, the way she was looking at the cute pop-out shop windows, and the white siding and the porch, at the green roof on the old two-story building…well, she clearly wasn’t as indifferent to the pull of the past as she pretended to be.
And Mia wasn’t above begging at this point.
Because she needed at least two more people to meet her quota. It would be the icing on the cake if one of those people was Lily. Or maybe the crumbled cookie on top of the fudge. Or something. Mia wasn’t good at metaphors.
“Just come inside the fudge shop and look at it.” She hurried to the front door then waited for Lily to catch up. Her friend walked like she waded through a vat of cookie-topped fudge.
“Mia, I really don’t want to go in.” Lily shook her head slowly. “I don’t think running my own business is a smart choice for me right now.” She paused. “Maybe ever.”
Okay, that sounded like a conversation for another day. She’d let Lily off this time.
Mia released a sigh. “Sorry. I’ll stop pressuring you.” She led the way back out to the wagon waiting in the morning sunshine. “I confess I have a reason for being so pushy.”
“Oh?”
She gripped the handle of the wagon, knuckles white. “I’m afraid I’m not going to meet my quota.” Lily knew all about the project, both from Mia herself and from Cody.
“I’m so sorry, Mia. I wish I could help.”
“Well, you could move home…” Mia held up a hand to ward off Lily’s protest. “Sorry, terrible joke. Seriously though, if you hear of anyone who wants to relocate to a beautiful island in the Midwest, send them my way.”
She still didn’t understand why people weren’t flocking to the island. Sure, it was remote, and you had to take the ferry to get to the nearest Target, but the quiet surroundings, the lovely state park, and the community more than made up for it.
She looked around at the little shops surrounding them on Main Street. Some days, her fingers itched to really bring back the full charm of this place she loved. The town had done a great job of cleaning up a bit in preparation for the meeting, but Mia had seen this town before the fire and the pandemic. She knew how amazing it could be.
They walked past the storefront Mia had earmarked for Matt’s art studio.
“Why don’t you take one?” Lily pointed at the empty gallery. “You probably have enough art stashed at your parents’ house to fill that place.”
Something tugged deep in her gut. A gallery of her own…Except. “There’s no way I can manage a gallery. My kids take too much attention.”
“Can’t your family help with the kids? Or there’s always daycare.”
“My mom already is helping Evie a lot. And Troy’s mom has moved her mother into her house for the foreseeable future. Not an option. Also, daycare? I don’t think this island is big enough for that.” A heaviness in her stomach threatened tears. “No, I need something that is more flexible. If we can get more people on island, I’m thinking of focusing on real estate again. I need to be practical.”
“Fair enough. But I’d hate to see you give up your art entirely.” Lily gave Mia a searching look.
She turned away from the studio. “Cody said something similar to me the other day.”
“Speaking of Cody, I saw your video.”
Mia groaned. “You and thirty thousand of your friends.”
Lily bumped her shoulder into Mia’s “He still has that spark in his eye.”
“What do you mean?” Mia’s hands grew damp around the wagon handle.
“C’mon, Mia, you know Cody has always been interested in you.”
“When we were younger.” She thought back to their conversation. He’d said teenage crush, right?
“Yes, but also now. I don’t think he ever stopped caring for you like that.”
Her gaze whipped to Lily. “He told you that?”
“He didn’t have to. I know my brother.”
Mia looked at herself, reflected in the gallery window. Red top, khaki shorts, hair blowing in the wind. She remembered his words like a water sprite. Now she just looked like the overworked mother of two. “You’re wrong. Once Troy and I got together, he only saw me as a friend. His little crush died.” That’s what Cody had said, right?
“First, it was never just a crush. He loved you.” The sweet scent of the jasmine in the flower box floated over them. “And I don’t think he ever stopped.”
Loved her?
Oh, wow.
“Are you sure? He never said anything. Made a move, or anything.” Mia wiped her hands on her khakis.
Lily shrugged. “He buried his feelings for you, but I can tell you he very much loved you. Now…if you let him…” She waved her hand in a circle.
Mia blinked rapidly. Cody loved her? Was it possible?
Lily bumped her shoulder against Mia’s again. “What do ya think? Could you ever love him back?”
“No. Yes. Maybe?” Her thoughts tumbled as she tried to sort through them. “Lately…” She couldn’t complete the thought. Didn’t want to acknowledge that her feelings for Cody had been changing over the past weeks. And, yeah. She was scared to fall in love again. Scared to rely on someone else and then lose him.
She wrapped her hand tighter around the handle of the wagon. “I guess I’m just afraid of losing someone again.” Her voice was so low she wasn’t sure Lily heard her, but then Lily laid an arm across her shoulders and squeezed.
“I get that. Taking a risk is scary. But look at you. You’re already doing hard and scary things. Taking care of two children on your own…You’re brave, Mia. And isn’t love always worth the risk?” Lily squeezed again and then let her arm drop. “That’s all I’ll say for now. But promise you’ll think about it.”
“I will.”
Their walk took them out of the downtown loop and into the small west side neighborhood where Cody’s parents lived. The houses in the Driftwood Hills neighborhood were larger than hers on Lilac Lane, the owners all more well-to-do.
She pulled to a stop in front of the Hart home and said goodbye to Lily. Walking back downtown, she stopped in front of the old Sampson gallery and stared at it, eyes unfocused.
Could she be falling for Cody? She thought about how Evie had asked if she felt the same way about him as she felt about her brother. Nope. This was totally different then how she felt about Bash. But what was she going to do about it?
* * *
Twenty-four hours later and Cody still couldn’t get Pastor Arnie’s words out of his mind. If we seek the Lord, He will deliver us from all our fears.
Except his heart still raced when he thought about his time on the water with Liam yesterday. Maybe he needed time to let that truth grow in his heart.
He walked down Main Street, hoping to catch Lily on her way from the ferry. And, let’s face it, hoping to see Mia too. Talking to Mia this morning before running over to his parents’ had ignited a slow burn in his belly. He tried tossing the water of truth on the embers, but no amount of truth like “she’s not free” or “she’s your best friend’s girl” or “she’s got too much on her plate to consider a relationship right now” would douse the flames that had been springing up lately.
Was fear holding him back in that area of his life too? He was tired of feeling that way. It was time to take a step forward with Mia.
As though called by his thoughts, a familiar frame, ponytail swinging, came walking toward him. Mia. Could she hear his heart beating from a hundred paces away?
“You missed Lily,” Mia called to him as she approached. “I just dropped her off at your parents’ place.”
“Shoot! I was hoping to catch her before she got out there.” He wanted to talk to Lily about this new resolve to pursue Mia. But now that she was in front of him, he wouldn’t wait to spend more time with her. “I needed a second pair of hands to hang some shelves. I don’t suppose you have time to help me?” Cody hooked his thumbs on his jean pockets. Maybe that would stop his hands from constantly reaching for Mia.
She took a quick look at her cell phone. “No SOS message yet,” she said. “I can probably give you an hour or so. Evie has the kids this morning, and she planned to keep them until lunchtime.”
“Thanks. I really appreciate it.” He led the way into a nearby building. The small, twenty-foot by twenty-foot interior formerly housed a shop selling anything related to butterflies.
“How about a trade?” Mia’s eyes sparkled. “Jemma Swanson, you know, the glassblower? Anyway, her application was accepted, and she’s already been assigned a house. She won’t be able to make it to the in-person meeting, but everyone liked her so much we fast tracked her approval. She’s having some equipment delivered in a few days, and I said I would take the delivery. But today, Jemma emailed me what to expect to receive and it’s several very large boxes.”
“Okay…” He led her through the storefront to where the shelves needed to be hung. He’d already refinished the wood floor, and a smell of linseed hung in the air. He didn’t know which business had been assigned here, but Dani had requested he hang shelves along the far wall. “And?”
Mia spun in a circle. “I cannot get over how you’ve made these businesses come to life again. You have a real talent. Anyway…” She turned to face him again. “Would you come and help me move the boxes? I don’t think I can do it alone.”
Moving without thought, he stuck his hand out. “It’s a deal.” When she took his hand to shake it, the zing racing up his arm landed solidly in his heart. Yep. He should’ve kept it to himself. “Uh, the stuff is over here.”
They walked to the wall, and he made sure to be a step away from her, avoiding contact.
“I’ve already marked where the boards will need to go.” He picked one up and held it in place. “If you hold it, I can put the hardware in.”
“Got it.” She placed her hands near his. “What did you do yesterday?” She moved closer to mirror his grasp on the board.
His hands shook, and he gripped the board more tightly to keep them from slipping. “I actually took my speedboat out.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“You got this?” She nodded and he let go of the board. “Fun is not the word I would use.” He kept his tone neutral.
“Oh? What then?”
“It was just something I needed to do. It’s been a long time coming.” Hefting the screw gun in his hands, he lined up the hardware and drove it in.
“Wait, you haven’t been out there at all in two years?”
He bit back a sigh. “Nope. Just the ferry once or twice.” She didn’t need to know that those times he’d had to ride inside the cabin of the ship, not able to have the wind whip against his face.
“Then I’m proud of you for getting out there. A real hero.” Mia’s eyes shone. Were those tears?
He hadn’t felt like a hero. “You wouldn’t have been proud if you saw me.”
“I’m proud of you for reclaiming something you always loved.” Mia’s gaze moved back to the shelf she still held. “I look forward to hearing about the next time you go out.”
“Maybe you should come with me sometime.” Where did that come from? Nothing like inviting the girl you maybe kinda couldn’t get over to witness your breakdown.
“Maybe.” She lifted one shoulder, let it drop.
He drove in another screw, gave that side of the shelf a wiggle. It held steady.
“It felt weird being out there without Troy.” He moved to the other side of the shelf and put his hand next to Mia’s. “You can let go now.” She ducked under his arm as he finished securing that side.
“Being out on the water was his happy place. Fishing with you made him happy. You two were better together.” Mia crossed her arms. “Troy would be proud that you got back out there. Honestly, I haven’t been out on the water either. I used to love fishing, but now I come down with the shakes when I think about being in a boat.”
“Look, I’m not one to talk, but I think you also need to get back out there. You can’t let his death steal this from you too.” He turned to her, searching her eyes. Shoot. The tears were back.
“You’re right. I miss the water. And I don’t want to teach my children to be afraid of it. I don’t want them to be afraid of anything.” She dashed a hand over her cheeks.
“Mia, listen to me. You are the bravest person I know. You could never teach them to be afraid.” He chuckled. “Though, a little healthy fear might be good for Finn. He can take things too far sometimes. Seriously though, you’re a great mom.”
“Thank you.” She looked up at him, cheeks flushed. “Thank you for always encouraging me. For being there for me these last two years—almost our whole lives, really, and for seeing me when others didn’t. You’re so good to me.”
His mouth went dry at her gratitude. “Mia…” This was an opportunity—to affirm their friendship.
Or take the plunge.
Cody swallowed. “I don’t do those things because I’m kind. I do them because…”
“Because what?” Her right hand rose and rested on his bicep. Fire shot through his arm and into his heart.
His eyes flicked to her lips then back to her eyes. Her gaze was steady on him.
Here went nothing. He’d either sink…or swim. “Because I care about you.”
She inhaled sharply, tipping her head up and coming an inch closer. “I know. You’re a good friend.”
“No, Mia.” He closed the gap between them, hooking an arm around her waist. “Because I care about you. Not just as a friend. As a woman.” Cody lifted his hand and brushed his fingertips against the soft skin of Mia’s cheek. She shivered beneath his touch—and it was heady, the way she melted into him. “A beautiful woman.”
“Cody.” The ragged bent to her voice sent a flash of yearning through him.
His gaze took in the high color in her cheeks before dropping to her mouth. He looked back up to meet her eyes and she gave a slight nod.
He lowered his head and claimed her lips, soft and pressing. Her grip on his bicep tightened and she deepened their kiss. Fifteen years of longing poured out of his soul and into her embrace. He pulled her tighter, wrapping the other arm around her.
Being with Mia was coming home. He never wanted to let her go.
Cody rocked on his feet and knocked over the drill. The clatter shocked him, and he pulled away.
He breathed hard, a grin splitting his face. But Mia’s wide eyes and the way she put a hand to her mouth…
“Mia, I am so sorry. I mean, not sorry for kissing you, but for coming on too strong. Was that too much?” His heart thundered. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was anything like Matt.
“No. I wanted it too.” Mia touched her lips. “But maybe we should slow down. I’m sorry. I just need more time.”
“I’m okay with that. I don’t want to push you. I’m not going anywhere.” He started putting away his tools.
She stretched out a hand to him. “I thought we had more shelves to hang up.”
“I’ll finish it later.” He had to get away. Had to put some space between them before he did something crazy like taking her back into his arms and kissing her until they both forgot Troy ever existed.
“Oh. Um. Okay. I should probably pick up the kids anyway.” Mia brushed a hair away from her face. She turned to go through the door. The next few minutes flashed in front of his eyes. She would leave, and he would have screwed up their whole relationship.
“Wait.” He reached for her but dropped his hand before it connected with her shoulder. Too much temptation if he made contact. Her gaze pierced him. “Are we okay?”
“Yeah, we’re okay.” She left without another word.
He meant what he said. He wasn’t going anywhere. He just needed to give her time to see that he was the right guy for her.