She inhaled slowly through her nose to try to steady her breathing. Part of her wanted to move right into something she hadn’t even fathomed since Nick was gone, and the other wanted to be Cody’s supportive friend. You can’t be both, Kasey.
She was dying to know every single detail of what went on tonight, but she’d promised not to ask questions. Determined to be a good listener, she’d kept her questions to herself, but whatever happened at Lou’s house had sent Cody into a tailspin.
None of the pieces seemed to fit completely, but it didn’t surprise her that Arty would have done something skeevy like sleep with Cody’s girlfriend. He seemed that type.
She didn’t bother offering him another beer. Thank goodness she hadn’t had one, else she may not have been able to keep her wits about her in this situation. She went back out to the living room. He still sat there on the couch.
“Thanks for letting me just talk tonight.” He sounded exhausted.
“I’m glad I can be here for you.”
“You don’t owe me anything, Kasey.”
I didn’t mean it to sound the way it came out. “I know. I want to be here for you. Why don’t we call it a night? Sometimes things look better after a good night’s sleep.” Her heart ached for him over what he was dealing with tonight. “The guest room is made up. Make yourself at home.”
He got up and started walking down the hall, then stopped and turned. “Hey, Kasey?”
“What?” Please ask me if you can sleep in my bed.
“I love how you end all your text messages and e-mails with those smiley faces. Just wanted you to know that.”
She watched him walk down the hall into the guest room and close the door. Where did that come from? Being the smiley in Cody Tuggle’s day wasn’t a half-bad compliment. Now if she could sleep knowing he was just down the hall. That would be a miracle.
The next morning she woke to the smell of bacon. She rolled over and stretched. That had never happened in this house before. She got out of bed, brushed her teeth, and ran a brush through her hair. Her stomach growled as she walked into the kitchen.
“Was that your stomach?” Cody stood in her kitchen, in blue jeans and no shirt, cooking. This has got to be a lot of women’s fantasy. Lord, help me.
She stepped next to him. “It was. What are you doing?”
Cody held the spatula up in the air. “Making you breakfast.”
“With what? I know that I didn’t have bacon or eggs in my refrigerator.”
“Ahh. But I did.” He slid the small frying pan from the burner and moved crispy pieces of fried bacon from the pan to a paper towel one by one. “The luxury of living on a custom coach for so many months. I raided my refrigerator when I realized my only choice was going to be fruit ring cereal.”
“You got something against cereal?”
“No. You got something against bacon and eggs?”
“Only the part where you have to cook them.” She walked over to the refrigerator and got the apple juice out and poured two glasses. “I forgot you were a good cook.”
“And I thought I’d impressed you when we were on the road together.”
“You did!”
“Out of sight, out of mind.”
“You’re kind of hard to forget.” She snagged a piece of bacon from the paper towel on the counter and then sat down at the table as he finished cooking. “This bacon is perfect. Every time I’ve tried to cook bacon I fill the house with smoke and it tastes like rubber fishing worms.”
“It can’t be that bad.”
“Trust me. It’s bad. I’ve had to come to terms with it. Cooking is just one of those things that I’m never going to master.”
“I could teach you,” he said.
“I’m a lost cause. Maybe you can lend me one of your people to cook.”
He looked at her, nonplussed. “I look like the I-got-people type? Really? Damn, that’s disappointing.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s no secret you’re famous, so I just figured.” She bit down on her lip and felt the color flood her cheeks. “I’m sorry. But, I mean, you have a plane. Having people just seemed like a sure thing.”
“It just so happens I do a lot of my own cooking when I’m at home, unless I’m having a party or something, but you’re right. I have people. Someone has to hang around the house while I’m on the road since that’s about half the year.”
“I guess that would be true.”
“They take care of my dogs, make sure things get taken care of. Houses don’t do well empty.”
“A German shepherd, right? Named after the guitar.”
“Yeah. Gibson. I have a border collie named Rose too.”
“What’s your house like?” She regretted it as soon as she asked. It sounded so trite.
“I don’t know. Like me, I guess. Lots going on in it. Hard to explain. I’ll show you sometime.”
“I’d like that.” He probably wanted some things private. All she knew was that he lived somewhere near Nashville.
“Want a cooking lesson?”
“Right now?”
“Sure. Do you know how to make an omelet?”
“You’ve got to be kidding. I can barely make scrambled eggs.”
“Easy.” He put a small Teflon pan on the stove. “For a girl who doesn’t know how to cook you have some of the best pans on the market. I was shocked when I started looking for pans.”
“Nick bought those. He did most of the cooking.”
“I happen to be an expert omelet maker. What’s your favorite kind?”
“Ham and cheese, and it just so happens I do have both of those things in the refrigerator.”
“Great. Fetch them up. The milk too.”
She gathered the items from the refrigerator and set them on the counter.
“This’ll be so neat if I can do it. I felt like such a loser on Jake’s first day of school. I wanted to cook him breakfast, but I knew I’d make a disaster of it and stress him out.” She swept her hair behind her ear. “The other mothers would probably die if they knew I feed my child fruit ring cereal every morning.”
“Don’t feel like a loser. Your mom wasn’t around. Mine was. I used to love spending time in the kitchen with her. Still do.”
“You’re close with your mom?”
“Very. You’d love her.”
If she raised a sweet man like you she has to be great. “I’m sure I would.”
Cody made the first omelet, ending it with a flip in the air before he slid it off onto the plate in a perfect half circle.
She clapped. “You are an expert.”
“Let’s do yours together.”
“Okay.”
He led her through it step-by-step and it was turning out fluffy and perfect. “I’ll be in good shape as long as you want to spend every morning coaching me. Think we could do that via iPhone or Skype?”
“Sure. Here, let me help you flip it.” He stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. His bare skin felt warm against her body.
Cody flipped the omelet and they caught it in midair, then Cody took control of the frying pan and slid the omelet onto the plate.
She carried both plates to the kitchen table. “Looks like one of those fancy restaurant dishes.” She took a bite of the eggs. “Tastes even better. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I thought it was the least I could do after I kept you up half the night with all my drama.”
“Don’t be silly. It was fine. I mean, it was fine for me. You’re the one who went through all that.”
“I know. I didn’t mean to impose it on you though. I feel like I need to kind of step back and tell you the whole story.”
“You don’t have to,” she said.
“I want to.” Cody started at the beginning with the surprise sherbet freezes.
“That’s so romantic.”
“I think I enjoyed it more than she did.” He explained the whole evening, and the mixed bag of emotions he jugg
led through the hours.
“No wonder you were so upset.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe they never told you. I’m more surprised no one from the entertainment rags ever picked it up. That’s just the kind of stuff they love.”
“Yeah. They’ll probably snatch it up now. No thanks to me.” He sighed, then gave a resigned shrug. “It was stupid of me to face off with Arty. I was so upset about everything that I’d completely forgotten about the party, but I should have turned around when I got there and realized what was going on.”
“Well, on the bright side…”
“There’s a bright side?”
“Sure. There’s always a bright side. You don’t have to wonder if you and Lou were meant to be. I think that’s kind of an expired offer now.”
“Yeah. I kind of had a feeling it wasn’t going anywhere. I guess now I know why.” He pushed his plate to the center of the table and leaned forward. “Tell me about your relationship with the sheriff.”
“He’s a good man, and he’s been a true friend. But I don’t have those feelings.” She almost said she didn’t think she’d ever have those kinds of emotions again, but the truth was she’d had more feelings with Cody today than she’d had in a long time. Saying she’d never be in love might just be a flat-out lie. Of course, it couldn’t be with Cody. He was a star. She was just—what the heck was she anymore? A widow. A mom. A woman with her career in limbo. Not a prize these days.
“So it’s not serious?”
“He’d like it to be, but, no. I can’t.”
“And he knows that?”
“He knows.” And now, she knew more than ever that if she did ever have a relationship, it wouldn’t be with Scott.
It was somehow freeing, almost a little thrilling, the way Cody had made her feel the last couple of days. Maybe she really would share her life with someone again. But if she opened herself up to Cody, could she ever be enough for someone like him?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
At noon, Riley and Von showed up with Jake for the birthday get-together. Kasey hoped Riley had made her famous red velvet cake, with the creamiest frosting this side of the Mississippi. It’d always been her favorite, but you never knew with Riley. She could get a wild hair and try out something new on you at the oddest times. She didn’t have the commitment to tradition that most people did. One year she’d surprised them all with shrimp and grits for Thanksgiving dinner. Nick had almost come unglued. In his mind it was law that turkey be served for Thanksgiving, and although the meal was excellent, they’d had to stop at the market on the way home and buy one to satisfy Nick’s expectations.
Kasey ran outside to greet them.
“Mom!” Jake ran toward her. “We had so much fun and we went to the old house and Von took me to get ice cream and we stayed up late making your cake and I got to lick the beaters and we made a fort and I beat Uncle Von at basketball too.”
“Weren’t you just gone like less than twenty-four hours?” she teased Von.
“Hey, we had some fun. What can I say? Other than I’m exhausted. How do you do it?” Von walked past her carrying the gold cake taker that had belonged to Riley’s mom. They’d shared many a layer cake thanks to that thing over the years.
Riley tugged Kasey to the side and whispered, “I see the tour buses are still here. Why doesn’t cool stuff like this happen when I’m watching the house for you?”
“Maybe you aren’t wishing on the right lucky stars.” Kasey couldn’t help but tease Riley just a little. Riley was always wishing on lucky stars and anything else that she might consider lucky that day, and Kasey could never keep up with the long, changing list.
“Oh, real funny. You mean the stars in the sky versus the stars… on the bus?”
“It didn’t have anything to do with me or wishing of any kind really. We can both thank that storm for him being here.”
“Back up the bus, Missy.” Riley grabbed Kasey’s arm. “When did you treat yourself to that?” She twisted Kasey’s wrist to get a better look at the beautiful bracelet.
“Isn’t it adorable?”
“Adorable? No. Amazing and beautiful, yes!”
Kasey spun the charms to the top so Riley could see them. “Look. A camera, of course, and Jake’s Bubba Bear, and a music note to represent my time on Cody’s tour.” To remember him.
“Wait a second.” A challenging smirk spread across Riley’s face. “Did Cody give you this bracelet?”
She glanced up and grinned wide. “A birthday present.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me as soon as he gave it to you. Did you have this yesterday when I picked up Jake?”
She nodded. “I did. At first I thought I shouldn’t accept it. I mean, it’s expensive, but he’d put so much thought into the charms and all. I couldn’t say no. Besides, I love it.”
“I guess you do. I love that guy.”
“You barely know him.”
“I plan to get to know him a lot better now that he’s hanging around you so much.” Riley leaned in and looked at the charms again. “The little bear is my favorite.”
“Chocolate diamonds.” Kasey smiled. “Like my eyes, he said.”
“Holy shit. Did he really say that?”
Kasey nodded.
“Hey, Von. What color are my eyes?”
“Green, why?” He walked over and put his arm around Riley.
“What color are Kasey’s, and don’t look.”
“Blue,” Von said, but it came out more like a guess.
“They’re brown.” She looked at Kasey. “That’s my point. Von was the best man in your wedding and has known you for how many years?”
Von shrugged. “Ten, twelve?”
Riley lifted a brow. “He doesn’t know your eyes are the color of chocolate diamonds, but Cody Tuggle does?”
“So, maybe Cody is an eye guy. Quit reading more into it. Right, Von?”
Von stepped back. “Don’t bring me into the middle of this. I’m heading out back to start the grill if that’s okay with you two. How many? Are Scott and his mom coming?”
Kasey shook her head. “No. Scott had to work today, so they can’t make it, and Cody’s guys all went to town, so it’ll just be us and Cody.”
“Got it. That makes it easy. Doesn’t even matter if I burn your food.”
“Not funny. It’s my birthday. You’re supposed to be nice to me.”
Riley gave him a peck on the cheek. “Go play with fire, caveman.” Then she turned back to Kasey and said, “So how long are they going to be here?”
“They’re leaving tomorrow for Texas to shoot a commercial.”
“That’s a long ride.”
“It’s not so bad in those big luxury buses.”
“Do you think he’d show us around?” Riley asked.
“I’m sure he’d be happy to. Besides, he promised Jake he could sit in the driver’s seat today.”
“What if you end up in a torrid love affair and go on the road with him? And I don’t mean as his photographer either.” Riley pursed her lips.
“That’s not going to happen.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I know. He’s on the road all the time. He’s famous. He’s rich. He’s out of my league.”
“He is not out of your league. You’re amazing.”
“And you’re biased because you’re my best friend.”
“I’m not biased.” She rolled her eyes. “Fine, I might be a little biased, but I know you deserve someone in your life. Nick’s gone.”
“You don’t have to remind me. I’ve missed Nick every single one of those days.”
Riley hugged her. “I know you have, but moving on doesn’t take away from what y’all had. You’re too young to be an old maid.”
“Thank you. I think? Shh. Here he comes,” Kasey said as Cody walked off the bus and headed toward them. Damn those butterflies.
Riley leaned in. “No one can get that close to my best friend without me getting t
o know him very, very well.”
She nudged Riley. “Don’t you start in on the twenty questions with him.”
Kasey knew that look in her best friend’s eye. She tweaked Riley’s arm. “Promise me,” she said under her breath but Riley was already on the move.
“So?” Riley walked toward Cody. “It’s great to see you again. How have you been?”
“Doing fine,” he said to Riley, but Kasey could tell, even from this distance, that he was putting on a happy face. This stuff with Lou and Arty had him feeling low. No one else might notice, but she could see it.
Kasey walked over, hoping she could keep Riley from saying anything too embarrassing.
Riley looped her arm around his well-muscled bicep. “We were just heading out back to start the grill. Join us?”
Grill? Kasey flashed a warning look at Riley. Poor Cody had no idea what kind of grilling he was in for with Riley.
With everyone full on lunch and cake, Jake was the only one with any energy but once he brought his football out, Cody and Von were easy to talk into a game of catch in the yard.
Riley and Kasey cleared the dishes as the guys horsed around outside.
“Did you go look at the building on Main Street?” Riley asked as she put the last plate in the dishwasher.
“I did, but I don’t know that I need to have a building to frame pictures. Maybe I can do that from here. I could even turn the carriage house into a dedicated space for it.”
Cody walked in with Von. “Uh-oh,” Von said. “It’s never good when these two put their heads together. It usually means more work for me.”
Riley smirked. “Not this time.”
“That’s a first,” Von said to Cody.
Cody sat at the table. Jake came running in from the yard and jumped right into Cody’s lap.
“Oomph,” Cody said.
Jake giggled. “Can you take me to see the bus now?”
“You got it,” he said.
Riley spun around. “Can I come too?”
“Sure. Come on.”
Jake grabbed Cody’s hand. “Come on. We can cut through the house.”
Cody let Jake drag him through the house and Riley leaned over and whispered to Kasey as she walked by, “Aren’t they sweet together?”
Pecan Pie and Deadly Lies (An Adams Grove Novel) Page 11