Finding Faith (Return 0f The Dragons Book 1)

by Grace Brennan

  In that moment, she realized that more than anything, she wanted to find her faith again. Faith in herself, her instincts… in other people.

  Of all things she lost with the kidnapping, that might be the quality she missed the most. She’d always been optimistic, always saw the good in people until they showed her differently—and always had faith that everything would work out.

  And she desperately needed that faith right now.

  In a split second, her decision was made. Turning to Cody, she met his eyes, willing the rest of her blush away. “Okay. I’ll go with you.”

  Panic instantly tightened her chest, making it difficult to breathe. She fought for air, but when he gave her a brilliant smile in return, she gave up.

  There was no way she was getting air into her starving lungs while he was doing that.

  Oxygen was overrated, anyway.

  “Great! We’ll have a good time. I haven’t been to the drive-in in ages, but I remember always having fun when I went.”

  His crooked half smile was doing things to her insides she didn’t know how to process, so she looked away, trying to get her bearings long enough to speak. “I’ve never been to a drive-in,” she admitted. “The closest I might have come was my dad hanging a sheet in the garage and using an old projector.”

  His dark eyes turned soft as he regarded her. “That sounds like a lot of fun, too.”

  Nodding, she slid a glance to the open window, wondering if Fiona was among the dragons listening. “Yeah, it was. My sister and I always had a blast. Movie nights were the highlight of our week back then.”

  He studied her closely, and she could see his curiosity. He wanted to know more about her life back then, wanted to know just how sad she was now because he knew her dad was no longer with them, and how much that sadness affected her life.

  To her immense relief, he didn’t voice any of the things he wanted to ask. She didn’t know if she’d be able to answer any of the questions burning in his intense eyes if he did.

  “I can’t promise it will be like it was then,” he replied softly, still searching her face for answers to his unasked questions. “But I can promise we’ll have a good time. You won’t regret it.”

  She really hoped not. “I’m sure we will. Thanks for inviting me.”

  Honestly, she wasn’t sure of any such thing. But she hoped. Oh, how she hoped.

  “My pleasure. I can pick you up at six, if that works for you?”

  “That’s perfect,” she replied, hoping her smile was calm and not nervous.

  “Do you have any other questions about the renovation costs?”

  Glancing down at her phone that had gone dark, she shook her head. “No, it’s all self-explanatory. I’ll call if I have any questions. Hopefully, we’ll come to a decision before I see you tomorrow.”

  With a nod and that half smile that made her insides flip over, he stood, turning to glance back down at her. “Call or text me if you need anything, or even just want to talk. I mean that. I’ll always answer, and I’ll always be willing to chat if that’s what you need.”

  Her breath caught as his words reached inside her, the tendrils snaking their way through her body. She didn’t know how she knew, but she had a feeling that he was talking about more than just calling or texting.

  Whatever she needed—no matter what it was—he’d be there to help. He’d be there for her. No matter what.

  She wasn’t sure why she felt that so strongly, but she did, all the way down to her soul.

  It left her speechless.

  And afraid. Because what if she was wrong about him? What if everyone was? What if the warmth she felt in his presence, at his words, was solely in her imagination?

  What if she made the same mistake her sister made?

  Cody cocked an eyebrow at her, and she realized she was staring at him mutely, without saying a word.

  Weirdo, table for one, please.

  Clearing her throat of the emotion clogging it, she nodded as she stood. “I will. And thanks for the ride home. I really appreciate it. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  Wincing as it came out as a question—like she was needy and had to have even more confirmation—she smiled weakly at him. She prayed that her insecurities and concerns were all in her head, because she’d embarrassed herself enough around him.

  Although Carlie was the worst offender, causing Olivia far more embarrassment than she’d caused herself when it came to him.

  “It was no problem at all. I enjoyed spending time with you.” Pulling his keys out of his pocket, he winked at her, stunning her speechless. “I’ll see you tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it.”

  “Me too,” she forced out weakly, watching as he walked confidently to his truck.

  He turned around and drove slowly down the driveway, and she slowly shook her head as she watched him go.

  What the hell just happened?

  Did they just make a date for tomorrow?

  Slamming the brakes on that train of thought, she shook her head. No. It wasn’t a date. It was just friends watching a movie together.

  Right?

  The front door opened, and she turned reluctantly away from his truck, watching as Carlie, Paisley, and Sierra tumbled out. Fiona wasn’t among them, so maybe she hadn’t heard Olivia’s conversation with Cody.

  Why she cared, she wasn’t sure, but she did.

  Oh, who was she kidding. She cared deeply.

  Sierra was the first to speak. “How did Cody end up bringing you home?”

  “There’s something wrong with my truck, and he just happened to be walking by when I was checking it out. Don’t worry, I can fix it. I just have to wait for the parts store to open Monday.”

  Carlie waved her hand impatiently. “Forget about all that. Did you notice how he was looking at you? How he was talking to you? He asked you on a date, girl! I told you he was into you. I’d be jealous if he wasn’t so clearly meant for you.”

  “Whoa now,” she replied, holding up her hands. “A few conversations and a ride home do not mean he’s meant for me. And tomorrow isn’t a date. It’s just two friends hanging out.”

  Carlie rolled her eyes. “Whatever you need to tell yourself so you’ll let this happen naturally. I know differently. I’m just waiting on your dragon to tell you he’s your mate. It’s coming, I know it is.”

  Heart fluttering madly at the thought, she sputtered out a laugh. “You’ve clearly turned delusional, Carlie.” Pausing, she narrowed her eyes at the crazy, outspoken dragon shifter as she hooked her arm in hers. “Come on. We need to have a little chat.”

  Paisley laughed as she watched them go, pointing her finger at Carlie. “I warned you. I told you to shut up, but you didn’t listen. You’re in for it now.”

  Olivia silently agreed as she continued to tug Carlie into the house.

  Her friend was about to learn some manners and etiquette. Even if she had to beat it into her.

  Chapter 9

  Cody

  Cody checked himself in the mirror, brushing his damp hair away from his face. He was picking Olivia up in a few hours, and he was more than looking forward to it.

  He was also inexplicably nervous.

  When the hell had he ever been nervous in his life? Never, that was when. But going on a date with a beautiful woman was apparently enough to do it to him.

  No… that wasn’t entirely true. He’d been on a few dates with attractive women before. Not a whole lot, and they never progressed past the third or fourth date, but this wasn’t his first rodeo.

  There was one major difference there, though. None of them had been Olivia.

  He’d never felt this pulled to a woman, felt this level of awareness, or had the urge to spend every moment with her, to give her the world and do everything he could to make her happy.

  How was it possible to feel like this for someone, so fucking fast?

  It might have felt like he’d known her forever, but the reality was, it had been only a short
amount of time.

  She had secrets. It was easy to see if a person just looked, and he was always looking at her. She had hidden pain, hidden scars, and he didn’t know how deep they ran.

  He didn’t know if she could move past them to give him a shot, because he didn’t know what they were.

  None of that was going to stop him, though. He was going to put his all into wooing Olivia and just hope for the best.

  There was no other acceptable option.

  A flare of heat seared his chest, like the beast that lived inside him agreed with his plan.

  Olivia wasn’t the only one with secrets. The difference was, nothing she could tell him would scare him away—but he was positive his truth would send her running so fast, all he’d see was the dust cloud behind her.

  She’d see him as a monster. Hell, he was a monster. He’d accepted it long ago, but he wasn’t sure he could ask her to do the same.

  He’d tell her eventually, of course. It wasn’t something he could hide from her. Not if he wanted to live with himself.

  But he wouldn’t tell her until she was as invested in whatever this was between them as he was. He didn’t want to sabotage them before they ever really had a chance.

  Giving himself another look in the mirror and resolving that he wasn’t going to change clothes like a teenage girl getting ready for her first date, he left his room, running lightly down the stairs.

  He went straight to the kitchen and poured a glass of water, chugging it in an attempt to wet his dry throat. Were the nerves and anticipation so strong that all this was really necessary?

  Yes. Yes, they were, and he couldn’t bring himself to give one single fuck.

  Lindsey strolled into the kitchen, a knowing smirk on her face that he didn’t trust a bit. Eyeing her suspiciously when she just stood there looking at him, he turned to face her, irritation coloring his voice when he spoke.

  “What? I just got a shower, so I know I don’t have anything on my face. Why are you looking at me like that?”

  Shrugging, she picked up an apple as she leaned against the island. She didn’t take a single bite, just tossed it in the air repeatedly, the sound of it smacking against her palm increasing his agitation.

  “Where are you heading off to?”

  Her question might have been innocent, but the look in her eyes was not. He tried to keep his tone even when he replied, but even he could hear the defensiveness creeping into his tone. “What makes you think I’m going anywhere?”

  Smirk deepening, she nodded to his shoes. “Those are your fancy boots. You only wear them on special occasions. So, what’s the special occasion tonight?”

  Cursing over observant sisters, he took another sip of his water, trying to appear unconcerned. He and Lindsey were close, so it wasn’t like he didn’t want to tell her—he just wanted to keep it to himself for a while.

  Not because he was ashamed. The opposite, really. He just wanted Olivia, and his feelings for her, to belong to only him for a little while longer.

  “Just heading into town in a little bit.”

  Her brown eyes, so like his, turned even more knowing if that were possible, and it irked him to no end. “And who are you going with?”

  “Who says I’m going with anyone?” he replied. Her look said she knew better and was losing patience, so he shrugged, doing his best to appear casual. “I’m just taking Olivia to the movies.”

  Lindsey’s resulting squeal had him drawing his shoulders up around his ears. For the love of all that was holy, did she have to do that? And how did she get her voice that high? That had to have reached a level at the end that only dogs could hear.

  “I knew it!” she crowed. “I knew you had a thing for her. It’s about time you went on a date. It’s been forever, and I really like her so far.”

  “It’s not a date.” His protest rang false to his ears. It was totally a date in his eyes, but he didn’t want his sister making an even bigger deal of it than she already was. “I’m just being neighborly and showing her what there is to do around New Leaf.”

  After rolling her eyes, she gave him a look that said she wasn’t buying a word of it. “Uh huh, sure. It’s not like there’s a lot to do around here. You could have just told her about the drive-in. From what I hear, she has plenty of friends at home she could go with if she wanted to.”

  Hesitating, he ran his hand through his hair, trying to think of a reply—any reply—to that statement, but apparently she didn’t need one.

  “Don’t even try to deny it, big brother. I already figured you had a thing for her.”

  “And why did you think that?” he asked, brows pulled in a frown as he stared at her.

  She gave him a look that said he was stupid. “I do the paperwork for Aaron’s, remember? The estimates rolled across my desk. I saw what you quoted her. Not only did you give her a family discount, but you didn’t even charge for your personal labor, Cody.

  “You’ve never done that before, and I knew immediately it meant she was special in some way. I met her yesterday, you know. She’s an extremely beautiful woman, and better, she’s one of those who doesn’t even realize it. I put two and two together. You like her, and you’re also protective of those you care about. So, you want her house fixed, because we all know it’s falling apart, and you also want an excuse to spend more time with her. Lowballing the estimates is a sure way of hedging your bets.”

  Cody stared at his sister, stunned. He hadn’t realized she was so perceptive, that she saw so much. He really should have, though. He’d been blind to underestimate her so much.

  “Lindsey…” he began before trailing off. He honestly didn’t even know how to reply.

  Her eyes and smile turned soft. “None of that was a diss to you. I love how much you care, how you put your all into everything—including pursuing the woman you’re interested in. And I think it’s great, I really do. I liked what I saw of her, and you deserve to be happy, Cody. More than anyone I know, you deserve that.”

  His throat tightened and he swallowed hard, trying to loosen it to no avail. He wanted to tell Lindsey she was just as amazing as she was making him out to be—even though he wasn’t; she was just looking at him through the lens of someone who loved him unconditionally—but he was still having trouble finding his words.

  He was just opening his mouth to reply when his grandfather stalked in, a scowl on his face. Snapping his mouth closed, he felt himself stiffen, his body automatically preparing for whatever his Pops was going to spew.

  He’d seen him look like this too many times, so he knew what was coming. His grandfather was about to tear into either him or Lindsey, and it wouldn’t be pretty.

  And Cody wouldn’t let it be his sister. She’d been through enough already. If Pops wanted to lay into her for something, Cody would do whatever it took to deflect it upon himself.

  “I heard some of what your sister said,” Pops bit out, turning his glare on him. “One woman? You want one woman, who I bet isn’t on the list of acceptable females I gave you. This can’t happen, Cody. I won’t let it.”

  Grinding his molars nearly to dust, he took a moment to rein in his temper. “You have no say in it, Pops.”

  Ignoring his words, his grandfather narrowed his eyes, his glare hot enough to burn him to ash. “It’s that stranger who came into the shop the other day, isn’t it? I told you then she wasn’t acceptable as one of your females, Cody. You’re better than that.”

  Blood boiling at the suggestion that Olivia wasn’t good enough, he briefly inhaled and exhaled as he tried to find his calm. Normally, he did whatever it took to hold his tongue with his grandfather, because he didn’t want to say something he’d regret.

  It wasn’t even about that this time, though. He didn’t care if he said something he might not be able to take back. Hell, anything he said would be the truth, anyway.

  But this time, he was worried if he let his temper out, the monster inside of him would take that as an invitation. And the
n the beast would make him destroy everything in his path.

  When he opened his eyes, his gaze fell on his sister. She gave him a worried, remorseful look, mouthing, “I’m sorry.” He tried to show her that he didn’t blame her, but he wasn’t sure he succeeded. He knew the anger he felt inside him was the dominant emotion on his face right now.

  He’d make sure he told her later that this wasn’t her fault. It was their grandfather who was the problem, with his pigheadedness, stubbornness, and belief that he was always right and therefore could run their lives.

  “I’m not going to say this again” he told his grandfather sternly. “I have zero interest in having multiple women at my beck and call. And I really like Olivia. I feel a connection to her I’ve never felt before, and you should be happy for me. Not trying to order me away from her. For as long as she’ll have me, I won’t give her up. Not even for you.”

  His grandfather continued to glare at him for several more moments before letting out a beleaguered sigh. “If that’s the way you feel, then I doubt there’s anything I can say to change your mind. Fine, be with her if you feel like you need her around. Who knows, maybe she’ll make you a better leader. But she has to be at the bottom of the hierarchy. There are many other women on the list I gave you who are better suited for the top spots.”

  Temper flaring anew, he looked away, trying to get it under control. Even the monster inside him, who hadn’t before cared about how many women Cody took on, found offense to his grandfather’s words.

  “Pops,” Lindsey said quietly, speaking for the first time since he came in the room. “Cody has said many times that he doesn’t have any interest in having more than one woman. He meant it then, and he means it now when he says he only wants Olivia. Can’t we just leave him be to live his own life the way he sees fit?”

  Pops sent her a disdainful look. “You’re a woman, Lindsey, with a woman’s soft sensibilities. You can’t be trusted to make a rational decisions, and you have no place in this discussion. But if you must butt in where you’re not welcome, then I’ll tell you that Cody doesn’t know what’s good for him. He doesn’t know what’s good for our people. It’s my job to guide him, and it’s my job to make those decisions for him if he can’t make them for himself.”