Page 65 of All for Love

MERCEDES

As I strode into the solarium, I looked around wildly with my heart beating in my throat. I could’ve sworn Kody had just asked me to meet him here, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Disappointment surged through me, but I ignored it, clenching my fists at my sides and striding over to the railing to look out into the garden. The sides were closed, the heaters were on, and the space was decked out for the holidays, the festive music from inside flowing over the speakers mounted out here as well.

It was quiet out here, though. The solarium was off limits for the guests because some had the bad habit of smoking in here, and since there was insufficient ventilation while it was all closed for the winter, Mr. Wagner claimed it made the whole house reek like an ashtray.

I didn’t know if that was true, but it was great to have someplace where I could have a few moments to myself. Obviously, I’d misinterpreted what Kody had mouthed at me, but that was for the better.

My phone buzzed in my clutch, and when I pulled it out, I found a few texts from Ellora, wondering where I’d disappeared to. I sighed. It’d only been a couple of minutes, but I supposed I had to head back to the party.

Me: I’ll be right there.

After hitting send, I slid the phone back into my little clutch and then set it down, planting my hands on my hips and dragging in a few deep breaths. I needed to get a handle on myself. Kody and I were over, and yet the first time it even looked like he wanted to spend a minute with me, I’d come running.

This wasn’t normal. It wasn’t healthy, and clearly, it hadn’t even been accurate. I didn’t even know how I’d gone from barely being able to tolerate him to where I was right now, desperate for just a tiny slice of time alone with him.

Tears pricked the backs of my eyes and I closed them, wondering how and when I was ever going to get over this. I swore I felt the air shift, and when I opened my eyes again, there he was. My heart jumped right back into my throat, racing a million miles a minute while I did my best to play it cool.

Kody looked hotter than sin in his suit, but then I remembered that he’d put it on with another woman in his bedroom and I winced at the stab of pain that caused. “What do you want, Kody?”

“I just needed some air,” he said flatly, shutting the door quietly behind him and striding over to join me at the railing. “A break from the questions and expectations. I’m not my brother, but no one seems to be able to accept that.”

I frowned, going quiet. He had more weight on his shoulders than I’d thought. Why he was telling me this, I didn’t know, but what I did know was the entire party was buzzing over him showing up with Marissa.

It wasn’t like I enjoyed overhearing what a handsome couple they made or about how everyone had been waiting for this moment for years, but I hadn’t been able to stick my fingers in my ears to keep from hearing it. I also wasn’t stupid. I’d noticed how people kept pointing at him, or at her, bending their heads together while they talked and smiled.

After my chat to Marissa, I knew they weren’t a couple, but it seemed like I was in the minority. Even Mr. Wagner and my mother seemed to think there was something going on between them, and though I’d looked into her eyes when she’d told me there wasn’t, I couldn’t help but wonder now.

Shaking my head at myself, I turned and strode over to the sofas, grabbed one of the fluffy blankets off the back and wrapped it tight around my shoulders. Kody watched me with a touch of confusion clouding his eyes.

“What are you doing? It’s not cold in here.”

“No, but it is cold out there,” I said, tipping my head toward the garden. “Let’s go for a walk. Clear your head and mine.”

“Why? Do people think you should get married too?”

I gave him a dry smile as I scooped up another blanket and handed it over. “Nope. What I’ve got is even worse. People can’t understand why I’m still single when I’m so wonderful.”

He groaned and wrapped his blanket around his own shoulders before motioning me to the exterior door. “Yeah, you’re right. That might just be worse. There sure are a lot of wonderful people here tonight, though.”

“You’re wonderful. I’m wonderful. Marissa is wonderful.”

We ducked out, making sure to shut our escape hatch behind us before we headed out to the grounds.

As we left the house behind, it was cold and peaceful, quickly becoming quiet as well. I looked up at the sky when I felt something wet and cold brush against my cheek, realizing it was snowing. Well, that explained the peace and quiet.

Wrapping the blanket tighter around myself, I looked straight ahead and watched the first snowflakes hit the lawn. “So you’re getting married, huh?”

“No,” he said immediately, bumping his hip lightly into mine. “Well, not if I’ve got anything to say about it, anyway.”

“Something tells me your platonic friend, Marissa, might also have something to say about it,” I teased lightly. “Do you think she knows her wedding is being planned as we speak?”

He gave me a smile as he looked at me over the top of the blanket he’d tucked into his collar. “You saw right through that?”

“What? That you brought a date who thinks of you as a brother?”

“Yeah.” He sighed as we moved closer to one another while we walked, our skin separated by too many layers of fabric but our arms pressed tightly together. “I kind of wanted to make you jealous.”