AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cody arrived home on Friday with a sense of relief and anticipation. He’d waited practically all week to take Summer out on their date, while simultaneously trying to play it cool, not dominate her time while she was building relationships with her family.
They had started their own routine the past two days. They both rose early and met in the kitchen to grab some water, eat a protein bar, then head out to stretch on the back lawn and go for a run together. He loved that the first time they went together she said, “Don’t take this personally, but I like to listen to music and think while I run.” He liked to do the same thing. So while they went together, they kept to their preferences and only chatted while they walked to cool down.
She could talk about anything. The movie or show they watched in the evening, work stuff, their interests outside of work, trips they’d taken. It didn’t matter. Every little new thing he learned about her made him like her more.
Everything about her appealed to him.
And it scared him a little that it was happening so fast and somehow he could lose it.
Their being under the same roof, having dinner together every night, spending time with the family was beginning to make himfeel like he’d known her forever, even though it had been only days.
She used his home office while he was at work. Last night he had gone in there to respond to some emails and grab some paperwork. There she was sitting at his desk, head down as she read some report her grandfather had sent her. She looked so intense and beautiful and just right at his desk.
He’d wanted to go to her, spin her chair toward him, lean down, and finally kiss her. But both of them were wholly aware they weren’t alone in the house. Anytime they found themselves alone together for a few minutes, someone interrupted.
He didn’t mind so much when it was Alex. Nate and Miranda seemed to be keeping an eye on them. Haley simply wanted Summer’s attention, and that was a good thing. But he hated that every time Natalie came to ask about watching their show together he put her off and disappointed her.
And because Cody and Summer weren’t alone, every night when they called it a day, they said a regretful good night, the longing they both felt pulling them together, even as they parted and went to their separate rooms. It was all he could do last night to hold back the kiss he wanted and not beg her to share his bed.
He’d seen it in her eyes, she wanted it, too, but in the end she let him walk away and up the stairs to his room alone.
She’d started another habit. Each day she came to the office and had lunch with her dad. He got to see her for a few minutes at the office, but then he let her have her time alone with Nate. And it was paying off. They had grown closer, and Cody was happy for them.
In the evenings, she’d helped Miranda cook dinner. And, man, could she cook. One of the facts he’d learned about her was that she often spent time eating in the kitchen when she was young. Their chef had taken a shine to her and taught her to cook. It wassomething she both felt pride in and loved. Not to mention the fact that she loved to eat. It was more than fuel for her; it was an experience. One she enjoyed even more sitting at their crowded table.
He parked in the driveway behind Summer’s brand-new white Porsche Cayenne. He liked her choice in a vehicle. It had all the power and luxury the brand offered, plus room for her sisters. Natalie had even asked if she could drive it. Summer had jumped at the opportunity to bond with her and took Natalie for a drive along the coast the other night.
He walked in the front door and headed back to the office he now considered theirs, thinking about the night ahead and his plans for dinner and later if things went his way. He couldn’t wait to be alone with her. Completely alone, so he could talk to her, look at her, be with her without any interruptions or piles of papers separating them.
The house was quiet, the lights out in the office, but he heard her cell phone ringing and headed that way. She was indispensable to her grandfather; overnight boxes from him had begun to arrive two days ago. And she was a damn hard worker.
She wasn’t there, but her cell phone lay on the desk, still ringing. Several overnight packages were left unopened. It wasn’t like her to go anywhere without her phone. He picked it up and tapped the screen. Without her code, all he could see was the twenty-three missed calls notification.
A warning went off inside him.
It wasn’t like her to ignore her obligations.
He glanced at the desk again and noted the same papers and folders from last night were still there in the exact same spot she’d left them before bed. The only thing that had changed was the addition of the new packages that must have arrived sometime today.
Maybe she’d finally had enough and left her phone and the work for Monday and taken the day off. She was supposed to beon vacation, though she hadn’t acted like it since the first day she’d arrived.
Still. Something wasn’t right.
He heard something down the hall and dropped his briefcase on a chair and headed to the kitchen. He found Brooke cooking dinner, because Miranda and Nate went out every Friday and Saturday night. Alex sat at the breakfast bar working on his homework. Looked like spelling tonight.
“Have you seen Summer?” He’d check her room next. Maybe she was getting ready for their date.
“I haven’t seen her since I got home just after the girls,” Brooke said. “I put the boxes that were left on the front porch in your office.”
He went behind his nephew and looked over his shoulder. “‘Should’ is spelled with an OU, not just a U.”
“Are you going to take me fishing this weekend?” Alex looked up hopefully at him.
“I’m not sure. I was hoping to spend some time with Aunt Summer.” Cody was getting used to thinking of her that way. She was great with Alex. She gave him her attention and her affection, and it did something to his heart to see them together. It made him think of that future he’d once wanted but hadn’t thought about in a long time.
Celeste, their housekeeper, walked into the room. “I’ll just dust the living room and mop the floor and be out of here soon.”
Brooke nodded. “I’ll keep Alex off the floor until it’s dry. Take your time.”
