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Haley tilted her head. “Summer, are you sure you don’t want to get a new dress?”
“I brought one of my favorites especially for the event.”
“Because Cody wanted you to go with him.” Haley grinned, obviously loving what was happening between the two.
Natalie tried to tamp down her own feelings, but the harder she tried, the angrier she got. Sometimes when she saw them together, she wanted to scream at Summer to just leave.
Cody was completely wrapped up in her. Just like he’d been with Amy.
That ended in disaster and Cody turning into someone she’d hardly recognized. He’d been sullen and sad and withdrawn from everyone for weeks. He didn’t want to talk to anyone. Including her. Brooke had been living with her husband at the time and had to come to the house at Dad’s request, because he was so worried about Cody.
But it was Natalie who finally snapped him out of it. It hadn’t even really been that hard. She’d simply said all the things she’d hated about Amy and how that woman treated Cody. He deserved better.
A week later, he hadn’t come home straight from work like normal. Her dad had mentioned to her mom that he had a date.
Natalie waited up, sighing with relief when he returned near midnight. Alone. The next morning, he’d seemed... not happy, but more like his old self.
It didn’t bother her that he saw other women. He never brought any of them home. They didn’t mean anything to him.
Until Summer.
He didn’t act with Summer the way he had with Amy. This was different. More intense. It was like he needed to be near her allthe time. Natalie saw it in the way he stared at Summer, got up to fetch her whatever she wanted. A glass of water. A sweater from her room so she wouldn’t catch a chill when they sat out back. Little things.
But Natalie saw how those little things added up to them growing closer together.
Like the way they sat next to each other at dinner each night. The accidental brushes of their hands when passing the food turned into handholding and leaning into each other when they spoke.
“Are you different around him?” Natalie blurted out the question without thinking.
Her mother’s gaze sharpened on her. A sure sign her mom didn’t think the question appropriate.
Summer took it in stride. “I suppose I am. He called me out on the way I dismissed him at first because that’s what I did with most men. I liked that he wanted me to pay attention to him. He practically dared me. But he’s not a man to be overlooked. His intellect and insight are sharp and intriguing. But it was the way he talked about his mom, his sister, and all of you that really touched me. He cares so deeply for the ones he loves and he doesn’t mind showing it. It’s in the way he jumped to help you when you twisted your ankle, and watched TV with you just to be sure you were okay, and offered to get you anything while you were incapacitated. He shows it in all the little things he does for everyone around him.”
“He texted me a picture of a bunny this morning because he knows I love them,” Haley said, making Natalie realize she wasn’t the only one Cody did things like that for.
Miranda added, “Whenever he stops by the store to pick up groceries for their kitchen, he always calls to ask if I need anything, even though he knows Celeste does the shopping each week. Every Mother’s Day, he brings me a huge bouquet of flowers. My birthday, too. But the Mother’s Day one gets me every time.”
“We should do something nice for him.” Natalie thought about what he’d like. “That really cool bar he loves is right down the street. We should get him a bottle of that whiskey he likes. It’s the bar’s label. I forget what it is, but I’ll know it when I see it.”
Her mom lifted a shoulder. “That’s a really nice gesture, Natalie. I’ll run in and get one.” Her mom looked so pleased that Natalie had thought of it.
Natalie couldn’t wait to see Cody’s face.
Summer picked up the shoeboxes. “You two need to change, so we can get home and surprise Cody.”
Natalie went into her dressing room and took off the dress and shoes, pulling on her other clothes and meeting everyone by the cash register.
Her mom slipped Natalie’s dress into the garment bag the boutique provided to customers. Haley stood nearby with the shoes.
Summer held a bag with the boutique’s label on it.
“What did you get?”
“Oh, just a little something for Cody.”
Natalie wondered what, but didn’t ask, because she knew he was going to like Natalie’s surprise the most. Still, what could Summer have possibly gotten him at the high-end clothing store?
Nothing he probably didn’t already have in his wardrobe.
