Page 86 of Cody
“How am I supposed to enjoy the day with him here?”
“Oh, come on, Kinley. Just ignore him.”
Kinley let out a snort. “Yeah right. He’s too hot to ignore. Please don’t make me sit next to him or I won’t be able to stop staring at him. He can’t know that I’m attracted to him.”
“If it were me, I’d let him know. You never know unless you try.”
“Shut up.” Kinley took a seat at the table.
“This one’s sneaky,” Naomi chimed in as she pointed at Addison, then continued making salads for everyone.
“I probably inherited it from my grandmother,” Addison joked, earning a laugh from everyone in the room.
After everything was cooked and ready, Addison called for Cody to carry the turkey to the dining table while the women brought out all the other dishes.
As the day went on, everyone had a great time. After eating and loading the dishwasher, they all gathered in the living room to watch football.
Addison found herself drifting off, her head resting against Cody’s shoulder, content and happy in the moment.
She let out a quiet sigh and murmured, “That turkey is making me feel so sleepy.”
“I think we all could use a nap after that meal,” Cody replied.
Levi got up from his seat and announced, “I should probably head home before I fall asleep here. Thank you both for inviting me. Everything was amazing.”
“Anytime, Levi.” Cody grinned.
Levi nodded and left the room. They could hear the door open and close as he left. She turned to Kinley, who was taking a deep breath before standing.
“I think I’ll head out too. The snow has let up a bit and I want to get home. My cat is probably wondering where I am.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Addison offered, walking with her to the kitchen. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just tense from this afternoon. I don’t think I’ve ever been so attracted to someone so quickly.” Kinley shook her head. “Not even John before I married him, and he was definitely not attractive after I divorced his cheating ass.”
“Well, I know exactly how you feel being so attracted to someone. You need a good man in your life too, Kin. Please be safe driving home.”
“I know I do. I’ll be careful. I’ll give you a call when I get home.”
“Please do. Talk to you later then.”
Kinley put on her coat and hat, hugged Addison goodbye, and walked out the back door. Addison returned to the living room, settling back into her seat with a contented smile on her face.
****
Cody let out a long, wide yawn as he watched the rest of their families stand and make their way to their respective rooms. Exhaustion weighed heavily on his eyelids, but he couldn’t resist tugging Addison close and pressing his lips against hers.
The day had been wonderful, full of laughter, good food, and happy memories. He was grateful that everyone got along so well, especially since they would all soon be family.
“I’m so tired,” Addison murmured with a sigh as she leaned into him.
“Me too. Since everyone’s gone to bed, how about we snuggle up and watch some TV in the bedroom until we’re ready for sleep?” Cody suggested, his voice low and gentle.
“Yes, please.” She stood and extended her hand to him. He took it, leading her to their bedroom.
Once inside, Cody shed his clothes and pulled on a comfortable pair of sweatpants before crawling between the sheets of their cozy bed. Addison grabbed her robe and disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind her to take a shower.
As he lay there listening to the sound of running water from the shower, a smile spread across Cody’s face. Everything was going perfectly between them, and he couldn’t wait to marry her next summer. She had told him about the townspeople in Clifton gathering outside the church to catch a glimpse of the happy couple, making him chuckle at their small-town charm. But truthfully, he didn’t care who witnessed their love. In fact, he wanted the whole world to see how much he adored her and how excited he was to spend the rest of his life with her by his side.