Cody laughed, "Well, we won't tell Brad that, will we? Let him fret about it. Maybe he'll be worried enough now that he'll even get that Italian dressing."
India's expression changed and she actually smiled at him. "Yeah. Hopefully." Then she glanced at his empty hands. "You didn't get your food."
"Oh, no. I finished. I was actually on my way out when I saw you yelling at him. I just got the same coffee thing you're drinking there."
"Oh, good. Right, I was a lot later today."
"Why?" Cody asked her, wondering if she'd talk to him.
"My car broke down in my driveway this morning, and I couldn't get a taxi. I was a couple minutes late for work, and the boss made me work an extra hour because of it."
"You had to work an hour because of a couple minutes?"
"He hates me. They all do. I've been there fifteen years and can't get a promotion." She glanced at Cody from the corner of her eye and then admitted sheepishly, "I guess it's my fault no one likes me, huh?"
"Let me guess: you yell at them, too?"
"I got frustrated. It all started out with unfair treatment. The other assistant was the boss' granddaughter. That obviously didn't bode well for me. I became bitter about it, and I guess I let me true feelings about the favoritism shine through. Granddaughter doesn't even work there anymore, but my reputation lives on. It’s somewhat of a vicious cycle. Doesn't help that I've got problems with family too and… and I don't even know you. Why am I telling you this? I should go."
"Wait!" Cody stopped her as she went to walk away. "Can I show you something?"
India hesitated, "What?"
"Follow me, alright?"
She did until they reached his car, and he held the door for her. Then she looked at him as though he'd lost his mind.
"I am not getting in a vehicle with you. I don't even know you. How am I supposed to know you aren't planning on taking me to some forest somewhere to rape me and murder me?"
"Are you always such a positive thinker?"
"What is it you want to show me exactly?" she asked, ignoring the question.
Cody knew that it wasn't the correct response when trying to get her to trust him, but he couldn't help but to tell her, "It's a surprise."
"Oh, well in that case…" she rolled her eyes at him.
Cody shrugged, "Let's put it this way: if you don't come, you'll go home and be up all night wondering what on earth the surprise was and wishing you'd just gone for it."
"I really doubt that."
Cody sighed and shut the car door, leaning back against the vehicle. She moved beside him and mimicked his position. Cody smiled to himself at the fact that she wasn't taking off somewhere. He had a feeling she actually wanted to go with him; she just needed a bit of convincing and a good reason to go against the logic that she'd been taught all her life.
"I'm not gonna hurt you, India," he promised her.
"Why should I believe that? Having good taste in coffee doesn't make you a good person, you know."
"Do you want to believe it?"
"I don't know. Have you any idea how many times a girl gets it drilled into her head from her parents and schools and work safety training that you never go somewhere with a stranger? And you won't even tell me where you plan on taking me? Besides that, I don't get along with people, any person, at all. I don't deny it's my own fault but why should you be any different? I've given you no reason to like me. For all I know, someone from work paid you to kill me off so they could be done with me."
"The people you work with really hate you that much?" Cody asked incredulously.
India shrugged and drew a line on the ground with her pointed heel. Suddenly she looked up at him, "You know what? Never mind. I'll come with you."
"Good," Cody replied. He held the door open again and this time she climbed inside and buckled up. It wasn't until they were on the road that Cody noticed her white-knuckled grip on her box of salad. She was staring at the window in silence, and Cody wasn't sure she didn't still think he was taking her somewhere to kill her and dispose of the body, now that she'd gotten the idea into her head and scared herself with it.
"Relax, India," he said softly. "I told you I won't hurt you."
"I don't know that, do I?"
"Why would you change your mind about coming with me then?"
"I figured since no one likes me anyway, I realized it wouldn't be that big of a loss even if you did murder me. It's not like I'm enjoying life, is it?"
"Don't think like that, India. You've got a lot to live for."
"How would you know?"
"Everyone does. Some just have to look harder to find the things worth living for, that's all."
"Whatever," she said turning her attention back to the window, but Cody saw her death grip on the box had loosened a bit.
They had driven for about twenty minutes in relaxed silence when she suddenly began to look nervous again.
"Where are we going?" she asked. "You never said it'd take this long, and we're not even in the town anymore."
"Almost there," he promised. True to his word, they pulled up at their destination a few minutes later, and he parked the car on the side of the road. Jumping out of the car, he moved to the other side and opened India's door for her as well.
"C'mon," he said gently.
She stood up and looked around, trying to figure out where they were and what they were there for. Cody closed the door behind her and climbed over the low wooden fence that ran along the side of the country road and into the field on the other side. He offered his hand to help her over the fence.
"I want to go home now," she stated, ignoring his gesture.
Cody frowned. "But we just got here, and I haven't shown you the surprise yet."
"I don't care. I don't want to see it after all. Cody, take me home, please."
Cody knew exactly why she was upset. If he was actually looking for a place to kill her, this place would be perfect. They were in the middle of nowhere, with no witnesses around, and nothing but miles of open fields as far as the eye could see. He knew the right thing to do would be to take her home, but he wanted a chance to prove himself to her. He half leaned against, half sat on, the top of the fence in silence as he considered her request.
"Cody?" she questioned softly, stepping closer. "Why are we here?"
"I own this land," he answered, figuring maybe the truth would convince her to stay. "I bought it on a whim a few years ago. Figured I'd build my dream home here one day. Only, I don't have the money for that and probably never will. I suppose I should sell the place; it's not more than what you can see, just acres upon acres of fields. Still, I love it. I hang onto it and dream sometimes. I come here almost every night. Without the light from buildings and houses, you can get an amazing view of the stars."
India stepped even closer to him, and he saw she had relaxed again. "Don't sell it," she said. "It's good to have a dream. But is that what you wanted to show me? The field?"
Cody shrugged. "I guess. I thought we'd walk across to where I normally go. It's the location where I figured my dream home would go if I ever built it. I wanted to show you the stars. I know they aren't up yet, but if we waited there a half hour, they would be."
India hesitated and then turned back to the car. "I said I want to go home."
Cody sighed and nodded, climbing back over the fence and into the car himself. He'd barely started pulling away when she stopped him. "Wait! Maybe I will see the stars."
Cody raised his eyebrows amused but happy she'd decided to stay. "Do you always change your mind so often?"
"Yes. I think the problem is that I'm not sure what I want most of the time."
Cody knew that was probably true, but he also knew that her trust in him had been reaffirmed when he'd agreed to take her home. He'd seen the look of relief on her face. He turned around and parked again, and they both got out of the car.
"C'mon then," he urged her, "but no more mind changing, okay?"
&nbs
p; India nodded and followed him over the fence. It didn't take more than a few steps for her to realize that she was never going to be able to walk for ten minutes across the field with her heels on. The ground was just too uneven.
"Are there thistles?" she asked.
Cody looked at her, "No, why? You allergic?"
"No, I just might have to go without shoes."
Cody glanced down at her feet and sighed, "Yeah, you really didn't pick very good walking shoes for this, now did you?"
"Well it's not exactly like I was planning on running around in a field today, was it?" she snapped back angrily.
"Chill, India. I was teasing you. Want me to carry you?"
India looked appalled at the suggestion. "No, I most certainly do not."
Cody shrugged. "Well take them off then, but you can't blame me if you step on a sharp stone or something."
"You're the one who dragged me out here without warning me about my foot attire. I think it would be your fault."
"Yes, but I offered to carry you and you refused; therefore, the blame falls back on you."
"Odd..."
"How is that odd?"
"It's not. Something else is odd," India said hesitantly as she grabbed onto Cody's shoulder to help balance herself while she slipped off her heels.
"Are you going to tell me?"
"It's just usually when I argue with someone, I feel mad at them."
Cody grinned. "Actually, a bit of friendly arguing can be a lot of fun as long as you don't care too much who wins in the end."
India smiled. "Well, I guess that it’s good you don't care because I won."
"How so?"
"Your suggestion of carrying me was too absurd to be taken seriously; therefore, it didn't count as a proper option."
Cody raised his eyebrow and wiggled it. "Absurd how?"
"Even if I'd said yes, you couldn't have done it. I may not be overweight, but I don't think you're strong enough to carry me over uneven ground for more than a couple minutes, certainly not ten."
Cody didn't answer but before India could blink, he had scooped her small 5’4” frame up into his arms and started walking.
India sputtered and started hitting at him, "Put me down!"
"Hell no! Didn't you know you never tell a man he's not strong enough to do something if you don't want him to prove it?"
"Co-dy!"
He ignored her and kept going. India's arms came to rest around his neck as she held on. To her surprise, she didn't really mind that he wasn't putting her down. She knew she should be mad, but she also knew he was doing it only to prove himself to her, and she found it rather funny that he cared so much of what she thought of him. Plus she knew he'd never make it, and she was looking forward to winning her argument.
Sure enough, when they started to climb uphill on uneven ground, Cody stumbled a bit and let her go so that she was suddenly standing again. She gave him a pointed look that quite clearly said, 'See, I told you so,' but she didn't speak out loud as she waited to hear his defense.
"I didn't say I could do it without a break," Cody tried weakly.
India just shook her head with a smile and began to walk. "C'mon," she said. "Stop being so silly. I won, and I'm walking on my own now."
"You'll tear your nylons."
"You can buy me new ones."
"Or you can buy yourself new ones," Cody replied.
"It's you who wanted me to follow you out here to the middle of nowhere when I don't even know you. It wasn't my idea at all; don't forget that."
"But you agreed to it," he answered just as easily, grinning at her.
"Yeah, I must be going insane."
"It’s all good," Cody mused, pretending to think. "I'll still like you anyway."
"Do you?"
"Do I what? Like you?"
"Yeah."
"Of course I do. You think I'd be dragging you out here if I didn't?"
"I just thought you might be going insane, too."
"Oh well! Now you know the truth: it's not because I'm going insane, it's because I like you. So you might want to change that conclusion."
"Done. Instead of thinking you might be going insane, I'm sure you already have."
Cody chuckled and nodded. "I'd protest but that's an argument I probably wouldn't win. I think you're right."
"Well, I haven't really said nor done anything that calls for you to like me, you know."
"I know," Cody replied, but he gave her no further explanation. He wasn't sure he had one himself. She had lightened up considerably out here, and he was enjoying spending time with her, but it wasn't why he liked her. He'd liked her from the start and that was something he couldn’t explain.
He glanced at her and noticed that, while she was keeping up, she was struggling a bit on the rough terrain without her shoes on. He knew better than to try carry her again, he wouldn't get away with it a second time, but he did put his hand on her elbow to help steady her.
"I don't need your help," she said immediately.
"I know," he answered, "but you can have it if you want it."
She stopped as though considering what she wanted and then nodded briefly. "Thank you."
Cody shrugged, and they continued on in silence for a while longer until suddenly Cody stopped in a place that looked the same as every other part of the field they were in. "Well, here we are," he proclaimed proudly. "This is the exact spot where I'd build my house if I could afford it."
India spun in a slow circle looking around and then stopped and looked back at Cody, asking him, "It's nice but what makes it any different than ten steps to the left?"
Cody shrugged. "Well, I guess if we move only ten steps that would be somewhere inside the house, too. I wasn't planning on my dream home being a mouse hole, you know. But we're at the top of a very slight, small hill here. It's not really that noticeable even, but this is the peak of it, and I figure the higher up the house is, the longer you've got sunlight coming through the windows and the better the view. So this is the place."
"Ah, got it. So now we just wait for the stars?"
"Yep," Cody confirmed, plopping he lean 6’ frame down onto the long grass. India removed the jacket of her suit and laid it onto the grass before sitting down beside him.
"Cody, why would you bring me here?"
Cody looked at her, puzzled. "To see the stars. I thought we'd established that."
"Yes, but I meant why would you bring me to see the stars?"
"I thought you'd like them. They're really pretty; I couldn't imagine you disliking them. No one dislikes stars."
"Not what I meant."
Cody looked at her confused until she explained herself. "I meant why did you care if I'd want to see them or not? I mean, you don't know me at all. You just heard me yelling in a restaurant and thought, 'She wants to go stargazing, and I should take her'? That doesn't make any sense."
Cody chuckled. "No, I guess it doesn't, but that’s pretty much the gist of it. I don't know, India. I just thought it'd be nice to have you join me. I figured I'd enjoy your company."
"See most people I come across would prefer to avoid my company."
"I think you're alright."
"That's what you said. It's the first thing you ever said to me when that old man was lecturing me on my behavior. Not that he wasn't right, but I didn't need a lecture right then, you know?"
"No, you needed Italian dressing for your salad," Cody agreed.
India giggled at that. "Exactly. But there wasn't anything they could do right that second, and no one else thought I was alright. They thought I was horrible."
"Maybe people are too judgmental," Cody said. "And that's their fault, not yours. I'm gonna assume they've all had bad days before and gotten frustrated and said things they've regretted."
"Only they probably don't do that every day."
"Then maybe they have less bad days than you. Anyway, you're not really a miserable person, are you? You're fine right now, it seem
s to me."
She nodded, "No, you've effectively ruined my bad mood."
"Sorry," he chuckled.
She shrugged, "First time I've enjoyed myself in years."
"Years?"
"Sad but true. Hey look!"
Cody looked up in the direction she was pointing and grinned as he laid on his back with his hands behind his head. "First star. Good spotting job! You get to make a wish."
"When I was little my dad and I used to always recite Star Light, Star Bright when we found a star."
"You can if you want."
She shook her head, "Nah, I'll just make my wish."
She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again. She turned her head back to look at him, "Done." She lay down beside him to view the sky better. It was still light but the moon was out, and the sky had become pinkish. It was getting darker quickly.
"What'd you wish for?"
"To have a good day tomorrow instead of a bad one like usual."
"How's today been?"
"I told you already: I had a bad day."
"Yes, but you also said you were enjoying yourself now."
"It's a better day than most but still a lot of little things went wrong. So that’s what I wished for: one good day where everything goes right. Where my boss doesn't yell at me, and there's Italian dressing for the salads, and I don't get frustrated enough to throw chocolaty coffee on café owners. By the way, how'd you know my name?"
"What?" Cody sat up and looked down at her, surprised by the sudden change of conversation. "You told me."
"I know but what made you remember it?"
Cody shrugged and lay back down. "I thought it was a pretty name and an unusual one. Plus it suits you somehow."
"My dad named my siblings and me. He was always big about name meanings and stuff like that."
"Well what's yours mean then?"
"India means a large body of water. My dad was a fisherman, and he loved to be on the sea more than anything. He always told me my eyes were as blue as the ocean, so I guess that is how he came up with the name." Cody had noticed that India’s eyes were the most amazing shade of blue. They contrasted nicely with her dark hair.
"What's your last name?"
Spicy Coffee, Sweet Love (A Contemporary Young Adult Romance) Page 2
