by Mary Manners
“What do you think?” Cody took a bite of red velvet cake and sipped sweet iced tea.
“Everyone’s so friendly.” Rena dabbed crumbs from her lips. “I feel as if I’ve known them forever.”
“Good.” He leaned in close and whispered in her ear, and the familiar scent of soap clung to his skin. “Then I won’t feel guilty about leaving you alone here for a few minutes.” He motioned toward the corner of the room where an acoustic guitar was propped beside a microphone stand. “I have to play now. Will you be OK?”
“I’ll be fine.”
Cody? Play the guitar? This was a surprise. Kelsie was right; she was learning about him and having fun, too.
Cody wiped cake from his mouth and tossed his wadded napkin onto his empty plate. Chair legs scraped the tile floor as he pushed away from the table. He loped to the corner of the room and picked up the guitar.
He turned to the face the crowd. “Good evening everyone.” He spoke to the group, but gazed at her. “I hope your bellies are full, and you’ll join me in a few songs.”
He strummed a pair of chords and began with a song she’d never heard. The words were beautiful and evoked visions of powerful ocean waves and graceful trees swaying in a gentle breeze. Rena found herself humming along with the melody while she committed the words to memory for reflection later. Cody’s fingers were strong yet gentle, and his touch was deliberate, sure, as he coaxed music from the guitar. He sang with a warm, soulful voice that invited others to join in.
By the fourth song, Rena was lost in the music. She sang along. Cody’s gaze locked with hers, and in that moment, they connected in a new way…an intimate way. The music was like a river of prayers that flowed through Rena, washing over her. She knew Cody felt the same as he segued into a heartfelt rendition of Light the Fire.
As Cody led the chorus Rena couldn’t help but hum the counter-melody she knew from many summers she’d spent at Bible camp as a child. The song was a part of her, tucked deep within her soul. The words never failed to humble her, no matter how many times she heard them, hummed them...sang them. She was amazed the Lord knew where she’d been in her life, yet loved her still.
As the final notes of the song faded, the room fell into a hush that enveloped like a warm embrace.
“Wow.” Cody’s voice was little more than a choked whisper as he gazed at her from across the room. “I mean, wow. It’s electric...this feeling.”
Rena felt it, too. She waited while he propped his guitar on its stand and returned to her.
He took her hand and sighed. No words were necessary…he’d said them all with his songs.
Later that night, while Cody drove her home through sleepy streets, Rena reflected on the words that had been shared during the Bible study following Cody’s singing. Pastor Marcus spoke about grace, citing verse 84:11 from Psalms.
—For the Lord is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.—
Rena smiled at the thought of God as her sun and shield. Could it be that He offered her grace, despite what she had done? She’d like to ask Pastor Marcus the next time she saw him.
But if she confided in him, would he keep her secret? Would he think less of her? Would he tell her that she was no longer welcome at the singing and Bible study?
“Rena?” Cody’s voice tugged her from such thoughts. “You’re home. Where have you been?” He grinned ruefully. “You wandered away again.”
“Oh!” Rena groaned as gravel crunched beneath the wheels of Cody’s truck. “I’m so sorry. I was lost in thought.”
“I noticed.” He switched off the ignition and pulled a coin from his pocket. “Here’s a penny for your thoughts.”
Rena laughed and took the coin. She considered her words carefully.
“Do…um…” She turned the coin over in her fingers. The copper was warm from being tucked in Cody’s pocket. “Well, do you think God’s grace is for everybody…no matter what?”
“No.” His answer came without the need for contemplation, startling her.
“Oh.” Rena looked away. Her heart flooded with disappointment.
He tucked a hand beneath her chin and gently turned her back to face him. “Rena, I don’t think God’s grace is for everybody. I know it is.”
“Oh!”
Cody brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “Would you like to go to the Bible study with me again?”
“I-I’ll think about it.” Her head swam at his gentle touch.
“Well, that’s something, at least.” Cody stepped out of the car and walked around the front to open the passenger door for Rena. “I’ll walk you to your door.”
They strolled up the walk through moonlight as crickets chirped a night song. Cody waited patiently while Rena unlocked the door and pushed it open to flick on a hallway light.
She hesitated before turning to face him. Nerves squeezed her stomach. “W-would you like to come in? I could brew some coffee.”
****
Cody wanted to share a steaming cup of coffee with Rena more than anything. Electricity strummed his insides each time he remembered the longing in her gaze as he sang, and the warm touch of her fingers afterward, while they sat together talking. He wanted to drink in all he could of her. In days past he might have bulldozed his way in, most likely would have allowed impatience to work against him. But instinct coaxed him to decline the urge to rush things. He cleared his throat and breathed in the sweet scent of Rena’s honeysuckle perfume that danced a duet with manicured evergreens lining the walk.
“I’d really like that, but no...not yet. You’re still a bit frightened of me—”
“No...” She lowered her gaze and shook her head. “Well, maybe a little...”
He grinned and grazed his knuckles across her cheek. “It’s OK...really. It’s late and I have to get home to walk Sammy. But I appreciate the offer. Another time…soon?”
She nodded. “Thank you, Cody. I had a great time tonight.”
“Me, too.” He felt her tremble beneath his touch and fought the urge to kiss her. This was going to take time…and patience. But he had a strong suspicion Rena was worth every bit of the effort. He smiled. His heart caught as her eyes lit up when she smiled back. She was still reserved...but certainly more at ease than she’d been when he’d come for her a few short hours ago. “I’ll wait here on the porch for a minute ’til you get settled inside, OK?”
“Thanks.” She nodded slightly, her eyes like warm honey beneath the porch light. “Good night, Cody.”
“Sleep well, Rena. Sweet dreams.”
Light the Fire
8
“Miss Rena.” Jilly tugged Rena’s pant leg. “Will you take a picture of me with Clifford?”
“Sure, honey. Just let me rescue Cody first.” Rena placed the book she’d been sharing beside the rocking chair. She gazed at Cody who sat with his legs crossed on the carpeted floor. An energetic posse of preschoolers swarmed over him like ants on a picnic.
“Help, save me!” He pantomimed losing his breath as the kids toppled him like a tower of blocks. But she heard his laughter laced with happy squeals from the kids.
“OK, guys...” She peeled Davy, the dark-haired boy with glasses, from Cody’s chest. “Let’s see if Clifford’s ready for a photo shoot.”
She’d been thrilled when Cody arrived that morning with Sammy in tow, ready to help her lead story hour. The two made a delightful pair—Cody with his mischievous blue eyes capped by tousled hair and Sammy with drooling jowls that lifted into a grin at the sight of her.
“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” she’d teased. “The crowd can be brutal.”
He merely laughed. “Believe me; I’m tougher than I look.”
She’d eyed his broad shoulders and washboard abs that practically screamed through his T-shirt. Hard to imagine he could be any tougher than that.
“Miss Rena...I want a picture.” Jilly’s tug on her shirt
hem drew Rena back to the chaos.
“Sure, sweetie.” She turned her attention to the crowd. “Let’s form a line over here by the table and we’ll snap a photo of each of you with Clifford. Then you’ll have something wonderful to show all your friends.”
“Hand me the camera.” Cody disengaged himself from the mound of kids and staggered to his feet to stand beside her. “I’ll snap the pictures while you manage crowd control.” A small army of kids gravitated toward Sammy, squirming over one another like worms in a mound of soil.
“Works for me.” Rena snatched a Polaroid camera from the nearby bookshelf and handed it to Cody while Sammy watched, completely unaffected by the chaos. Dressed in an extra-large cherry-red T-shirt, a knit stocking cap, and four fuzzy red bootie socks, he made an adorable Clifford. “Sammy seems OK with the idea, too.”
“Yeah. He’s really eating this up. What a ham.” Cody loaded film into the camera as the children looked on. “Now, who’s first?”
“Me! Me!” The shouts came in unison, creating an earthquake of sound. “Pick me!”
Cody dropped to one knee, using himself as a buffer between the riotous group and Sammy. He leaned forward and spoke in a hushed voice.
“Boys, I think we should do the manly thing and let the girls go first. How about it?”
“Awww!” A flurry of protests ensued. But when Cody gave them a stern look the grumbling persisted only a few moments before the boys relented. “Oh, OK.”
“That’s the way.” Cody herded a half-dozen boys to the back of the line. “Clifford’s proud of you for being such gentlemen. He’d do the same for Emily Elizabeth, you know.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” towheaded Jonah agreed. “Maybe Clifford will give us his autograph, too. He’s pretty smart, so I bet he writes real good.”
“Real well,” Cody corrected. “And maybe we can manage that.” He glanced at Rena. “What do you think, boss?”
“I think Clifford got an A in penmanship.” She grinned at him. “I also think you’re a natural at this, Cody. Maybe you and Sammy should become my permanent assistants.”
“I don’t know about Sammy, but I’m definitely all in.” His smile was contagious.
When every child was photographed and had also received an autograph and plenty of petting time with Sammy, the crowd began to clear. Rena had to hand it to Cody. He’d come up with a creative way for Sammy to give his ‘autograph.’ A little black paint on one paw pressed to red squares of construction paper did the trick.
“Whew. That was pretty cool.” Cody cleaned up the paint—and Sammy’s paw—then helped Rena push chairs under the tables before they collapsed together on the carpet with Sammy.
“You were such a good boy, Sammy.” Rena removed the T-shirt and three socks that dangled from his paws, then tugged the stocking cap from his head before burying her face in his thick, bristly fur. “You did a great job today. I’m so proud of you.”
“You did an awesome job, too, Rena.” Cody smiled. “The kids love you.”
“You, too. Where’d you learn to play with kids so well?”
“Three nephews.”
“You should bring them to Story Hour.”
“Jackson’s in school and Tommy’s just a baby, but maybe Seth would like to come. He’d get a kick out of it.”
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Rena sat up. “I have a treat for you, Sammy.” She reached for the colorful box she had tucked beneath the rocking chair. “These are Scooby Snacks. I hope you like them.”
“How’d you know they’re his favorite?” Cody grasped Sammy’s collar and held tight as he lunged for the food. “He’ll eat the whole box if you let him, every last treat.”
“Today I think he deserves the whole box.” Rena tore open the lid and offered Sammy a handful. “Thanks for your help, Cody. I couldn’t have pulled this off without you.”
“My pleasure. But right now, I need a cup of strong, black coffee. Would you like to join me? The bakery across the street serves up a decent house blend.” Cody buried a hand in Sammy’s fur when she hesitated. “I know…you have books to shelve and interlibrary orders to place and fill.”
Rena grinned as she realized his offer to spend a bit of time alone together no longer frightened her. The swarm in her belly was caused by excitement, not dread. “They can wait.”
“Good.” Cody nodded. “I’ll help you clean up here.”
She put away the books and props while Cody collected scraps of construction paper from the art area. Then Rena let Marie, a part-time college student who helped at the check-out desk, know she was taking a quick break. Cody gathered Sammy on his leash and the trio made their way to the crosswalk outside the library entrance. Sunlight danced overhead and Rena tipped her chin back, drinking in the warmth against her face as they waited at the curb for the light to change.
Cody tied Sammy’s leash to an empty bench just outside the bakery’s entrance, where he curled up beneath the shade of the seat. “Be good, Sammy Boy. I’ll bring you a grape jelly roll, OK?” He gave the dog’s neck a brisk rub. Sammy wagged his tail. It seemed he liked the sugar-filled confections as much as Cody did.
As they entered the shop, Rena breathed in the aroma of rich coffee swirled with sweet éclairs and generously-glazed donuts. The donut case beckoned with sugary confections. “Ugh. My diet is going right out the window.”
“You…diet?” Cody’s gaze drank her in. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
Rena considered herself to be a few pounds over ideal, especially since Allie’s birth. At least that had been the general consensus of Carl and most of the other agents she’d been acquainted with in New York.
Of course, those opinions were in the past…a lifetime behind her. She crossed her arms as she approached a dark-haired woman behind the counter. “I’ll have an éclair and a cup of your Special Blend.”
Cody stepped up beside her. “Ditto on the coffee, but those chocolate-glazed donuts with rainbow sprinkles are calling my name.”
“Oh, they do look good.” Rena sighed. “It all looks good.”
Coffee and sweets in hand, they went out the side door of the shop to sit at a wrought-iron table on the patio. Warm, late-morning sunshine spilled over them, and Rena felt the last bit of tension fade.
“You never did tell me your fundraising ideas for the rec center,” Cody settled into a chair across from her and stretched his legs beneath the table, his dark hair haloed by the sun.
Rena unwrapped the éclair and gazed longingly at the creamy filling. Her mouth began to water. “I’ve meant to, but we’ve both been so busy. There’s a lot to talk about, though.”
“A board meeting’s scheduled for Thursday afternoon.” He bit off a chunk of doughnut, and sprinkles fluttered to the table. “Kyle will want us to bring our ideas to the group then.”
“I know. He called to tell me. I’m going to leave the library a little early that afternoon so I can attend.” A sip of coffee washed down the bite of éclair. “Kyle said you nominated me to be in charge of fundraising.”
“Sorry about that. I should have warned you.” Cody gave her a sheepish look as he gulped coffee. “But you did convince Erin’s mother to pledge a fairly hefty sum. The donation will go a long way toward our goal.”
“That was Erin’s doing more than mine. From what I gather, she’s been talking to her mom non-stop about the center. I can’t take credit.”
“You’ve been there for her, Rena. You’ve been totally selfless in your work with Erin and the other kids. You deserve at least some of the credit. Don’t sell yourself short.”
“I could say the same about you.” Rena swept his compliment aside, the barrage of criticisms from New York still ringing in her mind. “I don’t know how Kyle’s even going to concentrate at the board meeting with his and Kelsie’s wedding just days away.”
“Kyle’s in a good place. He knows with complete certainty that Kelsie’s the one he’s meant to share the rest of his life with.”
“I’ve never heard it described like that. But...yeah.” Cody popped the last of his donut into his mouth and drained his coffee.
“Kelsie has her final dress fitting today.” The words brought a smile to Rena’s lips. “It’s really going to happen...the wedding.”
“Yes, it is. Kyle gave me the rings to hold for him...I’m supposed to bring them to the church.”
“It’s a beautiful concept, isn’t it...the idea of a ring. No beginning or end...just eternity.”
“You’re a deep thinker, aren’t you?” Cody’s gaze locked with hers and he leaned in. “I must say...you’re also an intriguing mystery, Rena. I’m enjoying unraveling the clues to find you.”
“A mystery?” The heat of blush crawled up her neck. “Find me?”
“Yes. Somewhere inside that armored wall you’ve built is a vulnerable woman. I’d like to get to know her.”
“I’m not sure I understand your meaning. I don’t want to trouble you.”
“Trouble? Well, if you want to call it trouble, then believe me, this is one kind of trouble I’m glad to have.” He winked as he tossed his empty cup into a nearby trashcan. “So, what’s on the agenda for story hour next week?”
“You said I’m a mystery.” Rena shrugged as she slid the final sweet bite of éclair into her mouth and then licked her fingers. “I guess you’ll just have to show up to find out,” she answered with a grin.
“Hmmm…maybe I will. I’ve always been a sucker for a good mystery.”
Light the Fire
9
Rena cried. She couldn’t help herself. When Kelsie and Kyle exchanged heartfelt vows, bathed together in sunlight that poured through the church’s stained-glass windows, Rena’s tears began to flow. The look in Kyle’s eyes as he watched Kelsie float down the aisle in billowy silk and lace made Rena’s heart clench with longing.
