Cody

by Kirsten Osbourne

  “Are you ever going to learn to cook?”

  She shrugged. “Why should I? I have a grocery store, and now that I know you cook like this, I have you. Why would I bother?”

  He stood and cleared their plates, slipping them into the dishwasher. “I made a key lime pie for dessert. I know it’s not Mexican, but it sounded good.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Key lime pie? From scratch?”

  “It’s the only way I cook.” He pulled a pie tin from the fridge and cut two large pieces placing them on plates. He set them on the table and sat back down. “So when is your brother coming home?”

  “I’m driving down to College Station for his graduation this weekend.”

  “Want some company?”

  She thought about it for a moment. If he went with her, it would be an announcement to her brother that she and Cody were serious. Did she want that? Well, as far as she was concerned they were serious. He was the first man she’d ever let get close to her. “Yeah, that’d be nice. The graduation is Saturday afternoon, so I’ll leave here first thing on Saturday morning.”

  She’d paid the last payment on the mortgage a month earlier than planned thanks to hiring Tanya on. She didn’t have to turn students away anymore, so she was making more money than she could make by herself, and she was able to reinvest some of the money into the ranch.

  “Are you excited about having Bryan home?”

  “Yes, and no. I’m excited that he’s graduating and taking over the ranch. Running this place was never my forte. I’m not happy to give up my privacy, though.” Yes, she was an adult, but she wouldn’t feel comfortable openly sleeping with Cody in her house with her brother at home.

  “What time should I pick you up Saturday morning?”

  “I’m going to need to leave here by seven. The ceremony is at two, but it’s a five and a half hour drive, and I’ll need to eat before the graduation starts.”

  “I’ll be here a few minutes before seven then.” He forked up his last bite of pie. “Are you moving him back?”

  She noticed he was finished, so she stood and put both of their plates into the dishwasher. “No, he has his own truck. He moved down there before his freshman year and has barely been home since. He loves college life.”

  “Is he moving back this weekend then?”

  “Yeah. He’s ready to come home and take over here.”

  “What about the riding business? That’s still yours, right?”

  “Technically it comes under the heading of the ranch, but I’ll still run it. I’ll pay myself a salary from it, but most of the profits will still go back into the ranch. We should be able to take on ranch hands again within the year.” She leaned against the counter looking at him. “I’m really glad I got everything I was planning done before he came home. With two men working the ranch, we can have more cattle. We have the money saved to buy them. It’s going to be a good year for us.”

  She looked around the kitchen and realized he’d kept everything clean as he cooked. When she attempted to cook, the kitchen became a disaster area. They just needed to run the dishwasher, so she added soap and turned the knob to start it. “It’s going to be a while before your pots are ready to be taken home.” She walked over to him and sat on his lap, straddling him. “Any ideas on how we can pass the time?”

  He tilted his head to the side as if thinking seriously about the question. “I guess we could go catch the Rangers game.”

  She shook her head, running her tongue along his lips to catch a stray bit of graham cracker crust. “Not what I had in mind. Any other ideas?”

  His hands settled on her hips and pulled her closer into him. “Let me think. We could go for a ride?”

  She pressed her lips to his. “How bout we go upstairs and I show you my collection.”

  “What collection?” He pushed her off his lap and let her lead him up the stairs.

  “I’ll figure something out before we get there.” She laughed, leading him into her bedroom and pushing him down on the bed.

  Chapter Nine

  Cody and Amber met Bryan for lunch on Saturday before the graduation ceremony. “Are you ready to be done?” Amber asked her brother.

  Bryan shrugged. “Kind of. I mean, I’ve loved being here. Living in the frat house has been great, and I’ve made a lot of good friends. But I’m ready to go home and be on my ranch again.” He took a bite of his salad. “I’m ready to implement some of the things I’ve learned here.”

  “Just make sure you’re not acting like Adam doesn’t know anything. He’s kept the ranch going for years.”

  Bryan nodded. “I know, Sis. I wouldn’t do that to him.” He eyed Cody. “How long have you been dating my sister?”

  “Since early February.”

  Bryan tilted his head to the side. “Why are you so familiar to me? Your name is familiar too.”

  Cody half grinned. Sports fans tended to know who he was, even if people like Amber were clueless about him. “Sports Prognosticators Incorporated.”

  Bryan’s eyes widened. “You’re that Cody Larson?” The shock on her brother’s face, had Amber biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud. “But….you’re one of the richest men in Texas!”

  “Is that a problem for you?” Cody’s voice was amused as he asked.

  “Well, no, of course not, but…..”

  Amber couldn’t hold it in any longer and laughed. “He’s just a person like anyone else, Bryan.”

  Bryan spent the rest of the meal asking questions about Steven and Justin and the company they’d worked so hard to build together. “I read an article on you guys in one of my business classes. You’re legends!”

  Amber watched as the two of them talked, having little to contribute, because she hadn’t spent years researching the three men.

  Cody paid for the meal and they all walked out to the parking lot. “Are you going to caravan back with us?” He eyed Bryan’s truck. It looked like it was in good shape. Amber had obviously made sure he had the best of everything while he was at school.

  Bryan nodded with the awestruck look still in his eyes. “Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

  “It’s no problem. We’ll follow you over to campus so we’ll be parked together and we can meet up at the trucks.”

  Bryan’s truck bed was loaded with the accumulated belongings of four years in college. He climbed behind the wheel and drove off.

  Cody turned to Amber as soon as they were seated in his truck. “Did your brother’s reaction to who I am bother you?”

  Amber shook her head laughing. “Not at all. He was hilarious. I would have thought you were the greatest quarterback of all time with the way he half-worshipped you after he realized who you were.”

  Cody leaned over and kissed her. “I’m glad it didn’t bother you.”

  *****

  Cody helped Bryan unload his truck when they arrived back at the ranch. When they were half-finished, Amber emerged from her room back in her jeans and thrilled to be out of the dress she’d worn for the graduation. “Do you guys want sandwiches, or do you want me to order a pizza?”

  Bryan, who was on his way back to his truck for another box, sighed and rolled his eyes. “You still haven’t learned to cook?”

  “Nope, and I don’t plan on it. Sandwiches or pizza?”

  Cody stopped behind Bryan. “Pizza sounds good. I’ll take anything or everything. Order what you like and I’ll eat it.” He continued toward the stairs to get another box.

  After they’d eaten, Amber joined Cody on the front porch swing for a while before he headed home. “I’m going to miss having you around so much,” she told him.

  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I’ve been really good and patient right? I mean, I promised I’d wait and not pressure you until Bryan was home.”

  “Right.” Her heart started thumping in her chest. She knew where this was going, and she knew what her answer would be.

  “Well, he’s home.” He turned to her fully and c
upped her face in his hands. “Will you marry me?”

  She met his eyes as she calmly said, “Yes, I will.”

  Cody let out a loud whoop and pulled her to her feet, picking her up and spinning her in a circle. After setting her down, he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a ring box, opening it so she could see the ring. It was a simple diamond surrounded by small sapphires. “The sapphires remind me of your eyes.”

  “It’s beautiful.” She held out her hand so he could slip the ring on. “I love it. Thank you!”

  He pulled her onto his lap on the swing. “So, what’s it going to be? Elvis, space aliens, horses, a beach, or jumping out of an airplane?”

  She felt a slow smile stretch across her face. “Why don’t we just do a simple wedding here?”

  “Sounds good. Next week?”

  “No way! I don’t want to get as stressed out as Bailey did.” They’d attended Steven and Bailey’s wedding in April, and that had been hurried, and Bailey had been extremely nervous, but happy. “How about September? That’s only a few months away, but gives me time to plan everything.”

  He sighed heavily. “I guess that’ll work.”

  Bryan stepped outside and looked between the two of them. “Am I interrupting something?”

  Amber blushed and scrambled off Cody’s lap and onto the swing next to him. She held her left hand out to Bryan showing him her ring. “Cody just asked me to marry him.”

  Cody smiled. “I’ve been asking her for months, but she finally said yes!”

  A look of relief passed over Bryan’s face. Cody noted the look and wondered what was going on in the younger man’s mind.

  *****

  Cody received a call from Bryan the following afternoon while he was watching a ball game. “Would you be willing to meet me for dinner somewhere?”

  Cody sighed. “What’s going on?”

  “I’d rather talk in person if that’s okay.”

  “Sure. Where do you want to meet?”

  “How about the Chili’s in Roanoke? I’ll meet you there in about an hour?”

  “I’ll be there.” Cody sighed. Bryan needed money for something and didn’t want to talk to Amber about it. He’d seen it on the younger man’s face the previous evening. No wonder he was so excited to find out Cody was one of the founders of SPI.

  He drove to the location and got out of his truck, going inside to get a seat. He was a few minutes early, so he ordered his drink and watched the game on the television. When Bryan slipped in across from him, he turned his attention to the younger man. “What’s going on, Bryan?”

  Bryan’s hand was shaking. “Do I have to have a reason to meet with my future brother-in-law?”

  Cody sat waiting not bothering to respond. The younger man would come clean when he was ready.

  “For spring break this year, a bunch of my buddies and I went to Vegas. I didn’t really have the cash, so one of my buddy’s friends loaned it to me, and I figured I’d get it from Amber.” He sat staring at his hands, his blue eyes, which were so much like Amber’s, were full of fear. “Well, Amber said she didn’t have it when I asked her. Anyway, I need to get twenty k to this guy within the next week, or he’s going to send some guys after me.”

  Cody sighed. “Did you tell Amber that?”

  Bryan shook his head. “I just told her I needed the twenty grand. I didn’t think it would be that big a deal.”

  “It is a big deal.” He sat for a minute debating how much to tell the younger man, but finally decided to come clean. “Your dad had a gambling problem. He left the ranch heavily mortgaged, and Amber has been fighting to get everything back to the way it was before your parents were killed in that plane wreck. She was determined to get the mortgage paid off before you finished school, so you could start fresh. She got it paid off just last month.” He paused staring at the younger man. “She hasn’t let me help her with one dime.”

  Bryan leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. “Oh, man. No wonder she wouldn’t give it to me.”

  “How much of the money you owe is gambling debts?”

  Bryan swallowed hard as he met the older man’s eyes. “Eighteen thousand.”

  Cody shook his head. “That’s what I was afraid of.” He knew Amber wouldn’t want him to bail her brother out, but he didn’t want her to go back to the situation she’d just left. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll pay off the debt, but you need to join a program for gamblers. I’ve heard Gambler’s Anonymous is good. Will you sign a contract with me stating you’ll attend Gambler’s Anonymous at least once a week for a year?”

  Bryan slumped in his seat. “Do I have to? I don’t want Amber to know about this. She’s going to be so disappointed in me.”

  “Honestly? I’d rather Amber didn’t know about this, either, but I don’t think we have a choice. Will you agree? Or do you want to figure out how to come up with the money some other way?”

  Bryan nodded. “Yeah, I’ll sign it.”

  “Good. I’ll have my brother draw up the contract. When do you need to have the money in your hand?”

  “Tomorrow or Tuesday would be good.”

  Cody pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. “Jonathan? I need you to do something for me.” He explained what he wanted included in the contract. “I need it by tomorrow morning. I know you don’t like to work on Sundays. Whatever.” He pushed the end key. “When you hire family, they tend to think it’s okay to say they don’t want to do stuff.”

  Bryan breathed a sigh of relief the conversation was over. “Thanks, man.”

  “Don’t thank me. Just don’t get in trouble again.” He rolled his shoulders agitatedly. “Now I just have to figure out how to tell your sister I gave you money. If she breaks up with me over this, I’m going to hurt you.”

  Bryan’s eyes grew wide. “She wouldn’t, would she?”

  Cody shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. She’s not going to be happy with me.”

  Bryan leaned down and banged his head on the table. “If there were any other way, I’d take it.”

  “I understand. I just hope she does.” Cody tossed thirty dollars on the table. “Get what you want to eat.” He stood and walked out of the restaurant. He needed to talk to Amber right away and let her know what had happened. He just hoped he hadn’t ruined his chances with her. Even if he had, he couldn’t leave her in an unsafe situation, and with people coming after her brother, there’s no way she’d be safe.

  Cody practiced what he’d tell Amber over and over on the way to the ranch. He always rode with his music blaring, but he couldn’t leave this discussion to chance.

  As he approached the house, he saw her riding beside the driveway, and waved. He’d never really seen her ride when she was riding for herself before that moment. Her hair was streaming along beside her, and her face was lit up with a smile. She seemed so happy and so in tune with her horse. He hated having to break the spell and ruin her day.

  He parked in front of the house and watched as she rode toward him. “Hey! I wasn’t expecting to see you today.” She dismounted and stood on tiptoes to kiss him.

  “I just need to talk to you for a minute if you can spare the time.”

  “Of course. Let me put Sable in her stall.”

  “You mean you’re putting Sable in the stable?”

  She grinned at him, catching his hand as she led the horse to her stall. “What’s up?”

  “I’d rather wait until we’re in the house. You can fix me a nice meal and we’ll have a long chat.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “I guess I can get you a glass of ice water if you want.”

  “That’ll do.” He watched as she unsaddled Sable and rubbed her down. Once she was finished, they walked back toward the house. He followed her into the kitchen and watched as she brought them each a glass of water.

  She leaned back against the counter. “What’s up?”

  “You need to sit down for this discussion.”

  Her eyes were wide. “What
’s wrong?”

  “Bryan called me earlier and asked me to meet him for dinner. He did some gambling over spring break and needed twenty thousand dollars to cover his debts.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Is that what he wanted that money for? I told him we don’t have that kind of money just lying around.” She covered her face with her hands. “What did you tell him?”

  He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “I told him I’ll give him the money in the morning, but to get it, he has to sign a contract promising to go to at least one Gambler’s Anonymous meeting every week for a year.” He watched her face carefully for her reaction.

  She let out a relieved breath. “Thank you. For the money and for telling him that. I hate that he came to you for it, but I certainly couldn’t have paid the debt.” She shook her head. “What was he thinking? How could he lose that much money in one week?”

  Cody stared at her in disbelief. “You’re not mad at me?”

  “Of course, I’m not mad at you. You didn’t do anything wrong. Now, Bryan needs to be strung up by his toenails!”

  “Okay, I need to tell you one more thing. With the nature of the problem, I also told him about your dad and all the sacrifices you’ve made over the years. I know you didn’t want him to know, but under the circumstances, I felt like it would have more impact than anything else possibly could.”

  “You did what?” She stared at him as if he had two heads.

  “I needed him to understand how much his gambling would hurt you and how bad it could get. I hope you don’t hate me for it.”

  She closed her eyes and thought of all the things she’d done to protect Bryan from the knowledge for so long, but realized Cody was right. He needed to know it wasn’t just a one-time thing. It was a problem in their family. “I understand.”

  Cody tugged her to him and pulled her down onto his lap burying his face in her neck. “I’ve been scared ever since I agreed to give him the money. I was so worried you’d be mad.”

  “I am mad, but there’s no reason to be angry with you.” She brushed a kiss across his lips. “When I agreed to marry you, my family became yours and your family became mine. If your brother comes to me tomorrow with a problem, I’ll do everything in my power to help him.”