Say You Love Me(21)

“I just can’t with you, Cody Brookstone.” Mila rolled her eyes and looked at me. I knew the look was saying, I have no idea why you like this Neanderthal, and I grinned back at her. I had no idea why I was so in love with Cody. Maybe I secretly loved his very immature side. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I knew he always made me laugh.

“You just can’t with me, Mila Brookstone, soon to be Walker,” Cody said and moved his head back and forth. “You just can’t do what with me, sister?” He snapped his fingers in a sorority girl movement and we all started laughing.

“TJ, I have no idea how you have remained best friends with Cody for all these years.” Mila looked at her fiancé. “It seems to me that you are suspect yourself for being his best friend.”

“What if I told you I only stayed friends with him to be close to you?” TJ said dryly and Cody groaned out loud.

“Dude, why are you feeding her this bullshit?” Cody shook his head.

“You don’t know its bullshit,” Mila said and then laughed. “Though, even I think that was a bullshit line, TJ Walker.”

“Hey, hey, don’t attack me now.” He put his hands up and laughed. “Help me, Sally.”

“How can I help you?” I grinned back at him.

“Can you guys be quiet, please?” A portly guy sitting in front of us turned around and glared at us. “The movie is going to start soon and I don’t need to be listening to your commentary.”

“Yes, sir.” Cody saluted him and we all laughed. The guy gave us one last glare and a huff and turned back around. I looked over at Cody, who winked at me again, and I giggled as we all sat there in silence. I felt Cody reach over and rub my leg and I looked up at him in surprise. He gave me a small wink and I slapped his hand away. He then grabbed my hand and I looked at him in confusion.

“Thumb war?” he mouthed and I nodded with a smile.

“One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war,” I said quietly as our thumbs tackled each other’s as if we were still little kids. I tried my hardest to hold his thumb down, but not because I wanted to win. I tried my hardest because I didn’t want the game to end and for me to lose the contact of his hand, which was so warm and silky that it was making me feel things in places I hadn’t felt things in a while.



* * *



“That movie sucked,” Cody said as we left the movie theater. “I need a beer to get over how much it sucked.”

“I agree, it wasn’t that scary.” I laughed as I walked by his side. “I wouldn’t mind getting a cocktail to get over my lack of fear.”

“Hey, guys, as much as we’d love to join you for a drink, TJ and I have plans early in the morning, so I’m not sure that that will be possible.” Mila made a face. “Have a drink on me, though.”

“You’re not coming?” I looked at her in disappointment, my heart racing. As much as I wanted to spend time alone with Cody, and we had plenty of times already, it felt weird to be going to a bar, just the two of us. It almost felt like a date. Though I knew it wasn’t. At all.

“Sadly, no.” Mila shook her head and her eyes stared into mine with a glint. My heart started racing as I realized she was doing this on purpose. She was trying to get me to make a move. A real move. I knew it was time to just see if it was ever going to go anywhere, but the whole moment was just scaring the shit out of me.

“Where shall we go, Sally?” Cody looked at me with a questioning look. “You’re not going to flake out on me as well, are you?”

“Would I do that?” I laughed, my heart fluttering. He wanted me to come? I tried to tell myself that he didn’t really care if I came or not. I tried to tell myself that all he wanted to do was grab a drink and he didn’t care who was coming with him, but it was hard to tell myself that when all the hope in me was praying to God that it was because he secretly had feelings for me and wanted to spend the evening with me.

“I hope not.” He gave me a winning smile and then turned to Mila and TJ. “Okay, well, it was good seeing you guys. I’ll get Sally home safely.”

“You’d better.” Mila pointed her finger at him and then she looked over at me. “You sure you want to go out with Cody?”

“Sure, it’ll be fun.” I nodded and she winked at me and I tried not to laugh in giddiness.

“Ready, Sally?” Cody grabbed a hold of my hand and pulled me away from Mila and TJ. “Let’s leave these two lovebirds to figure something out. And let’s go and get a drink. Bye, guys.”

“Bye, guys,” I repeated to Mila and TJ as I gave them a small wave goodbye, wondering what I was getting myself into.



* * *



“You want a glass of wine?” Cody asked me as we walked into a crowded bar.

“I think I’ll have a cocktail, actually.” I laughed. “A Cosmo thanks.”

“Okay.” He nodded. “Wait here for me and I’ll be back.” He looked towards the packed crowds in front of him. “Unless you’d like to join the meat market with me?”

“No, I’m good here, thanks.” I smiled and readjusted my bag strap on my shoulder. “You go ahead and get the drinks. I’m thirsty.”