Must Be Fate: (Cody and Clover) (A Jetty Beach Romance Book 3) (13 page)

The thought of her moving out is strangely disheartening, which is crazy. Clover can’t actually live with me. I met her, what, a week ago? Jennifer and I were together for two years, and I wasn’t ready to move in with her.

I imagine coming home to that sunshine smile. Clover in the kitchen, making dinner. Her shoes by the front door. Her clothes hung next to mine, her scent lingering on everything. Even before last night, it felt good to have her there. Comfortable.

Maybe too comfortable.

We’re doing this all wrong. You’re supposed to meet someone, date for a while, and let the relationship progress. Playing house with a girl I just met is not a healthy plan.

And it isn’t like I can’t still see Clover if she lives somewhere else. I certainly want to spend more time with her and see where this goes.

I tap my keyboard to turn my monitor back on and go back to the medical journals. I’ll have to worry about Clover later. For now, I have patients to think about.

I roll over to the warm spot Cody left in the bed. I still feel all tingly. And a touch sore, to be honest. It’s been a while since I’ve slept with anyone, and Cody is … he’s
ample
. I twitch at the memory of his cock inside me. Damn, he was good. Really good.

I love the way he took charge. I didn’t expect that, but it was hot as fuck. I’m one hundred percent positive Ms. Resting Bitch Face didn’t let him do that with her. He’s probably been holding back for years. I want him to know he can unleash on me. He can be free. I want him to tell me what to do, to use my body for his own pleasure. I’ll just go along for the ride and enjoy every tantalizing second.

Since I’m awake, I decide to get up, despite how comfortable his bed is. But first, I bury my face in his pillow and breathe deeply. God, he smells good.

I practically skip down the stairs and go into the kitchen to make coffee. It’s going to be a fantastic day. I’ll go into Old Town Café and take care of the final details for my new job. Then I’ll come home and make Cody something incredible for dinner. There doesn’t seem to be much he doesn’t like, so maybe I’ll get a little adventurous with my cooking. I can get adventurous after dinner too.

I smile to myself, thinking about what he might like for dessert—and I don’t mean food. What is he into? If he likes control, maybe he’ll want to tie me up. I’ve never done it, but I could go for some bondage. Why not? I think about my hand on his dick.
That
is what I want for dessert, his big cock in my mouth.

“Woah, Clover,” I say aloud. My panties are getting wet just thinking about him. “It’s still morning. Let’s pace ourselves.”

I sit down with my coffee and read my horoscope. Nothing particularly earth-shattering, just something about being open to helping people. It doesn’t really speak to me.

I hesitate, knowing what else I need to do. I should look for an apartment. In fact, I should call about the ones I already found. I can’t very well keep staying here, even if the thought of leaving is pretty depressing.

I feel so comfortable here, like it’s the most natural thing in the world for me to live with a man I met a week ago. That’s a little bit crazy, even for me. I’m all for spontaneity and seeing where fate takes me. But whether or not Cody and I are sleeping together, I can’t just shack up with him. I’ve never lived with a boyfriend before. In fact, it’s been years since I’ve even had a roommate.

I sigh, trying to push away the sad feeling that blooms in my belly. I’ll find something close, and we can still see each other.

After doing another quick search for rentals, I write down the most promising leads. I make a few calls. One is already rented, and another has several applications, but I’m welcome to turn one in. I decide to pass. My application isn’t going to come out ahead of several others, that’s for sure. What I need is the chance to meet the owner in person, before they have a bunch of other applicants.

I’ll be honest with them—there isn’t any point in hiding what they’ll find if they do a credit check—but I can explain my situation and hopefully convince them to take a chance on me. I’ve done it before. I’m not always great about paying my bills, but I do have a good rental history—although it kind of meanders around the country.

But I really like Jetty Beach. It feels different, somehow, and not just because I landed in the bed of the hottest man I’ve ever met. The fresh ocean air, the buzz of visitors walking down the sidewalks, the ambiance. It speaks to me. The universe definitely led me here.
Why
still remains to be seen.

I mean, there’s Cody, of course—I’m sure I was destined to meet him. But maybe it’s also this town. Is this finally a place to call home?

I have no idea what that would be like.

I try to ignore the deeper worry that threatens to come to the surface. I can’t think about that now. I call about the little cottage I found the day before. A woman with a pleasant voice answers and says she’ll be happy to show it to me if I want to come by in an hour. I feel that twitch, the one that means something. The timing is perfect. I can go look at the cottage before I go in to work. I tell her I’d love to, and say goodbye.

The cottage is literally all the things—snug and cozy, with a retro kitchen and old-fashioned lace curtains in the windows. It’s furnished, which is perfect, considering I don’t own any furniture. I’ll need to fill it out with a few things, and get new bedding, but otherwise, it’s everything I could have hoped for.

The owner is an older woman with kind eyes. I give her my very best smile and tell her all about myself, but emphasize that I need a place to finally settle down. She doesn’t seem too concerned when I admit I have some unfortunate things on my credit, and she’s excited to learn I have a job at Old Town Café. She knows the owners, and says if Natalie hired me, it speaks highly of the sort of person I am.

I leave with assurances she’ll call me in a day or so. I turn up the music and sing along with the radio as I drive away, heading for the café. I’m still a little sad at the thought of not staying with Cody anymore, but I have a great feeling about the cottage. I can’t remember the last time I lived somewhere without shared walls. Probably when I still lived in an RV with my parents, and even then, RV parks aren’t usually quiet places. I bet the little cottage is peaceful at night.

I pull up to a stop sign. There aren’t any other cars around. The main streets in town get downright crowded, but I’ve hardly seen any other traffic on the back roads. I press on the gas and my car sputters, then jerks forward, bouncing me in my seat. The engine makes a weird grinding noise and dies.

Oh no.

I turn the key and try to start it again. Nothing. I pat the steering wheel, as if I can coax my car back to life.

“Come on, baby, don’t fail me now,” I say, turning the key again.

The engine revs, but won’t turn over.

I look at the clock. I’m supposed to be at the café in twenty minutes. Can I walk there fast enough? I’m not sure, but I can try. There’s no way I’m going to call Natalie and tell her I’ll be late. Talk about a horrible start to a new job.

I get my phone, hesitating. Cody is at work, and I know he doesn’t want to be bothered during the day. And he’s already rescued me so many times, I’m beginning to lose track of all the ways I owe him.

But I don’t know anyone else in town well enough to have their number.

I look up at the street sign to see where I am and send Cody a text.
I am so sorry to bother you, but my car died at the intersection of Anchor Street and Starfish Lane. I have to be at the café in 20, so I’m going to walk, but my car is in the middle of the road. Don’t know who else to call.

I set the emergency lights flashing and take my purse. It feels weird to leave my car sitting there, but there isn’t much I can do if it won’t start. I certainly can’t push it out of the road, and I know nothing about cars.

I could pop the hood and stare at it for a while, hoping for some nice person to drive by and help me, but then I’ll definitely be late for the café.

My car will probably be towed before I can find a way to get back to it, but I guess it needs a tow anyway. Thing is, I don’t know how I’ll pay for a car repair. I sigh and close the door, locking it behind me. Jetty Beach is small enough, I can live without a car. Although the cottage I just saw won’t work. It’s too far from town. Fuck, that’s disappointing. It seemed so perfect.

I take a deep breath and start walking toward town.

My phone dings with Cody’s text.
Stay where you are. Rescue incoming.

God, he is so sweet. I answer.
It’s okay. I think I can make it if I walk.

I continue up the road. At least I’m wearing decent shoes. And the sun is shining, so that’s a plus. This would have been way worse in the rain.

But I haven’t gone far when the rumble of an engine comes from behind me and tires crunch on the gravel as a truck pulls over.

“Hey,” someone says behind me. “I hear you need a ride.”

I turn to see Cody’s brother, Hunter, leaning out of the driver’s side window of a green Toyota pickup.

“Hey,” I say. “Um, yeah, my car died back there.”

“I passed it,” he says. “Come on, get in.”

I climb in the passenger’s seat. “Thank you so much. How did you get here so fast?”

“I live close,” he says. “Cody texted and said you had car trouble, and I’m off work today.”

I stare at him, not sure what to say. Cody texts him saying the perfect stranger who walked out on his family dinner after breaking a plate and spilling chicken all over herself needs help and this guy just … gets in his truck and picks her up?

“Oh, and don’t worry about your car,” he says. He pulls back onto the street and heads toward town. “Ryan’s on his way. Between the two of us, I figure we’ll get it started and at least take it back to Cody’s place for you. Can I have the keys?”

Wordlessly, I hand him my keys.

“Perfect,” he says. “Car troubles are the worst, aren’t they?”

His other brother is coming, too? For me?

“You’ll probably still need to take it in to an actual mechanic,” Hunter continues. “I know enough to hopefully get it running, but you’ll want a pro to take a look so you don’t have this problem again. I know a guy in town. He’s a good guy—won’t screw you over or anything.”

A lump rises in my throat. I want to thank him again—not like I can ever thank him enough—but I can’t get a word out. I don’t want to cry.

Hunter’s phone saves me the trouble. “Hi, Mom. Yeah, I picked her up. Oh, she’s fine. No, she has to go to work. I’m not sure about after, but I’ll ask her. Pie sounds great, you don’t have to tell me twice.”

He pauses and is silent for a moment.

I glance at him from the corner of my eye.

He takes a deep breath, and his brow furrows. “No, I haven’t,” he says. “Look, Mom, I don’t really want to talk about that right now. Okay. Love you, too. Yes, I will text you when I drop her off so you know she got to work safe, even though that’s going to be in like ninety seconds. Okay, Mom. Bye.”

I swallow hard and find my voice. “Did your mom just call about me?”

“Yeah, word travels fast with the Jacobsens,” he says with a chuckle. “Cody texted me, because he knew I was close, and I gave Ryan a call, since I figured I could use help with your car. Who knows how Mom found out. She probably called Ryan and he told her. Oh, and she invited you over for pie tonight.”

“Pie?” I say, my voice weak.

“Yeah, she makes the best pie you’ll ever eat,” Hunter says. He pauses, glancing at me. “Don’t feel obligated though. She’ll understand if you can’t come. You’ve had a stressful day already.”

I stare out the window as he drives into town. I make friends wherever I go, but I’m never very close to any of them. I don’t even have many contacts in my phone. I see people when I see them, like Mrs. Berryshire when she would sit outside her front door. But that’s it. I date when I meet someone I’m attracted to, and I’m usually friendly with the people I work with. Outside of that, I take care of myself. That isn’t always easy, but it’s the only way I know how to live.

This entire family stopped what they were doing to help me and I can’t fathom why. As far as they know, I’m just a charity case Cody picked up. No one knows what happened between Cody and me last night. At least, I don’t think they know. I’m no one to them—just some random girl.

Hunter pulls into a parking spot down the street from the café. “What time do you get off work?”

“Um,” I say, fumbling. “I’m not sure. I don’t officially start until tomorrow, so I’m just here to fill out paperwork and stuff.”

“Okay,” he says. He grabs his phone and types out a text. “I’ll just let Ryan know to meet me here, then. I’ll come in and get some coffee and a sandwich or something. I’m hungry anyway. If you’ll be longer than, say, an hour, Ryan and I can go check out your car. But if you won’t be long, we’ll just wait here.”

My chest constricts and the lump in my throat rises again. My phone dings with a text from Cody.

Hey sunshine, did Hunter find you?