Unlikely Lovers (22 page)

“And who would have thought we
’d go out, bowl, have dinner, watch a movie, and talk for hours without hitting the sheets the minute we walked through the door?”

“The night’s not over yet, Jess
ie.” He looked at her with a question in his brown eyes.

“Cody, kiss me.”

He took her in his arms and kissed her, not gently, but not roughly. It was a sweet kiss, one that lovers shared after they’ve been a couple for a long time. Then he held her close for what seemed an eternity.

“I need to go…” he started to get up.

“Do you have to? You can stay here with me, we don’t have to do anything, Cody. Just stay with me.”

“Do you actually think we could make it through an entire night together and not do anything? Really, Jess
ie?”

“We could try, and if we slip up and something happens, so what?”

“Oh, my pretty lady, what am I going to do about you?” He sat back down and looked at her in earnest.

“I don’t know, Cody. I just don’t know.”

They snuggled and talked until the wee hours of the morning. They fell asleep in each other’s arms on her old navy blue couch. When she awoke a few hours later, she gently woke him and led him into her bedroom. Fully dressed, they crawled into her antique iron bed and slept the rest of the night contentedly in each other’s arms.

When they awoke the next morning, she smiled and said, “We made it through the night.”

“And we’re both still dressed. Maybe there’s hope for us, yet, pretty lady.”

He cleaned up in her bathroom while she made coffee. After her turn in the
bathroom, she asked if he wanted her to cook breakfast.

“No, I think I need to go.”

“Okay.”

He kissed her goodbye and left.

He didn’t call or text again after that night and
so one sunshiny Saturday afternoon later in the summer, Jessica decided to do something daring. She drove to Cody’s. When he answered the door, she didn’t speak, just pushed him inside then told him, “I want one more time with you.”

“Jess
ie, I thought we talked about this,” he argued.

“I don’t care. I know what I want.”

“Jessie.”

“If you want me to beg, I will. I seem to remember a
few nights when you told me I had to beg for it.”

“One last time
for old times’ sake?” he asked as he searched her face.

“One last time for old times’ sake,
” she replied as she took his hand and lifted it to her cheek.

He looked into her eyes and said, “One more time, Jess
ie, but this time, no games, no angry words, no rough, jealous sex and no broken hearts, just one more time, for old times’ sake.”

“That’s all I ask, baby, that’s all I ask,” she replied solemnly.

He slowly led her into his once familiar bedroom. He pushed her hair back and gently caressed her face as he looked deeply into her eyes, two dark pools of emerald filled with desire for him. Without a word, he leaned down to kiss her. Her hands found their way to the shock of wavy brown hair that she loved so much. The kiss deepened as his passion grew.

She looked into his eyes, the beautiful big brown eyes she had fallen in love
with on that night so long ago. The eyes of the man she dreamt of before she even met him. Leading her to the bed, he gently laid her down, kissing her again. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, the tip of her nose, and the lobes of her ears. Moving to her neck and down, when he reached her breasts, he took one nipple into mouth, slowly circling it with his magic tongue then treating the other to the same pleasures. She gasped as he moved slowly down her body, caressing her, tantalizing her with his hands and his tongue. He continued to tease her as he’d done so many times in the past. He loved her as only he could do. It was as beautiful as she’d known it would be.

He whispered in her ear, “Jess
ie, you are mine forever. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered through tear filled eyes.

And when it was over, she dressed silently, kissed him goodbye for what would probably be the last time, and drove home, crying the entire way.

Sleep finally came, but she had the dream again. She
hadn’t had it in a long while, but it was back and it was as clear as day. She was watching a wedding. The bride walked up the aisle with a veil covering her face. She couldn’t quite see the bride’s face because of the veil. The dream progressed a little further this time. The bride actually got to the front of the church to take her place beside Cody. He lifted her veil and looked at her with love in his eyes. But she still couldn’t quite see the face of the bride.

S
everal weeks later Jessica’s orders finally came through. She would report to Fort Riley in December, a few months after Missy’s baby was due to be born.

When she called Missy to tell her the news, she was ecstatic and couldn’t wait
for Jess to get there. “I’ve missed working with you and having you around. It would’ve been nice for Andy to have Cody here, as well. If you guys had gotten together, he could’ve moved with you. They’re hiring where Andy works.”

Her project at work was
near completion and she had begun to plan her move. She’d gone to Kansas to find a place to live over Labor Day weekend, the same weekend she’d visited the year before. She decided to rent a house this time instead of living on post and was lucky to find one in the same neighborhood as the Reed’s that would be available by the time she was ready for it in December. It was a cute two-bedroom bungalow with an extra room that could be used as an extra bedroom or an office. Her antique furniture would work well with the décor and she was anxious to get settled. She had an ulterior motive in mind when she’d chosen the house.

Missy
was at the uncomfortable stage of her pregnancy during her visit with only about a month to go until delivery. Jessica enjoyed watching Andy pamper her and envisioned herself heavy with child being catered to by a doting Cody.

The evening before Jessica was to go back to Oklahoma, she told Missy and Andy her plan. “I know you two don’t approve of the schemes Cody and I have pulled with each other in the past, but this is different.”

“I agree with you on that, Jess, this one may just work.” Andy smiled at her as he gently massaged his wife’s aching back. “He loves you, you love him.”

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it did work and you both end up living in the house down the street?” Missy was hopeful.

“We’re at a peaceful place right now. We’ve gone from six months of bliss to a year of torture to the place we are now. There’s nothing standing in our way anymore. He knows the truth about my life, the drinking problem is under control, we’ve forgiven each other for past hurts and yet we’ve said goodbye because we knew I was leaving Oklahoma. That’s just crazy, the solution is staring us in the face. All we have to do is look at the two of you.”

Missy looked at her husband with love in her eyes and smiled
. “I’m glad we can assist by being such an inspiration to you, Jess.”

Andy grew serious
. “Jess, honey, you do realize the games have to end for this to work. Cody’s made it clear to several people he can’t tolerate the mind games anymore.”

“There’s no need for games, Andy. I screwed this thing up royally and Cody had a scheme or two of his own along the way. They’ve all backfired on us. This final plan
isn’t a game and it’s not a scheme. It’s my final attempt to convince the man I love that we belong together.”

“I hear you and I believe you. I wish you the best of luck, honey.” He got up and walked to where she was sitting. He hugged her then sat back down on the black leather couch next to his wife.

“I would get up and hug you too, but I don’t think that’s such a good idea right now. I think my water just broke,” Missy said as she looked at the two of them with eyes the size of saucers.

“Jess, help her get her things together, I’ll call the doctor and tell him we’re on our way to the hospital.”

It was a mad rush for the next several minutes as Jessica and Andy helped Missy to the car and they made a dash for the hospital on post.

“It’s too early, isn’t it, Andy?” Missy looked at her husband with fear evident in her pretty blue eyes.

“Let’s just stay calm and see what the doctor says, baby.”

Missy was quickly taken to a room where the doctor met with them minutes later.

“Well, young lady, let’s just see what’s happening here. I don’t think your little guy wants to wait another month to make his arrival.”

After examining Missy and looking at the ultrasound, he said, “I believe we may have miscalculated you
r due date. You’re probably only a few weeks early, if that. Everything looks good on the ultrasound and the monitor shows no distress with the baby. I’d say you are in normal labor, Major Reed.”

“Oh, my,” Missy replied nervously.

“It’s okay, baby. I’m right here with you every step of the way.”

Jessica decid
ed it was time to leave the soon-to-be parents alone, so she excused herself. “I’ll call your mother, Missy.”

“That would be great and when you come back in, maybe you could help with some things at the house, since we weren’t quite expecting this so soon.”

“I’d be happy to, sweetie.”

By the time Jessica had alerted Missy’s mom, her own mother, and Karen
, and returned to the labor room, Missy was in full blown labor. Andy handed Jessica a list of things that needed to be done and a list of things that needed to be bought. He handed her some crisp bills that he’d just gotten from the ATM machine and sent her on her way.

“We may have our little boy by the time you get back if she keeps this up,” he
told her as she walked out the door.

“I’ll be back when everything
’s done. Good luck, I love you both.”

She found the mall and purchased the things on the list before going back to the
house. She bought last minute baby items and groceries then went back to the house to organize things for the arrival of Baby Boy Reed.

She straightened the house, put together some quick casseroles
for them to freeze and eat later and after putting them in the oven, threw a load of laundry in the washing machine.

She wanted everything to be perfect for Missy and Andy until their families could
arrive to help. Missy’s mother had agreed to alert Andy’s family but no one had thought to call Cody.
Should I?

She finally decided she should and paced the floor as she waited for him to pick up.

After what seemed like an eternity, he answered, “
Jessie?”

“
Yeah, it’s me. Something happened I thought you’d want to know about.”

“Are you al
l right?”

“
I’m fine. I’m in Kansas visiting the Reeds. Missy’s in labor. The baby’s coming early. I didn’t know if Andy had a chance to let you know.”

“Wow…that is big news. Is everyone doing
okay?”

“When I left the hospital, it didn’t seem like it would be very long. She was moving along pretty quickly. Andy sent me on some errands, so
I’ll be going back over there when I’m finished up here at their house.”

“It’s a good thing you were there to help out.”

“Their families are on their way so I’ll head back home sometime tomorrow. Well, I need to get casseroles out of the oven and clothes out of the dryer, so I’ll let you go. I just thought you’d want to know.”

“
Thanks, Jessie.”

“Cody?”

“Goodbye.”

“Goodbye, Cody.”

Had he started to say something else and changed his mind? It certainly had seemed that way.

Jessica finished her chores and drove back to the hospital. When she arrived, Andy took her to the nursery and proudly pointed out his son.

“Missy’s sleeping. We’ve decided to name him after two special people in our lives. His name is Dakota Jesse Reed and we’d like to ask you to be his godmother, Jess.”

Tears formed in her eyes
. “Oh, Andy, I’d be proud to be this little guy’s godmother. And I especially like the Dakota form of Cody’s name.”

“I thought you would.
I’m going to call Cody and ask him to be Dakota’s godfather.”

“I hope you don’t mind. I called and told him Missy was in labor.”

“You did? Did you talk about anything else?”

“No, we kept it short. Our time will come. Tonight
’s about the Reed family.”

She admired the baby for a few minutes longer then went in to sit with Missy while Andy made his call to Cody.

How our lives have all changed in two short years, she thought as she watched her best friend sleeping, exhausted from childbirth.

Jessica returned to Fort Sill late on Monday evening. It’d been an eventful Labor Day with little Dakota’s grandparents’ arrival in Kansas. She had watched as the happy family doted on their new addition. She was wistful as she imagined that someday it might be her and Cody with a new baby. She imagined her mother and her aunt, Cody’s sister and her family all doting on the newest addition to the Jones’ family. Maybe someday, she told herself, hopefully.