Page 12 of Everything After

“I’m heading down to the Keys to spend some time with Greg and Deakon from Screaming Shadows, then we’re all coming up to Miami on the weekend.”

“Oh, that sounds like fun. Alfie loves all the guys in that band, but he’s got a soft spot for Greg.” Irishman Greg had been a replacement for the old bassist in that band and a much better fit.

“Yeah, I love them all, but I’ve become good buddies with Greg too,” Cody agreed.

“Are you bringing anyone with you to the band Barbecue?” I probed, hoping he’d mention some girl or other.

“Nah, just me,” he replied in a flat tone.

“So when are you going to find a nice girl and settle down?” I asked.

“I did find a nice girl. The problem was that someone else found her first,” he mumbled and gave me the same wry smile as before.

I should have been flattered because Cody was a great guy, and had I not fallen hard for my husband from the beginning, he might well have been in with a shot at some point. But once smitten by Alfie, I’d only ever seen Cody in platonic terms.

“Aw, trust me, Cody. There’s a gorgeous girl who’s just right for you, waiting out there.”

“Funny, I thought I’d already met her,” Cody hinted again, his smile sad now. “But it’s okay, I know Alfie makes you happy.”

My affectionate smile hid the dull ache in my heart that he couldn’t see past me. Cody had the world at his feet and the pick of beautiful women world-wide, yet he appeared still fixated on me.

I’d made it clear from the moment I’d joined XrAid that I would never date anyone in our band. Yet Cody’s devotion toward me had never wavered. Of course, he’d been with plenty of women since he’d voiced his attraction for me, but he’d never gotten serious with a girl since I’d known him.

Professionally, he’d been the one person who has always calmed my stage fright with his gentle, uplifting words in the moments prior to us taking the stage. Both he and Lennie, our lead guitarist, were super-supportive and indeed, it had been Cody who’d coaxed me back to work after a horrible accident on stage during one of our concerts.

“Let’s not do this again,” I suggested, sounding tired. “I love you, but not how you want me to. Even though Alfie and I tried not to fall in love, it happened anyway. Let’s not give him any reason to doubt how solid our marriage is. Do you realize howdifficult it would be for us to continue to work together if he heard this conversation? He’d go ballistic.”

“I know but you asked me a question so I should be allowed to express how I feel, even if you don’t feel the same. I’ve tried to look forward, but you set the bar high. I’ve never found another girl that measures up.”

My heart ached again with his confession. I sighed and stared at him for the longest time, before talking again. “Your friendship means everything to me… I-I just wish…” I shrugged, unable to say anything that might have made him feel better. A crushing pain grew in my chest as a feeling of helplessness settled in there.

I stared at a man who deserved the world, and I wished more than anything that Cody would meet his match. All he needed was someone who would steal his breath and leave him dazed by how hard he was in love with her.

“I know,” he said in a philosophical tone, covering for my lack of soothing words. He sighed. “I get it. It’s because I don’t have a chunk of metal speared through the crown of my dick, right?” he joked, suddenly lightening the heavy vibe between us, and casting me a rueful smile.

Thankfully our conversation was disrupted by the plane landing, sparing my blushes about his kinky reference to my husband’s sexy apadravya piercing.

Unbuckling my seatbelt, I stood and gathered my belongings while the male cabin crew member unlocked and opened the door. Cody moved past him and jogged down the steps.

“See you Sunday, I guess,” Cody muttered as he held out a hand to guide me down onto the asphalt.

“Of course,” I said as I stepped off the plane. I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Still holding my hand, Cody led me to the small passenger transport cart that sat, waiting to transfer me from the airplane to the helipads.

Slipping my hand from his, I smiled, nodding toward the driver of the chauffeur driven car loading our luggage into the trunk. “Go catch your ride… and remember to turn up sober to Lennie’s, there’ll be kids there.”

“I know,” he replied in a singsong voice. “Jack needs to tie a knot in it now,” he joked.

“Tell me about it,” I grumbled. “But he and Mya make beautiful babies so…” I trailed off, grinning when the image of my best friend, Jack, surrounded by his children floated through my mind. I might have been biased, but Jack’s duo Spanish-English heritage made him and his children look utterly stunning.

Jack and Mya were flying into Miami over the weekend with their brood of five kids—their youngest being David—in honor of David Bowie.

“Right, I’d better…” he mumbled awkwardly, hitching a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of his car. “Sorry about the convo, I’m already feeling bummed with myself that I took us to that weird place again,” he admitted.

“You’re always weird,” I teased in return to lighten the mood as we were leaving. “See you Sunday.” I tapped the cart driver to let him know we were done, because the last thing I’d wanted was for things to turn awkward again.

As my transport put distance between us, I breathed a sigh of relief that our strained conversation was over.

Over the years, Cody had gotten less verbal about his feelings toward me. However, today was the anniversary of the day that I’d auditioned to join XrAid.