Page 167 of Everything After

“That’s it?” I asked, incredulously.

He chuckled. “No. She said no. And I mean a flat no.”

“What then?” I asked as I folded my arms. I was totally invested because Alyna’s no had moved her up a notch in myestimation. Cody was a famous rock star and apart from that stuff with me, I reckoned any girl had seldom told him no.

“I asked her if she was married. She said it was none of my business.” He laughed. “I took that as a definite no to the married question, because if she had been, she’d likely have said so.”

I smiled. “We’ll make a detective out of you yet,” I teased, unfolding my arms and elbowing him in his ribs.

He grinned. “So, I said something like ‘Ahah’, like I’d caught her out, and she smiled. I then charmed her by saying the dating pool in a remote spot where we were must be very small, pointed out she could do worse, and who knew what the result of our date might be? I think, I even said the worst that could happen is she’d have a full belly for free.”

I laughed because I could imagine that scene. “Anyway, Alyna, cocked her head and raised an eyebrow at that comment like she was considering my point, so I went in for the kill and added, ‘And at best she might well end up with a husband’. I was joking, of course.”

I laughed harder. “You must have been keen when you put so much effort into an argument for that date.”

He smiled a smug-looking smile. “She said the same. Then she said, ‘Look, I have a six-year-old daughter, and although I don’t doubt you have the moves in bed, judging by the state of your board, I wouldn’t risk a one-night stand with a surfer boy again, not after what happened last time’.”

“Last time, meaning a surfer dude is her daughter’s father? Damn, I love her already. She’s a single mom?”

“No, she’s my wife, and I have a stepdaughter, Amalia… and yes, she was the result of a one-night stand.”

“How did you win Alyna over?”

“I stuck around. Kept showing up, and I was honest. I told her my history, even the stuff with you, then she told me she thought I’d looked familiar.”

“She’s not into music?” I asked.

“Not really, I mean she listens to the radio but that’s about it.”

“I can’t believe she fell for a rock star, given her history. They’re worse than surfers in my book,” I remarked.

“That’s mostly true, unless you take a chance and fall in love with ‘the one’, right? Everything after that is plain sailing, even when times aren’t smooth,” Cody countered, nodding toward Alfie.

I smiled because he spoke the truth, in my case at least. “Sounds to me you should have left XrAid years ago. You look genuinely happy.”

“I’m fucking deliriously happy. Forgive me for saying this, but all that shit with you… thatwaspart of my burden. I sound like that song by Selena Gomez, “Lose You to Love Me.” Except in my case I never had you, but yes, leaving XrAid did heal my soul.”

My heart squeezed at his reference to us and the history that had gone before. “I’m ecstatic you found your princess, Cody. You have no idea how delighted I am to see you in love.”

“I am…soooin love. Alyna is incredible. And now, fatherhood blended and otherwise is on the cards for me. I’m excited—and nervous. I now understand some of the feelings that you went through when you found out you were pregnant with Charlie. This is an accidental pregnancy for us, just like Amalia was for my wife. But this time Alyna’s got a man who’s going nowhere. I’m obsessed with her.”

“Would you mind if I borrowed my wife for a few minutes, Cody?” Alfie mumbled, breaking up our conversation. He took my arm to lead me away.

“Just a sec, Alfie.” I said, stepping back into Cody’s space. “May I have a hug?” I asked carefully.

“Sure,” he said, grinning, and held out his arms.

When he wrapped me in his embrace, happy tears sprang to my eyes because Cody hugged me like he always had, except this time when he did it, I felt none of the tight desperation from him that used to be there. “I’m so happy for you,” I whispered.

He stepped back, tipped my nose with his finger, and smiled. “Not as happy as I am for me, Lily.”

“When you two are done making up,” Alfie grumbled. “It’s time, baby. Do you want to say it, or shall I?”

“Since I did it last time, I’ll let you have the floor,” I said.

Alfie pulled me into his side. “My only wish is that Lennie was here to see his reaction to this,” Alfie mumbled, chuckling as he called out to get our guests attention. I smiled but predicted there wouldn’t be a hissy fit from my bandmate like there was last time.

“If I can have your attention for a few moments, guys. We just want to say thanks to you all for coming to share our beautiful son’s first birthday. And to let you all know, Lily won’t be touring next year, because she’s pregnant again,” Alfie said without fanfare. “I’d also like to clear up that this one is a girl, Layla after my sister, for those already guessing the name. So, no surprises here, I’m afraid, because I had to know if this was a girl as I needed time to prepare.”