Page 17 of Sweet Music (Sugarville Grove #7)

“You definitely need to join,” Cody said, his face lighting up. “You’re the perfect decoy.”

“ What?” Cash asked, pretending to be offended.

“Come on,” Annika told him. “We’ll explain.”

“Are you in on this too?” Cash asked Bella.

“Not a chance,” she told him, laughing. “I’m a snowball pacifist. Want me to hold those?”

He handed off the bag of warm doughnuts and she watched as the three of them disappeared behind the ice-skating rink to strategize.

“ No way,” she heard Tom Bernard saying to the other three boys, who had trailed back over just in time to see Cody and Annika leave with Cash. “ He wasn’t lying. ”

Bella enjoyed her morning watching Cody, Annika, and Cash laughing, running, flinging snowballs, and just generally having a good time.

As promised, Tom Bernard and his crew came after Cody as soon as the competition began. Bella wondered why Cash wasn’t with the kids and figured that he’d gotten held up by fans wanting to chat about music or his childhood here in town.

Instead, as soon as the boys had Cody and Annika all but cornered by the skating rink, Cash jumped out from behind the big evergreen and let out his signature whoop that he liked to yell at his concerts and in many of his songs.

The boys turned to him in awe, and Cody and Annika pelted them with snowballs while they were distracted.

“ Nooooo,” Tom yelled. But he was smiling, and he gave Cody a friendly wave on his way out of the park.

“See ya, Cody,” another boy called to him.

Cody beamed. But before he had time to celebrate, someone hit him in the shoulder with a massive snowball. His face fell, but Bella had to laugh when she saw the excitement of the tiny little girl who’d taken him out as she jumped up and down and pumped her little, mittened fists.

When Cody spotted his attacker, his smile returned and he pretended to fall to the ground, causing the little girl to practically lift off the ground with joy. Still grinning at her, he got up, waved to Annika and Cash, and headed over to Bella.

“That was nice,” Bella said. “You made her really happy.”

Cody shrugged, his eyes on the remaining two members of the alliance.

They did pretty well for a bit, hiding behind the rink and lobbing snowballs whenever anyone passed. But before too long, someone took notice. A couple of teens snuck up from behind and took aim at Annika. Most of them missed, but one hit her mark.

Annika jogged over to join Cody and Bella.

“That was fun,” she said, panting. “I guess it’s all up to your dad now.”

But Cash got a lot more daring as soon as he was the last of the trio on the field. He took his vengeance on two of the teens who had taken Annika out, whooping as he did. But then he was hit by Dale Stravinsky, the high school softball coach, just a moment later.

Cash didn’t even really try to dodge, and Bella thought it was sweet that he clearly hadn’t wanted to stay in the game without the kids. And now that the flurries had turned into a proper snowfall, Bella was starting to feel the chill a little more.

“Hey,” Cash said as he rejoined the group.

“Sorry we didn’t hang in there longer,” Annika offered.

“We’ll have to start planning our strategy earlier for next year,” Cash said immediately. “Anybody want ice cream?”

Next year …

He said it so casually that it was easy to believe he meant it. But Bella knew from experience that saying a thing and actually doing it could be worlds apart.

“Definitely,” Cody replied.

As the big, lazy snowflakes fell all around them, turning the little town into a perfect snow globe, Cash led the way to Stone’s Throw Creamery . The Lawrence family’s ice cream shop was right across the street from the park, so it was the perfect spot for them to stop .

Clearly, they weren’t the only ones to have that idea. There was a decent line out front of the shop, and the inside looked pretty packed as well. Cash’s sister-in-law, Charlotte, was visible through the big front window, busily filling orders behind the counter.

“Come on,” Cash said, bypassing the line and holding open the door.

“Don’t we have to wait? Cody asked quietly, indicating the people outside.

“That table in there is reserved for us,” Cash told him, nodding toward the only empty seats in the place.

“No way,” Annika said. “I didn’t even know you could do that.”

“Family privilege,” Cash said with a wink.

“Nice,” Cody told him, gesturing for Annika to walk in ahead of him.

Bella smiled at his good manners as she followed after the young woman.

“Welcome, welcome,” Charlotte said, smiling at them all from behind the counter. “Your table is all set. I’ll be right over to get your order.”

It was nice and warm inside, so they all peeled off layers and hung their coats before settling in. Cash sat across from Bella, and somehow, even after running around and getting smashed with snowballs, he was more handsome than ever.

Don’t look at him, she tried to tell herself.

But she wasn’t exactly sure how she was supposed to avoid that when he was right in front of her.

“So, what does everyone want?” Cash asked, leaning forward and addressing the kids before Bella had a chance to feel too awkward.

They talked ice cream for a few minutes, the kids weighing their choices with Cash’s help. And the people around them all seemed more interested in their own conversations and sweet treats than with the rock star in their midst.

It all felt so… normal. And Cody looked so happy to be here with a friend and with his father. His eyes kept dancing between them.

After a minute or two, Charlotte stopped by the table and gave Cody a warm smile.

“It’s nice to see you, Cody,” she said. “I’m your Aunt Charlotte.”

“Nice to meet you,” Cody said politely.

“Your dad probably didn’t get a chance to mention it yet,” Charlotte said. “But you’re invited to your grandparents’ place for family dinner tomorrow night.”

Cody’s face lit up and suddenly Bella’s calm was replaced with panic twisting her stomach and crawling up her throat.

“I’m just going to pop out for a second,” she heard herself murmur as she got up. “I think I dropped my scarf in the park.”

She pulled out her chair and slipped through the crowded storefront without waiting for anyone to acknowledge her.

The ache in her chest was so much more painful because it was familiar. She could barely take a breath as she opened the door and stepped into the steadily falling snow. It was only when she made it all the way outside that she felt the frosty air finally filling her lungs.

She took a few steps away to get out of view of the ice cream shop.

Across the street, the last of the snowball fighters were screaming with glee and laughing in the park. Spectators watched and cheered from the sidewalk, while recent losers streamed out, heading down to the diner or out to their cars.

Once again, Bella found herself surrounded by happy sights and sounds, while her own heart felt like it was falling in on itself.

Why can’t I get over any of it? Why am I stuck?

Seeing Cody happy, visiting with his dad and being accepted by his family should make her happy. And it did. But it also filled her with this desperate, animal fear.

I don’t want him hurt, that’s all. But getting hurt is a part of life.

And the other thing… well, it was too painful and mortifying for her to waste time being heartbroken about something that happened so long ago.

She began walking again, but suddenly a hand closed around her arm.

“Bella,” that familiar husky voice said. “Where are you going?”

She turned quickly and found herself practically in Cash’s arms.

He was so big, so warm, and those beautiful, dark eyes searched hers with concern.

“I… I was just going to look for my scarf,” she heard herself wh isper.

“It was with your coat,” Cash said, pulling her scarf out of his jacket with his free hand.

Her cheeks heated as she realized she’d been caught running away for no reason.

“He doesn’t have to come to my parents’ place tomorrow,” Cash said, his voice so gentle and kind as he made the obvious connection.

“If you’re not comfortable with it, then it won’t happen.

Plain and simple. Not until you decide he’s ready.

Cody’s not a little kid, but he’s not an adult yet either. He needs you looking out for him.”

“No,” she said right away. “No, I want this for him. I can drop him tomorrow…”

“It’s not just for him,” Cash said. “You’re coming too. Everyone is really excited about it.”

“I don’t want to be in the way,” she said right away. The thought of Cody being thrown in with Cash’s big family was scary enough. She hadn’t even considered being a part of it herself. “Your parents want to get to know Cody. They don’t want to spend time with me.”

“ I’m excited to spend time with you.” His voice was so low it was practically a growl.

Suddenly, all her worry dropped away and she felt sparks flying through her again like the first time he’d touched her hand. He was still holding her so close, his strong hand on her arm, her chest pressed to him so that she had to tilt her head back to take him in.

His eyes flashed with emotion and his hand tightened around her arm as the big snowflakes collected in his too-long hair.

“What is this?” he murmured. “What are you doing to me? ”

She tried to hold his gaze, but her traitorous eyes went to his mouth instead, and her frozen heart began to thunder back to life in her chest.

“Bella,” he whispered, bending slowly to close the tiny distance between them.

“Is that Cash Law?” someone squealed from halfway down the sidewalk.

Bella pulled back, horrified that she had been about to let the man kiss her in the middle of the street, in front of everyone.

What is wrong with me?

Cash let go of her arm, but his hand slid down to fold around hers and squeeze once before he let go.