Page 91 of Mountain Dreams

“Seems like she’s settled in, living at your place and working at the resort.”

“Yeah, so?”

“So, she might be wondering where things are going or if they’re going anywhere.”

Cody took another drink of beer and waited for more words of wisdom from his older brother. Jax must have said all he was going to, though, because he turned his attention to a fight scene on TV.

A while later, the movie ended, and as the credits rolled, the front door opened, and in walked Avery and Dakota. Cody peered behind them, hoping Maddie had tagged along, but they were alone.

“Are Maddie’s sisters still at my house?” he asked.

“They left when we did, so she’s all alone,” Dakota said with a knowing grin.

Not her too! His siblings could be so annoying. “Well, it was nice seeing you all. I’m outta here.” He stood and prepared to leave.

“Hold on,” said Dakota. In the meantime, Avery went over to where Jax was sitting and perched on his lap.

“Uh-oh,” said Avery.

“What’d I do?” Cody asked impatiently.

“Nothing that I know of…yet!” Dakota said. “But you better not hurt her.”

“Why does everybody keep saying that?”

Dakota punched her hands on her hips and raised her brows. “Hello, aren’t you the Sawyer brother who won Biggest Flirt in high school?”

He rolled his eyes. “That was a long time ago.”

“Ha!” Dakota laughed, but it wasn’t the pleasant kind of laughter. “Up until recently, you were still that guy.”

He couldn’t argue with her, and Jax was nodding his head in agreement.

“I’m not going to hurt her,” Cody stated emphatically.

“Can I say something?” Dakota said.

“Even if I said no, that wouldn’t stop you.”

“You’re right, so listen up. I walked in on a conversation between Maddie and her sisters, and they sounded worried about her. Or more specifically, about you and her.”

Cody’s hands clenched at his sides. “Why? What did they say?”

“They asked if she was still apartment hunting, and when she said no…”

“They’re worried I’m going to hurt her too.” He couldn’t blame Maddie’s sisters for looking out for her, but it irked him that nobody believed in him. However, like Jax had intimated, the only person he needed to convince was Maddie. If she believed in him, everyone else would fall into line.

“I have to go,” he said, grabbing his coat off the couch and shoving it on.

“Don’t you want to stay and chat some more?” Dakota teased.

“No. Catch you guys later,” he said on his way out the door.

When he pulled up to his house, he realized that she hadn’t texted that the party was over like she’d promised to. He’d known when Dakota and Avery had shown up at Jax’s, but that was beside the point. Was she stewing over what her sisters had said?

He unlocked the door and hurried inside, scanning around for his beautiful roommate. Then he heard a sound in the kitchen and followed it, not bothering to take off his shoes and coat.

He turned the corner and saw her at the kitchen sink with her back to him, busily scrubbing a dish like her life depended on it. She must have heard him come in, but she didn’t even turn around.