The Manning Sisters (22 page)

“No.” Christy's response was immediate. True, she'd only known Cody a short while, but in that time she'd learned how important law enforcement was to him.

“Thankfully some of us were able to talk some sense into him. He made the mistake of falling in love with the wrong woman—but then again, it was all due to his efforts that Becca and her friend were caught. If it hadn't been for Cody, no one knows how long their little scam would've worked or how many other communities would've been bilked. Unfortunately Cody didn't see it that way.”

“He's only human.” Christy felt a burning need to defend him.

“Becca used him. But worse than that, she made him feel like an idiot. It's taken three years for him to live it down, at least in his own mind. The way most folks figure it, Cody did Montana a good deed by putting Becca Morgan and her partner behind bars.”

“That's why he wouldn't run for sheriff until last year?” Taylor asked, shifting the baby in her arms.

“It's been his life's dream to be elected sheriff of Custer County, but it took all this time for him to agree to run. I suppose he felt he had to prove his worth all over again. The crazy part is that he could've won hands down
any
year, including the year he was involved with Becca.”

“I didn't know,” Taylor said softly.

“It's not something that's talked about a lot,” Russ explained. “The subject is such a painful one, it's best forgotten.”

“Then Becca's still in prison?” Christy managed to ask. Learning how Cody had been deceived was painful for her, too. The knowledge that justice had been done somehow made it easier to accept.

“From what I understand, she's tried to contact Cody a few times, claiming she really was in love with him, and still is. To hear her tell it, she was a helpless pawn in all this. She says she was a victim of blackmail. But Cody won't have anything to do with her.”

“I can certainly understand that,” Taylor said.

“You aren't comparing me to Becca, are you?” Christy asked bluntly, feeling even more wretched.

“You're no thief,” Russ said abruptly. “I'm not worried about you bilking the good citizens of Cougar Point, if that's what you think. No…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “After Becca something changed in Cody. He rarely dated. He closed himself off, became more pensive, introspective. It was as if he'd lost trust in women.”

Taylor nodded. “I can't say I really blame him.”

“I don't, either,” Christy added, realizing as she did so that she was condemning herself.

Russ frowned. “That's why I was so pleased about what happened after he met you. When he looked at you, it was like seeing the old Cody all over again, the man who smiled and joked and didn't take everything so seriously. I don't know what went on between you.” He hesitated and glanced at his wife. “Taylor's right when she says it isn't any of my business, but I won't stand by and let you take advantage of him.”

“I wouldn't…I couldn't.”

“Then why didn't you tell him you were engaged?”

Christy felt as if she'd been backed into a corner. “I planned to. I never intended to keep it a secret, but I needed time to think. You may not believe this, but I'd hoped to talk to Cody about James tonight. I was going to tell him everything.”

“Are you planning on marrying James?” Taylor asked, her eyes seeking Christy's.

The question came as a shock. “No. I couldn't—not after meeting Cody.”

“Then why didn't you break the engagement when you had the chance?” Russ asked. “You were just talking to him. It would've been a simple matter to tell him then.”

“I can't do it over the phone,” Christy said, jerking her head upward. “James is a good man. He deserves better than that. He hasn't done anything wrong. I hate to hurt him….” She paused when hot tears threatened to spill down her face. Biting her lower lip, she drew in a shuddering breath.

“Christy's right.” Taylor's words cut through the emotion of the moment. “This is a delicate situation. You can't expect her to call James and break off the engagement. That would be heartless. This is best done in person. James may be a bit dull, but he's a decent human being.”

“Is…is there any chance Cody will talk to me?” Christy wanted to drive into town and explain that she had no intention of going through with the marriage.

“I doubt he'll have anything to do with you,” Russ answered, confirming her worst fears.

“Wait until tomorrow,” Taylor advised. “Give him an opportunity to think everything through.”

“He asked me out to dinner…. But I'm not sure if he'll show up.”

“He won't,” Russ said. “I know him better than anyone, and I can tell you, as far as he's concerned, whatever was between you is over.”

Christy's shoulders sagged with defeat. “I was afraid of that.”

“Don't make it sound so hopeless,” Taylor muttered.

“She's engaged, for crying out loud. What do you expect Cody to do?” Russ said. “Ignore it? He isn't going to do that.”

“But I have every intention of breaking off the engagement.”

“I doubt that'll make any difference to him. I'll be surprised if he even listens to you.”

“That's not true,” Taylor said confidently. “Cody's a reasonable man, and it's obvious that he's attracted to you.”

“He isn't anymore.” Russ shook his head for emphasis.

Taylor shot daggers at her husband. “Russ Palmer, kindly allow me to finish.”

“Feel free, but you've got to understand. After Becca, Cody doesn't have a lot of trust in the opposite sex.”

“My sister isn't another Becca,” Taylor insisted.

“You and I know that.”

A short silence followed before Christy said, “Cody's smart enough to know it, too.” She wanted to believe that. Needed to believe it. But whether that was the case or not was something she'd soon discover.

 

Cody slammed his fist against the steering column. He was parked on the ridge that overlooked Cougar Point and had been sitting there for the past hour, collecting his thoughts.

Frustration and anger mounted with each passing minute. Drawing in a deep breath, he rubbed his face with both hands, certain he'd almost made a world-class fool of himself for the second time.

When was he going to learn? Women weren't to be trusted. Especially pretty blue-eyed ones who looked as pure as freshly fallen snow. On the outside they were all sweetness, but inside…His thoughts skidded to an abrupt halt despite his best efforts to think badly of Christy.

He couldn't compare Becca with Taylor's sister. The two women had little, if anything, in common. Becca was a con artist. Christy wouldn't know how to deceive anyone.

But she had.

She'd deceived him.

Once more he rubbed his hand down his face. Had she really? Hadn't she said there was something she needed to tell him? He'd stood in Russ's kitchen, looked into her beautiful eyes and had seen for himself the turmoil inside her. He'd been unable to grasp what was troubling her.

But right now all Cody could think about was himself. For the first time in years he'd been able to feel again. For the first time in years he'd been whole.

The only thing he felt now was an ache that cut far deeper than anything he'd known before. His feelings for Christy had been a cruel joke.

 

“You don't honestly expect Cody's going to come, do you?” Taylor asked as Christy sprayed her carefully styled hair. She'd spent the past half hour fussing with her makeup and hair, hoping that if she looked her best, it would lend her confidence.

“No. But I want to be ready in case he does.”

“You've been restless all day,” her sister said.

“I know. I can't help it. Oh, Taylor, I can't bear to let things end this way between Cody and me. Everything felt so…so right with us.”

“It's hard, isn't it?”

She nodded, fighting the need to rush to him and make him understand. “His eyes were so cold. I didn't know anyone could look so…” She couldn't think of a word strong enough to describe her fears.

For much of the night she'd wrestled with the sheets and blankets, trying to find a comfortable position. Once she did and closed her eyes, the disdainful look on Cody's face would pop into her mind. Her eyes would fly open, and the need to explain to him would dominate her thoughts again.

She'd spent most of the night composing what she was going to say. All day she'd been mentally rehearsing it so when the time came she'd be ready.

But she didn't feel ready now. She felt uneasy and scared, as if nothing she could say or do would make a difference.

“If he doesn't come, what do you plan to do?”

“Go to him,” Christy said firmly. “He made a date, and he's going to keep it whether he wants to or not.”

A quick smile flashed from Taylor's eyes, and her lips quivered with the effort to suppress it. “I see.”

“I mean it. If Cody isn't man enough to give me a chance to explain, then he deserves what he's going to get.”

“And what's that?”

“I haven't decided yet, but I'll think of something.”

“Yes, I'm sure you will,” Taylor said on her way out of the bathroom.

Once she was finished, Christy joined her sister, who was busy with dinner preparations. “Let me help,” she insisted, feeling guilty that Taylor was stuck with the cooking. The very reason Christy was in Montana was to help with the household chores while Taylor recuperated.

“Don't be silly. I'm perfectly fine. Besides, you might mess up your makeup.” Leaning against the counter, Taylor surveyed Christy's attire. “Personally I'm betting Cody's not going to be able to take his eyes off you.”

“Oh, Taylor, do you really think so?” Looking her best was important to Christy. If Cody was going to slam the door in her face, which was a distinct possibility, then she wanted him to know what he was missing.

“There's something different about you,” Taylor went on to say, her expression somber. She crossed her arms and cocked her head to one side.

“You mean the eyeliner. I'm using a different shade.”

“No, this doesn't have anything to do with eyeliner. You're not the same Christy I left when I moved away from Seattle.”

“I'm older,” Christy said, “and hopefully more mature.”

Taylor paused to consider that. “I suppose that's part of it, but there's more.”

“Oh?”

“You were always the ‘good daughter.'”

“You make it sound like you were the bad one, and that isn't the least bit true.”

“But we both know I love an argument,” Taylor said, “and Dad was always willing to comply. We were so often at odds.”

“But you and Dad loved and respected each other. It wasn't like some families.”

“I know. It's just that we're so different. About the worst thing I can remember you doing was running around the house with a pair of scissors in your hand.”

“I did go swimming in the community pool without a bathing cap that one time, remember?”

“Ah, yes, I'd forgotten about that. You renegade!”

They laughed. Taylor was right; Christy had never caused a problem, never been in trouble. The good daughter. Too good, in some ways.

“You realize Mom and Dad are going to be disappointed when they find out you aren't going to marry James.”

“Probably more disappointed than James,” Christy joked.

Taylor frowned slightly. “Are you sure you're doing the right thing?”

The question was unexpected. “Of course. Very soon after I met Cody, I knew I should never have agreed to marry James. I…”

“Then why did you?”

“Well…because we're friends and we'd been working together a lot, and it just seemed…like a good idea.”

“Your decision had nothing to do with Mom and Dad?”

“I…ah…”

“I don't mean to pressure you or sound like a know-it-all, but if you check your motives, I think you might discover that you accepted James's proposal for all the wrong reasons. It suited Mom and Dad for you to marry him, and you went along with it because you were trying to please them. Am I right?”

“I…” Christy lowered her eyes as a tingling extended from her stomach to her arms and down her fingers. She loved her parents so much and wanted to make them proud of her. Her marrying James would certainly have done that. Christy had been so concerned about doing what her parents thought was right that she'd never considered if it was best for her.

“Christy?”