was the truth of it. She might as well have pushed him off a cliff and straight into another dimension. And to think there had been a time she was certain they’d know each other forever.
Funny thing, that. The silly notions of a teenage girl.
The front door opened, and she saw his expression change. There was no sign of the easygoing kid Cody had been. Instead, there was a man who seemed neat and orderly and controlled and without any personality whatsoever. But she also saw a man who did not want to come face-to-face with the past. And she and Maggie represented the past.
“We’re having lobster rolls, and I don’t want to hear another—” Maggie stopped short at the sight of Cody, who now stood (at attention?) in the living room.
Louisa couldn’t help but admire him in that uniform. He made that thing look good. He’d always been a good-looking kid, but this adult version was a whole other level of handsome.
Never mind the tight line that seemed permanently etched in his forehead.
“Oh, my.” Ally practically sighed the words as she drank in the sight of the man in Louisa’s living room. “You’re even more beautiful than Louisa said.”
Louisa shot her a Shut up! look, but Ally seemed not to notice. Her friend was on a roll today.
Cody also seemed unfazed by the comment. Not a great sign, though she supposed he couldn’t break character when he’d committed so fully to playing the angry military man.
Maggie stood a full foot shorter than him, but somehow her presence almost seemed larger. She took him in—all six feet, two inches of him, if Louisa had to guess—then shook her head. “Well, look who it is.”
He gave her a stern nod. “Maggie.”
Louisa knew that just would not do. Not for Maggie.
“You decided to come back to Nantucket, and you didn’t even look me up? How am I supposed to not be offended by that?”
He shifted.
“No hug for your favorite aunt?” Maggie set her grocery bags on the floor.
Cody looked like a sturdy wall that someone was pulling apart, brick by brick.
And that someone was Maggie Fisher.
She stepped toward him, arms open, and he rigidly allowed her to hug him. It was almost painful to watch because the levels of affection seemed to be so mismatched.
Louisa and Alyssa exchanged a quick glance, and Louisa wondered if her friend was hoping for a turn in Cody’s arms.
“You’re staying to eat,” Maggie announced as she slipped out of Cody’s awkward embrace.
“Oh, Mags, that’s not a good idea—” Louisa said at the same time Cody said, “I’m sorry. I don’t think I can.”
Maggie harrumphed. “I know you Coasties. You don’t get a lot of home-cooked meals. And you’re here, so you’re obviously off duty.”
“No, Maggie, he was ordered to be here.”
Maggie frowned, and Louisa thought it would be a good idea to convince the old woman to tweeze her eyebrows. If she wasn’t careful, they’d start to look like two fuzzy caterpillars.
“Are you still on duty?”
Cody paused. “No, ma’am.”
“Ma’am?” Maggie laughed. “You can stop that right now.” She picked up her bags and toddled off to the kitchen.
Alyssa stepped forward as if presenting herself to Cody. “I’m Alyssa.”
He extended a hand, which she dutifully shook, and Louisa willed her friend not to say anything else that would embarrass her.
“Most people call me Ally.”
Cody nodded, then looked down at their hands. Alyssa seemed to have no intention of letting go.
“I’m Lou’s friend. We met in college. I tutored her in economics. She’s told me about you. Not just about today, but before today—”
“Ally,” Louisa cut her off. “Don’t you need to go help Maggie?”
Ally looked stunned for a quick second, then finally let go of Cody’s hand and walked into the kitchen.
“Sorry about that,” Louisa said.
“I really can’t stay,” Cody said.
“Good luck telling Maggie.”
A conflicted expression washed over his face.
“Sit down, Cody.” Maggie was back, this time carrying a glass of iced tea. “I had to get good tea while I was out because Louisa never remembers to buy it. And you can’t have a well-stocked kitchen without good tea.”
He reached out and took the glass, then did as he was told.
It was strange to see, really. Cody had never been much for rules or taking orders. Why would someone like that choose a career in the Coast Guard? And why wasn’t he the guy in charge by now?
“I suppose you’re here to do some damage control,” Maggie called out as she walked back to the kitchen.
“Ma’am?”
She