the bullet hit him? Did he realize in that instant that he’d never see Cheyenne again?
For the first time in a long time, the images flashed in his mind. Horrific images of bloody limbs and utter destruction … dust and gunfire flying through the air in a whirl of terrible noise and death. Always death. He blinked hard and the images disappeared. If Art had known … would he want Cody to be here now? Standing in his place … helping Cheyenne through her injuries, through her season of healing? Maybe even falling for her?
He let the thought stand in the doorway of his soul for a long time, two minutes maybe. The answer was yes, right? Like Tara said, God had spared Cody and since things hadn’t worked out with Bailey … this must be the reason. So he could be here for Cheyenne.
For a single instant, he looked down at the ring on his right index finger, the friendship ring from Bailey. Wherever she was, she’d moved on. He had seen her Facebook page, the pictures from her opening night. And there was another photo: one of her and a guy. He wasn’t tagged in the picture and the guy’s face wasn’t clear, but Cody knew who it was. He would’ve recognized Brandon Paul’s build, his profile anywhere.
Her profile still said she was single, but by the expression on her face she wouldn’t be for long. Cody pictured the two of them, the way they’d looked in the photo. Brandon had clearly made his way to New York to see her show, and somehow he’d kept the event from the paparazzi. Cody gritted his teeth and tried to put her out of his mind. He wanted to feel happy for her, glad she’d found what he couldn’t give her: a happy life, safe and whole.
But he wasn’t there yet.
“Okay, I’m ready.” Cheyenne turned off the fan, opened the door, and with painstaking attention to detail, she moved her walker back into the hall. They took minutes moving down the hall and through the kitchen, and once when she tripped he stopped her from falling. Frustration made her furrow her brow. “I’m sorry … I … I have to work harder.”
“It’s okay.” Cody made sure she was steady. “You’re doing great.”
Again she smiled at him, but only briefly. It took all her concentration to make it the rest of the way to the sofa. When she finally sat down, he expected her to look exhausted. But instead her eyes were bright, like the walk had breathed new life into her day, her disposition. “That was wonderful. Just moving again.”
Cody understood. He’d gone through a similar rehabilitation after his injuries in Iraq. It was one more reason why he empathized with her. They shared a common bond of overcoming. “Okay … since you don’t look too tired, I have a surprise for you.”
“Really?” Her eyes danced, and again the bond between them felt like more than friendship. “You spoil me, Cody.”
“Someone should.” His voice was softer than before, and he couldn’t have meant the words more. Cheyenne had been abandoned by her mother when she was young. She met Art in high school, and by then she had already determined to live an entirely different life than the one she’d had as a child. Their first date was at a Sunday morning church service.
Cody sat on the opposite arm of the sofa and studied her, the beautiful survivor seated across from him. “The football team can’t wait to see you.” He gave her a more serious smile. “They’ve been praying for you, Chey. They made you something and … well, I told them I’d see if you were up for a trip to Lyle this afternoon.”
Football practice was set for an hour later. Normally he would stop in and see her, help her however he could, and then head out to Lyle. After his team’s workout, he’d come back and hang out with her until Tara got home. Even then he usually stayed well into the evening. “So … you up for a drive?”
Cheyenne’s expression shifted from a childlike excitement to a teary-eyed look. “I feel … I guess I’m overwhelmed.” She dabbed at a single tear before it could make its way down her cheek. “They didn’t think I’d live … and the doctor worried about whether I’d ever walk. And now … something I used to love doing … I can finally go to your practice.” She didn’t