Chapter 32

Cody

The month between Thanksgiving and Christmas flew by for Cody. Things were going well in every single aspect of his life. It was perfect. Well, almost perfect. There was only one thing he needed to make it complete, and the closer he got to the apartment Julie shared with her sister and her niece, the more nervous he felt and the more he hoped she felt the same way he did.

Cody's company had more work than they could handle, and he was making his way to the top more and more each day.

Julie had been offered another huge job by the company she'd snatched right out from under him and her father, and she'd taken it. When the school had asked her to take on another full semester of teaching, she turned them down. As much as she loved teaching, she loved the idea of owning her own company even more, and Cody couldn't have been more proud of her. She'd even hired on several of the students she'd taught from each semester as interns. When she'd heard their struggles of finding a company to help them gain experience, she'd decided right away what she needed to do, and she'd even gotten Cody to hire some of them as well.

Cody had gotten together for lunch a few times with Julie's father and her uncle, and things seemed to be okay. They were still competitors, but they were no longer enemies.

Cody had even jumped in with Julie to work on things for her brother and his fiancé's charity. They were starting something for vets that came back from war with no family to help them through it. On top of helping Julie with development, Cody had even become one of her brother's main contributors. After hearing the story of Gavin losing his best friend and the things he'd gone through since getting home, Cody knew he wanted to help other men and women that weren't lucky enough to have a Gracie, someone to see through to the pain within them.

Cody had wanted Julie to wake up at his place Christmas morning, but when she told him she wanted to be there for her niece's first Christmas, he understood. Shit! He wanted to be there too.

As he got out of his car, he took in a long, deep breath before releasing it.

“Don't fuck this up,” he mumbled to himself, as he headed for the front door with a tray of coffees in one arm and pastries in the other.

As soon as the door opened in front of him and he saw the sleepy smile on Julie's face, Cody knew he wouldn't go another Christmas morning without her. She was the one that had gotten him into the holiday spirit in the first place. He wanted her with him.

“Coffee,” she said, as she grabbed the tray from him. “You're perfect. Do you know that?”

“If coffee is all it takes to be perfect, then what do these pastries make me?” he asked, with a laugh.

“They make me lucky,” Julie said.

“I hope you don't mind that I came over. I kind of wanted to see Jackie get her presents,” Cody said.

“I'm glad you're here,” Julie said. “After you left last night, I wanted to call you back to come and get me, but I stood strong.”

“Merry Christmas,” Cody said, as he set down the bag of pastries, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her in close to him. “This is the best Christmas I've had in years.”

“Don't speak so soon,” Julie said. “We haven't gone to see my parents yet.”

“Is your best friend going to be there?” Cody asked.

“He is,” Julie began, “but he promised to be on his best behavior. I told him if he wasn't that I'd never speak to him again. This is his last chance.”

“Cody,” Jessie interrupted from behind them. “I'm glad you're here. She was sulking like a spoiled toddler that didn't get her way last night.”

“Was not,” Julie said, as she walked over to where Jessie was standing with Jackie and kissed her niece on the forehead. “Merry Christmas, little one. Are you ready for your presents?”

“I'm so excited,” Cody said, as he walked over to them with a smile on his face.

“You two do realize she's only three months old, right?” Jessie asked.

“Yes,” Julie answered. “So what?”

“There is a tree full of presents that she's not going to be able to open,” Jessie replied. “You pretty much bought all of that for me.”

“We did not,” Cody said, as he shook his head. “I thought your family loved Christmas.”

“They usually do,” Julie said. “It looks like we got a Grinch this year. What's your deal, Jess?”

“I don't know,” Jessie answered. “I'm just not feeling it. I guess Jackie is lucky to have you two here.”

“Yes she is,” Julie said, as she leaned forward to play with the baby. “You're a very lucky little girl.”

“You're pretty lucky too,” Jessie said.

“What?” Julie asked.

“Nothing,” Jessie answered, as Cody narrowed his eyes at her.

Cody hurried over to grab the pastries and coffees and then walked back over to the girls. Before he'd even set them down on the table and sat down next to Julie on the couch, she was already handing Jessie one of the twenty presents the two of them had bought for the baby.

By the time Jessie was done opening everything, there was paper everywhere.

“You two shouldn't have done all this,” Jessie said. “I don't even know what to say.”

“Just be happy,” Julie said. “Just know we love you both so much.”

“I do,” Jessie said. “We love you guys too. What did you two lovebirds get each other?”

Cody looked at Jessie with what he knew was the most nervous look on his face.

“We agreed not to get each other anything,” Julie said. “We've both been so busy.”

“Not that busy,” Jessie said, as she pointed to the toys and clothes around her.

“I did get you one thing,” Cody said, as he moved his eyes from Jessie to Julie.

“But I didn't get you anything,” Julie said, as she narrowed her eyes at him. “We promised.”

“You promised,” he said. “I just said uh huh. There's only one present you can give me.”

“What's that?” Julie asked, with confusion filling her tone.

“Make time to go to the doctor,” he said, and both Julie and Jessie burst into laughter. “Not a joke, Woman. If you don't do it soon, I'm going in bare.”

“Cody,” Julie whispered, just as he heard her phone ring from the other room.

She jumped up and ran by him and around the corner.

“Seriously,” he said, as he looked at Jessie.

“Give her your damn gift already,” Jessie whispered. “We don't have all day.”

“What?” he heard Julie say into the phone as her voice got closer. “Who would be getting me a special present?”

“This is it,” Jessie whispered. “Here's your chance.”

Cody took a breath, moved to the end of the couch, and dropped down onto one knee just as Julie stepped in front of him.

“Shit!” she yelped, as she stopped frozen and looked down at him.

“I love you,” Cody said. “You're my everything. When it comes to business, you scare the shit out of me, but when it comes to everything else, you're the one I want there with me. I don't want to go another night without you in my bed. I want to hold you as you drift off to sleep each night, and I want to kiss you when you open your eyes each morning. I want every single morning with you from now on, even Christmas mornings. I am so damn happy when I'm with you, baby and so damn sad when I'm not. You make me a better person. You're it for me, Julie. Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” Julie said, still holding the phone to her ear.

“Julie,” Cody heard her dad say through the line.

“Yes, dad,” she replied.

“Congratulations!” he said. “Now get your asses moving.”

“What?” she asked, with a confused look on her face.

“I'm happy for you,” Cody heard her dad say, “but I want my girls home with me.”

Cody watched Julie hang up the phone. Then he slid the ring he'd been holding onto her finger.

“I love you, baby,” he said, as he stood.

“I love you too,” Julie said.

“We love you both,” Jessie said, as she stood up with the baby in her arms and hugged them.

“You knew?” Julie asked.

“Of course,” Jessie answered.

Julie had said yes. Cody was the luckiest guy in the world. He had it all. Not a single thing could have made him happier. His life was perfect.