Their conversation was easy on the way to Hannah’s house. And Cody noticed she was getting more comfortable driving the Range Rover. She even dared to open the sunroof. He smiled as he watched Hannah’s hair dance about in the breeze while she animatedly told him about Custard the dog.

It seemed he’d finally found something that she was passionate about. It was the first time he’d heard her responses not sound like an automated reading of Wikipedia. He noted the adorable dimple she had in her right cheek when she laughed. He found himself absurdly jealous of the outpouring of love that Custard conjured in Hannah. He couldn’t wait to meet the fur ball and size him up.

It turned out it was impossible not to like Custard. The chubby corgi greeted them at the door with excited yips and tail wagging. It was Mr. Stark that needed coaxing from Hannah.

“Dad, I’m home.”

There was a muffled response from somewhere in the cluttered house.

“I brought a friend from school over.”

Another muffled grunt.

“I’ll be right back,” Hannah said apologetically before disappearing with Custard hot on her heels. Cody couldn’t help but smile as he watched the little dog jog adoringly after Hannah, his short legs tripping over the mess of wires and books that covered the living room floor.

Cody’s eyes absorbed the cheerfulness of Hannah’s home. It was small, but exploding with color and life. Every mismatched piece of furniture was covered with either books or framed portraits of Hannah smiling brightly back at him. There were framed diplomas, trophies and knickknacks everywhere—globes, antique clocks and model cars. Cozy blankets of different sizes and colors draped the back of the eclectic chairs and sofas, inviting him to sit and stay awhile. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the decorating style of the house and Cody loved it.

He was smirking and shaking his head when Hannah reappeared with two bottles of water.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he replied coyly. He followed her up the stairs to her bedroom and laughed when he entered the room. “Now this is more like it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, hands on her hips.

“To see into ones room, is to see into their soul.”

“That’s not a quote,” Hannah scoffed.

“Well it should be. I was starting to think I had you all wrong, but this room is you, down to the perfectly pressed vanilla drapes and matching comforter.”

“I like order. You saw the rest of my house. It’s a bit . . . busy. I find I’m most productive in a calm environment.”

“You mean bland environment,” Cody teased tossing the plainest beige pillow he’d ever seen at Hannah.

“Hey!”

Custard barked and promptly leaped onto the pillow making himself comfortable.

Hannah crouched down and scratched his neck before giving him a kiss on the head. “Don’t you look like a little prince,” she crooned in a childish voice.

“More like a fat old king,” Cody joked.

Hannah mocked insult and tried to cover Custard’s gigantic ears. “Don’t you listen to the grouch, Custard. He’s just jealous.”

Custard barked in agreement and Cody laughed. “Alright, we haven’t got all day. Let’s get this movie marathon started.”

* * *

Hannah started out taking notes, but halfway through Pretty Woman she gave up.

“I can’t believe you Pretty-Womaned me at Neiman Marcus! This movie is ridiculous!”

“It’s a classic,” Cody argued lounging on her bed with Custard traitorously cuddled next to him. One belly rub was all it took and he’d been laying paws up next to Cody for the remainder of the movie.

“How is a prostitute falling for a rich guy a classic?”

“It’s like a modern Cinderella.”

Now it was Hannah’s turn to throw a pillow. “This is the most chauvinistic, unlikely, degrading . . .”

“Isn’t that what fairytales are?” Cody laughed.

Hannah sighed. “Yes, and I suppose that’s why I’m not a fan of fairytales. But this is still a terrible movie.”

“No way! I love Pretty Woman.”

“Oh, please! Are you telling me if you were Richard Gere you’d fall for her?”

“She knows cars. That’s hot.”

Hannah rolled her eyes.

“And she’s easy to talk to. Plus I like all her random facts.”

“Random facts?”

“Don’t think I didn’t see you checking the length of your foot,” Cody taunted, playfully grabbing Hannah’s feet. “It’s true, you know? Your foot is as long as your elbow to your wrist,” he said skimming his fingers teasingly over her captive feet.

She squealed, in terror. “No!”

“Is someone ticklish?”

She shook her head fervently, but her flushed cheeks and wide eyes gave her away and Cody lunged. He and Custard ganged up on her, pinning her to the bed and ruthlessly tickling her—Custard’s wet nose worming its way to her ears and neck.

“Omigod! No! Stop!” Hannah’s protests and squealing laughter peeled through the room, mixed with Custard’s barking and Cody’s taunts.

Hannah tried to fight back but Cody wasn’t nearly as ticklish and his precise attacks to her thighs and ribs turned her muscles to jelly, leaving her breathless.

Cody straddled her, knees on either side of her hips. She squirmed and he laughed, weaving his fingers with hers as she tried to fend him off. She was suddenly mesmerized by the joy on his beautiful face. This was the second time today Hannah was seeing behind the veil—the real Cody—not the dark, brooding boy he wanted the world to see.

Her heart hammered in her chest. Hannah stilled, her cheeks rosy as she gazed at her reflection in his dark eyes. Cody stopped moving too. His face was inches from hers, his warm breath mixing with hers. Cody pushed her hands above her head, their fingers still intertwined. She licked her lips, trembling at the confusing emotions racing through her.

Suddenly this didn’t feel like practice. But it didn’t feel wrong either.