Strawberry Wine (Strawberry Inn Book #2)

Chapter 33

CODY

“Don’t forget that we’re having dinner with my parents tonight!” I yell down the hall to Blair as she scampers off, trying to put her shoes on while running out the door to get to work.

“I’ll meet you there, I didn’t forget. Love you, Cody.”

“Love you too. Don’t forget lunch.”

She turns back and smiles one more time before shutting the door behind her. Soon after, I hear the garage door shut and I know she’s gone for the day. Hayes has classes today, so he’s already up and out of the house. Blair was working a shift later in the day than she normally would, so she got the chance to sleep in a bit. I’ve noticed the last week she’s been tossing and turning at night, I told her it is probably pregnancy insomnia, but she hates when I blame every little thing on the baby.

As for me, I’m all alone for the day, a position I find myself in often these days. Not having a job is very strange. We’re fine, financially, but I didn’t expect to be so bored. I wish I had any sort of hobby to keep me busy during the day, but the only thing I’ve found to occupy my time is heading to the fire station and working out with Harrison and Dalton while they’re on shift. It is as lame as it sounds.

I finish cleaning up around the house and change into workout clothes. We’re close enough to the fire station that I just jog over there as a warm-up. Not that I would have much of a choice, we still haven’t replaced Hayes’s car after the accident, so he usually takes Blair’s car to school and she takes my car to work. We really need to get a new car, but living in a small town has allowed up to get by thus far.

“You’re late!” Harrison teases me when I finally get to the fire station. I might be sweating because of the run, but the two of them are soaking through their shirts from whatever workout they’ve already put in today.

“I didn’t realize this was a time thing, I thought this was just something we did for fun. You’re not going to make me run laps, are you, Coach?” I tease.

“Don’t let him think he’s in charge, Cody, he’ll let it go to his head.” 

“I am your boss, Dalton. Don’t you fucking forget it.”

“Asshole,” Dalton says while straining to get up from the bench. He looks over at me, “Your turn.”

I wipe the bench down and take my position under the weights. Dalton spots while I start my first round of twenty, followed by a second. I sit up after the second to take a short break. I’m not trying to impress anybody here, just shooting the shit with the guys. 

“How’s Angela doing, Harrison?”

“She’s feeling better now that we got a chance to go to the doctor and see the baby on the ultrasound. She’s ready to tell everybody, but I’d still like to keep it quiet a bit longer.”

I nod in understanding. We still haven’t told that many people either. Hayes knows and the day before yesterday we told her parents. At dinner tonight, we’re planning on telling my mom, dad, and sister.

“Brandi was the same way when she was pregnant with Katie. If I didn’t give in, I was sure she would have bought a spot on that billboard right before you make it into town to put the announcement.” Dalton smiles, even though I know it probably hurts to think about his wife. I can’t even imagine how I’d feel if I lost Blair, the fact that he is even able to move on with his life seems like a miracle.

“Well, Blair was a bit different when she got pregnant with Hayes,” I laugh. “We pretty much waited until she was showing before we told anybody. But you know, we were seventeen so…”