Page 53 of Covert Affair

“Whoa, slllloooowww down cowboy, I can take care of myself,” I remind him.

“Baby, I know you can. That doesn’t make me not want to take care of you. And it damn sure won’t stop me from worrying.”

“Well, looks like we’re both just going to have to suck it up then, won’t we?”

“I guess so.”

A knock at the door interrupts our final moments together. Cody kisses my forehead and tucks the pregnancy test in his bag before he answers the door.

“Hey, your ride is out front and I need to get Stacey to the venue shortly too,” Taylor says from the hallway.

“Right. Give us five more minutes,” Cody says back and shuts the door.

“So, uhm. Game plan. Obviously we keep the pregnancy between us for right this second. They say you shouldn’t tell anyone until after the first trimester anyway. Uhm. Let’s keep a lid on us until I’m back in Nashville. In the meantime, I’ll work with Jane on setting up something and clearing things with Simon too about what I’m allowed to talk about. Is that okay with you?”

Cody nods in agreement. “Sounds like a plan. I can’t believe we’re having a baby.”

This time, I throw my arms around his waist and hug him. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he kisses my cheek. “I’ll text you when I land and you can call me after your show.”

“God, I’m going to miss you.”

He smiles. “Not as much as I’m going to miss you, darlin’.”

24

CODY

Six weeks later,my girl is sitting in front of a tv camera pouring her heart out to the world.

News of our relationship broke three weeks ago and we let things simmer before her date with The Today Show.

Well that and Stacey needed time to work out a few details with Kelsey and Zoey who are taking a break from their usual romance novels to help Stacey put out a tell all book.

Not exactly how I saw that working out either but here we are.

Some big time publishing house has already picked up the book and offered Stacey a huge advance. All of which she decided to donate to local domestic violence charities.

“So, you’ve got the book coming out soon. You’re dating your former bodyguard, who was never really the old childhood boyfriend. Is there anything else you want to tell us?” the host asks.

This is the big moment.

Stacey’s last appointment with her OB went well and we decided to tell everyone about the baby on national tv. Because, apparently that’s what you do when you’re a celebrity.

“Actually, yes, there is,” her smile lights up the entire studio. “Let’s bring Cody on out here first though, what do you say?”

The studio audience cheers and Jane, who’s been standing beside me the whole time from backstage, pushes me forward.

I try shaking my head no but it doesn’t look like anyone is taking my no for an answer.

As I walk out onto the stage, Stacey stands and reaches for my hand.

“Everyone, consider this your official introduction to Cody,” she says with a kiss on my cheek.

I give the audience a shy wave and sincerely hope the floor would just swallow me whole right now.

“Have a seat, Cody,” the host directs. “We actually met backstage before the show, but tell me, what’s it like for a guy like yourself to be dating one of Nashville’s brightest stars.”

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