Page 55 of My Secret Santa Daddies

“I miss her,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “I miss her so much.”

Cody’s face softens, his hand moves up to cup my cheek, brushing away the tears that keep falling. “I know you do. And it’s okay to miss her. We all miss her, but look, she’s gone and you’re still here. You can’t stay stuck in the past.”

"I'm just so tired," I whisper.

Cody's thumb strokes my cheek, wiping away the tears that continue to fall. "We're here. I'm here. You still have a full life to live Sierra, and you sure as hell don’t need to do it all alone.”

We sit like that for a long time. He doesn't say much, just holds me, his presence a silent reassurance that I'm not alone.

"I'm sorry," I mumble, suddenly self-conscious. "I didn't mean to unload all of this on you."

Cody shakes his head, his hand still resting on my shoulder. "Don't apologize. I'm glad you told me. I want to be here for you, Sierra. In whatever way you need."

Something in his voice, in the intensity of his gaze, makes my heart skip a beat. I'm suddenly very aware of how close we are, of the heat of his body seeping into mine. Memories of our kiss under the mistletoe flash through my mind, and I feel a flush creep up my neck.

I clear my throat, looking away. "Thank you, Cody. For listening. For being here."

He squeezes my shoulder gently before dropping his hand. "Anytime. I mean it. Hope you didn’t mind me running into your room again, this time though I heard screaming.”

“Yeah. I haven’t had a dream like that in a long time.”

An awkward silence stretches between us, the air suddenly thick with unspoken things. I fidget with the edge of the blanket, my mind a jumble of emotions I'm not yet ready to examine too closely.

Cody seems to sense my discomfort. He stands up, offering me a small smile. "You should try to get some more sleep. It's still early."

“Stay a little longer?”

“I can stay as long as you need me to.”

Morning light filtersthrough the window, soft and golden, casting a warm glow across the room. I blink groggily, pulling myself from the heaviness of sleep. The bed feels too big, too cold, and for a moment, I lie there, listening to the quiet of the lodge.

It should feel peaceful but it doesn’t.

The events of last night press down on me, thick and tangled, leaving a tightness in my chest that refuses to ease. I run a hand through my hair, sighing as I remember everything—Cody comforting me in the dark, me breaking down in his arms, and the dream...Anna.

The memory of it flickers behind my eyes like a cruel ghost, dredging up everything I’ve tried to bury for years. The guilt, the grief, the weight of surviving when she didn’t. My best friend. And then there’s Cody... Wyatt...Griffin.

The thought of facing all of them now makes my stomach twist with nerves. I kissed Cody. I kissed Wyatt. And Griffin?

God. I don’t even want to think about him right now.

I sit up slowly, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I wrap my arms around myself, trying to fight off the chill that’s not just from the winter air.

What am I supposed to say to them now?

With a sigh, I grab an old sweater from the chair and pull it over my head and slip into sweats. I run my fingers through my hair, hoping I don’t look as much of a mess as I feel, and make my way downstairs, following the sound of quiet voices.

As I step into the kitchen, I see all three of them standing around the counter, talking in low voices like everything’s completely normal. Like last night hadn’t changed everything.

But for me, it did. And now, I have no idea how to act around them.

Cody is the first to notice me, his eyes catch mine, and for a second, I can see the concern is still there, the quiet understanding from the night before.

Did they all talk about it?

I imagine them drinking coffee, talking about how I kissed them all and had a mental breakdown in the middle of the night.

Cody gives me a soft smile, easy and casual, like he’s trying to make this feel normal. “Morning.”

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