Page 14 of Stone's Promise

AFTER CODY SPENT SOMEtime showing my son a few kicks and light footwork, we took a break to eat. Oliver, being Oliver, got distracted by the ducks near the pond and decided they were his new opponents. He flapped his arms, running in circles,pretending they were chasing him. Max’s tail flopped from side to side as he observed.

I laughed as I watched. “I swear, he has endless energy.”

Cody stretched his long legs out on the blanket. “Good trait to have.”

I turned to him, still smiling, only to find him already looking at me. My breath stalled. His gaze was different today, something deeper was there. He looked relaxed in a way I hadn’t seen before. The sharp, guarded edges of him seemed softer here, sitting under the warm sun, watching Oliver play.

“You’re good with him,” I murmured, my voice quieter than I meant it to be.

Cody shrugged, refusing to take a compliment from me. “He’s a cool kid.” A pause. “You’re a good mom.”

My breath caught again. I got compliments all the time about my work, my organization and ability to handle chaos. This felt more personal.

I swallowed, looking away toward Oliver, who was still caught up in his game. “I try.”

Cody’s hand brushed against mine on the blanket, and a spark of warmth shot up my arm. When I turned back to him, the air between us tightened. The attraction had been there before, simmering under the surface. I believed I felt it from him at the comedy club. Today it was still there. It felt real, maybe more dangerous.

And then, he leaned in.

It wasn’t rushed or forceful, just a steady, deliberate press of his lips against mine. Soft but sure.

My heart tripped over itself. For a moment, I forgot everything else. The park and the people around us faded because all I could focus on was Cody. His warmth, the scratch of stubble along his jaw, the way his lips moved against mine with an aching gentleness that worked to undo me.

I couldn’t help myself. I began to kiss him back, reaching up to touch the side of his face with my fingertips.

“Mom! Cody! They’re really chasing me now!”

We jerked apart just as Oliver came barreling toward us, two very determined ducks waddling after him.

Cody chuckled under his breath. “Guess we should save that for later.”

I could barely form words. My lips still tingled as my pulse hammered in my ears.

Oliver dove onto the blanket between us, breathless and laughing. I barely heard what he said next because all I could think about was how Cody just kissed me. I liked it. A lot. Only now, I had no idea where that left us.

DAYS LATER, THE PICNICwith Cody settled in my head, rent-free.

I kept replaying the way he had been so patient with Oliver, how he’d encouraged him without making him feel small. He had this grounding presence that made me feel safe in a way I hadn’t experienced with a man before.

And then there was our kiss. Despite our fake date for the press, the kiss felt like the real thing.

That was a whole other problem.

I couldn’t let myself get carried away. This was just for publicity. I originally thought it would make a good performance to drum up interest in Family Day and boost Cody’s image leading into the Intercontinental Battle Royale. No more, no less.

I reminded myself of that fact as I wrapped up work for the day, making sure everything was set for the next step in our little arrangement. I confirmed with Oliver’s babysitter that I’d be out this evening after Cody’s press conference. More peoplewere arriving in town for the fight, and the buzz was growing. Reporters, sports analysts, even a few celebrities were being spotted all over Main Street’s restaurants and shops. Mama was having a blast selling unique pieces to the new customers, and my cousin Angelique got to show off her modeling skills for them. It was exactly the kind of attention that made this “relationship” perfect timing.

“Emily, you’ve outdone yourself.” My coworker, Geraldene, stopped me in the break room. “The way you timed Family Day right before that MMA fight? Genius. Mayor Jenkins is thrilled with the turnout projections.”

I smiled, accepting the praise even though I increasingly felt out of my element. Coordinating events for the city was one thing. Fake dating a famous athlete who had the power to draw in millions of fans and a ton of media? That was a different league.

Judging by the morning headlines, people were eating it up.

I saw my own face staring back at me from the homepage of theSunridge Chroniclenews website. A smaller photo of me and Cody from the comedy club was tucked in the corner, but the main picture was from the park. Cody and I sitting close, Oliver sandwiched between us, all three of us laughing.

Even the major news outlets were picking up the story. I should’ve been happy that this spur-of-the-moment idea Cody and I had was working, but he only intended it to just be a fake relationship to get Trey off my case. I was the one who took it to the next level, and now I wasn’t sure if I got in over my head.

After work, I raced home to get ready for the press conference. Mama was there waiting for me. I told her earlier I didn’t have anything appropriate to wear. She came to my rescue. I ran my hands down the fabric of the sleek royal blue dress she picked out for me at the boutique. I studied theboatneck neckline and long sleeves. “Are you sure about this one? It’s very, I don’t know, tight looking.”

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