All Along | ✓

Chapter Forty-Three

"Fuck me," Alana chokes on her words and I furrow my brows, looking at her again. Her gaze is latched on Cody now, taking heart-eyes to a whole other level. She very obviously checks him out, lips parted. "That makes so much sense. He's the father? What lucky lady got to make a baby with him?"

Her words make my chest ache and I gently tug her a little further away from the others to speak to her quietly. "Marise's mom died while giving birth to her. Cody's been through a lot."

Alana's eyes find mine, face a little pale and a frown tugging at her lips. She looks back at Cody again, "Oh my God... That's devastating, Luney. That poor little girl. And Cody..."

I nod solemnly, "I know. Just thought I should tell you now to avoid bringing any of that up. Probably should have warned you before tonight."

"No, I get it. That's not an easy thing to talk about," Her eyes are still on him, all soft and sad.

"It's not. But Cody doesn't mind talking about it. If he does bring it up though, maybe just pretend you don't know anything."

"That's probably for the best."

"Just best friends, huh? I knew you were lyin', Darlin'." I spin around at the sound of the familiar voice and a grin takes over my face.

"Rick!" I close the short distance between us and he wraps me up in a bear hug. "It's been so long! I'm so glad you could make it."

He pulls away to wink at me, "Anythin' for the birthday boy."

"And I wasn't lying," I point out to him, tipping up my chin, "We really were just best friends back then. I was only eighteen when we first met. It's been eight years since then."

"Ah, you're right. But I had a feelin' even back then. Should have put money on it or somethin'." He shakes his head, tucking me under his arm. "So how've you been, little Darlin'? Heard you're a lawyer now, huh?"

"That I am. Graduated from Harvard Law. Now I'm practicing in the big leagues."

He grins, ruffling my hair a little, "Look at you! Oli needs you around for that brain. He's nothin' but brauns, that kid."

"Hey!" Oli calls from the other side of the table, pointing at Rick with a furrow in his brow. "I'm thirty-one, Rick. You can stop calling me kid."

"You're still a kid to me!" Rick laughs.

I furrow my brows a little, "I didn't think you were that much older than him."

He gives me a little smile, "I'm almost forty, Darlin'."

My eyes widen a little, "Really? Not to be weird, but you look really good for your age."

"You say that like I'm retirin' age. But thanks."

"It's a compliment. You look not much older than Oli."

"More good lookin' than him though, aren't I?" He grins, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Are you really trying to make a move on Luna?" I hear Oli's voice behind me just as Rick removes his arm from around my shoulder. In a second, a strong arm curls around my torso, bringing me back against a hard chest. I lean back into Oli, resting a hand on his forearm.

Rick just laughs, "She's a little too young for me, kid."

Patting Oli's arm gently, I tilt my head back in an attempt to look up at him, "How are we doing, birthday boy?"

"Incredible, thanks to you," He murmurs, pressing a kiss to the top of my head, "Thank you for planning all this. For getting all the people I care about in a room together."