Cowboys Love Forever

Chapter 2: Mrs. Sugar

Chapter 2: Mrs. SugarThe next day went by pretty much like the one before, but when work ended, things changed. Cody and Jace rushed home to shower and dress to be ready for the welcome home party for Erica Ryder.

“Remember, it’s casual,” Jace said.

“I know,” Cody said as he pulled on a pair of shorts. “Why do I feel so nervous?”

Jace walked up behind Cody, put his arms around him, and rubbed his belly.

“It’ll be fine,” Jace said. “Erica will love you. Put your blue, plaid, button-down shirt on. It brings out the blue in your eyes.”

Cody turned and kissed Jace on the lips, then slipped in his tongue.

“We don’t have time for that right now, you tease.”

“I’m no tease,” Cody said, “I was just giving you a taste of things to come when we get back home.”

“We’ll have to make a short night of it then.”

“Don’t you want to spend time with your surrogate mom?”

“I’d be happy saying hello and goodbye so that I can come back home with you,” Jace said, then playfully bit Cody’s n****e. “Everyone and everything in this world are intrusions to our time together.”

Rusty barked from his corner.

“He didn’t include you in that comment, Rusty,” Cody said. “As long as you behave and stay in your corner, you’re not an intrusion.”

After groaning, Rusty slunk down.

“You’re alright, buddy,” Jace said to Rusty, and crouched down beside him to pet his head.

“Give him a hug,” Cody said, then walked over to Rusty, sat down next to the needy dog, and hugged him.

“Your Daddy Cody is right, Rusty,” Jace said. “You could never be an intrusion.” He petted Rusty, who turned to Cody for more attention from him. “He loves you as much as I do, Cody.”

Jace and Cody sat with Rusty a few seconds before they finished getting dressed.

“We’ll bring you back a treat, Rusty, bud,” Cody said. “Jace, I’ve been wearing heavy work boots all day, is it okay if I put on flip-flops?”

“Sure, that’s what I’ll be wearing.”

When they finished dressing, they went outside and got into the golf cart. Jace drove and Cody leaned in close to him and held his free hand.

“I’ve got it bad for you, ya know,” Cody said.

“Ditto,” Jace said.

There were already several vehicles in front of Elvira’s home when they drove up.

“We’re the last to arrive,” Cody said. “How many people did Elvira invite?”

“You, Me, Hamilton, Luna, and the Chan family. Jilly and the Munroes were invited as well, but they couldn’t make it.”

“So just family then,” Cody said, and smiled.

Jace gave Cody’s hand a squeeze. To Cody’s surprise Jace didn’t let go of his hand even when they entered Elvira’s house.

“Hi,” Deena said as she ran up to the men smiling. “My grandma’s here.”

“Well, hello, you two,” a slim, tall woman with chin-length dark hair cut in a bob said. She was dressed in white pants and a silky blouse.

“Hello, Mrs. Erica,” Jace said.

He was quick to hug her and kiss her cheek. Cody stood back with his jaw hanging open. Everyone in the living room looked on, curious about things.

“Mrs. Sugar,” Cody said in shock. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

“It’s me, baby,” Erica said. “I even brought you some sweets per usual. Come and give me a hug, Cody Larke.”

Cody hugged her and kissed her cheek.

“Mrs. Sugar?” Elvira said, walking up to the group.

“Cody and I go back a ways,” Erica said.

“I didn’t know your real name is Erica Ryder,” Cody said. “You told me to call you Mrs. Sugar because you always brought me sweets. Even Grandpapa always referred to you as Mrs. Sugar.”

“Of course he did. Your grandpapa and I thought the world of each other. I loved that man till the day he died…I still do love him. Ray Crane was one of only two men I loved in that way.”

“I’m surprised you two never got married,” Cody said.

“Your mother never did approve of me, you know,” Erica said.

“His mother didn’t even approve of me,” Meili said from where she sat on the sofa.

“She didn’t like me either,” Tommy said, “and who doesn’t like me?”

“Momma,” Macon said, “I want to hear more about you and Ray Crane.”

“So, he was the mystery man in your life for all those years,” Elvira said. “Y’all come in and sit down so Momma can come clean.”

“Don’t you talk to your momma that way, girl,” Erica said. “I don’t have anything to hide now that Ray’s dead.”

“It was a beautiful relationship,” Luna said. “The only reason you had to keep it secret was because of Cody’s mom.”

“I wasn’t about to come between a man and his daughter,” Erica said. “That wouldn’t have been right. But I wasn’t going to give up my man either.” She walked to a side chair and sat down. “Ray and I met at the wedding of Cody’s parents.”

“And they were inseparable after that,” Luna said from where she sat cross-legged on the floor.

“Momma,” Macon said, “I get keeping things a secret from Cody’s mom, but why couldn’t you tell us?”

Bailey, who stood next to Macon, put his hand on Macon’s shoulder to calm him.

“Darling,” Erica said, “it had nothing to do with you, love, or your sister. Somehow it just didn’t seem fair to tell the two of you about us, and not Ray’s family. He was good to me. We had a wonderful life together.”

“But I never saw his stuff in your condo,” Elvira said, “just your roommate Marlene’s things.”

“Girl, please,” Erica said. “I was barely in that condo. Marlene just kept it up for me. My Ray and I lived in a house on the beach.”

“Wow,” Gage said. “You have a beach house?”

“Yes, I do. I figured I’d keep it as a vacation home. There are so many good memories there, and I want to make new ones with my grandchildren. The place is mine free and clear.”

“Momma,” Macon said, “I knew you were too smart not to have inherited the place from Ray.”

“No, you don’t know your momma,” Erica said. “Inheritance…please. That house was in solely my name since day one. There was no way I was going to risk having Ray’s daughter kicking me out—no offense, Cody.”

“None taken. Momma would’ve done that if she’d had the chance. She’s mean that way. Would you believe she even took Pops’ dog when she left us?”

“We heard about that,” Erica said. “Ray tried to get her to give Nicky his dog back, but she wouldn’t hear of it. In fact, she had the gall to tell her daddy that if he mentioned the dog to her again, she’d have him—the dog—put to sleep. And she meant it.”

“You don’t have to tell me that,” Cody said. “I know my mom’s bad side, and it’s rotten for sure.”

“Well, that’s all in the past now,” Jace said, and put his arm around Cody and pulled him close.

“You two make as handsome a couple as my baby boy and his Bailey make a pretty one,” Erica said.

“And that’s saying a lot,” Macon said, “cause me and my man sure are pretty.” He laughed.

“And you get all that pretty from me,” Erica said, then laughed. That was when she noticed Cody looking at her with tears in his eyes. “Aw, my sweet baby boy.” She stepped forward and hugged Cody, who held her tightly for a moment.

“I missed you so much,” Cody said. “You were always so nice to me, Mrs. Sugar.”

Erica laughed.

“You have permission to call me Mrs. Sugar all you want, Cody.”

“Grandma brought us all some really good candy from Europe too,” Deena said.

When everyone split into groups to talk, Cody slipped outside to get some fresh air. He went out to the deck and stood thinking back to good times he’d had with his grandpa and Mrs. Sugar. But his thoughts were soon interrupted.

“You and I have some things to talk about, Cody Larke.”