The Legend of Tabby Hollow (Whales and Tails Mystery Book 5) Read Online Free Page B

there was a storm the night the baby was born. The baby decided to come early, so there wasn’t a plan to get her to the hospital. She was alone and the roads were closed.”
    “That must have been frightening.”
    “I’m sure it was terrifying. She delivered her baby on her own at her aunt’s house while the storm raged outside. By the time medical personnel were able to make it through to her, she’d bonded with her daughter. Her name, coincidentally, is Destiny.”
    “She kept the baby?”
    Cody nodded. “She’s a beautiful little girl. Tiffany told me that keeping her daughter was the hardest decision she ever had to make. Her parents were so upset that they threatened to cut her off financially, and she almost changed her mind and went thought with the adoption at least a half a dozen times, but she stuck it out, and now she’s very glad she did. She said her life wouldn’t be the same if Destiny wasn’t a part of it. In her own words, she and her daughter were destined to be together in spite of what anyone else might have thought about it.”
    “So you think our Destiny should keep her baby?” I asked.
    “Not necessarily. I’m just saying that it’s a big decision that will have a huge impact on the rest of her life, so she should take her time and be sure.”
    “Yeah, it really is a huge decision. She told me that she’s going to go ahead and ask her doctor to tell her the sex of the baby. She didn’t want to know at first, but she said it might weigh in to her decision.”
    “She has a preference?” Cody asked.
    “She seemed to feel more confident about raising a girl on her own. She said a boy needs a dad, and she doesn’t have any husband prospects, so she wasn’t sure how she’d be able to fill that father role should she have a son.”
    “I guess that makes sense. It’s nice when kids can have two parents, but in most cases boys do need a strong male role model more than girls do. Of course the role model doesn’t have to be the boy’s father. An uncle, grandfather, or family friend can usually fill in just fine. Besides, it seems like she might have something going on with Jake.”
    Jake was a boy Destiny went to school with who she spent a lot of time hanging out with, even now that she was no longer going to classes.
    “She swears they’re just friends, but I have a feeling they’re just friends like we are,” I commented.
    Cody stopped walking. He turned and looked me in the eye. “And exactly how are we just friends ?”
    Me and my big mouth.
    “You know.” This was a conversation we needed to have at some point, but I wasn’t certain this was the right time. Still, Siobhan had been right. If I didn’t want someone else to scoop him up I’d best claim my territory. “I just meant that we’re friends—good friends—who share common interests and values, and therefore we have the potential to, at some point, possibly, become something more.”
    Cody smiled. “Yeah.”
    I couldn’t help but smile back. “Yeah.”
    “Would I be totally jumping the gun if I were to kiss you?” Cody leaned in so his lips were inches from mine.
    “I think that might be okay.” I closed the distance.
     

Chapter 4
Thursday, October 22
     
     
    I woke the next morning to the sound of rain hitting the roof. Unfortunately, Cody hadn’t been wrong about the bad weather, but I don’t think even he realized it was going to arrive so soon. I rolled over onto my side and looked at Max, who had been sleeping next to me.
    “Doesn’t it seem like a perfect kind of day to pull the covers over our heads and go back to sleep?”
    Max barked once. I couldn’t help but notice the tone of judgment in his voice.
    “I know I said I needed to get up early, but I was awake half the night. I really could use at least another hour.”
    Max just looked at me before he jumped off the bed, grabbed the covers with his teeth, and pulled them onto the floor.
    “Okay, you pushy dog. I’ll get