General Hospital’s Cody ‘Cares About Molly More Than Money,’ Says Josh Kelly (Exclusive)

After Molly (Kristen Vaganos) caught Cody red-handed, making out with Ava (Maura West) on General Hospital, Cody finally came clean with both women about why he’s been keeping company with Ms. Jerome: Kristina has been paying him to do it! Soap Opera Digest caught up with Josh Kelly (Cody) for his take on what prompted Cody’s confession, the true nature of Cody’s feelings for Molly and why his character will likely be sleeping with one eye open for the foreseeable future.

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Up until now, says Kelly, Cody “has found a good excuse — or what he believes is a good excuse” — to keep things going with Ava despite his recent attack of conscience and desire to live a more honest life. He even justified getting passionate with her in the stables. “Might as well finish the mission!” winks the actor.

But when Molly got an eyeful of the duo, Cody finally decided that enough was enough. The turning point, Kelly notes, is how upset Molly was by what she saw. “Out of left field, she’d been treating him kind of meanly,” he reminds. “So he thought, ‘Well, I guess she’s not into me.’ But when she catches him with Ava, the way she reacts, I think that Cody subconsciously starts to think that maybe there is something there. And he likes her, and he doesn’t want to hurt her.”

According to the actor, Cody’s drawn to Molly “because she seems like an honest person in a dishonest town and a dishonest world, and that’s kind of refreshing. Like everyone in Port Charles, she’s been hurt and he’s been hurt, so they can relate to one another. And when the universe keeps putting you together, you start to take notice.”

Of course, it didn’t exactly thrill Molly to find out that Cody was accepting money to distract Ava from her lover Ric, who just so happens to be Molly’s dad — especially since the person signing the checks is Molly’s sister, Kristina! “She’s shocked, but not as shocked as Ava,” Kelly grins. “I hope she doesn’t murder Cody!”

Kelly thinks that in the long run, Cody coming clean will be a good thing in terms of a possible romance with Molly. “I think it gives her a nugget — like a seed, a seedling of faith,” he muses. “And seeds can grow.”

That is, if he can escape Ava’s wrath! “In the moment [of his confession], he’s not thinking about what Ava may do. That moment is him getting clarity as to what he actually cares about it and it’s Molly. Cody cares about Molly more than money, so it’s refreshing. Now, that being said, in the aftermath, I’m sure Cody is a little worried! One of the first things he said to Kristina when she first asked him to do this was, ‘Ava Jerome? She shot Mama Q [Olivia]! She’s killed people!’ He was like, ‘You’re going to have to pay me a lot to do this because this is high risk, high reward.’ So, inevitably, after the fact, he probably has a couple of dark nights of the soul, wondering what might happen! He’s probably going to double-bolt his door when he goes to sleep for at least a couple of weeks [laughs].”