13. Romaine #2
“That night we shared? I didn’t just have a great night, not just great sex—don’t get me wrong, it was fantastic—but all of it, of you, you woke me up, like the last few years have been a dream.
It was so natural, unlike anything I’ve experienced.
For those few hours, I could just feel .
You didn’t expect anything from me. But I blew it, letting it stay at one night.
Then, when you told me you were pregnant, it snapped me into focus.
” He took a long breath, his heart promising to beat again as she listened.
“I’m so scared. I don’t know the first thing about being a dad.
And I sure as hell don’t know how to be the partner you need me to be, but I’m winging it and pretending—for me—that I know what I’m doing.
Because leading with confidence makes me feel less afraid. ”
“I do want something from you.” She wiped at the corner of her eye and almost looked to be smiling.
“Anything,” he whispered. “Maybe it started with you not wanting anything from me, but I’d give everything for you.”
A voice hollered from the patio, “Zoe? Whoa. You weren’t fucking around.”
Ryder turned to see who had shouted. The whole crowd stared in their direction.
Zoe’s expression darkened and she fired a death glare with a wrath Ryder had never seen into the crowd.
She stepped close to Ryder and rested her hands on his waist, ignoring the heckler.
Clearly someone she knew well enough to despise and ignore so easily.
“I want you to be you . I want you to be honest with me, every step of the way.”
“I am. This is me. I’m with you every step of the way.”
The asshole from the patio stormed past the crowd and busted through the iron gate. Raphe? Oh shit.
Ryder whispered to Zoe, “I’m guessing the fact that I interrupted your second attempt with him made him not like me anymore.”
She whispered back, “I’m so glad you’re not a creepy possessive boyfriend. I’ve dated a few of those.”
Raphe halted when he got a good look and saw Zoe leaning into Ryder, and Ryder’s arms wrapped possessively around her belly. He sighed heavily and shook his head. “I guess I hadn’t stopped wondering if you were just trying to make me jealous, saying you’d gotten knocked up by Ryder Mallory.”
Ryder raised an eyebrow and snarked back, “Is it working?”
“You two look awfully cozy. Am I to believe Zoe’s suddenly all about white picket fences, when she stiff-armed me at the very hint of anything serious?
” The asshole had a hitch in his voice that said he’d had too many beers, but he was dead serious.
He strutted across the patio, out the gate, and onto the sidewalk.
His friends came out from the gate and another guy rested his hand on his shoulder and said, “Come on, Raphe. Let’s go. You’re drunk.”
Ryder stayed connected with Zoe, side by side, and laughed under his breath. “Listen to your friend. It’s not the time to catch up.”
Raphe snorted, “Tell me Zoe, was it the money, or the caps?”
Whispering in Zoe’s ear, Ryder asked, “Is this some sort of fucked up reality show?”
She growled before landing her voice. “Fuck off Raphe. You dumped me, I dumped you. We’re even. Ryder has nothing to do with it.”
“Fucking Mallorys thinking they own everything,” Raphe snarled.
Ryder splayed his palm over her belly and whispered, “Let’s grab some lunch.”
She nodded. “Maybe upstairs in the meeting room with Grady? The air’s a little stifling on the patio right now.”
Grady walked through the gate and shook his head. “Come on, Raphe. Leave now, and you might get to come back to my establishment someday. Maybe.”
With a huff, Raphe hissed at Grady, but didn’t shift his gaze from Zoe, “Your beer tastes like the ass you all kissed to make your way through your high and mighty life.”
Ryder nodded to Grady, and smiled graciously, knowing it would piss off Raphe. “Want to meet up for dinner tonight?”
Smiling despite the odd invitation, Grady said, “Sounds great. You both want to come over to my place? I’ll call Haley, Finn, and Evan, too.”
Zoe answered for him, “Please. Want me to bring anything?”
“Just yourselves.”
Raphe cleared his throat, “This isn’t over, Zoe.”
Rolling his eyes, Ryder said, “Go sober up.”
Shaking out of his friend’s grip, Raphe stumbled closer and sneered. “Slut isn’t worth my time anyway.”
Fury boiling in his throat, Ryder stepped closer, but Zoe wrapped her hand around his arm and said, “I’ve wanted to break his nose many times, but he’s not worth the effort. Come on.”
Clearly not finished, Raphe stepped close and stood tall.
Ryder held his shoulders high and didn’t back down.
Bubbles seemed to rise from Raphe’s hiccup. “How do you even know that baby’s yours? One night? Or was it entitled, magical Mallory sperm?”
Ryder’s stomach sank, and he looked over at Grady and saw his expression fall. Asshole had no idea Grady and Claire were scheduling with fertility specialists.
Raphe moved in to nail a drunken, sloppy punch.
Rage burned through Ryder’s veins, and he lifted a fist to land the blow before Raphe did.
Too late, his hotheaded brother was faster. Grady stepped up and slammed his fist into Raphe’s nose, the crack audible even over the noise of the road and the shocked crowd.
Raphe grabbed his bleeding nose and hollered. His friends pulled him back before he could fight back.
Grady rubbed his fist and shrugged with a satisfied smile.
Zoe cleared her throat and said, “I’ve been working on a new bread pudding recipe.”
Already on the phone, Raphe was calling the cops.
Grady nodded cheerfully, but shook out his hand, and Ryder knew it was going to hurt like hell later. “Okay, you are on dessert then. I love bread pudding.”
Zoe rose to her toes and planted her lips against Ryder’s. “I’m almost ready to think about houses. Sorry I’m dragging my feet on this one.”
“I never want to rush you,” Ryder murmured, and kissed Zoe long and slow, melting along with the tension of their fight. “I’m glad you told me how you felt, and I’ll slow down, I promise.”
“Thanks. I’ll get there.”
Red and blue lights and a chirping siren pulled up alongside the building.
Asher stepped out of the Explorer with a teasing, disappointed shake of his head. “Grady. We talked about this.”
“Sorry,” Grady said with a lazy shrug.