Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Ry couldn’t help but be suspicious about Tiny’s abrupt about-face. She was very thankful that he wasn’t hovering over her all the time, but she was desperate to know what had changed his mind.
And now that he was being nice to her, another issue had cropped up…namely, that she liked being around him way too much for her peace of mind. A grumpy, suspicious Tiny was easy to dislike, to block out of her head. But a nice, respectful, and thoughtful Tiny? He was impossible to ignore.
And the more she was around this Tiny, the more she wanted to be around him…which wasn’t good. She was leaving. As soon as she figured out what her father had up his sleeve, she was out of there. She’d already decided to head to the northeast. Maybe the Boston area.
The thought of leaving New Mexico and The Refuge made her head and her heart ache, but it was for the best. She’d become too attached to the people here. And getting close to people opened the door for her father to use them against her.
The only indication she’d had so far that her dad had found her was that small ten-cent withdrawal from The Refuge’s bank account. She’d been monitoring the account to make sure her dad didn’t drain it dry, simply because he could. She’d thought for sure that ten-cent deduction was a sign of things to come. Her dad’s way of fucking with her. But it had been weeks since then, and nothing else had seemed out of the ordinary.
Ry was paranoid, she’d be the first to admit that, but apparently this time…maybe she’d been wrong. It was both a relief and a blow, because it meant she probably could leave, should leave, as soon as possible. If her dad hadn’t yet found her, every day she spent at The Refuge was one more day that passed when he could find her.
But the small niggling at the back of her neck that still insisted her dad was simply messing with her couldn’t be ignored.
There was a very real chance he was waiting for her to bolt, to leave The Refuge vulnerable, so he could strike without her there to mitigate the damage. Yes, she could defend The Refuge remotely, but she knew her dad. Knew how his mind worked. Being there, seeing firsthand what was going on, gave her an advantage. Her dad’s strikes could be so subtle, or seem so legitimate, her friends might not even know there was a problem until it was too late.
Ry sighed. She was sitting on the small front porch at Tiny’s cabin. He’d left earlier to go on a hike with some of the current guests. They were going out to Table Rock, then continuing on for a longer, more strenuous hike. He’d made them a delicious egg and vegetable dish that morning for breakfast, told her all about his schedule for the day, and afterward, said he’d see her later.
Then Ry had held her breath when he’d walked toward her, leaned in…
And kissed the side of her head as nonchalantly as if he’d done it every day that she’d been living in his cabin.
She’d stood there in the kitchen, frozen in confusion for several minutes after he’d gone.
Ever since asking her if they could start over, he’d started touching her all the time. Brushing against her when they passed each other in the hallway—her arm, her back—and now, that morning, kissing her.
It was a friendly kiss, nothing that would make her uncomfortable. But a kiss nonetheless. The scariest thing about it was how badly Ry had wanted to turn her head slightly so his lips could touch her skin and not just her hair.
She was falling for this Tiny. The one she’d met when she’d first arrived. Not the one who’d intimidated her with his anger and frustration and animosity.
But she couldn’t fall for him. She was leaving. Period.
With that thought in her head, Ry got to her feet and headed toward the lodge. She’d already spent some time online this morning searching for signs her father had found her, and not finding any. She’d also distributed around two hundred thousand dollars to various charities, money her father would literally kill her for spending.
Now she needed a break. Visiting with Robert and Luna up at the lodge would provide one. The father and daughter had been making lunches and dinners for Tonka, Henley, and Jasna, so they could spend as much quality time as possible with their new family member, and because being a new parent was exhausting. Maybe she’d offer to bring the noon meal to their cabin…so she could get some quality time with little Elizabeth herself.
She still couldn’t believe Henley and Tonka had named their daughter after her. No one had ever done anything like that for her before. Hell, she’d never even had friends before. Not really. Leaving New Mexico and not being able to see Elizabeth grow up would be the most painful thing she’d done to this point in her life, but the alternative wasn’t an option. She couldn’t stay. If she did, everyone here would be in constant danger. There was no telling what her father would do to anyone helping her.
Some people might think Ry was being overly dramatic. Would question what her father could really do to anyone. But she knew. Harold Lodge wasn’t a man who let bygones be bygones. And it wasn’t as if she’d stolen just a couple bucks from him when she’d left.
A smile crossed her face, thinking about what his reaction must’ve been when he realized what happened. That the daughter he’d painstakingly trained in his craft, the girl he’d thought was firmly wrapped around his little finger, who would never dare step out of line because of the very idea of the punishment she’d receive if she did, had disappeared into thin air—taking his entire fortune with her. The money he’d illegally stolen from nonprofits, banks, millionaires, corporations, towns, and even the scariest drug cartels around the world.
He’d never give up trying to find her, trying to get his money back.
Ry had no doubt Harold Lodge would’ve stolen plenty more money by now. He wouldn’t be hurting, living on the streets and having to rely on the kindness of others. No, he would’ve immediately started recouping the loss of his fortune. But he wouldn’t forget what she’d done. No, he’d want revenge. Which was why Ry couldn’t stay at The Refuge.
She opened the door to the lodge and smiled at Alaska, who was standing behind the reception desk. There were a few guests sitting in the comfortable leather chairs in the lobby area, but they didn’t pay any attention to her after looking up curiously to see who’d entered the building.
“Hey,” Alaska said in a chirpy tone.
“Morning,” she replied.
“What’s up? Everything okay?” Alaska asked.
Ry smiled at her. “Everything’s good. I thought I’d come up and see if I could bug Robert and Luna for a while.”
Alaska leaned forward. “They’re making cookies this morning. I think that’s why they’re sitting in here reading, instead of at their cabins,” she said, gesturing to the guests in the expansive lobby.
Ry chuckled. “Don’t blame them.”
“So, if you sweet-talk Robert…will you grab me a couple? They’re so good straight from the oven.”
“You know if you went in there, Robert would give you whatever you wanted,” she said dryly.
Alaska wrinkled her nose. “Probably. But I’m trying to watch what I eat.”
“Why?”
She frowned. “Because I could stand to lose a few pounds.”
“No,” Ry said firmly.
“No? No what?” Alaska asked, sounding confused.
“You’re perfect exactly how you are. And I know Brick would say the same thing. You get plenty of exercise running around this place. Helping guests, going on hikes, playing with Jasna, taking Mutt for walks…you’re healthy , Alaska. You want a cookie, eat a cookie. Life’s about balance.”
“That’s…wow.”
“Women are way too hard on other women…including ourselves. We nitpick every little thing. Look down our noses at others when we don’t know a damn thing about them. We’re willing to let men get away with just about anything because they’re easy on the eyes or simply because they’re guys. But we’re super judgmental toward each other. I hate it. You’re beautiful, Alaska. You’re hardworking, you keep this place running so smoothly, you’re the one everyone looks to when they need help with something.”
“Ry,” Alaska said, blinking furiously to keep the tears in her eyes from falling.
“All I’m saying is, don’t think you need to lose weight because you don’t look like the people in magazines. You could weigh eight hundred pounds and I’d still think you were the most beautiful person I’ve ever met because of your personality, your goodness. Because you didn’t even blink when you found out I’d lied to you, that I’d finagled myself a job here. You stuck up for me, supported me—and don’t think I missed every time you glared at Tiny when he was being…well…Tiny.”
“He was being mean,” Alaska said with a sniff.
Ry couldn’t help but smile a little at that. “He was being protective . Of the place he and the other guys built with their blood, sweat, and tears. I don’t hold that against him. ”
“Well, I do,” Alaska said stubbornly. “But I’ve noticed he hasn’t been quite so mean lately.”
For some reason, Ry blushed. She shrugged. “He said he wanted to start over.”
Alaska wiped the rest of her tears away and smiled. “It’s about time.”
“About time, what?”
“He got his head out of his butt and saw what was right in front of him. We were all pretty excited when he moved you into his cabin. Even though he was being a jerk, we still thought it would ultimately be a good thing.” Alaska grimaced. “But then he got meaner toward you, and we were all pissed . I’m relieved he’s finally figured his shit out before the guys had to intervene.”
“Intervene?” Ry’s head was spinning. She’d had no idea Alaska and the others even thought that way.
“Yeah, knock some sense into the man. Threaten him if he didn’t start treating you better.”
It was Ry’s turn to struggle with her tears.
“Oh, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You didn’t. It’s just…I haven’t had friends before,” Ry blurted, then immediately wished she hadn’t. Who admitted something like that? It was pathetic.
Alaska came around the desk and pulled Ry into a huge hug. “Me either,” she whispered before she pulled back. Her hands stayed on Ry’s shoulders as she met her gaze. “When I was kidnapped, I was vacationing in Russia. By myself . Because I didn’t have anyone to go with me. When I was in high school, I was too weird and too poor for other girls to feel comfortable around me. I admit that I didn’t try very hard to befriend them myself, because my mom was too unstable. Anyway, that continued when I got older. I switched jobs a lot, so it was hard to make true friends. Moving here to The Refuge was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
It was on the tip of Ry’s tongue to agree. But she wasn’t staying. So she simply nodded instead.
“Right, so…cookies. You’ll see if you can swipe me a couple?” Alaska asked.
Ry was glad for the reprieve from the intense moment. “Of course.”
“Thanks.”
The two women smiled at each other for a long moment, then Alaska squeezed Ry’s shoulders before letting go and heading back behind the desk. “I’ve got a little more paperwork to do, then I’m done for the day. The new guests have all checked in and I’ve answered all the email inquiries. I just need to update the schedule with the newest bookings.”
She nodded. “Cool.” Alaska worked really hard and was good at what she did. She thrived on making sure the guests were happy and on keeping everything organized. She was an amazing admin, and The Refuge was lucky to have someone as skilled and friendly as her manning the front desk.
Ry turned to head to the kitchen but didn’t get two steps before the door to the lodge opened. Looking to see who it was, she stopped in her tracks when she saw Tonka. He looked spooked.
“What’s wrong?” Alaska asked. She’d obviously seen his distress as well.
Ry stayed where she was, unabashedly eavesdropping. She didn’t like it when her new friends were upset, and something had definitely upset Tonka. Her thoughts immediately went to the animals he cared for. Had something happened to one of them?
“Do you know where Brick is?” he asked Alaska.
“I think he’s down at the hangar with Stone and Owl, discussing helicopter things. Why? What’s going on?”
“I got a letter from Tricare. I don’t know what’s happening, but something’s wrong. I need his advice.”
Ry’s blood ran cold. She wasn’t sure why, she had no reason to feel uneasy, and yet a cold breeze felt as if it ran down her spine at Tonka’s words.
“Maybe I can help? What’d the letter say?” Alaska asked.
Ry stepped closer to the desk, needing to hear Tonka’s response.
“They claim something’s wrong with my insurance. And that they aren’t going to pay for Elizabeth’s birth or Henley’s hospital stay. I don’t understand what’s gone wrong. I tried to call them, but of course there’s like a three-hour wait to talk to someone.”
“Don’t panic,” Alaska said firmly. “Let me call Drake and get him up here. He’ll know what to do.”
“Can I see it?” Ry asked, holding out a hand for the letter.
Both Alaska and Tonka turned to her in surprise, as if they’d forgotten she was there.
Tonka didn’t hesitate to hand her the letter. Ry read it quickly, realizing it was a form letter of sorts, informing Tonka that his medical benefits were in question because of “anomalies.”
Anomalies. Yeah, right. Deep down, Ry knew this was her dad’s work. This was how he operated. He was sneaky, dirty. Liked to poke at people, hurt them a little bit at a time until they were completely broken.
She’d wanted to think that ten cents was nothing, but her instincts had been right.
It was him. Testing the waters.
“I can fix this,” she told Tonka firmly, her mind already spinning with what she needed to do and her fingers itching to get to her computer.
Tonka’s expression cleared, some of the panic he’d been feeling literally fading away before her eyes. “You can?”
Ry nodded.
“I’m not sure Tricare will talk to you.”
Ry lifted an eyebrow slightly and met Tonka’s gaze head on. “I’m not going to call them.”
Understanding dawned in his eyes.
“But if you’re not comfortable with that, you can talk to Brick. I’m sure he’ll have some ideas about how to fix this.” Ry doubted that, but she had to make the offer.
“I trust you.”
Ry had to swallow hard so as not to burst into tears.
Tonka had no idea what those three little words meant to her. He knew some of what she was capable of—not all of it, because she hadn’t opened up to anyone about her past and the things she’d done, and what she could still do. But enough that he was well aware she was going to use her computer skills to figure out what was going on with his insurance.
“Will you need my social security number? And Henley’s?”
Tonka was kind of cute in his na?veté. “No.”
“But you’ll need them to?— ”
“I’m sure she can find them,” Alaska said, interrupting.
“Oh…yeah. Right. Okay, well…I’m going back to the cabin. Elizabeth is a little fussy this morning and Henley didn’t get much sleep last night. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to come over. Okay?”
Ry had no idea what she’d done to deserve friends like this. Frankly, she didn’t deserve them. But she was doing her best to make up for her past sins. “Okay. I’ll come over when I’ve figured out what the issue is.”
“Thanks, Ry. I mean it. I’m sorry if I panicked for a moment there. I just…I don’t want Henley to worry about anything, and this would definitely make her worry.”
Ry nodded—and blinked in surprise when Tonka stepped toward her and gave her a brief but tight hug. Then he gave her a chin lift and turned to leave.
“Did Tonka just chin-lift you?” Alaska asked, sounding awed.
“Yes?” Ry said, a little confused.
“And he hugged you. The change in him from when I first got here is like night and day. Between Henley and Jas doing their magic, the animals, and now Elizabeth, he’s a completely different person. I’m so happy for him.”
Ry nodded, but her brain was already focused on the steps she needed to take to figure out what her father had done, and how to fix it.
“Right, I can tell you’re anxious to get to work. How about I go visit Robert and Luna and get you some cookies, then bring them down to Tiny’s cabin?”
Ry would normally kill for Robert’s chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven, but even thinking about eating right now made her feel nauseous. “It’s okay. I want to figure this out. I’ll come up later and grab some. ”
“Do you need any help?” Alaska offered.
“Thanks, but no, I got this.” The last thing she’d do was involve anyone else in the clusterfuck that was her life.
“Okay, but if you need anything, just yell.”
“I will.” She totally wouldn’t. Alaska didn’t need to know that.
On autopilot, Ry made her way to the front door of the lodge. She still held the letter Tonka had received, and she read it again while walking quickly toward Tiny’s cabin.
Upon entering, she went straight to the kitchen table, where she’d left her laptop. It was her baby, her most prized possession. Without it, she was nothing. A high school dropout with few discernable skills in the real world. The computer defined who she was. It was all she was.
With a deep breath, she opened it and put in her password. As easy as breathing, Ry put in several more passwords to access the dark web. She needed to be very careful, she didn’t like hacking into government databases. They’d gotten more sophisticated over the years about security, and the last thing she needed was to get caught.
But more than that, she had no doubt her dad was out there watching and waiting. He’d set the bait and she was responding, as he knew she would. He was probably gloating and laughing wherever he was right now. The only positive was that it wasn’t as necessary to try to hide her location anymore. Her father knew where she was, and he was fucking with her. This was simply the beginning, they both knew it. The game of cat and mouse had started.
Ry had no doubt her dad would continue to mess with The Refuge until she gave in and talked to him. Gave him back the money she’d stolen .
Gritting her teeth, Ry concentrated on the screen in front of her. He wasn’t going to win. Now that The Refuge was in his sights, he’d never stop. Even if she left, he’d continue with his games until he’d destroyed the PTSD retreat. He wouldn’t feel even an ounce of remorse either.
It was up to Ry to stop him, once and for all. She’d have to use all her skills to lock down The Refuge electronically. To safeguard the money, the various accounts, and the online footprints of employees who worked there.
But she couldn’t possibly cover everything and everyone. Her dad would always have a way of getting in, of causing havoc.
Feeling sick that she’d done this, that her presence was a threat to everyone, she took a deep breath and concentrated on the task at hand. She needed to fix Tonka’s records— all of them. Lock them down. And everyone else’s too. Because if her dad could mess with Tonka’s health insurance, he could also fuck with all the guys’ retirement accounts, benefits, and even service records.
No way would she allow that.
Three hours later, Ry sat back in the chair with a heavy sigh. She’d done it. Found where her father had messed with Tonka’s records and fixed them. The insurance claim for Elizabeth’s birth was in the works…was actually being accelerated. Tonka should receive notice that the insurance payment was being processed immediately.
“Here.”
Ry startled so badly, she would’ve knocked over the glass of water Tiny had placed next to her elbow if he hadn’t moved quickly enough to lift it out of the way.
“Easy,” he soothed.
Looking up, Ry blinked in confusion. She didn’t even remember Tiny coming back. Had no idea how long he’d been there.
“You were concentrating so hard, you didn’t hear me come in,” he said, as if he could read her mind.
“Oh, sorry.”
“It’s fine. Tonka called Brick, who sent me a note while I was out hiking. We came back early because I wanted to check on you. You good?”
This new Tiny was so hard to get used to. For so long, all she’d gotten were scowls and distrustful glares when she was on her computer. And questions. Lots of questions. Tiny always wanted to know what she was doing when she was working; it took her out of her head and made it hard to concentrate. But today, he’d managed to not only come into the cabin without her hearing, but had obviously puttered around the kitchen getting her a drink as well. It was disconcerting.
“Ryleigh?”
Hearing her given name should’ve brought back horrible memories. Of her father threatening her. Yelling at her when she screwed up something. But instead, coming from him, it was…nice. He was the only one who called her Ryleigh, and it made her feel special.
“Right, sorry. I’m good.”
“Did you figure it out?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“Awesome. Tonka will be very relieved. You have to be hungry. It’s past lunch, and I’m assuming you didn’t stop to eat anything. I made us some sandwiches.”
Ry blinked at the plate that suddenly appeared next to the glass of water. It was a turkey and cheese sandwich. Made with mustard and lettuce and tomatoes. Heavy on the cheese.
Exactly how she liked it.
Looking up at Tiny, she blurted, “I’m not sure I like this nice you.”
To her surprise, instead of getting irritated, he actually smiled . “You’ll get used to it.”
But Ry wasn’t sure she would. “Don’t you want to ask me what I did? How I fixed Tonka’s records? If what I did was illegal, and if it could come back and hurt The Refuge?”
Tiny surprised her by turning her chair toward him as if she weighed nothing, then leaning over, caging her in by putting his hands on the armrests. She should’ve felt hemmed in, threatened, but surrounded by Tiny’s masculine scent, seeing the muscles in his arms ripple as he braced himself over her, and staring up at his stubble-covered jaw, it was all Ry could do not to throw herself at him.
“I did ask what you did…you said you fixed the problem. I wouldn’t understand anything you told me about how you did it, and I already know what you did was illegal…and I don’t give a shit. I also already know you wouldn’t do anything that would come back to bite The Refuge in the ass.”
All Ry could do was blink up at him. This was such a big turnaround from how he’d been acting for the last few months, it didn’t seem real .
“Look, I’ve been an ass. I know it, and I’ve promised to be better. Am I comfortable with the things you can do? Not really. But in all the time you’ve been here, you haven’t done anything to screw up our business. I’m thinking you’ve probably done a lot of stuff that has made things better , not worse. You found Jas and Reese and didn’t want any recognition for doing so. You worked your ass off to find Owl, Lara, and Stone. And Tonka told me that you didn’t even hesitate to volunteer to help him.”
He sighed, looking away briefly before locking his gaze on hers again.
“You want to know the real reason why I was so horrible to you, Ryleigh?”
Ry didn’t need to ask. She knew. Because she was a criminal. Did illegal things that could definitely hurt The Refuge if they were discovered. And because she’d lied to everyone.
But he blew her mind when he spoke.
“Because I was so goddamn attracted to you—and the last woman I thought I was in love with tried to kill me.”
She stared at him with huge eyes, shocked at his admission of attraction toward her and literally dumbstruck that someone had tried to kill him.
But as soon as his words sank in, anger rose within her, hot and fast. “What was her name?”
Instead of telling her, Tiny grinned. “Nope, not happening.”
“What’s not happening?” Ry asked.
“If I tell you her name, you’ll find her with that computer of yours and do who the hell knows what. She’s paying for her sins, you don’t need to take retribution against her. ”
The hell she didn’t. “What happened?”
“Not now. I’ll tell you the whole sordid story, but you’ve been hunched over that computer for so long, your back has to hurt. And you have to be hungry. How about you eat, then get changed, and after we go tell Tonka he’s good to go, we can take a walk. Maybe we can take Wally and Beauty with us. Let them get some exercise. Tonka told me both dogs have been glued to Elizabeth’s side as her new bodyguards. Maybe we’ll see if Jas wants to come too. It’ll do everyone some good to get some fresh air.”
Ry didn’t want to walk. She wasn’t exactly an outdoor kind of girl. She’d never really had a chance to enjoy nature while growing up, and besides, she liked being on her computer. Liked being a nerd.
What she really wanted to do was find whoever the bitch was who’d tried to kill Tiny and make sure her life was a living hell. It wouldn’t take much to drain her bank account, get her fired from her job, and make sure everyone she came into contact with knew she was an attempted murderer.
“I probably shouldn’t admit it, but I like that bloodthirsty look in your eye,” Tiny said, palming her cheek and lifting her head, so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. “She’s in jail. Comes up for parole in a year or so. We can worry about it then. For now, she’s reaping what she sowed. You didn’t comment on the first part of what I said, though.”
Jail. Even better. That’s all the info Ry needed to find the bitch. She could search databases for Tiny’s name and figure out where she was.
“Ryleigh? Are you listening to me?”
Blinking, she focused. The hand on her cheek was calloused and warm, and it took all her control not to tilt her head into his touch. “I’m listening.”
“I haven’t felt an attraction toward a woman in years. And when I realized that you weren’t who we all thought you were, it sent me spiraling. I let my bitterness overwhelm my common sense. You don’t deserve the way I’ve treated you, and I’m done thinking the worst. You’re scary as fuck with what you can do with that computer of yours, but since you’ve been here, you’ve done nothing but look after us. It’s appreciated, but you don’t have to protect us all by yourself anymore.
“Let us in…let me in. Let me help you with whatever it is you’re scared of. The Refuge is all of ours. You don’t have to shoulder the responsibility for this place by yourself.”
“I do if it’s my fault the place is threatened,” she whispered.
But Tiny shook his head firmly. Then he crouched in front of her, and she was no longer looking up, but instead looking down at him between her legs. His hands were resting on her thighs now, not in a sexually suggestive way, but a comforting hold.
“If I screw up and one of the guests gets hurt, no one would blame me, they’d all work together to make sure that person is cared for. If Tonka messes up and leaves a gate open and Melba gets out, we’ll all pitch in to get her back home. If Savannah makes a mistake on our taxes, we’ll work to fix it. We’re a team at The Refuge, Ryleigh, and you’re now a part of that.”
She wanted to cry. She wanted to be a part of Team Refuge, but the hellfire she could bring down on this place wasn’t like a cow escaping its pen or a simple mistake on taxes. Her being there could literally get people hurt. She had no doubt her father would do whatever he felt was necessary to get his money. Including killing people she held near and dear, if that’s what it took to get her to transfer the cash back to his account.
But it wasn’t that easy. Not anymore.
“I have one more question before I let you eat and we head out to get some fresh air,” Tiny said.
Ry held her breath as she waited to see what he was going to ask.
“Before…well… before , I thought you were feeling some of the same things for me that I was for you. Have I ruined that? Has my shitty attitude toward you killed any chance I might’ve had of being more than your friend?”
Ry literally thought she was having a heart attack. Was shocked that he was coming right out and asking what she thought about him.
“I’m a virgin,” she blurted—then immediately closed her eyes in mortification. She couldn’t believe she’d said that.
“Ooookay,” Tiny said slowly. “You think that matters?”
Ry forced her eyes open. “It doesn’t ? I’m thirty-one and haven’t ever had sex. That’s weird . I mean, I’m not ashamed of it. I just haven’t felt the urge to do it with a guy.”
“Do it,” Tiny echoed with a small chuckle.
Ry frowned. Was he making fun of her?
“You being a virgin doesn’t change how I think about you. You’re mysterious, smart as hell, compassionate, selfless. You’re also a nerd, too pale because you spend way too much time inside, and somewhere along your life’s journey, you’ve learned that it’s better to lie than to tell the truth. None of that turns me off. I admit that the lying thing is a tough one for me, with my past, but the lies you’ve told haven’t been malicious, so I can overlook them…for now. But I need you to do what you can to try to curb that. There’s no need to lie to me. About anything. If you don’t want to tell me something, just tell me you need time. I’ll give it to you. But please, no more lies.”
Ry swallowed hard. Tiny was being…overwhelmingly awesome. She didn’t expect this. She almost preferred his scowls.
“Guys like women with experience,” she said, once again blurting out what she was thinking.
“No, they don’t,” Tiny countered. “Men like women who are into them. Period. How much experience she does or doesn’t have isn’t a factor. It’s about the emotional connection between them. Learning what they like to do together. Your virginity has no bearing on my feelings about you one way or the other. You could’ve supported yourself on the streets by taking money for sex, or you could’ve been a nun, and I’d still feel the same way about you.”
Ry swallowed hard.
“You never answered my question,” Tiny said gently.
“Which one?”
“Did I kill any interest you might’ve had in me by being an overbearing asshole?”
Ry was at a crossroads. She could lie and say yes. She had no doubt Tiny would back off. Wouldn’t kick her out, would continue to be her friend, while keeping his distance as she did her best to figure out how to deal with her father.
Or she could suck it up, find the courage to tell him that she was still just as attracted to him now as she’d been before her true identity was revealed. She had no idea what that would mean. She would still probably have to leave, and it would hurt a hundred times worse if she got involved with him.
Tiny stayed crouched in front of her as she contemplated how to answer him. He’d asked her not to lie to him again. Begged.
“No.”
It was one word, but the relief she saw in Tiny’s posture and expression told her everything she needed to know.
“Good. I’m going to do better by you. I’ll do my best to get you to trust me, tell me what has you so scared, so we can fix it. Okay?”
It wouldn’t be that easy, but she nodded anyway.
“Eat,” Tiny ordered as he stood.
Ry blinked in surprise. She didn’t know what she’d expected him to do, but she thought maybe he’d kiss her. Or at least give her a hug. Instead, he ordered her around as if she were ten years old.
He chuckled as he stood above her. Again, as if he could read her mind, he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Then he reached for her computer and looked at her as he asked, “May I?”
Ry nodded.
Tiny closed her laptop and scooted it to the center of the table. Then he pushed the plate with her sandwich and her water closer.
“What about you? Aren’t you hungry?”
“I ate my sandwich while you were still working. I’m good. ”
“Oh…okay.”
He smiled down at her. She hadn’t been on the receiving end of many of his smiles, and Ry had to admit, she liked it. A lot.
“The faster you eat that sandwich, the sooner you can have the chocolate chip cookies Alaska gave me to bring to you.”
“Cookies?” Ry asked, sitting up straighter.
“Yup.”
“Gimme,” she ordered, holding out her hand.
Tiny chuckled. “Not until you eat your sandwich. You’ll need more than sugar and empty carbs for our hike.”
“Mean,” Ry grumbled, but she dutifully picked up the sandwich he’d made. Even when Tiny was upset with her and treating her like crap, he’d still gone out of his way to make sure she ate. He was never so selfish that he made himself dinner and didn’t let her have any.
Of course, the silent meals were so uncomfortable, she’d frequently abandoned her plate in favor of fleeing to her room, leaving half of her food behind.
The sandwich was delicious and it hit the spot. Ry hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she’d started eating. She ate every bite and washed it down with the water, then smiled at Tiny when he placed two chocolate chip cookies on the table as a reward. They were warm from the microwave and melted in her mouth.
Tiny put her dishes away as she ate the dessert. Then Ry changed into a pair of comfortable boots and some layers for their hike.