Chapter 14 #2
I knocked on Ryker’s door before entering, finding him pacing a path between his bed and the dresser. A very short, angry path. His hands balled into fists at his sides. The stubborn set of his jaw suggested he was about three seconds away from blowing a gasket.
I shouldn’t have found his clenched jawline so attractive, but apparently, “man about to commit a murder” had just skyrocketed to the top of my new favorite spank bank material.
My therapist would have a field day with that one.
But who could blame me? I wanted to see what happened when Mount Saint Ryker finally blew his top. You know, for science.
“Ugh, I can’t believe her!” Ryker exploded the second I closed the door. “She knows we’re dating for real now, and she still invited Maylin over? What kind of twisted logic is that? Does she think this is a sitcom?”
I settled onto his bed, crossing my legs as I watched him pace. “Let it out, snookums.”
“And how she dropped that bombshell at breakfast? Like it was no big deal? ‘Oh, by the way, I still invited the girl I wanted to set you up with over for dinner. I hope that’s cool!’ Who does that?
” He raked his fingers through his hair, turning it into a spiky disaster.
“I’m so tired of her meddling matchmaking. I thought we were done with this shit.”
His voice cracked on the last word, and I tilted my head, studying him more carefully. There was something in his tone that suggested his reaction was about more than just dinner with Maylin.
“And now we have to sit through an entire meal pretending everything’s fine while she plays matchmaker right in front of you because she can’t help herself, and—” Ryker cut himself off with a groan.
I kept my voice gentle, talking to him as I would to a spooked animal. “What’s really bothering you about this?”
He refused to meet my gaze as he resumed his pacing with the fervor of a caffeinated squirrel chasing shiny objects.
I stood up and caught his hands in mine, halting him in his tracks. His skin was clammy as tiny tremors ran through him. “Come here,” I murmured, guiding him to sit beside me on the bed.
He resisted at first but finally relented with a dramatic huff.
“Look, if you’re worried about Maylin, don’t be,” I said, keeping a firm grip on him. “After last night, I know how you feel about me. One awkward dinner won’t change anything, especially since I’m confident you have zero interest in her.”
He stared down at our entwined hands but didn’t respond.
“Hey, we could have fun with this,” I suggested, bumping his shoulder with mine. “Think about it. We can flaunt how disgustingly in love we are. Make her jealous of what she can’t have. I’ll even feed you bites of dessert for the theatrics.”
When he still didn’t crack a smile, I tried a new angle. “I know you’re upset, but look at this as helping your mom save face.”
“Right, because I want to help her after being so humiliated this morning,” he said in a sarcastic tone.
“But think of the social ramifications!” I gasped dramatically, trying to coax a laugh out of him. “Your mom’s hairdresser’s neighbor’s daughter’s mother’s book club friend would be scandalized!”
His lips twitched ever so slightly.
“Your mom’s hairdresser’s neighbor’s daughter’s mother’s coworker’s sister’s yoga instructor would never recover from the shame!”
A begrudging laugh finally escaped him. “You’re absurd.”
“Your mom’s hairdresser’s neighbor’s daughter’s mother’s coworker’s sister’s yoga instructor’s dog groomer’s second cousin twice removed would—”
“Stop!” He shoved my shoulder with a laugh. “I get it.”
I caught his hand again, my tone turning serious.
“Your mom has been our biggest cheerleader, even when she knew we were pretending at first. I understand you’re fed up with her matchmaking antics.
But all she’s ever wanted was for you to be happy.
And this will be the last time you have to go through a bad date.
Plus, you’ll get another hilarious story to regale our friends with. ”
Ryker sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I know. She means well, even if her methods are…” He waved his free hand to fill in the words he couldn’t find.
“Enthusiastically misguided?”
“Something like that.” He leaned against me. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe we can have fun with it instead of dreading it.”
“That’s the spirit! Imagine all the ways we can scandalize your mom’s hairdresser’s neighbor’s—”
“Don’t you dare start that again,” he warned, but he was smiling. “I’m just worried.”
“Worried about what?” I nudged him when he fell silent.
He hesitated before answering. “What if this ruins everything?”
And just like that, it clicked. It wasn’t about his mom or Maylin. It was about us. My best friend, the man I’d been in love with for three years, was terrified of losing what we’d only just discovered. The vulnerability in his confession made me fall for him all over again.
I cupped his face in my hands, waiting for his stormy gray eyes to lock onto mine. “Listen to me, Ryker. Nothing and no one could ever come between us. You know why?”
He shook his head, his skin warm against my palms.
“Because I’ve waited three years for this chance with you.
Three years of watching you date other people, three years of hoping you’d finally see me as a viable option.
I’m not about to give that up for your mom’s hairdresser’s neighbor’s daughter’s mother’s book club friend’s Pilates instructor’s cat sitter’s estranged cousin’s matchmaking schemes. ”
A tiny smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“You opening up to me like this?” I brushed my thumb across his cheek. “That means everything to me.”
I leaned in for a kiss, pouring all my affection and reassurance into the gentle contact. When I pulled back, I wrapped him in a tight hug, feeling the tension drain from his shoulders as he melted against me.
“We’re going to be fine,” I promised, then kissed his temple. “It’s only one dinner. How bad could it be?”
Ryker groaned against my chest. “Why would you say that out loud? That’s like rule number one in horror movies and life. Congratulations, you’ve just signed us up for an unmitigated disaster.”
I chuckled, squeezing him tighter. “I promise to be on my absolute best behavior. I’ll make sure you feel secure the whole time. Though my best behavior might still involve playing footsie under the table.”
“Of course it would,” he muttered, but I could hear the grin in his voice.
“But we should hurry back downstairs before Sawyer claims the rest of those pastries. You know how she gets with your mom’s baking.”
As we reached the door, I pulled him in for one last quick kiss. “No matter what happens at dinner tonight, we’re ending it the same way we started this morning by being together.”