Chapter 9 #2
“It’s no big thing. I didn’t have on my good hat, just my cap.
” Ryder started unpacking bags, putting out croissants, a baguette, some sort of butter and honey, a quart of soup, cheese.
Then there were a couple of bags with different trinkets and T-shirts that Ryder put aside.
“Here’s your receipts for the soup and the rest of the food. ”
“Thank you.” He didn’t need receipts; he trusted Ryder, but the cowboy brought them dutifully every time he spent any money. He’d given up saying he didn’t need them. “The soup smells good. Where did you find it?”
“This deli down the street. It smelled good and had nice bread, and the man there had a good smile.” Ryder gathered up his bags. “I’ll get these out of the way.”
“Souvenirs?” He had to ask before Ryder whisked them all away.
“Yes, sir. For my brothers and folks, plus a couple friends. My baby brothers have never been here.”
The baby brothers must be the other set of twins he saw in that picture. He couldn’t ask, of course, because Ryder would know instantly that he’d been snooping on the internet. But now felt like a good time to hatch his little surprise. “Will your brother be riding in Connecticut?”
There went that head-tilt again. It was a sweet little tell. “He is. He’s riding good this year. He’s in the top ten.”
There were a number of ways to ask his next question, and Charles quickly weighed them, setting on one that would make it clear that he wanted to go, and that it wasn’t just a favor, or worse, meddling. “Would you be interested in taking me to see the rodeo?”
Tilt.
“Well, I’d love to. I was intending to go, but we can go together—” Ryder pursed his lips, eyebrows drawing together. “Not as work, though, if you don’t mind. I’ll get us tickets, and we’ll just go as people. Fair?”
Hm . Well, now he was worried that he’d thrown a wrench into Ryder’s private plans.
“Oh, I hadn’t intended for you to be working at all.
It was just an impulsive thought on my part, and it certainly wasn’t my intention to impose.
We could go another time when you have more notice.
I—I thought it might be fun, and I might learn a little more about you and your long career. Perhaps there’s a better time for you.”
“Did I say something that meant no? I said I’d love to, and that I’d like to go together as folks, and that I’d get our ticket…”
He huffed a laugh. “No, not specifically, but I suddenly realized I was imposing myself into your life, and maybe you’d prefer that I didn’t.”
“No. Not at all. Everyone should get to see a good bull riding. I’ll make arrangements for us.”
“Excellent. Please use my card for tickets and hotel rooms and whatever else we need.” He sat with his tea and took a sip, letting it warm him all the way through.
“How do you want to get there? Plane? Train? Automobile?”
“Oh, my driver can take us. It’s only a few hours. Just a little shorter than the ride into the city, in fact.” Ryder could tell him everything he needed to know on the drive.
“I love that idea. No having to fight for parking. This event’s at a casino, so it’s always a challenge.”
“He can pull right up. We’ll look important.”
“Excellent. I’ll take care of everything. It should be fun.” That was a pleased smile, warm.
Ryder always seemed happiest when he had a project. Something to accomplish. “I’m very much looking forward to it. I haven’t done anything new to me in many years. I hope you will tell me everything I need to know.”
“You’ll be fine. You’ll have a great narrator, trust me.”
“I do trust you.” He grinned. “And I like that. My narrator.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll explain the sport, introduce the people, and tell you which bulls are rank.” Ryder grinned for him, those demon-dark eyes sparkling.
“They rank the bulls? Interesting.”
“They do, the better the bull, the more rank they’re considered. The best ones are in the short-go. That’s the final round. The event is three days—Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday afternoon.”
“Oh wonderful. By Sunday, I might feel like I understand the sport a bit.” He was genuinely excited about going, which also made him realize how disappointed he would have been if Ryder hadn’t wanted him to come along.
“I’ll help. I want you to meet my brother, too. He’s a hoot.”
“I am always happy to meet family. I think this is going to be quite the event.” And so far out of his comfort zone it might as well be Mars, but Charles felt as if it was going to be good for him to do something different. Something he and Tad would never have done.
“It’s a good one. Not as good as a Dallas or a Houston—the bulls don’t have near as far to travel to those, but good nonetheless.” Ryder kept talking as he puttered around, doing odds and ends that made the apartment more comfortable—straightening a pillow, closing a curtain, opening a window.
He sipped his tea and watched. All of this seemed rather out of character for the bull riders in his head—tough as nails, covered in dirt—looking at this man he’d never guess what his former profession was. “Would you care to share one of those croissants you bought?”
“I bought them to share, of course. I got a ham one too, because I was curious as all get out. Like the ham and cheese is baked in, not a sandwich. Hot or not?”
“Ham and cheese should be hot. Chocolate should be warm.” He was an expert on pastries; they were his favorite indulgence.
Although that key lime pie that Ryder had snuck into this study? That might be a very close second.
“Do you want both or just the sweet?” Ryder grinned at him. “They’re as big as your head.”
“Oh, just the sweet for me, and only half. I don’t need a whole one.” He knew that bakery. They made sweets big enough to feed three people.
“Then we’ll share. I just couldn’t resist that scent.” The whistling disappeared into the kitchen.
Such a sweet boy.
Man. Young man?
Boy just seemed to fit Ryder for some reason. Not that he would ever say such a thing out loud. Goodness. How condescending would that be? Ryder wasn’t twelve.
He was much too lovely in an adult way to be twelve.
What is in this tea? Rein it in, Charles.
It didn’t take long at all before the croissant, halved, two plates, two forks, and napkins appeared.
“Mm. Smell that? Have a seat and eat with me. I have a meeting later, yes? And do I have dinner plans? After dinner plans?” He hardly looked at his calendar anymore; he just waited for Ryder to tell him what was happening next.
Fairly soon he thought he might even start referring people to Ryder to get on his calendar.
“You have a meeting at two, and you needed to call a Mr. Arwen before, you asked for Caesar salad with croutons and chicken and wine for supper, and you are free as a bird this evening.”
“Oh. Excellent. Let’s take a walk later if it’s not too chilly.” He loved to walk when he was here, especially at night. He loved the lights and people watching, the occasional musician on the corner.
“No problem. That sounds like fun. I like exploring.” Ryder waited for him to take a bite.
So polite.
He cut a piece off with the side of his fork and held it up like one would for a toast, then put the fork in his mouth, knowing before he bit down that it was going to be amazing.
It was even better than he’d expected.
“Oh. Mmm. Mhm.” He nodded approval as the not-too-sweet chocolate melted on his tongue.
“Good?”
“Uhn.”
“Yay!” Ryder took a bite, and his eyes crossed in obvious bliss.
“See?” He took another bite and this time the flakey pastry hit his tongue first, so buttery and lush.
“Okay, this is amazing. I think that I have to learn how to do this…”
“You know, everyone else I know would say something like ‘I can’t wait to go back to that place’, but not you. You just said, ‘I have to learn how to do this.’ You’re unique, Ryder. Different. Creative. I appreciate those things about you.”
Ryder beamed at him. “Well, I have to go back, see if they’ll tell me how. If they won’t, I’ll look it up. Google and Amazon and YouTube are my friends.”
“Good luck. There is a lot of competition in this city. They actually might not tell you.”
Ryder shrugged. “That’s okay. Can’t hurt to ask. The worst they can say is no.”
“I don’t know about that. This is New York. They could say many worse things. Many. With a lot of cursing.” He laughed and took another bite.
Ryder wrinkled his nose. “I’ll have to channel Roper then. He can snap back like nothing going.”
“He’s a brave one, hm? He sounds like someone who doesn’t mind getting himself in trouble.” And very different than Ryder that way.
“He loves trouble. Loves it.” Ryder chuckled, the sound low and soft, fond.
“And that’s why you say you had to take care of him?” He wondered who did that for Roper now that Ryder wasn’t there.
“He’s totally grown-up. He’s just less…picky. I like to be in a nice space, if that makes sense.”
“It does.” He understood what Ryder meant, even without meeting Roper. “I prefer to be in a nice space as well.”
“Yes. I can tell. I am trying to keep it done right for you.”
“You’re doing an excellent job.” The acknowledgement and praise always seemed to make Ryder happy. “I’m very pleased.”
He preferred for Ryder to be happy.
“Good deal. This would be awkward if you disliked me.”
“If I did, you wouldn’t be here.” He winked at Ryder and sipped his tea. “The truth is, I don’t know how I managed before you arrived. You’ve been good to me.”
“Thank you. I’m trying. This is my first time.”
“I know. It’s difficult to believe given how good you are at it.” He glanced at his watch to make sure he wasn’t going to miss his phone call.
“Do you want your soup at noon? One?” Ryder licked a bit of chocolate off his fingers.
He watched for a second but while it was good to feel like he wasn’t dead yet, it was also completely inappropriate.
“Well, a two o’clock meeting, a phone call before…let’s say twelve-thirty.”
Ryder nodded and set an alarm on his phone. “Twelve-thirty it is. Baguette or are you carbed out ’til supper?”
“Just the soup will be enough after that midmorning snack. I think.” He didn’t have the metabolism he used to.
“Yeah. I hear you. I got enough of the soup to try. There’s nothing in it I don’t like.”
“You’ll like it. It’s Italian comfort food. And it has so much flavor.”
“Beans. Pasta. Veggies. All good.” Ryder started cleaning up their snack. “You holler if you need me. I’ll be here.”
“I will do that. Thank you, Ryder. Let me know if you need anything from me for our reservations in Connecticut.” Ryder had his miles card, so there probably wasn’t much else he needed but it seemed polite to offer.
“Yes, sir. I’m on it.” He got a warm, happy little smile. “I’m excited.”
He could tell. That bright smile said it all. “Me too.” He was very much looking forward to it, to learning about the rodeo and to spending some off-the-clock time with Ryder.