Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY- FIVE
PENNY
The closer the clock got to six, the more butterflies took flight in my belly. Hank and Grandma were playing cards. Tucker, who’d apparently volunteered for Hank duty tonight, would be picking him up shortly.
As for me, I was just trying to keep my cool. Especially since I hadn’t admitted to Grandma or Wyatt that I was going out with Ryder tonight. I hadn’t wanted to make a big deal of it—which they would. I wanted to ease myself into this, so I’d told them we were going to run renovation errands.
It was the best I could come up with. Especially since I couldn’t believe I was doing this. I shouldn’t be doing this. Why was I doing this? Before I could so much as pull out my phone to be a chickenshit and cancel, a knock sounded at the door.
Wyatt opened up to Ryder, who held out a fist.
My brother bumped it with his own.
“Ah,” Hank said to his son.
“You good?” Ryder asked him.
“Ah.”
Ryder nodded. “Tucker’s stuck in traffic on his way back from a job in Marine Headlands, but he’ll come straight here for you.” He started to turn to me, but someone sighed exceptionally loudly.
Pika-boo.
“What’s up?” I asked the bird. “What could possibly be bothering you, my little unemployed freeloader?”
“I asked him to stop talking,” Wyatt said. “He’s mad at me.”
“Why did you ask him to stop talking?” I asked.
“ Pooping matters ,” Pika-boo whispered.
Wyatt thrust a hand out in the bird’s direction, like, “see?” Then he turned to Ryder. “I cleaned up the jobsite just like you asked.”
“Nice job. Make sure to keep track of your hours on the time sheet I gave you.”
“I will. Can’t wait to get to the tile work.”
“This weekend.”
Wyatt looked so happy that my heart expanded. I could’ve kissed Ryder for putting that expression on my brother’s face, but, oh right, I already had.
And more…
“We could start now,” Wyatt said with more animation than I’d seen in a long time. “I’m done with my homework.”
“I’m sorry, man. How about tomorrow after work instead? I’ve got plans tonight. Penny and I are?—”
“Going on errands, like I told you,” I quickly said. “All related to the renovation. Like the hardware store, and…” My mind went blank. “The hardware store.”
Ryder looked amused.
Grandma just sighed wistfully. “I miss…errands.”
Wyatt divided a look between me and Ryder, and I held my breath because the kid was smart as hell, but he said nothing.
“Me want banana,” Pika-boo said in a Minion voice.
Wyatt looked at me. “You know what pet doesn’t talk? Iguanas.”
I pointed at the three of them—Wyatt, Grandma, Pika-boo—a silent request to please behave themselves. Then I grabbed Ry by the hand and tugged him toward the door.
“Lock up behind us,” I called.
Wyatt beat us to the door, eyes on Ryder.
Ryder smiled at him. “What’s up?”
“You going to hurt my sister?”
I nearly gasped in shock and surprise. “Wyatt?—”
“No, I’m not going to hurt your sister,” Ryder said, smile gone, holding eye contact with my brother, solemn and genuine. “ Ever .”
Wyatt stared at him for a beat, then gave a single nod.
I drew a shaky breath and, unable to help myself, tugged Wyatt into me for a hug.
“Gross,” he said.
I managed a slightly soggy laugh. “Don’t forget to?—”
“Shower with soap? Brush my teeth? Empty the rain bucket?” he asked dryly. “I know. I’m not a baby anymore.”
And it was true, I realized, meeting his too-grown-up-for-his-age gaze. His limbs were gangly, his hair a wild mess. He was growing like a weed, already needing the next size up in clothes. I could see very little of the boy he’d been, and much more of the man he would become.
We headed out and I climbed into Ry’s truck. He waited until I’d put on my seat belt to ask, “Where to?”
“South on River Drive.” I swiveled in the passenger seat to face him.
Tonight he was yet another version of Ryder Colburn I hadn’t seen before.
Not Corporate Ry. Not Carpenter Ry. Nope, in his sexy guy jeans and a green Henley that brought out the jade streaks in those hazel eyes, I was meeting Casual Night Out Ry.
“You’re staring,” he said, sounding amused.
Yes, because he had his sleeves shoved up, and I’d melted into a puddle at his tanned, corded forearms. “Just wondering which version of you is the real Ryder Colburn. The suit, the tool belt, or the jeans.”
“Funny.” He drove with focus and an easy confidence, dark lenses covering his eyes, several days of stubble on his sexy jaw. “I’m always just me.”
I was starting to think that might be actually true. That unlike the men I’d previously allowed in my life, there was no hidden agenda. What you saw was what you got with him.
The narrow, curvy highway wound along the sparkling Russian River.
I directed Ryder to turn off onto a quiet country road that took us to the far north end of Star Falls city limits.
Here, the land softened into gentle rolling hills dotted with grazing cattle and sheep, and fields of vibrant green vineyards snaked across the landscape, their rows disappearing into the horizon.
We turned again, onto an even smaller, lesser-known road that took us to a pocket of ancient redwood forest. Three-hundred-foot tall behemoths, reaching up to the clouds.
“Turn right,” I said, pointing to a dirt parking lot filled with other cars.
He did as instructed. “Do I get a hint about what we’re doing?”
“Is Mr. Adventure nervous?”
He grinned. “Do you want me to be?”
“Might be nice to have us on even ground for once.”
His smile faded. “We are on even ground, Penny. Always.”
“Uh-huh.”
He parked and swiveled to face me. “We are.”
“Ryder…” I shook my head and laughed. “It wasn’t an insult. It’s just…truth. You’re CEO of a successful business. I cook and deliver food.”
He slid a hand to my jaw, rubbing the pad of his thumb lightly over the scar. How he’d figured out that touching the new skin there softened any lingering stiffness, I had no idea.
“You’re an amazing cook?—”
I put my finger over his lips. “Thank you, but I wasn’t fishing.”
One side of his mouth quirked. “You don’t like compliments. They make you uncomfortable.”
“Yes, so you can stop trying.”
“Or you could get used to hearing good things about yourself.”
I rolled my eyes. “You going to let me feed you or what?”
“Can you both feed me and also give me the ‘or what?’”
I laughed and we got out of the truck and stood in that beat of time between daylight and nightfall.
Above us, the endless sky stretching overhead, a canvas of pinks and reds in the west, and deep velvety purples and blues in the east. We were surrounded by a woody terrain alive with movement: birds singing, small squirrels scurrying amongst the foliage, as if bustling to finish their business before nightfall.
Even the trees and lush green plants seemed to take on a bright and more vibrant quality than normal in the fading light of dusk. A fairytale setting.
In the distance, muffled through the majestic madrones, came the faint sound of people and music.
“It’s Star Falls’s first ever food truck night,” I said quietly.
“Come on, I’ll show you.” I led him through the trees and into a large clearing beautifully lit with strings upon strings of lights.
Haloed in those lights were a bunch of food trucks in a large circle, all open and operating.
In the center of the circle were picnic tables filled with people eating, talking, laughing.
Off to the side sat a line of fire pits, a babbling brook, and games like dartboards, life-sized chess and checkerboards, a massive Jenga set, and corn hole boards.
Music played, drowning out the sound of the truck generators, and a few brave souls were already dancing.
As the sun continued to sink slowly toward the horizon, casting a golden glow on everything, the heavenly scents coming from the trucks had my mouth watering.
Ryder was taking it all in with a look of wonder. He’d shoved his sunglasses to the top of his head and inhaled deeply. I got the feeling he was rarely surprised by anything, and I felt a surge of pride at offering him a new experience.
He turned to me, eyes lit with interest, smile warm, easy. “So…what do you want to eat first?”
You .
I realized it must be all over my face because he gave a low, sexy laugh and leaned in, his mouth ghosting over my ear. “Just say the word.”
“Falafels,” I said quickly. “I want falafels. And Tex-Mex. But I also want some noodles. Oh! And ice cream…”
“A smorgasbord.” He nodded. “Let’s do it.”
The lines moved along, but it was still a decent wait. Remembering Vi’s temper test, I kept a close eye on Ryder for signs of annoyance. But he easily conversed with the people in front and behind us, and with me. Always with me, maintaining eye contact, smiling like he was enjoying himself.
Twenty minutes later, we were at a small table in a corner out of the way and had enough food for ten people. I’d been bringing home work leftovers or cooking every night, so I was in heaven eating things that I hadn’t had to make for myself.
Ryder dove in as well, like maybe he hadn’t eaten in weeks. I watched him down three fish tacos and then look at his plate like he couldn’t believe they were gone.
“You can lick the plate,” I said with a straight face. “I won’t tell anyone.”
Unabashed, he grinned—a slow, mischievous one. “You jest, but those were the best tacos on the planet.”
“Only because you haven’t tasted my tacos yet.” The minute the words were out of my mouth and hit my ears, I felt myself flush beet red. “I didn’t mean?—”
His smile was filthy.
“I meant I actually make tacos, and?—”
He was full-out laughing now, the sound rich and full and joyous, the light brown and green of his eyes interspersed, like forked lightning through chocolate.
I crossed my arms and glared at him, and he worked at controlling himself. Then he leaned in and put his mouth to my ear. “I’d love to taste your taco, Pen. Again .”
“I’m talking about real tacos! Chicken tacos, carne asada tacos, shrimp tacos!”
He exhaled a soft laugh, his lips dancing over the sensitive flesh beneath my ear. “How about this? I’ll eat any taco you offer me.”
I could tell my face was red as a tomato as I put my hand on his chest and nudged him back. Actually, it was probably closer to a shove. “I changed my mind,” I said loftily. “No tacos for you. Ever.”
“Forever’s a long time,” he said, eyes so smoking hot I was surprised I hadn’t gone up in flames. I grabbed my water and drank it down, earning me another low, sexy laugh.
“Dance,” I said desperately. “We’re going to dance.” I stood, and then so did he, pulling me into his arms right next to our table.
“The band’s on a break,” he said, his rough jaw against mine.
I nearly moaned in pleasure. “So?”
He laughed with so much delight that I couldn’t help the twitch of my lips.
And then, music or not, he began to move against me, easy and confident.
When the band came back a minute later and started with something slow and haunting, Ryder pulled me in tighter, his eyes on mine as we moved to the beat in unison, pressed tight from chest to knees.
It was possibly the funnest, sexiest moment of my life.
Maybe later I’d feel pathetic about that, but in the moment, up against his sinewy body, my usual reality seemed far away.
Our eyes met. His mouth curved as he leaned in close again so I could hear him. “I love how you feel against me.”
Just a few words, simple words, and I melted. “You mean a hot, sticky mess?”
“I love it when you’re a hot, sticky mess.”
I laughed, but I also blushed.
“I love your laugh too.” His mouth made its way to that spot beneath my ear. “And the way you look at me.” A little nibble had my toes curling in my sandals. “It makes me feel…special,” he murmured, “as if you see all of me, and accept me just the way I am.”
I stared at him. Had anyone ever felt this way about me?
“I love being with you,” he said, a low rumble of words from his chest to mine, and something deep inside me shifted into place, almost like I was a puzzle, one that had been missing a key piece for a very long time.
And that piece was him.