Chapter Twenty-Three
chapter twenty-three
KIRA
I’m on my way. Let’s meet at the coffee shop, and then we can walk to the library with the girls.
I shoot off a text to Marie and then grab the diaper bag I prefilled with everything I’ll need for today. I wasn’t planning to go for coffee, but Marie texted, apologizing about bailing on the girls’ night and offering to buy me a coffee. Since I’m a coffee addict, I can never say no to coffee.
“Girls, let’s go,” I call over my shoulder as my phone rings in my back pocket. When I pull it out and see that it’s Ana, I hit Accept and stick it between my face and shoulder, so I can multitask.
“Hey! How’s it going?”
“I’m bored.”
“With two kids under two? I doubt it,” I say with a laugh while I get Addie buckled in and then make sure Violet’s seat belt is on.
“Okay, maybe not bored,” she says. “But I’m restless. Don’t get me wrong—I love being home with my babies, but I don’t like being cooped up in the house. I’m used to being on the move.”
“I get that. It’s why I take the girls out a lot. I’m meeting Marie for coffee, and then we’re going to the library. There’s a story time happening this morning. Want to join?”
“Hell yes! We’ll meet you there.”
“Sounds good.”
I hang up, double-check I have everything we need, and then click the gate. It’s only a short drive to the coffee shop, and once we arrive, both girls get excited over getting their chocolate milks. Since I’m the first one here, I snag a table that will seat everyone and then wait for Marie and Ana to arrive.
Ana arrives first with both babies and Paige with her.
“Hey!” I stand and hug both women. “You don’t have work?” I ask Paige.
“I do, but my boss is awesome.” She winks at Ana. “I’m just having coffee with you guys, and then I’m heading into the office.”
“Is your friend here yet?” Ana asks.
“No, she should’ve been here—” The sound of a text cuts me off, and when I glance at my phone, I find a message from Marie, saying she had a last-minute emergency and can’t make it.
“Everything okay?” Paige asks.
“Yeah, Marie can’t make it.”
“She seems to cancel a lot,” Ana mentions. “Should I take it personally?” she says with a small laugh.
“Honestly, I didn’t tell her you were coming, so it’s definitely not you. I think she’s just a bit flaky.” I shrug. “But she’s nice, and she doesn’t seem to have many friends—something I can relate to.”
“Well, you have us,” Ana says. “Can you watch them while I order my coffee?” She points to her son and daughter in the double stroller.
“Of course.”
Paige and Ana grab their coffees and pastries and then have a seat.
“Have you guys started reading the book of the month?” Paige asks.
“Yes! It’s so good.”
Last week, we had our book club discussion, and it was so much fun. A few more women from their work joined, and they were so nice. Ana went live in the book group, and we talked about the book. The ladies loved that Ryder actually had read the book, and a few made some flirty comments, but Ana made it clear he was taken, which was unnecessary since it’s online and we’ll never meet any of these people.
“I love that Ryder reads to you,” Paige says. “He’s like the ultimate book boyfriend, only real.”
“Speaking of boyfriends, how’s it going with John?” I ask.
“I think John’s going to take the promotion,” Paige says with a frown. “He said he would be a fool not to.”
“So, are you going to move back to London?” Ana asks.
“I don’t think so,” Paige says with a sigh. “I was moved around so much, growing up, and I told him that I wanted to make Houston our home after he was offered a position here. I love it here. I love my job, being near my friends. I love John, but I don’t know if it’s enough to move again. And I know that sounds horrible.”
“No, it doesn’t,” I tell her. “I get it. I moved quite a few times because my mom could never get it together, and it sucks. Now that I know what a home feels like, I can’t imagine leaving.”
Ana grins. “I love that you and Ryder have found each other. You guys are perfect for each other.”
“I don’t think anyone is perfect,” I say with a small laugh. “But I’ve fallen in love with him. He’s such a good dad, and he’s so protective. He loves with his heart on his sleeve and unconditionally. I can’t wait for this crap with my ex to be done with so we can move forward with our lives.”
“It will happen,” Ana says, reaching out and squeezing my hand. “And as for you”—she glances at Paige—“I’ll support whatever decision you make, but I’ll miss the hell out of you if you leave.”
“Ugh,” Paige groans. “Why can’t life be easy?”
“Mommy, can we go to the library now?” Violet asks, setting her empty cup on the table.
“Mama!” Addie mimics, filling my heart with love.
She lifts her arms, and I pick her up and set her in my lap.
“We’ll go to the library in a few minutes,” I tell both girls. “Just let us finish our coffee first.”
I hand Violet my phone so she can watch a show on the Disney app since she doesn’t have a device of her own, and Addie scrambles to watch as well.
“Ryder is lucky to have you,” Ana says softly. “Julian and I were so worried about him after the crap she pulled. I knew it would take a special person to bring him out of his shell. Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” I scoff, shaking my head. “I came to Rosemary, looking for a fresh start, and found love, and I owe it all to you. You gave a homeless single mom a chance, and I’ll always be grateful to you.”
Just as I’m taking a sip of my coffee, a text comes through from Ryder.
Good morning, beautiful. Have a good day with our girls, and I’ll see you when I get home. Don’t cook. I’m bringing dinner home.
“Ryder?” Ana asks with a knowing smirk.
“He’s everything I’ve ever wanted and never thought existed. He wants me to move in with him permanently—like, share a bedroom and make it our home. He refuses to call me his nanny.” I lean in so Violet can’t hear. “He wants to make Violet his,” I whisper. “And if it were up to him, we’d be married as soon as my divorce was official.”
“But …” Paige prompts.
“I’m scared. Sometimes, I feel like what’s happening between us is too good to be true. Like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. And in my world, it always does.”
“I’ve learned the hard way that, in life, we have two choices,” Ana says. “Live in fear of what could happen or simply live for today. For years, I lived in fear, but since I met Julian, I’ve finally started to live for today, enjoying every moment we spend together, every memory we create. Sure, bad things can happen. Life isn’t always easy, and nothing in life is guaranteed. But the question is, what kind of life do you want to live?”
There’s only one life that comes to mind. “I want a life with Ryder.”
“Then, live your life,” Ana says. “And don’t let fear hold you back.”
“It’s okay,” Paige adds when I don’t say anything. “I get it. It’s easier said than done.”
Isn’t that the damn truth?
“I feel like we forgot something.”
Ryder chuckles softly and places his hand on my thigh. “That’s the third time you’ve said that since we left. If we forgot something, it’s not a big deal. There are tons of stores. Whatever we need, we can grab.”
“Okay,” I say, taking a deep breath.
It’s July 3, and we’re on our way to the beach, where we’ll be spending the weekend with Ryder’s family for their annual Du Ponte Enterprises Fourth of July picnic. My head should be here with Ryder and the girls, but instead, I’m worrying about Brian being served divorce papers.
Ryder told me everything is going to be okay, but until the papers are signed and the divorce has officially gone through, I won’t believe it.
“Kira,” Ryder says, shaking me from my thoughts, “I can practically feel you vibrating with stress. Breathe, baby.”
“I’m trying,” I choke out. “But I can’t help it. I can feel it deep down—something is going to go wrong.”
“And it might,” he says, taking my hand in his and bringing it up to his lips for a tender kiss. “But I’ll be right there by your side, and we’ll face whatever is flung our way together. I’ve hired security for when we get back, and he’ll be everywhere you are when you go out. He’s trained to handle men like Brian. And Debra is going to keep us updated on Brian’s next move.”
He entwines our fingers together and kisses each of my knuckles, and I slowly start to calm down.
“We’re staying at a beautiful hotel on the beach with the girls, and we’re going to have a great time. Don’t let this ruin our weekend. Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it when we get back.”
“Okay,” I agree as Ryder pulls up to a luxurious resort.
As he drives around to where the valet is waiting, we pass a massive three-level stone fountain.
A gentleman opens my door, and I thank him, then proceed to grab the double stroller for the girls.
“Mommy, look!” Violet points to the wall of the hotel, where the address reads 5005. “Five, just like me!”
“Not yet.” I ruffle her hair playfully. “I still have one more week of you being four.”
Violet rolls her eyes like she’s four going on fourteen, and I groan, making Ryder laugh.
“I can’t believe my little girl is going to be five next week,” I say as we head inside with the girls. “It feels like she was a baby just yesterday.”
“Have you thought any more about where you want her to go to school?” Ryder asks, referring to the conversation we had the other night when I brought up needing to sign her up for kindergarten.
He’s planning to send Addie to a local private school—even though she’s years away from starting school—and suggested Violet go there as well. I looked it up, and it’s ridiculously expensive, but it has the reputation of being one of the best. Apparently, there’s a wait list to get in, but with Ryder’s name, he assured me we’d have no problem getting her in on short notice.
“It’s hard to let you pay for it,” I admit. “I know if we’re going to have a future together, I need to get used to the fact that you have money but …” I wave around the extravagant hotel lobby we’re standing in and sigh. “It’s just a lot to get used to.”
“Kira,” Ryder says, glancing at me, “I don’t just have money. I have billions of dollars that I’ll never spend in our lifetime. Paying for Violet’s education won’t even make a small dent in my account. I want to take care of you both.”
“Ugh,” I groan, shaking my head. “Let’s talk about this next week, after she’s turned five and I’ve accepted that she’s no longer my baby.”
Ryder chuckles. “You got it.”
We step into line to check in, and Ryder slides his arm across the back of my shoulders and leans in, planting a soft kiss to the curve of my neck.
“I love the way you smell, like sweet coconut,” he murmurs. “I made sure to get us a room with a hot tub, and tonight, after the girls are asleep, I’m going to eat you and then fuck you in that hot tub.”
“Mmm. Is it bedtime yet?” I whisper, making him chuckle.
Ryder gets us checked in, and then we head to the private elevator that will take us up to the penthouse. Along the way, he’s stopped by several people he knows who work for his dad. They’re all polite and give me hope that maybe this weekend will go better than Ryder predicted.
“We’re staying on the same floor as my dad and brother,” he mutters as the elevator dings and the doors open. “Hopefully, we won’t run into either of them until the end of the weekend.”
We walk straight to the first door and are about to walk into the room when his name is called from behind us.
“Dad,” Ryder says, stopping and turning around.
“I’m glad you could finally make it.” Mr. Du Ponte glances from his son to me. “I’m Henry Du Ponte.” He extends his hand and smiles, showing off his perfectly straight white teeth.
He’s older—in his late sixties, if I were to guess—but he’s in shape. He has the same hazel eyes and mesmerizing smile as Ryder. I imagine he was handsome when he was younger—probably looked just like Ryder, and I’d bet Ryder will look similar when he’s older—but with all the work Mr. Du Ponte’s had done to evade aging, he almost looks fake.
“I’m Kira,” I tell him. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Du Ponte. And thank you for allowing us to attend your event.”
“Of course,” Mr. Du Ponte says. “And please, call me Henry. Eric and his wife brought along their nanny as well.”
Just as he finishes his sentence, another door opens, and out walks a couple dressed like they’re going to the country club and not to the beach.
“Eric, son!” his dad says. “Perfect timing. Your brother and his nanny just arrived.”
“Dad,” Ryder hisses, “Kira is not?—”
“Ryder, I’m glad you could make it.” His brother gives him a one-armed hug that forces Ryder to let go of me. He’s the spitting image of Ryder, only a bit older, and his wife is gorgeous. “And you must be Kira, right? I’m Eric, and this is my wife, Patricia.”
“Nice to meet you both,” I say. “This is my daughter, Violet.” I gesture toward my daughter, who’s too focused on the video on my phone to notice anything or anyone else.
“I was just telling her that you brought your nanny as well,” Henry says, glancing at his watch. “You should introduce them and let the cousins spend some time together while we go to lunch.”
“Dad!” Ryder barks, making his dad stop talking. “Kira is not my nanny. She’s my girlfriend. And if you keep this up, we’re going to leave as quick as we came.”
Henry rolls his eyes. “Stop being dramatic. I get it. You’re lonely, son, but don’t worry. Isabel Buchanan is here. Do you remember her? Her father is?—”
“Seriously?” Ryder hisses. “Stop!”
He looks at Eric for help while I uncomfortably shift from foot to foot, having no idea what to do or say.
“Stop him, or I’m leaving,” Ryder demands. “You asked me to come to this shit, and I’m here, but I’m not going to spend the weekend listening to this crap, and I’m not going to let him pull this shit right in front of my girlfriend. I love her, and if I have it my way, I’ll be marrying her sooner rather than later.”
My heart swells at Ryder’s admission. I mean, I already knew how he felt, but I love that he’s not ashamed to admit it to anyone. He loves with everything in him, and I feel so blessed to be loved by him.
“How?” Henry accuses. “She’s still married, son. Or are you so blinded by a beautiful face that you didn’t bother to look into her past?”
What the hell?
“Of course you had her investigated,” Ryder growls.
“Well, one of us needs to think with the correct head. After what happened with that last woman.”
“Enough!” Ryder barks in a tone I’ve never heard him use before.
Instinctively, I jump back and trip over the wheel of the stroller. Before I hit the ground though, Ryder catches me. His eyes meet mine, and they morph from angry to apologetic.
“I’m not doing this with you,” he says to his dad, his voice low. “You asked me to come to the company picnic, and I’m here. Can you for once in your life act like a normal dad? You haven’t even met your granddaughter yet.”
“A normal dad?” Henry spits. “Do you hear yourself? This is why you?—”
“Dad, stop,” Eric finally says. “Ryder knows what he’s doing, and he’s not going to make the same mistakes he made with Nora.” He looks at Ryder. “Dad is just trying to help. Let’s start over. In case you guys forgot, I’m in the middle of a campaign, and we need to put on a united front in public, so you two can’t be at each other’s throat.”
Oh my God. Did he just make this about him?
I hold back my groan, not wanting to draw attention to myself, and wish I hadn’t convinced Ryder to come this weekend. Ryder warned me about his family, but I didn’t fully grasp what he was saying until now.
“Okay,” Henry says. “Why don’t we go have lunch, and we can talk about this in private?”
“No,” Ryder says. “There’s nothing to talk about. I’m done.”
The way he says it sends a chill up my spine because he’s no longer angry—he’s over it.
“Ryder,” Eric warns, but Ryder ignores him.
“No,” he repeats calmly. “I’ve had enough. We haven’t even been here five damn minutes. This”—he jerks his chin toward his brother and dad—“isn’t a family. It’s a fucking business transaction, and it’s not the way I want to live my life.” He looks at his dad with an expression that backs up his words. “We haven’t even made it to our room, and you’ve already alienated the woman I love. I can’t do this anymore. Growing up, all I wanted was for you to love me, but you’ll never see us as anything more than business, and while Eric is okay with that, I’m not.
“You got custody of us to stick it to your ex-wife because she wouldn’t bow to your every whim. So, not only did I grow up without a mom, but I also grew up without a dad. Grandfather is the only person who’s cared about spending time with me. And thankfully, despite the odds, I didn’t end up like you.”
“Your mother didn’t give a shit about you,” Henry hisses. “I got custody of you to save you from the ridiculous life she wanted to stick you in. She’s spent the last several years living like a damn hippy in some shitty RV.” He scoffs. “That expensive home you live in, the luxury cars you drive, the cushioned life you live are because of me!”
“No!” Ryder barks. “It’s because of me. I haven’t touched a dime of the money Gramps gave me. Everything I have—the house, the cars, the life—is because of me.”
Addie whines, and Ryder reaches over and picks her up, holding her tight against his chest.
“I’m not going to expose my daughter to you or your world. I’m done trying to be a part of this family. I want my daughter to grow up feeling loved and wanted and cared for—things I never felt because you were too busy trying to be king of the castle.”
“You’ve always had a thing for the dramatics,” Henry says.
“Begging someone for attention isn’t being dramatic,” Ryder points out. “But now, you don’t have to deal with my dramatics because as far as I’m concerned, I’m no longer part of this family.”
He glances at his brother, looking like he wants to say something, but instead, he shakes his head.
“I’m done,” are his final words before he takes my hand in the one that’s not holding his daughter and walks us back to the elevator.
The ride back down to the lobby is filled with quiet tension, and I don’t ask what we’re doing, not wanting to upset Ryder further. I don’t think he’d lash out at me, but he’s upset, and I think he just needs a moment to calm down.
When we get downstairs, he requests our vehicle and bags and then buckles Addie into her car seat while I follow suit, making sure Violet is buckled in.
“Are we going to the beach?” Violet asks in confusion when she realizes we’re back in the SUV.
“We are,” Ryder says. “But I was silly and took us to the wrong hotel.”
He sticks his tongue out at her, clearly trying to defuse the situation, and it works when she sticks hers out at him in response.
He drives a few minutes down the road and then pulls into another hotel.
“Wait here,” he says, leaning in and giving me a quick kiss before he jumps out.
A few minutes later, he returns with a soft smile splayed across his face. “You guys ready to go to the beach?”
Violet cheers in excitement, and Addie copies, neither of them having any idea all that just occurred.
“I think that’s a yes,” I say through a laugh.
We get the girls out once again, and the valet says they’ll bring our bags up for us.
I didn’t think it was possible, but somehow, this resort is even more luxurious than the last one. Just like last time, we ride up to the top floor, only when we get off, there’s only one door on the floor.
“Don’t worry,” Ryder murmurs as he swipes his card on the door to unlock it. “I made sure this suite has a hot tub too.”
He shoots me a panty-dropping wink, and just like that, the tension fades away, leaving Ryder, the girls, and me in our own happy little bubble.