Chapter 9
Ryder
CARL PHILIPP EMANUEL BACH — SOLFEGGIETTO
As I walk through Brookhaven’s streets the next morning, heading to grab some groceries and cookies for Gwen, I can’t stop thinking about Lily.
Thinking about what she’s been through because of Tristan.
Thinking about how lonely she’s been.
Thinking about how her slight body felt against mine.
Then thinking about how slow and torturous my death would be at Peter’s hands if I ever did something to her.
Rinse and repeat.
I never think about other people like this. No one has mattered enough to worry about. Gwen and Peter both have their lives in order, at least for the most part, and I haven’t worried about anyone else in a long time.
But Lily consumes my every thought. Needless to say, I’m all kinds of tired now.
I’m trying to line up the timeline of her relationship with Tristan compared to my history with him.
I rewatched the video when I got home from visiting her last night, and she said the events between them happened the previous fall, about a year and a half ago.
But then she posted the video in May, which is when everything with Tristan’s career exploded, and not in a good way.
But I wouldn’t know that, because my issues with Tristan happened between those two events, in January.
After he got me kicked off a job, added with my new phobias, I stayed away from any celebrity news.
Call me bitter—I don’t care. I wanted nothing to do with the people who humiliated me and nearly ruined my entire career.
For all I care, Tristan Jackson can go rot in—
“Ryder, dear!”
Oh, man. Suzette found me.
It’s my own fault, though. I wasn’t paying attention to my path and walked right in front of the bread shop instead of walking around the fountain to the produce stand.
“Hello, Suzette,” I say.
“It was so lovely having you at book club last night,” she says. “Will you join us again?”
“Uh, we’ll see. I’m not sure if I’ll still be here.”
“What a shame. We’ve really enjoyed having you here. Maybe you can bring Peter to visit, as well.” She winks, and I’m sure she knows what everyone knows—that Gwen would probably die of excitement and nerves if she were around Peter.
“Maybe. He’s pretty busy with his app and everything.”
“Yes, yes, of course. But I’m sure Agatha would love to see him.”
“I’m sure she would.”
Suzette leans toward me and lowers her voice. “Doesn’t she seem like she’s being a little…suspicious?”
“Suspicious? What do you mean?” Ah, crap. I know exactly what she means, and I’m pretty sure the tone of my voice is betraying my lie.
Suzette narrows her eyes at me, then she switches to a casual grin. “Oh, I don’t know. Just a little more secretive than usual. And that whole story about the cat yesterday.” Her eyebrows rise, her eyes piercing mine.
Shoot. She knows that I know something I shouldn’t.
“Ah, would you look at the time.” I jerk my thumb over to the produce stand. “I need to pick up some groceries for Gwen. Nice chatting with you, Suzette.”
She rolls her lips. “Mm-hm. You too, Ryder.”
I turn to leave, but she leans in and whispers in my ear, “I’ll find out. I always do.”
Gulp.
I step away from her as quickly as possible, shuddering as I walk to the produce stand and pick out some vegetables for tonight’s dinner. After that, I go to the butcher and get some meat, and then it’s time for macarons.
The bell dings above the door as I walk into Cookies & Kisses, and I’m greeted by a young woman with blond curls and blue eyes. It’s a cute shop, with mirrors along the walls and sunflowers in mason jars, but the real draw is the glass display case of intricately decorated cookies.
“Hi! How can I help you?” the woman asks.
“Hi, I’m Ryder, Gwen’s cousin.” I put a hand out to shake hers.
“Oh, nice to meet you! I’m Madeleine. She told me you’d be here for a visit.”
“Yeah, just coming back to see everyone. It’s been a while, and I grew up here.” I wave a hand, not needing to get into my whole backstory. “Anyway, Gwen wanted me to get some macarons.”
“No problem.” She pulls out a little white box and starts adding a variety of macarons to it. “I’m guessing you know Mason, then? If you grew up here.” She points to the kitchen. “I can go grab him if you want to say hi.”
“Uh, no, that’s okay.” I keep my mouth shut from explaining that he probably wouldn’t want to see me after Peter and I egged his car ten years ago.
She glances up at me quickly, then back down at the cookies.
Our conversation is interrupted by another jingle above the door.
I look behind me and see a tall man with dark hair swooping over his forehead and a brunette woman.
I raise my hand in greeting, then realize who I’m looking at—Henry Stone, Peter and Lily’s older brother.
And the woman must be his fiancée, whom Lily mentioned yesterday.
I turn my back to them and run my hand through my hair, hoping he doesn’t figure out who I am.
I’m not ready to have a conversation with him until I’ve gotten more information from Lily.
“Luna!” Madeleine squeals.
“Hey, Madeleine!” Luna’s voice is musical and light, and she sounds like she belongs in a princess movie.
“Good to see you, Henry,” Madeleine says.
“You as well,” he replies. “Is Mason around?”
Just then, the swinging door to the kitchen opens, and Mason Bond emerges. “Hey guys! Madeleine said you’d be stopping by later.” He quickly glances at me, then does a double take and glares. “Ryder Hawthorne?”
Crap. Now Mason knows I’m here, AND he told Henry.
I swallow hard and paste on a grin. “Hey, Mason. Long time no see.”
He grunts and turns back to Henry and Luna.
I guess he does remember what I did to his car.
In my defense, he was a total jerk to Peter. He nearly ran Peter over with his car when we were skating outside the main part of town.
“Hello, Ryder,” Henry says, peering at me around Luna. “I didn’t know you were back in town.”
“Yeah, I just got here yesterday,” I say.
“How’s Peter?” he asks.
I shrug. “Fine. Same as usual.”
Henry presses his lips together and nods.
“Visiting Agatha?” Mason asks the couple.
“Yep,” Luna says.
“You’ve been visiting a lot lately,” Madeleine comments. “Not that I’m complaining. You know I love seeing you guys.”
Luna glances at Henry, just a quick movement of her eyes that I wouldn’t normally notice. But I do, because I know they’re hiding the real reason for their visit.
“Yes, she’s been lonely lately,” Henry says quickly.
“I heard Ryder had some fun at her place yesterday,” Mason says, sparing me a sidelong glance.
“Who, me?” I say.
Madeleine laughs. “Yeah, the kids wouldn’t stop talking about how you climbed the tower and slayed the troll.”
My heart rate picks up speed, and I feel Henry and Luna’s stares on the side of my face.
I summon the small acting ability I’ve picked up over my years in Hollywood and force a laugh, relaxing the expression on my face.
“Oh, that was just some movie magic. I didn’t actually climb the tower. Just a little fun story for the kids.”
I hear the dual exhale coming from Henry and Luna and nearly let one out myself.
“Well, that’s good,” Henry comments. “Because Agatha’s got that tower full of booby traps.”
My heart drops. “Wait, really?” I ask, turning to face him.
He gives a noncommittal shrug, and a shiver runs down my spine. Was I that close to danger—twice?
Madeleine tilts her head like she wants to ask more, but I can’t risk any more information getting out, so I cut her off. “Can I get one of those oatmeal chocolate raisin cookies, too? That sounds great.”
“No problem! They’re actually Luna’s family recipe. Coconut oil adds that little extra bit of sweetness.” She puts a few in the box, closes it up, and rings me up at the cash register. I pay as quickly as I can and try to get out of there ASAP, but Henry firmly grabs my arm on the way out.
“Good to see you again, Ryder,” he says.
But his eyes don’t match the sentiment. He’s looking at me carefully, as if trying to determine if I know something I shouldn’t.
But I refuse to let anything out, more for Lily’s sake than my own.
She doesn’t deserve to bear the brunt of his anxiety when it wasn’t her fault at all.
“You too, Henry,” I say with a grin. “Say hi to Agatha for me. We had a nice time at book club last night.”
“Will do.” He releases me, and I nearly run out of there.
Crisis averted, at least for now. Despite my fear of getting caught by Henry, I want to see Lily again.