Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
ELIZABETH
“Tell us about your day, sweetheart,” Daniel says as he cuts the grilled chicken into thin slices.
I have my phone propped on the counter, and Drew’s smiling face is looking at me. He’s lounging in bed with a book splayed open on his lap and a cup of herbal tea next to him on the bedside table.
I finish julienning the carrots and spring onions and toss them into the preheated wok with the sweet pea pods. The apartment smells of sautéing garlic and olive oil, and I can’t wait to eat.
“It was weird.”
The whole Fallon-Trevor thing is weird. Did Trevor already know who I was when we ran into each other at the beach? And then there’s the stuff Fallon said in the cafeteria. It all has me questioning motives and hidden meanings.
“Weird in what way?” Daniel asks.
He adds chicken and some tamari sauce to the wok. I jump back when a splatter of hot oil arcs out of the pan and plops with a sizzle against the cold granite countertop. Ripping a paper towel off the roll, I quickly wipe it up.
“Just people in general. I talked to someone else this morning who knew me. He’s a bit eccentric. Found out he has a brother who happens to be one of my study partners. His brother is the guy I told you about who I met at the beach.”
Daniel tosses the contents in the wok with a flourish.
“Show off,” Drew says.
“Got to entertain my man.”
I scoop steamed rice into two bowls and set them down on the counter. Daniel dumps half of the stir-fry into each.
“Your world there seems to be a small one,” Drew replies. “I hope you know just how sorry we are that we never tried to find out more about your life and friends while we were there at the hospital.”
I stop Drew before he can continue. “You and Daniel saved me. You took care of me when I had no one else. Why does everybody feel guilty about what happened to me? Julien feels guilty. Ryder feels guilty. Jayson feels guilty. You feel guilty. No more guilt.” I gesture a hand at myself. “I’m officially a guilt-free zone.”
Daniel pulls me in for a side hug. “Our girl has spoken.”
I bring the phone over to the small kitchen table, so we can continue talking to Drew while we eat.
“I do have something I’d like to share with you both. Some good news.” I hope. “Ryder, the guy who came with me this morning…we’re together. Dating. In a relationship. However you want to say it.” I clear my throat and take a sip of water. “I’m in love with him,” I say into my glass.
Daniel reaches across the table and pats my hand. “I know, honey.”
My head whips up. “You do?”
“Well, I don’t,” Drew says.
“He’s a very nice young man, Drew. I met him this morning.”
“Is he one of the twins? The one you said you used to date?” Drew asks.
I aspirate water and choke. “No.” Cough. “That’s Jayson.” Cough. “Ryder is the guy with the Hellcat like mine.”
“Elizabeth, do you think it’s a good idea to jump into a serious relationship right now?”
I don’t like the grim “dad” tone Daniel’s using.
“I know it may seem too soon or too fast, but from the first moment I saw him, I just knew. My memory may not remember him, but my heart does. He told me he’s been in love with me since we were nine years old. If that doesn’t melt your heart and make you swoon, I don’t know what will.”
“That was completely swoon-worthy,” Drew says.
“Thank you.” I smile at my phone.
“Honey, you’re not helping,” Daniel tells him.
“Let her enjoy it, Dan. After everything, she deserves to be happy and experience young love.”
“You make me sound like I’m twelve and kissing a boy for the first time.”
“Changing the subject now,” Daniel interjects, and Drew and I both laugh. “I’m taking Elizabeth to her appointment tomorrow, but I’ll call you once we’re done. Have you had any problems?”
“No, love. The staff you hired are doing an excellent job. I went outside and enjoyed the garden today. The weather was quite mild and lovely. Wish you were both here to enjoy it.”
I link my hand with Daniel’s over the table, knowing it must be hard to be away from his husband right now.
“I love you. I’ll call you in the morning,” Daniel tells him.
“I love you, too. And you, too, Elizabeth. I’m happy that you’ve reconnected with your friends and found someone who cares for you as much as we do. Ryder must be a really good guy for you to feel the way you do about him.”
“Love you, Drew,” I say just as he blows us a kiss and the screen goes black. “Oh, Daniel.” I squeeze his hand when I see the tears in his eyes.
I shouldn’t have insisted that he come to visit. He should be with Drew.
Daniel shakes off my concern with a watery smile. “So, what’s the plan for the rest of my visit?”
“I told Julien that we would join him for his morning run tomorrow.”
“The running has been good for you. You look healthy. Strong and fit. Any problems we need the PT to address?”
“Nope.”
“Any headaches or anything else we should know about?”
I shovel food into my mouth to cover my lie. “Nope.”
“Good. That’s good.”
I go through my mental calendar. “So, tomorrow. Run with Julien at five, then my appointment with Dr. Clairemont at nine. I have two afternoon classes and an evening study group at the library at seven. I would blow it off, but we’re finishing our first major paper. It’s due Friday. Other than that, I figured we could decide on the rest of the week as we go.”
“Whatever you plan will be fine with me.”
“I would love to show you the campus and medical center. Ryder took me to the botanical gardens for our first date, and it was lovely. I thought we could go together. The art museum here is fabulous. I would also love for you to see Ryder race. Oh, and we can go to the beach since it’s so close by.”
I cease my excited chatter when Daniel’s smile keeps growing.
“You seem happier. I think you were right about coming back here. I’m glad you pushed. This seems to be the place you were meant to be.”
“I am happy. The boys make me happy. Ryder makes me happy. I feel like this is becoming my home.”
Daniel puts his fork down and sits back in his chair. “Elizabeth, why haven’t you called the detective back yet?”
Uh-oh.
I bite my thumbnail. “I’ve been busy?”
“Are you asking me or telling me?” He gives a resigned sigh. “He reached out to my office again. He just wants to ask some follow-up questions. Since I’m here, I can come with you if that would help.”
My leg starts to bounce and rattles the table, making the silverware clank on the bowls.
“Daniel, I really, really do not want to do this right now.”
“Sweetheart, there will come a time when you have no choice.”
My skin prickles with the million ants crawling over it.
Choices . A memory flickers then vanishes.
“Just think about it,” Daniel continues.
Damn it. It was there. Something about choices.
On impulse, I text Ryder.
Me: I gave you a key for a reason. xxxooo
There was another silver origami star stuffed in my bag today. Today’s note read: “ Hearts of fire, hearts aflame, my love eternal only knows your name .”
I’ve gotten fifteen so far. Some with love notes. Some with the sweetest things, like what our daughter will look like. All of them make me fall in love with Ryder even more. I’ve been waiting for him to bring it up, but he’s remained silent, like it’s a special secret between the two of us.
After dinner, Daniel and I curl up on the couch and talk over decaf coffee until he leaves around eleven.
Just as I finish brushing my teeth, I hear the front door open. The alarm disengages, then reengages. I eagerly stand in the middle of my bedroom and wait. Seconds later, Ryder appears in my doorway.
“I see you got my message.” I pull my tank top off and throw it across the room.
Ryder’s hungry gaze roves up my body to my bare breasts.
“I did.” He lifts his shirt off and drops it, letting me get my fill of his golden, tanned skin and defined pectorals.
“I missed you.” I push my shorts down and kick them to the side. No underwear.
“Not as much as I missed you.” Ryder pops the button on his jeans and takes them off.
Hot damn. He went commando today.
We take a lengthy moment to eye-fuck each other.
“How did dinner go with Daniel?”
His copper-penny gaze lands on my lips, my butterfly tattoos, my pelvis, then drifts slowly down my legs and back up again. My knees almost give out from the sensual visual inspection he’s giving me.
“Dinner was good.” My hands twitch with the urge to touch him. “Going to tell me what that was all about today with Fallon?”
Ryder swoops in and lifts me off my feet. “Later. First, I need to make love to my woman.”
I wrap my arms tightly around his neck, my heart pounding with a wild mix of intense desire and overwhelming love so powerful that I’m about to combust, my body burning to ash from the heat being generated between us.
Lips locked in a turbulent kiss, we tumble onto the bed.
“I love you, Elizabeth.”
I fist his hair and tug. “I love you, too. Now shut up and fuck me.”
“Yes, ma’am.”