Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
JONES
“Heard Ryan’s been looking for a place outside of Kither Springs.”
Dan’s comment had me flinging my head toward where he was lounging in the hot tub. Clay and Ryker were enjoying the warm water with him. With three giants already inside, the tub looked too small for a fourth, so I opted to lay on my lawn chair instead.
They hadn’t had a chance to try out the hot tub yet and insisted on coming over after work. I was more than happy for the company, since neither Ryan nor Karla was here today.
From my view, I felt like I was watching the beginnings of a hot tub porn scene with three hot, muscular men cozying up to each other in the small space. Just because I was madly in love didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate how handsome my friends were.
Seeing the tub and thinking about Ryan made me remember the things we’d done in said tub, and the way he commanded me and took what he wanted. I’d replaced the water since that night, of course.
Now that I was thinking about it, he probably thought I was a masochist back then. Was that why he’d been so assertive? Because he thought it was what I needed, what I wanted? And what did that say about me for hoping he’d order me around like that again?
“Someone said they saw him driving to the next town over to meet the real estate agent. Said he was real urgent in his desire to find a place outside of town as soon as possible,” Dan continued, and my focus returned to them.
“Where did you hear this from?” I asked. I stood, anxious to get an answer, which made sitting still impossible.
“A pretty little thing?—”
Angry grumbles came from Clay, but Dan merely cast him a glance before continuing.
“—came into my clinic today. Told me he heard from his friend, who heard from her mother, who heard from…well, you know how it goes. Anyway, it’s all the town’s been talking about and how there’s such a lack of housing in Kither Springs that the poor Edgson kid has to move out of town.”
Ryker glanced at me with obvious worry in his eyes. The worry was seeping into my body too. Was Ryan planning to live outside town with Karla? Why didn’t he tell me this ?
He was leaving? Leaving me again?
I thought our relationship was going well. He let me call him my boyfriend. We were together just last night, though he did say he couldn’t come over today since he had some matters to take care of. Were these matters going to meet with his real estate agent to get away from me?
Ah, fuck.
All the unsavory thoughts rushed to the forefront of my mind despite doing my best to push them down.
Ryan wouldn’t just up and ghost me again. He promised he’d stay, or at the very least, he promised to tell me ahead of time if he was going to leave.
But he’d broken his promise to me once before…
A wet hand on my shoulder had me glancing up to the concerned eyes of my best friend.
“Hey, you know rumors are always exaggerated. Everyone was saying how you’re a masochist, and we all know that’s not true, right? Unless…”
I shoved him. “Thanks for that, by the way,” I grumbled with a glare, since he was the reason the rumor started in the first place.
“Even my mom thinks the rumors are true, saying how I didn’t need to repress my sexual desires now that it was out in the open.
I never want to hear those words from her mouth again. ”
“Sorry,” Ryker said, not looking the least bit apologetic. “But you see? I’m sure the rumors are being exaggerated. You should ask him the real story.”
I knew my friend was trying to comfort me, but there was also truth in his words. There was no point in worrying about it now. I just had to wait until I asked him what was really going on.
I told myself I would enjoy the rest of the evening with my friends, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop worrying about Ryan leaving and taking Karla with him. The little family unit we’d become would be shattered.
I wasn’t even in the right mindset to tease Clay about grilling Dan on who the ‘ pretty little thing ’ was, as I usually would have.
I knew my friends were aware of my worries.
Dan was very apologetic for mentioning the silly rumor and tried his best to comfort me.
They all did. That was probably why they stayed longer than they usually would’ve. To try and take my mind off things.
I was thankful they stayed, because if I’d been alone, there was no doubt I wouldn’t have been able to resist texting Ryan for answers. And this really wasn’t the type of conversation we should have over a tiny phone. This felt way too big for that.
But when nine P.M. rolled around, and I still hadn’t heard a peep from Ryan, I started worrying. My friends had returned to their own homes. Alone in my empty cabin, it was feeling less like a home now.
I really tried to give Ryan his space and gave Lily tons of pets to distract my hands, but I eventually couldn’t hold back anymore and texted him to ask if he’d handled the matters he had to take care of today .
I wanted to see him, but more than that, I needed to hear his voice. So, when he sent a voice reply saying he had, I called him.
“Hey!” Ryan said, picking up on the first ring. He sounded very chipper. I could only wonder if the joy stemmed from my call or if he’d received some other good news.
Like finding a place outside of Kither Springs…
I pushed the thought away, refusing to believe the rumors until Ryan confirmed them. I wanted to hear it straight from his mouth.
“Are you coming back now?” I asked, managing to push down the questions I really wanted answers to.
“Yeah, I’m almost back in the town’s limits. I have something exciting to tell you,” he said, and I could just imagine him standing in front of me, blue eyes dazzling in his excitement to share the news.
I only hoped the news wouldn’t break my heart.
“Yeah?” I replied. My voice was gruff, but I tried to keep it upbeat.
Ryan still noticed and asked, “Did something happen today?”
“No, I just…I miss you,” I said honestly. At least that I didn’t have to fake. “Can you come over tonight?”
“Okay,” he replied, voice soft and gentle. I could almost hear the indulgence in it.
“Are you with Karla? Maybe you two can spend the night?” I asked hopefully. I didn’t want to sound needy, but it was really hard not to let the insecurity seep into my tone.
“No, I didn’t bring her with me today. I just called her to say goodnight. It seems she’s doing well even without me by her side. I don’t know whether I should be happy or sad,” he said with a laugh.
I couldn’t help but smile along with him. “She’s growing into a strong young lady.”
“Hey, now! She’s still just a baby. She’ll always be my baby,” he mumbled.
I laughed and agreed with him. “So you’ll come over? Maybe spend the night?”
There was a pause for a minute, and then, sounding a tiny bit breathless, Ryan replied, “Yeah. I’ll head over now.”
“I’ll wait for you,” I said, already turning on the porch light. I told him to drive safely before hanging up and perching myself on the rocking chair outside.
Lily followed behind me. She pawed at my leg, her doggy eyebrows moving in alternating waves. She was probably confused about why I was sitting out here this late when I’d never done that before.
I laughed, stroked her soft fur, then told her to go potty. She’d been needing to go a lot more often lately, and I’d spread puppy pads around the cabin just in case she needed to go in the middle of the night.
With her due date bound to come soon, I haven’t been taking her with me to the construction site either. On the rare days Ryan agreed to work at my cabin during the day, he and Karla would watch her. Otherwise, I dropped Lily over at my mom’s.
Lily went to do her business. Her belly was round, swaying side to side as she waddled away. If it wasn’t obvious she was pregnant before, it was very apparent now.
She soon came back and settled by my feet. I reached down to give her ear scritches as she dozed off. We stayed like that, her sleeping, and me watching the distance for signs of Ryan.
It wasn’t long before the headlights shone through the trees, and Ryan’s car came into view. I shot to my feet, and Lily gave me a look that could only be called annoyed for disturbing her rest.
When he’d parked his car and the man himself climbed out, Lily finally perked up and ran toward him—er, well, she ran as fast as her pregnant belly would allow. Ryan made cooing sounds at Lily and bent over to rub her all over.
“Do I get just as much lovin’?” I asked, walking over to them. Ryan looked up and stood to pull me in a kiss that had my toes curling.
“Is that enough lovin’ for you?” Ryan asked when he pulled away. I was momentarily star-struck by the brilliance of the emotion in his blue gaze that I didn’t answer right away. Ryan used that chance to plop another loud kiss on my lips and playfully tug at my beard.
I pulled him back for a longer, much deeper kiss. He let out a yelp of surprise when I pressed him against his car. His hands flailed to find purchase before finding their way and weaving through my short hair.
Lily, probably startled by the sudden movement, woofed as I continued kissing my man. When she didn’t stop barking a minute later, Ryan deprived me of his lips. I settled for kissing down his neck.
“Stop,” Ryan said with a laugh, and tried to push me away. With the little force he was using, he clearly wasn’t actually trying. “Lily’s gonna wake up the neighbors.”
“My only neighbor is my brother, and I’m sure he’s too preoccupied to notice a little barking,” I breathed into his skin.
Jordan had returned last Sunday after securing the new mixed-use building contract and helping Wren settle into his next shooting location. The entire crew was ecstatic to hear about the new project, which was set to start next year, after our current one finished.