Chapter Seventeen
Two weeks later Ryan was practically living with Aria and Sophie.
Aria wasn’t quite sure how it happened, but since the night they’d made love, he’d spent nearly every night that he wasn’t on call with them.
She loved it. And the longer they were together the more her caution faded into the past. She hadn’t agreed to anything permanent and wasn’t sure when or if she would.
And she hadn’t told him she loved him too, even though he told her regularly.
But she was beginning to feel more secure.
It was coming on summer. Soon she’d be opening her business. Planning a grand opening.
She’d hired a nanny/housekeeper—a woman in her late fifties named Whitney Fagan who came highly recommended by the moms in the new group of friends she’d made. Some she’d met through Sierra, and those women had introduced her to others.
Whitney was a jewel. She not only kept the house clean and took care of Sophie, who adored her, but she even cooked sometimes.
Aria knew Whitney had a wide group of friends but she’d been a widow for a number of years and Aria thought she was lonely.
Whitney told Aria she needed the money to supplement her late husband’s social security benefits.
Besides, she said, she liked to stay busy.
Ryan liked her too. But she knew he liked being alone with Aria and Sophie even more because he’d told her.
It was clear Aria needed help, though, and Whitney went home at the end of the day.
Before too long Aria’s business would be opening to the public.
She hadn’t quite figured out when, but the construction on the greenhouse was finished and the heating, air-conditioning, and sprinkler systems worked.
Ryan came over after Whitney left. He kissed her hello and slid his hands down to cover her butt. “I missed you.”
“I saw you this morning.”
“Your point?”
She laughed. “How was work?”
“It was all right. Where’s Sophie?”
“In the living room on her gym mat. She’s learning to make everything work. Very noisy when she gets it all going.”
Ryan went into the other room, and not at all to her surprise, came back carrying the baby. “She was bored. She told me.”
“You mean you wanted to hold her.”
He smiled. “What do you think about asking Whitney to babysit?”
“You mean go somewhere and have her stay with Sophie? At night?”
“Yeah. There’s a party—a fundraiser—for the hospital next Saturday night. It’s at the Galveston Steak House. Want to go with me?”
“I haven’t ever left her at night before.”
“You’d be leaving her with Whitney, not some stranger.”
“Is it black tie? I hate those stuffy hospital parties that are always black tie.”
“You’re in luck. It’s not. But you still have to dress up.”
“Is it going to remind me of the fundraisers we had to go to at the hospital in Denver?”
“Maybe a little but some of our friends will be there so it shouldn’t be too bad. So, will you go?”
She was torn. She’d left Sophie with Ryan and with Whitney, but not for more than an hour or so. The fundraiser would be much longer than that. But it would be nice to go out for a change. “I’ll think about it.”
“The steak house is great. You haven’t been there, have you?”
“No. I’ve hardly been anywhere. I went to a sandwich shop and FlintWorks with Sierra and I’ve been to the grocery store and the hardware store. That’s about—Oh, wait. I’ve been to the feed store too.”
Ryan laughed. “I’m not sure the steak house can compete with the feed store.”
“It’s a very nice feed store.”
He smiled. “Think about it.”
“I will,” she promised. She wanted to go. She was still nervous about leaving the baby, but if Whitney would stay with her she’d seriously consider it.
*
Who knew that none of her nice dresses would fit anymore?
Not because she’d gained weight. In fact, Aria was thinner than she’d been before having the baby.
But her boobs were bigger. It was as if they’d taken on a life of their own.
She wasn’t nursing anymore so why in the world were they still large?
Naturally, Ryan thought it was great. She’d made the mistake of asking him if her larger boobs made her look fat. He’d gotten a gleam in his eyes. “I’d have to see you without clothes to know.”
“Ha-ha. You’ve seen me without them. Just last night as a matter of fact. I mean it, what do you think?” Of course, she was wearing a tight T-shirt since that was mostly what she had. Maybe she should order some in a bigger size online.
His gaze cruised over her. “I think you look great. I thought you looked great before, but I told you I think you have a glow about you since you had the baby.”
“A glow.” She sniffed in annoyance. “That sounds way too romantic for such a pragmatist.”
“One doesn’t preclude the other.”
She abandoned that line of reasoning. “I have to find a dress if I’m going to the party with you.”
“Are you?”
“I asked Whitney and she said she’d be happy to stay with Sophie. So, if I can find a dress I guess I’ll go.”
“Nothing you have fits? I remember you going to a lot of this type of function when we were in Denver.”
“I don’t know. I’ll look more carefully.
But I might have to go to Bozeman or Billings if there isn’t one here.
” She thought the bridal shop had cocktail dresses but she’d never looked, since she’d never been out of the house enough to need one.
There was a lot of Marietta she hadn’t seen.
She’d been too busy with the baby, the house, and the greenhouse.
“You realize if we go to this together that people will think we’re together,” she said.
“Probably. Does that bother you?”
“Kind of. It isn’t true.”
“It could be true.”
If she let it. She heard the unspoken words as clearly as if he’d said them out loud. “We’re together all the time you’re not working. Isn’t that enough? Why do we have to label what’s between us?”
“We don’t. But why can’t you admit we are together? Would it be so bad?”
No. But a part of her was still scared. Too scared to take the chance?
*
Ryan wasn’t sure where Aria had found her dress but she looked absolutely stunning.
The dress was navy, sleeveless, and fitted over her beautiful curves, ending in a flounce at the bottom of the dress, which stopped a couple of inches above her knees.
He followed her legs down to bright blue, close-toed shoes.
Pumps, he thought they were called. Her long, dark hair flowed freely in waves over her shoulder and down her back.
Her brown eyes looked dark and mysterious, and her mouth was slicked with red lipstick that seriously made him want to drool.
“What’s wrong?” she asked after she finally walked out of the house. He wasn’t sure he was going to get her to leave but, fortunately, Sophie was playing happily with her gym and Whitney assured her several times that she had both their numbers and would call if anything were to happen.
“Nothing’s wrong. You look amazing.”
He helped her put the wrap she’d been carrying around her shoulders. “Then why are you staring at me like I have two heads?”
“I’m staring at you because you’re so gorgeous you take my breath away.” He opened the car door for her.
She laughed as she slid in. “I’d forgotten how good you are at compliments.”
“It’s easy when it’s true.”
He wondered if she really thought he was blowing smoke up her skirt. If so, she hadn’t looked in the mirror carefully enough.
The Galveston Steak House was the Texas entrepreneur Atticus Bowen’s brainchild.
It was a historic building that had formerly been the Bank of Marietta.
It’s previous existence as a bank made for an unusual restaurant with white marble, fancy columns, a black-and-white marble floor, high ceilings, velvet-covered booths, and gorgeous chandeliers.
The temporary tables and stools scattered around the foyer were tastefully done, draped in white tablecloths, with sprigs of flowers in crystal holders.
At the moment the place was chock-full of people.
It wasn’t a sit-down dinner but rather heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks.
There was also a silent auction with items to bid on from trips funded by several businesses, to various baskets full of items from local stores.
There was even a surprise mystery gift that Ryan had heard was a car from a dealership over in Livingston.
He figured it might be since the bidding started at ten grand.
A bit too much in his opinion, but some of the guests were hospital donors who had plenty of money to spend.
“You’re not going to bid on the mystery prize, are you?” Aria asked him.
He shook his head. “Too rich for my blood. Especially since we don’t know for sure what it is.”
“It’s for a good cause,” she intoned, with mischief in her eyes.
“It is. But I’m not bidding on it.”
There was also a band in one of the rooms. Ryan wasn’t a huge fan of dancing but he knew Aria loved to dance. After they’d mingled some and had some food and drink he held out his hand and said, “Want to dance?”
“You’re pulling out all the stops tonight.”
“What do you mean?” He led her into the other room and pulled her into his arms.
“I know you hate to dance.”
“I don’t hate it.” Well, only a little. “Besides, getting to hold you close in a slow dance makes it worthwhile.”
In fact, he felt like he was in a dream. Holding Aria in his arms and slowly moving to the music, smelling her scent, smooth and seductive as hell, content to simply hold each other and sway to the music.
Until some jerk cut in. He tapped Ryan on the shoulder and said, “Mind if I cut in?”
“Ted?” Aria said.
So, a jerk who apparently knew Aria.
Why yes, he minded very much.
Aria introduced the two of them. “Ted Jenkinson this is Ryan Hunter. Ryan, this is Ted. We knew each other in Denver.” She turned back to the man. “Ted, what are you doing here? This isn’t your usual haunt.”
“Worthy causes and all that. A friend of mine asked me to come and consider donating to the hospital and when I heard you were here I couldn’t resist,” Ryan heard him say as the man swept her away.
“You look like you swallowed a lemon,” Connor said in his ear.
“What kind of asshole cuts in when you’re having a slow dance with your lady?”
“Probably a very rich one. Who is he?”
“A donor she knows from Denver. He was hitting on her.”
Connor looked at the two. “Maybe he’s just friendly.”
“Bullshit,” Ryan said, eyeing the couple.
His friend laughed. “I’m headed over to get Sierra a soft drink. Want to come with?”
“No, thanks.” He planned to stand there until Aria returned, assuming the jerk ever let her go. Luckily the song ended shortly and the dipshit brought Aria back.
“I’m here for a couple more days,” Ted said. “Give me a call if you can get together. We should do lunch.” He nodded at Ryan and left.
Ryan wasn’t ordinarily a violent man, but he’d have given anything to punch the SOB in the mouth. Or nose. Or …
“Down, boy,” Aria said. “You look like you want to murder him. I’m not planning to call him.”
“Good. What is his problem?”
“He has money and good looks and thinks he’s God’s gift to the universe. Other than that, nothing.”
Ryan laughed. “Good to know that’s what you think.”
“You’re jealous. I’ve never known you to be jealous before.”
He shrugged. “Most men aren’t quite that blatant. At least when your date is standing beside you.”
“Why would I want him when I have you?”
That was the first time since she moved to Marietta that she’d acknowledged their relationship. He tried not to read too much into it, but he wanted them to be together for real. For good, not just temporarily.