Chapter 23
As I walk up the hill toward my truck, Jake and Connor quickly speed away from the small parking lot next to the bait shed, toward the driveway.
Neither one of them was very excited to haul on New Year’s Eve, but we needed to get out to get all of our gear hauled through before the weather gets shitty in a few days.
I think once they realized they could go out tonight and get drunk and sleep in on New Year’s Day, they were okay with it. But this morning? Those two were miserable. Then again, I’ve been miserable for four days now. Ever since that damn city girl took off, taking my heart right along with her.
I get into my truck and start the engine, quickly cranking the heat up because it’s been sitting here since three thirty this morning and it’s fucking freezing in here.
It’s something I do even though I know it’s stupid because my house is up the hill, about a quarter mile away.
So, it’ll never warm up in here by the time I get there. But oh well. It makes me feel better.
Backing out of my parking spot, I drive away from the small parking lot at the wharf and toward my house. And as I turn down my driveway, my eyes narrow when I see my mom’s SUV parked in front of my garage.
“What’s she doing here?” I mutter.
It’s not that uncommon for her to swing by and let Marlin out, but normally not this late in the day when she knows I’ll be home soon.
Quickly getting out of the cold truck, I close the door and grab my lunch box from the back before heading inside. As I’m sliding my boots off, the sound of Marlin’s feet and his snorting has me smiling because no matter how long of a day it was, that guy is always excited to see me.
“Hey, hon,” my mom calls, and when I walk into the living room, she’s sitting on the couch. “Hope you don’t mind. I stopped in to check on Marlin, and he seemed a bit sad, so I stayed with him and watched TV.”
“I don’t care,” I say, giving her a small smile.
Plopping down on the couch, I’m aware that I smell like bait, but I don’t have enough life in me right now to rush to the shower.
“How’d they look out there today?” she asks, patting Marlin’s head when he jumps back up onto the couch and curls up beside her. “Any lobsters out there?”
“Not many—that’s for sure,” I reply. “Hopefully, they pick up soon.”
“At least the price is good.” She winks. “I would know because it went up this morning, and the other fisherman were pretty impressed.”
“When the price is that good, it means there’s not shit for lobsters out there.” I sigh, reclining back. “Oh well though. We’re making a paycheck. That’s what matters.”
“Exactly.” She pauses, and I know right away that she’s going to bring up something I don’t want to talk about. I don’t know what it is, but the way she searches my face, I know it’s something bad. “Baby, you’ve seemed pretty off the past few days. Everything all right?”
Taking my phone out, I pretend like I’m scrolling social media. I mean, I guess I’m not pretending. I really am flipping through it, but I’m not actually looking at any of it.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I keep my voice level and unaffected.
“Okay,” she whispers. “It’s just … ever since a certain girl left, your text responses to me have been pretty short. And I’ve tried to call you a few times, but you don’t answer. I know my son. And when something is wrong, this is what you do. You hide.”
She’s not wrong. I have been avoiding her. I’ve been avoiding everyone, aside from the two guys who work for me because they aren’t going to ask me about Stella. My brothers? They all have, and I’m tired of hearing her name.
“I hardly know her, Mom.” The words come out more defensively than I planned them to, so I quickly try to smooth it over. “I mean, she was only here for two weeks. So … why would I care that she left?”
“And in those two weeks, she spent more time with you than anyone else, Ridge.” She points out the obvious.
“I could see the way you looked at her, baby. It’s all right to admit you liked the girl.
It won’t make you less of a man, FYI.” She giggles.
“In fact, it’s kind of manly to admit you like someone, if you ask me. ”
“I gotta go take a shower. I smell,” I grumble, standing up, but of course, she stands up too.
“Ridge, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but if it has anything to do with Stella, you need to put your pride aside and figure out how to make it better.”
I don’t look at her, but I can hear the worry in her voice.
“And for what it’s worth, I’ve known you your entire life, and I’ve never seen you look at anyone the way you looked at that girl,” she whispers. “And guess what. She looked at you the same way right back.”
I don’t say anything back to my mom because I don’t know what I’d even say. But even she’s tired of my shit because a moment later, she leaves.
For days, I keep going back and forth between two thoughts.
One, I hardly knew Stella, and it’s stupid that I care this much.
And two, what if she was … my person or whatever, and I let her go? And now, she’s going to find someone else. Someone who is much more sophisticated than I will ever be.
I walk into the bathroom and start the shower, letting it get scorching hot because I froze my ass off the entire day. Just like every other day since she left, I know, within seconds, my eyes will shut, and I’ll be stroking my cock to memories of her.
But when I step into the shower, I realize something.
My mom is right. I have never looked at anyone the way I looked at Stella. And it doesn’t matter if I’ve known her ten minutes, ten days, or ten years. I can’t ignore that feeling I’ve had since the first night we spent together.
Maybe she’s back in the city, knowing that’s where she belongs and not even thinking about me. But if I never talk to her again, in person …
How will I know for sure?
Quickly, I wash my hair and my body and turn the shower off.
I don’t know what a simple man like me will do in New York City, on probably the busiest night of the entire year there, but that doesn’t matter. I’ve got a fucking flight to book. And if I can catch one soon, I can be there to kiss her at midnight.
Another flight with another older man.
I keep my headphones off because this time, the older man beside me isn’t annoying me like the one did the last time I took this same flight to Maine, even though the man from weeks ago talked less than this one today.
The difference is, I’m not being a complete bitch to him.
In fact, he’s helped the flight pass quickly.
“So, this friend you’re going to see,” he asks, looking over at me through his thick glasses, “does he know you’re coming?”
“No,” I say, cringing slightly.
I have the cold sweats because I’m so incredibly nervous.
We’re landing soon, and I don’t even have a plan—well, other than drive to Holiday Harbor and talk to Ridge.
This seems crazy, like something out of one of those stupid Hallmark movies that I hate so much.
But this morning, when I woke up, I knew that I wasn’t ready for things to end with Ridge.
At least not until we have a real conversation.
Reaching over, he pats my knee. “I’m sure it’ll make his whole day. I know it would make mine if I was a younger fellow and a pretty girl caught a flight on New Year’s Eve just to give me a smooch at midnight.”
My mouth hangs open. “George!” I laugh. “I didn’t say anything about kissing him at New Year’s! I don’t even know if he’ll be home.” I grimace. “He could be out at a … you know … a party. Probably planning on kissing someone else at midnight. Who knows?”
“Eh, you didn’t have to say anything,” he returns, grinning like a fool. “And I doubt anyone he’s kissing is as pretty as you, dear.”
I chew my lip feverishly.
Suddenly, my plan seems stupid, and I’m not sure what I was even thinking. Ridge is an attractive, single man. Why would he be home alone on New Year’s Eve? And what’s worse is, when I get to his house, it’ll be nearly nine o’clock at night.
God knows what he’ll be doing by that time on New Year’s Eve.
A few minutes ago, the captain came over the radio and said we had started our descent. With the shifting of the airplane and the lights out the window getting closer to us, I know soon, we’ll be landing.
If I was smart, I’d probably call him first. Or just come to my senses and catch a flight right back to New York when this plane turns around to go there.
“Here we go,” George mumbles, bracing the armrests, just like he did during takeoff.
Looking out the window, I wait anxiously because any second … we’re going to land. And while everyone else is scared of landings, I’m not. For me, it’s when I can finally breathe again.
I walk slowly next to George as we make our way up the ramp.
“I hope you have a great visit with your brother, George.” I smile, but when his face grows somber, my heart sinks a little.
“Thanks, kiddo. The truth is, my brother passed away last week, and I’m here for his funeral.
” His eyes crinkle further at the sides.
“Guess I didn’t want that look of sympathy if I told you that right at takeoff.
And plus, I figured if I lied, it would make me feel like I really was going to see my brother. ”
Just before we reach the inside of the airport, he takes my hand. “You’re young, kid. But guess what. You blink, and you’ll be an old geezer like me, traveling more for funerals than you do anything else.” He squeezes my hand. “Tell this friend of yours how you feel. Take the chance.”
Through the tears in my eyes, I shrug. “How’d you know that’s what I came here for? I told you I was coming to see a friend.”
“Because I’m ancient, my dear. I can spot a fool in love anywhere.” And then he drops my hand and begins shuffling out the door.
And I’m so lost in my thoughts as his words replay in my brain; I almost feel like I’m dreaming when I walk into the lobby and Ridge is sitting in a chair, looking down at his phone on the other side of the rope.
For the outgoing flight to New York.
For a second, I stare at him, wondering if he’s really there or if I’m dreaming.
“Ma’am, you can’t stand here. You need to keep walking until you’re past that sign up there,” an older woman barks at me, and still, I’m too dumbfounded.
“Ma’am, I said—” she starts again.
But I can’t hear her anymore because the second his eyes find me, he shares the same are you really here expression that I’m certain is painted on my face.
And it wouldn’t matter what else was going on in this airport; I wouldn’t be able to see it because right now, it’s just me and Ridge.
Well, it is until the TSA agent is directly next to me. Now yelling into my ear. “Ma’am! I said—”
“I’m … I’m going to move,” I whisper to her, keeping my eyes on Ridge. “Just give me a second.”
Standing up, he walks to the rope and stops just in front of me. “What are you doing here, city girl?” He looks me up and down, like he still can’t believe I’m in Maine.
Tears blur my vision, and I sniffle through a smile. “Well … I hope it’s the same thing you’re doing—why you’re waiting for a flight to New York,” I croak out, thankful that the woman has moved on to yelling at someone else so that we can have this moment. “I came here to see you.”
He’s silent for a beat or two before finally tilting his head to the side. “I was headed to New York to find some redheaded beauty who’s as sweet as she is salty. Was hoping to kiss her at midnight.” Reaching over to me, he cups my cheeks. “Looks like you saved me the trip.”
Tears stream down my cheeks, but right when I open my mouth to speak, the lady is back.
“I said, you cannot—”
Stepping over the rope, Ridge grabs my hand and pulls me behind him. “Don’t worry,” he calls over his shoulder. “I’ll get her out of the way.”
I follow closely behind him, giggling through my tears as he rushes us out into the lobby of the small airport. Once we’re there, he stops and turns toward me.
“You came back,” he whispers. “You really fucking came back.”
“I did.” I wrap my arms around his abdomen and tilt my chin up. “I had to.”
“Me too,” he answers. “I didn’t know how the hell I was going to find my way around in the city, but I needed to find you.”
“You didn’t have plans?” I ask, chewing my lip. “You know, it is New Year’s Eve and all.”
A mischievous smirk tugs at his lips, and he bends his head down closer to mine.
“Fireball, before my dumbass realized I was stupid to let you leave, the only plans I had for New Year’s was stroking my cock while thinking about you.
” His chin lifts, and he watches my breathing grow heavier as I imagine him pleasuring himself to thoughts of me.
“And now that you’re here, I won’t have to fuck my own hand. Because I’ll be deep inside your pussy instead. All fucking night. That way, I can show you how much I’ve missed you.”
I clench my legs together. It’s a lame attempt to lessen the ache between my thighs, and my heart beats faster when he grips my chin.
“What do you say, New York? Want to ring in the new year while you’re riding my cock?”
“Yes.” I barely choke out the three-letter word. “Let’s go to your house.” I step back and pull his hand. “Now.”
He follows behind, his fingers caressing mine, but when we get outside, I let him lead me to his truck. Quickly, he opens the passenger door, but instead of closing it, he leans his body against me, kissing me fast and hard.
“We’re not going to my house, baby. That’s too far for me to wait.
And besides, my mom is watching Marlin because I’m supposed to be headed to New York.
” He kisses me again. “I’m taking you to the closest motel, Stell.
Because I can’t wait any longer than that to stick my dick inside of you.
Especially when I know you’re fucking soaked right now, aren’t you, baby? ”
I squirm in my seat, nodding quickly. “Yes,” I whimper.
Reaching between my legs, he nestles his hand against the fabric of my leggings. “Fuck, I can feel the heat pumping out of you,” he growls, grinding his hand across and making me whimper. “I promise, I’m going to take care of you.”
“Ridge,” I moan. “Yes. I need more …”
Rubbing the pad of his thumb in circles, he kisses me once more. “Soon, baby. So soon. Hang tight. I’ll have that pussy filled in no time.”
When he steps back, I whimper when his hand leaves from between my thighs. He shuts the door and jogs around to the other side. My mind is going crazy, and the only thing that can calm it …
Is being close to this man.
We have a lot of talking to do, but before we can do that, I need to be closer to him than ever.