Chapter 13
Heather
While Tess delivered the opening speech, everyone was focused on the stage, but I kept glancing around. Where was Ryker? The skin on my entire body tingled, anticipating the moment he’d walk up to me again.
Once Tess descended from the stage, the emcee walked up to the mic.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the first dance of the evening has been raffled off. Gentlemen bought tickets for this one. We’re going to switch after five dances. Gentlemen, you can now approach your dance partners. Ladies, do check the raffle ticket. We’ve had cheaters in the past.”
Everyone laughed, and I even heard a few whispers of “it happened to me.” I briefly wondered if Ryker planned to cheat. Honestly, I’d be disappointed if he was.
I waited by the dance floor, as Tess said was tradition. This evening was so out of the norm for me that I was grasping for anything that sounded familiar.
My heart pulsed at a lightning-quick speed when I noticed Ryker. He was walking straight toward me, stopping only half a foot away.
“I believe I’m the lucky winner.” He handed me the ticket. When our fingers brushed, an electrifying heat jolted straight through me. He smiled, flashing his dimples. I glanced at the ticket. It simply said Ryker . My heart was beating wildly. My fingers shook a little.
“How exactly did you game the system?” I whispered.
“I bought every ticket for this dance.”
“Wow.”
Those deep blue eyes pinned me with such an intensity that they lit up every cell in my body.
“I told you I’d get my dance, Heather.”
“I didn’t know you wanted it so badly.”
“Now you do.” He was half leaning into me, his warm breath landing on my cheek. His gaze dropped to my mouth. I licked my lips, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. I became aware that everyone else was already in position to dance, so I followed suit.
Ryker expertly led the dance, only I wasn’t paying much attention to the music or our steps. I was too wired up, too consumed by our proximity.
“This is a great event. How did it all start?” I asked.
“It was Hunter’s idea, but we just wanted to create something together, as a family.”
“So you participate in all of them?”
“We try to, but there are instances when we just can’t make it. Hunter and his wife are skipping this one.”
The rhythm of the song changed lightly, and Ryker’s hold on my waist tightened. He kept me close enough that I was certain he could feel my heartbeat.
When the song finished, Ryker lowered his hands, taking a step back.
“Pleasure to dance with you. Can’t wait to do it again,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“This isn’t the only dance I’m bidding on.”
And just like that, my heart rate quickened again . I couldn’t keep my smile under control either.
“On how many, exactly?”
He tilted his head playfully. “Someone’s eager.”
“Just want to be prepared.”
“I’ll keep you guessing. Just know that you’re not getting rid of me tonight.”
“Ryker, you don’t have to buy out every single dance. It’s expensive.”
“It’s worth it.”
Oh, my. What could I say to that?
The next hour went by in a blur. Whenever he had to go to buy tickets for the next dance, my entire body hummed with the need to be closer to him.
No matter what I did—even if it was to sit down for a minute or to check on Avery, I longed for the sound of the gong announcing the next round.
With every dance, he kept me closer, his touch became more daring, and I leaned into it every chance I got, because this felt damn good.
To my dismay, the last dance came far too quickly. I wasn’t ready to let go, but I had to.
“Forgot to give you the ticket for this last one,” Ryker said.
I laughed. “Not necessary.”
“What if I cheated?”
“Did you?”
“You won’t know until you read it.”
I wanted to tell him that weeding out cheaters was always easy. The real dance partner would have popped up. But that mischievous glint in his eyes… hmmm… he had something in mind. He was insisting on me taking the ticket for a reason, so I did.
I glanced down at it, feeling his gaze on me, the tension sizzling in the air.
Ryker: Meet me behind the red curtain after my speech.
I looked up. Oh, God… there was so much heat in his eyes, so much promise. He was expecting an answer, but before I could give him one, we were flanked by Tess and Skye.
“Don’t forget you’re giving the second speech tonight,” Skye said.
“I know. Ten minutes left.”
“Heather, do you want to sit?” Tess asked.
“Great idea. My toes feel as if they’re about to fall off.”
I was even more aware of Ryker than before as we all headed to the organizers’ table.
I held the note in my fist, the words still playing around in my mind.
Where was the red curtain? I glanced around the room slowly, until I noticed it at the far corner.
My stomach flipped, especially when I realized Ryker was watching me.
I wanted to say yes right away, but I had to think this through, and I honestly couldn’t with six-foot-two of sexiness right next to me.
Tess, Skye, and I sat at the table. Ryker stood between his sisters. I took my feet out of my shoes and stretched my toes.
“In our completely unbiased opinion, you lucked out, Heather. Ryker is the best dancer around here,” Tess said.
Ryker grinned. “Any chance you can use the time during my speech to sing my praises to Heather?”
“You can count on us,” Tess assured him just as a man joined us. He had black hair and deep blue eyes that were eerily similar to Ryker’s.
“Our brother, Cole,” Ryker said.
“Hi, Cole.”
He shook my hand, glancing between Ryker and me. “Couldn’t miss meeting the woman who ensures I’ll take in the most tickets for the raffle by taking Ryker out of the equation.”
“I thought there was a certain number of tickets for each dance and participant?” I asked, laughing.
“That’s right, but they aren’t sold out usually.”
Skye shook her head, smiling. “Will you two ever stop competing against each other?”
Cole shrugged. “Not in the foreseeable future.”
Organizing these events was hard work, but they made it all seem like so much fun that I just wanted to be part of it all.
“Besides, you should keep a closer eye on Ryker from now on,” Skye told Cole. “He wanted to cheat—make me rig Heather’s raffles so he always won.”
I placed a hand on my hip, turning to Ryker, who was glaring at his sister.
“Ah, wasn’t supposed to say that to Heather, right? But I think it counts in your favor. Shows your commitment to dance with her,” Skye said.
“I thought you said it was worth buying all the tickets,” I teased.
“Yes, but there’s always a risk of someone placing a bid before me and then being picked.”
I brought a hand to my mouth but still wasn’t able to mask the guffaw escaping my lips. Ryker’s siblings were merely smiling or shaking their heads. As soon as Ryker left, they immediately started singing his praises—even Cole.
“He’s smart, hardworking. Are we missing something?” Tess asked.
“Loyal,” Skye added.
Cole held up a finger. “I have one. Fun.”
“You’re really giving this praising thing all you’ve got,” I said.
“That’s the family motto,” Cole informed me.
“Just so you’re warned, Mom is here tonight,” Skye said. “Don’t know where she is now, but she and Avery talked a lot during the dances.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. She’ll find you eventually,” Tess said.
They were such a delight that I wanted to linger with them during the entire break, but I needed to check on Avery.
I almost left the table barefoot before remembering that I’d taken off my shoes.
Damn, I’d only spent a few dances with Ryker and was already losing my head?
How was I going to fare at the end of the evening?
Avery paid exactly zero attention to me.
She was already sweaty from playing so much, but there was nothing I could do about that.
I hadn’t thought about bringing a second dress for her.
She was grinning and jumping up and down in excitement, along with two other girls.
I felt about as old as her right now. It occurred to me that I hadn’t felt this childish joy in such a long time.
I’d missed it, and I had Ryker to thank for making me feel that way again.
I was lost in thoughts, watching her, until a woman walked up to me. Her gray hair was pulled up into a high bun. Her smile was warm and vaguely familiar.
“Heather, I’m Amelia, Ryker’s mother.”
“Amelia! It’s great to meet you.”
Her smile widened as she looked between me and Avery.
“I’ve already had the pleasure of meeting your daughter. She’s lovely.”
“Thank you.”
“I miss the time when they were all little,” she murmured, looking at the playground.
“Wasn’t it hard though?”
She shrugged. “It was… especially once I was on my own, but there were so many good memories.”
“How did you do it?” I asked suddenly. Crap, this was too personal.
“Honestly, I don’t know. It somehow all worked out, though it often seemed like it wouldn’t. I was stubborn though, not wanting to let anyone get too close to me. Poor Mick had to fight his way to me, and we lost precious years because of that.”
Hmmm… that was a pretty heavy-handed hint. Had Tess told her about our conversation? All signs pointed to yes.
“You’re happy now, that’s what matters,” I said.
“True. My boys gave Mick such a hard time when he first asked me out. But they were just protecting me.”
She launched into story after story about her kids, painting a picture so vivid that I felt right there in the moment with them. Damn, she was even better at praising Ryker than the rest. I wasn’t certain if she was doing it on purpose, but it worked like a charm.
When Ryker went on stage to deliver his speech, Amelia headed to her table to sit down, but I stood where I was, leaning against the wall.
Ryker commanded the attention of the room effortlessly.
He spoke with passion and conviction, and he exuded this je ne sais quoi that made you look his way no matter how crowded a space was.
In my case, it was also impossible to look away.
I was rooted to the spot, eyes on stage.
Ryker shifted his focus through the room during his speech.
Every time our gazes crossed, I involuntarily looked at the red curtain, then at my girl, who was currently laughing at something one of the sitters was telling her.
Once the speech was over, Ryker moved off the stage. He stopped to chat with some guests. I headed to the playground, catching up with my daughter just as she was about to climb on the slide again.
“Avery, I’m going out of the room for a while. I need some air, but then I’ll be back, okay?”
“Sure, Mommy.”
I laughed as she just plowed down the slide. Guess she won’t miss me .
I turned to one of the sitters next. “I’m stepping out of the room for a beat, but I’ll be back. I’ll have my phone with me, so you can call if Avery needs anything.”
“Of course. We’ll be here,” she said, handing me her phone. I typed my number in it.
“Okay, then.”
After picking up my small bag from the table, I headed toward the red curtain before I could talk myself out of it, aware of the heat in my cheeks, the wild beat of my heart.
Holy shit, how could I be so nervous?
Oh, Heather. You’re looking for trouble.
Past the red curtain was a door. My palms were a little sweaty when I pushed it open. I felt as if I was at a clandestine meeting.