32. Ryan
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Ryan
This might either be the best or the worst idea I’ve ever had.
Still, I can’t remember the last time I was nearly as excited about something as I am right now, sitting at a bar overflowing with tourists, slowly sipping on my watered-down beer.
I’d much rather meet her at The Rusty Anchor, but I prefer to have this conversation without the watchful eyes of our town mates.
News travels fast here in Fig Bay, and though I don’t need to keep this a secret, I’d prefer Paige and I agree on it before the whole town knows.
Unlike the weathered charm of The Rusty Anchor, this place looks like a mermaid got sick all over it.
The bar is made of seashells and sand, covered in resin.
Fishing nets that have never even touched the ocean adorn the walls, and the floor is made of sand-colored ship lap.
Even the coasters are shaped like a seashell.
Paige arrives at eight PM sharp. The first thing I notice is her eyes, which are even bluer than usual, coated with a layer of mascara. Her dark hair falls to her shoulders in messy waves, and her lips are shiny with lip gloss.
I swallow the emotions down, waving her to join me.
“Hi,” she says, stopping awkwardly right in front of my stool. She sports a pair of light, baggy jeans, making her legs look super long, and a flowery blouse. The pink hue covering her skin turned into something resembling a tan.
“Hi.” I grin, pulling her in for a hug. She’s rigid for a beat before melting into it. I try not to think about how well she fits into my arms. “We should grab a booth.”
She dips her chin adorably, and I take her hand to lead her to the back.
We squeeze into one of the empty booths, and Paige makes sure there’s a respectable distance between us.
The table is made of light wood, with a circular Zen garden in the middle.
The seashells and sand aren’t covered in resin here, and I have to admit it’s a nice touch.
Paige sticks her hands in the sand right away, focusing on letting it fall through her fingers.
The server appears soon, and we each order a drink. Once we’re alone, I break the silence.
“Today was probably a little much… It wasn’t how I planned the whole thing.” I glance up at her widened eyes. “That was my last delivery of the day, and I hoped I could talk to you for real. When your neighbor appeared, you looked like you wanted to be anywhere else, so I dipped.”
“Yeah, Linda is…nosy.”
“I got that.” A chuckle escapes me.
“And I was taken aback. Still am, if I’m honest.”
The server appears, placing another beer in front of me, and a glass of wine in front of her. Paige thanks them and downs a quick sip of her drink.
“I know. But we’re friends, aren’t we?” I ask her.
She hesitates for a second. “I guess.”
“What happened in the Bahamas…” Her face flushes pink. “I think it’s safe to say we both enjoyed it.”
Her throat bobs as she swallows. “The whole thing sounds like it’s bound to get messy.”
“Well, are you currently looking to date anyone?”
“No.” Her face scrunches with disgust.
“Good. Neither am I.”
“Did you enjoy your orgasms in the Bahamas?”
Her eyes widen to saucers as her mouth parts. Her fingers are working overtime in the small sand pit between us, which I don’t think she even realizes.
Finally, she lets out a huff. “Nonsensical question. Who doesn’t enjoy orgasms?” Her voice drops to a whisper as her gaze darts to both sides, checking to see if anyone can hear us.
“Can I be honest with you?” I lock in our eyes, not allowing her to look away.
“Honesty is preferable, yes.”
“It wasn’t just orgasms. I had fun. More fun than I’ve had in a long time. I think the same thing goes for you.”
“It’s not that simple. There’s also the minor detail of our parents getting married.”
“So what? It’s not like we’ll all live together under one roof like a big happy family. You and I are both adults. I think we can handle seeing each other a couple times a year, max. Unless you expect to fall in love with me, of course.” I wink at her.
Her eyes narrow. “Of course not. But what about you falling in love with me?”
“Trust me, my body isn’t currently capable of it. These headaches are taking out every ounce of my energy. There’s nothing left for silly things like love.”
Her mouth drops, her expression changing. “So why would you waste your limited energy on this, whatever this is?” She motions between us.
“Because it helps.” The words slip out before I can stop them. It sounds bad, like I’m using her to help with my headaches, which is only partially true. “That’s not…” I continue, hoping to explain, but she lifts her hand in the air.
“I’m in.”
“What?”
“I’m in.” She focuses back on the sand. “If I’m being honest, you and Jordan were right. I am avoiding life. And while I’m definitely not ready for any drastic changes, I do miss having fun.” She rolls her bottom lip, glancing up at me, and my cock stiffens in my pants.
My throat clears in an attempt to regain control over myself. I wasn’t sure she’d actually agree to my proposal, but now that she did, whew, my chest fills with elation. “Well, I’m glad to hear that.”
“How would it work exactly?”
Good question. One I’ve been thinking about ever since Parker and Wes encouraged me to continue this between us. “Let me handle it. I think you like me telling you what to do, so relax and let me take care of this.”
Her cheeks flush, but her lips part, a short breath whooshing out of her. “Ok,” she whispers, though I sense she wants to ask more.
“How did it go with the article?” Now that I know her on a deeper level, I should definitely look into her column. It might offer me a different glimpse of her.
She takes another sip of her drink and pats her mouth with a napkin. “Good. Great.” Her mouth pulls into a wide smile. “My boss loved it.”
The comfortable chatter continues until we finish our drinks. She shares how her neighbor guilts her into physical labor, and I tell her how I looked at another house today. Once again, it wasn’t a good fit. It was fine on paper, but it missed something, something I can’t quite put into words.
At the end of the night, I walk her to her car. There’s a magnetic pull between us, one that makes me ache to be closer to her. Her soft, pouty mouth calls me in for a kiss, while her eyes stare at me innocently.
A wave of desire crashes through me, ideas of what I want to do to her flashing through my brain. But I need to take this slow. Ease her into it. I place a chaste kiss on her cheek, eliciting a sharp intake of air from her.
“I had fun tonight. Have a good night.”
“You, too,” she responds before getting into her car and driving off.
Instead of sleeping, I spend my night researching her column and making plans for us. The columns date back three years, and reading them, my understanding for Jordan grows. Paige is incredible. She pulls the reader in effortlessly, hooking you within minutes.
The difference between her early pieces to the recent ones, however, is a stark one.
You can see how she turned from a person enjoying life and looking forward to different things to a person avoiding it.
Her pieces have slowly grown more detached, more clinical.
There’s a mention of a breakup, which I guess is the reason for the change, but she doesn’t share the details of what happened.
My mind itches to know more. What happened to her? Did someone hurt her?
My fists clench of their own accord, pressure gathering behind my eyes. A fierce protectiveness thrums in my chest. Whatever happened, it must have left a pretty big mark on her.
My mood doesn’t change until her last few pieces.
Suddenly, there are tears in my eyes from laughing so hard, reading the way she describes the events of how we met.
It’s vague enough that I don’t feel exposed, while still personal enough that you can’t help but empathize with the clumsy, shy heroine.
There’s an entire part describing how hot she thinks I am, and though it warms my insides, it also makes me feel like I’m intruding on something I shouldn’t.
It’s intimate. Somehow more intimate than what has already transpired between us.
Still, I’m not sorry for reading it. Instead, I’m even more motivated. I want her to get her spark back. I want her to get back to the woman who wanted to experience life.
For the first time in a long time, I have a goal. I’m going to make that happen for her.