Ryker (The Ride #4) (13 page)

“No, and I’m starving,” Connie replied.

“Pizza?” I suggested, already picking up the phone.

“Sure, sounds good,” she answered, looking at her phone. “Kat wants to come over too, but she’s wondering if it’s okay with the baby.”

“Of course,” I agreed, watching as Connie fired off a text. I hadn’t had the chance to spend much time with Kat and was looking forward to it.

Kat arrived with baby Wren in tow moments before the pizza arrived. Soon we were all settled around the living room, sipping drinks and eating.

“You look tired, babe,” Connie commented, looking Kat over.

Kat was gorgeous with dark hair and bright blue eyes. It was hard to believe she’d just had a baby, her body was so slim, but she did look tired.

“I have a newborn,” she replied simply. “I’ll sleep again someday.” She sighed wistfully.

“You want us to watch her, so you can go upstairs and take a nap?” I offered.

She gave me a wan smile. “I probably should take you up on that, but I’d much rather hang out with you guys. I don’t get out much these days. Between Wren and Sal in über-protective mode, I’m feeling a bit claustrophobic.”

“Who’s out front?” I asked, knowing one of the guys must be.

“Blue,” Kat replied, referring to one of the prospects.

I nodded. “Poor guy, he gets stuck with me a lot. Ry made him go to the market with me the other day. I think he just about passed out when I bought tampons.” I giggled.

“Oh I do that just to fuck with him all the time.” Connie grinned. “The other day, I bought this huge thing of lube just to see how red he could get. Turns out it was really red,” she shared, as we all laughed. “Wes thought I was just feeling insanely horny when I came home with it.”

I doubled over, laughing so hard I had to catch my breath.

“Poor guy.” Kat grinned, no sympathy in her tone as she cradled Wren in her arms.

“I’ll hold her while you eat,” Ettie spoke up, gesturing for Kat to hand the baby over.

“You sure? Thank you.” Kat sighed, gratefully, placing Wren carefully in Ettie’s arms. “I love her so much, but I never knew how much I’d appreciate getting a spare second to do something as simple as eat!”

“You’re doing great, babe. How’s Sal holding up?” Connie asked.

Kat smiled, her eyes lighting up at the mention of her husband. “He’s a wonderful dad. He gets up with her in the middle of the night. He dotes on her. He’s been home a lot more, which I love; but, I don’t like how tight he’s wound.”

“All the guys are.” Ettie nodded. “This shit with the Riders is gonna come to a head one way or another and we all know how protective our men are.”

“Wes and I were trying for a baby,” Connie broke in quietly, her typical jovial behavior somber, which was surprising.

“What do you mean were?” I asked carefully.

She bit her lip, her blue eyes shining suddenly with unshed tears. “He doesn’t want to anymore—not right now. He’s too wound up about everything going on.”

“Oh, honey,” Ettie replied quietly, reaching over to grasp her friend’s knee. “This will blow over soon. Then you can start again.”

Connie shook her head. “It’s an excuse. I don’t know if he wants to have kids. This isn’t the first time he’s changed his mind,” she admitted, as Ettie and I exchanged a look, neither knowing what to say.

“He’ll come around,” Kat assured her.

“Well he better because I’m pregnant.” She groaned, her head in her hands.

“What?” Kat exclaimed, moving to put her arm around Connie’s shoulders.

“That short time we were trying must have worked,” she told us, scraping her fingers through her hair before sitting up, her eyes bright with anguish.

“How long have you known?” I asked, placing a hand on her knee, as Kat’s arm remained around her shoulders.

“A few days,” she replied.

“Honey, it’s gonna be okay. It sounds like he just has a bit of stage fright. This is the real deal, he’ll come around,” Kat repeated. “He loves you and he’ll love this baby.”

“God, I hope so,” she sighed, wiping her face. “Because I want this, badly,” she emphasized.

“Of course you do. You’ll be a wonderful mama.” I smiled.

She gave me a watery smile. “Thanks. I know I have to tell him soon. I’m just… working up to it.”

“Better tell him before you start throwing up all over the place,” Kat quipped. “He might figure it out for himself by that point.”

Connie snorted. “Wes isn’t the most observant guy. I don’t think he’d put two and two together until I had a full-on belly or placed a baby in his arms. But yeah, I’ll tell him soon. Can we talk about something else now?” she pleaded.

“Sure, honey,” Kat agreed, giving her one final squeeze before removing her arm.

We moved the topic of conversation to lighter fare until Kat had to take Wren home. Connie, Ettie, and I settled in on the couches and turned on a movie.

“Tink,” Ry’s quiet voice woke me sometime later.

I opened my eyes, looking around disoriented. Wes and Mack were standing over their women, also trying to stir them.

“Sorry, we fell asleep.” I yawned.

“Clearly.” He grinned. “You feeling okay?”

I nodded. “Just tired, I guess.”

“Let’s get you up to bed,” he replied, helping me to stand up and wrapping a strong arm around my waist.

“You good?” he asked Wes and Mack.

They both offered chin lifts, hoisting their women up, preparing to take them home. “I’ll swing by and get Connie’s ride tomorrow,” Wes replied.

“Night, ladies.” I waved to my friends, as Ry propelled me from the room.

I got ready for bed while Ry locked up the house and let the dogs out. He’d taken over as the head of household so seamlessly, I wasn’t even aware it happened. It was as natural as breathing to him.

I crawled into bed, curling into him when he joined me.

He wrapped his arm around me. “You ready for tomorrow?” he asked quietly.

“I think so,” I replied.

“Well, however it goes, I’ll be there,” he assured me.

I looked up at his handsome face and smiled. “I know, babe. That’s why I’m not worried about it.”

His expression softened and he kissed my forehead. “Night, babe.”

“Night, Ry.” I sighed, burrowing closer, loving his warmth and strength.

Chapter 12

“B
abe,” Ry’s deep voice sounded, as I sifted through boxes in the garage the next morning.

“What? I need to sort these—maybe there’s stock for the store, or stuff I should send to my mom’s family,” I explained.

“Babe,” he repeated, leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed as he watched me patiently. “How long have you been down here?”

I wrinkled my nose. “A while,” I admitted.

“Since before the sun came up, I know that much.” He chuckled, moving to my side and offering a hand up.

I took it, leaving behind the Tupperware bin I’d been sorting through.

He led me back into the house, where I smelled coffee and bacon.

I looked at him in surprise. “You made bacon?”

Ry only cooked on rare occasions.

He threw an arm around my shoulders, as the dogs clambered over to greet us. “Yeah, Tink, I figured today was a day for bacon.”

“You figured right,” I murmured, as he sat me down at the table.

“What exactly is it that you’re so nervous about, baby?” he pressed lightly, as he placed a warm cup of coffee in front of me. Just the way I liked it—black with two sugars.

I shrugged. “I don’t know exactly. I know it’s different for you. Well, a different sort of awful,” I amended. “You never felt like you knew your mom. But I knew my dad.”

His eyes softened as he sat across from me, his expression coaxing me to continue.

“I knew what he was like when my mom was alive, when he could love her.” I swallowed, feeling the familiar clog of emotion build in my throat. “I can’t ever fill that void. I would never try,” I continued thickly. “I love how much he loved her—it drives the hope in me on so many levels. It’s the stuff that any great love story should be built on.” I smiled through unshed tears, grasping the warm coffee between my hands like a lifeline. “But that was the father I knew my entire life. He loved my mother without question, with everything he was. Without her, he doesn’t know who he is.” I shook my head sadly. “It’s as though being in the same room together just reminds us what we’ve lost all the more, and I don’t know how to get past that.”

His hand reached across the table and squeezed mine reassuringly. “Time and practice, Tink,” Ry murmured.

I sat up straighter in my chair, determined to conquer this next obstacle. “Right,” I agreed, offering him a hesitant smile. “Time and practice.”

*****

“Hi, bunny,” my dad greeted me later that morning when I met him in the cafeteria.

He looked remarkably better than the last time I’d seen him. His color was back and the desolation wasn’t as present in his eyes.

“Hi, Dad.” I smiled, moving into his arms when he stood to hug me.

As promised, Ry had driven me over and was now waiting in the reception area.

“You look good,” I said sincerely as I took a seat across from him.

“I feel good. Well, better,” he amended.

“Are they treating you okay in here?”

He nodded. “This place has been a complete blessing. I don’t know where I’d be without it.”

I sighed with relief, and not for the first time, wondered who had been so generous in providing his stay here. I could have never afforded it and it essentially saved his life.

“I want to talk to you about something,” he began, and his cautious tone made me sit up a bit straighter.

“Okay.”

“I am doing better, Piper, but I don’t think I’ll ever be okay in the house, and at least for now, this town. I need a fresh start.” He looked imploringly at me as I fought to control my reaction. “I know I haven’t been here for you like I should have been. It haunts me that you’ve done so much of this alone, but I can’t stay.” He shook his head sadly.

I fought hopelessly against the tears forming. “I know,” I managed hoarsely. “I understand.”

And I did.

“I want you to have the house—if you want it,” he hastened to add. “It’s paid for. It would mean the world to me to know that you could make a life there. Your mother and I had so many happy years there—the happiest of my life.”

The tears spilled over as I regarded him in shock. “The house?” I whispered incredulously.

“Only if you want it,” he said again, reaching across the table and clasping my hand briefly. “You could make it your own. You
should
make it your own. Give it new life.” He smiled and I saw a bit of light in his eyes for the first time in as long as I could remember.

It took me a minute before I could reply. “I think I can do that,” I rasped, still in shock.

“I know you can.” He nodded, sitting back and seeming relieved.

“Where will you go?”

“San Diego, to stay with Aunt Caroline,” he replied. “At least for now. I always wanted to live near the beach. She’s been nagging me to get back there for years, so she finally gets her wish.” He chuckled.

“She always was a bit of a nag.” I laughed, relieved that the mood was lightening some.

“How are things going with Ryker?” he asked with a knowing smile.

“Really good,” I told him. “He’s been my rock.”

I watched my dad’s eyes shine with emotion. “Good.”

“He’s been um, staying at the house a lot,” I added, unsure why I’d felt the need to share that.

He put me at ease with a warm, knowing smile. “I’m not surprised to hear that. I’m glad you haven’t been alone,” he replied, his eyes warm on mine.

I nodded, glad that he was supportive of Ry and me.

I stayed for a while longer, telling him about Sam’s show and any amusing anecdotes I could think of from my time at the day care. I steered clear of talking about the boutique, feeling like that would be too hard for him to hear about.

“I’ll see you before you go?” I verified, when we rose and he pulled me into another hug.

“Of course.” He nodded. “I still have a few more weeks.” He paused before continuing. “It’s wonderful to see you, sweetie. You’ve always been such a strong, smart girl. Your mom would be so proud.”

That just about gutted me, but I managed a hoarse, “Thanks.”

Ryker didn’t push for answers when I silently accepted his embrace after I returned to the reception area. He just offered his support and led me out to his bike.

He tilted his head in question as he regarded me, and not for the first time, seemed to read my mind. “Want to take the long way?”

When we returned to the house he surprised me by staying on the bike. “Babe, I fucking hate to do this, but I gotta get to the club for a little while.”

I was partially relieved; I could use the time to pull myself together. “I understand,” I assured him, leaning in for a kiss and standing at the curb watching him ride off.

The house felt different somehow when I walked through the front door. All this time I’d felt like I was crashing at my parents’ house, but now it was mine. The thought still boggled my mind. I surprised myself by heading straight up the stairs and into my parents’ bedroom. I’d washed the sheets and aired the room out and it no longer felt like a depressing cave.

Despite all that, I swore I could still smell my mother’s perfume.

I lay down on the top of the bedspread, staring up at the ceiling. The dogs were quiet, seeming to sense my mood. They’d followed quietly behind me and had taken up residence on the floor by the side of the bed.

I stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought, and without meaning to, fell asleep.

“Pipe?” Ryker’s voice came to me through a dream. I felt his large hand sweep over my brow as I fought the fog of sleep. “What’re you doin’ in here, babe?” he asked gently.

“Come lay down with me,” I murmured sleepily.

He didn’t hesitate, moving to lie on his side beside me and pulling me into his arms. We lay in silence for a while as I gathered my thoughts.

“He’s leaving,” I said finally, the air whooshing from my lungs along with the pronouncement.

“Oh, babe,” he muttered, his lips against my temple. “I’m sorry.”