by Layla Hagen
After I bought us hot dogs from a vendor passing by, Cole texted that he and Tess had found an empty patch of grass.
“Oh, look, Tess is waving at us,” Skye said. We bought two more hotdogs and then did our best to reach our siblings without stepping on anyone.
“Jesus, I can’t understand why it’s so crowded. The movie’s been out for fifty years,” Cole said.
Our sisters glared at him as the four of us somehow crammed in on the blanket Tess had brought.
“Yes, but it’s still more amazing than 99 percent of the stuff they make nowadays. So, let’s set some rules,” Tess said. “We won’t talk shop tonight.”
“Or about romantic stuff,” Skye added.
“Deal,” Cole and I said at the same time.
“You’re in for brothers of the year, both of you,” Tess declared.
“You only have two brothers,” Cole teased.
“Yeah, if we’re going to compete, it’s going to be among each other,” I volleyed back. “Personally, I feel like I’m in the lead by a solid lap.”
Skye rolled her eyes, taking Cole’s arm. “He’s less bigheaded. I’m siding with him.”
Tess crossed her arms over her chest, looking between the three of us.
“Tess, I’m going to be real mad if you don’t side with me,” I warned. The corners of her mouth tilted up.
“Of course I’m going to side with you. It’s all about balance in this family.”
I cocked a brow at Cole. “See? We’re even.”
“Only because you begged,” Cole teased.
“I only laid out my arguments. That’s not begging. It’s common sense.”
“By the way, why did you even go by the store tonight?” Skye whispered as the beginning credits started to roll on the huge portable screen at the other end of the perimeter.
“Avery and Heather are coming by my place tomorrow. We’re going shopping so Avery can have some stuff at my apartment. Thought you could give me some tips.”
My sisters gasped. Cole choked on the last bite of hot dog.
“Why didn’t you say anything until now?” Tess asked.
Then we got shushed. “Keep your voices down. Some of us actually want to see the movie.”
I shook my head, shrugging. Only in New York could people take the screening of a fifty-year-old movie so seriously. I blocked out most of it, thinking about Owen again. I wanted to find solutions for everyone I cared about, but it wouldn’t be tonight. Right now, all I could do was entertain my sisters.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ryker
I arrived at home after midnight but couldn’t fall asleep. I’d always been able to push work-related worries to the back of my mind, or if they were too pressing, a session at Northern Lights was everything I needed to unwind.
But there was no unwinding when my family or Heather was involved. My brain just worked tirelessly to come up with a solution, and when I couldn’t find one, like now, frustration with myself just ate me up from inside. I didn’t want Heather to run into any issues. I wanted to protect her. I wanted to protect my sisters too: from this madness, generally from ups and downs... from everything I could. We had a pact, a promise. Sure, we’d been kids back then, but I liked to make good on it as often as I could.
I only slept a few hours, so I was exhausted the next morning. I tried to push everything out of my mind when Heather and Avery arrived, but I couldn’t do it.
“Earth to Ryker?” Heather asked, smiling.
“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”
“We brought breakfast.” She held up two paper bags. “If today is going to go the way I think, we’ll need sustenance.”
“Good idea.”
“I already ate. Can I go to my room?” Avery asked, almost breathlessly. I’d shown her the guest room last time they were here, and when I said it was hers, she’d been so beside herself that she kept working my room in every sentence.
“Sure.”
Heather and I went to the kitchen. I took out plates, but she didn’t open the bags.
“What’s up with you?” Heather asked.
“Just tired. I didn’t sleep much last night.”
“We can go shopping another time. Or... we don’t have to go at all.” Her eyes were loving and concerned, and I needed that.
I almost took her up on her offer, but I knew I’d be letting Avery down if we canceled everything.
“It’s fine,” I said.
Heather frowned. “Ryker, is something wrong?”
“No. Just tired,” I repeated. I didn’t want to bring my crap into our relationship; she didn’t need to deal with it.
“Okay.” She began opening the paper bag, then stopped. “You’re sure it’s not something else? Look, if you don’t want to go shopping, it’s no big deal. I understand if you got a little overwhelmed last time.”
“What are you talking about?”
She twiddled her thumbs, averting her gaze.
“I don’t know. Did you change your mind? If you don’t want us here—”
I closed the distance between us before she could even finish the sentence, cradling her head with both hands.
“Of course I want you here. Don’t even think that.”
“You’re sure? Because you’re... distant since I arrived.”
“Yesterday was....” I hadn’t wanted to ruin her day first thing in the morning, but maybe it was better if she knew right away. “Owen said he was the one who contacted that Dawson guy, asked him to write about the company too.”
Heather gasped. “Shit! Why? I thought it was clear that we were expecting this to be an exclusive story.”
“I know, babe. I’m sorry.”
“Damn. I’m going to have to email Danielle and let her know. Did Owen tell you when Dawson’s article is coming out?”
“No. I don’t think he knows either.” I placed my hands on her shoulders. “Babe, I’m right here with you, okay? We’ll figure everything out.”
“You really mean that?” She sounded surprised.
“Of course I mean it.”
She gave me a guarded smile. “Is there anything else on your mind? You’re still tense.”
How could she tell that? It dawned on me that I wasn’t used to talking about family stuff with anyone outside the family. It was just one of those things I’d always compartmentalized. But I could practically see Heather folding into herself just standing here, feeling left out, perhaps still fearing I didn’t want them here. I could do this. Just let her be part of everything.
“Skye and Tess lost the investor they had.”
“Oh my God. So what are they going to do?”
“Find another one, but it’ll take a while. I’m worried about them. They’re stretched so thin, and that guy Skye had been seeing dumped her, and I’m frustrated as fuck that I can’t be of more use.”
“Ryker,” Heather said softly.
“I’m worried.”
“We can brainstorm ways to help them out.”
“We?” I asked. She nodded, placing her hands on my chest. She wasn’t just brushing off my concerns. She wanted to be involved in this. I couldn’t believe that she got me so completely. I kissed her—hard, deep, until she moved those hands up around my neck, pulling me closer to her. I felt the tension melt away from my body.
She smiled when I pulled back, tracing one finger on my forehead, down my temple, to the corner of my mouth. She tilted her head, as if considering some options.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked.
“That maybe we should take a trip to the Northern Lights tonight. You said that playing makes you relax.”
It did, though nothing got me out of this headspace when I was so wired up. Except this, right here.
“But then I can’t spend time with you.”
“You’d rather spend the evening with me than at the Northern Lights?” The look on her face was priceless.
“I’d rather spend time with you tha
n do 99.9 percent of anything.”
“What’s the 0.01 entail?”
I brought my mouth to her ear. “If you want to know, you’ll have to get it out of me.”
Pulling back, she narrowed her eyes. “And you don’t think I can do that?”
“No, no. I have full confidence in you.”
“You’re full of shit.”
I laughed, curling an arm around her waist, keeping her close. I rested my forehead in the crook of her neck, drinking her in.
“Stay here. It’s been a fucking hard week, and I just need you for a bit.”
It felt good to say it out loud.
***
Heather
I ran my hands over his shoulders again and was pleased to discover they weren’t as tense as a few minutes ago. I really was helping him relax, and that made me so happy. I wanted to be a positive influence in his life, just as he was in mine.
Before I realized what was happening, Ryker slid his palms under my ass. I assumed that meant he wanted to scoop me up in his arms, so I helped by jumping him. A fraction of a second too late, I realized he’d had much simpler intentions: he’d just wanted to feel me up. He lost his balance, and for a beat, I was sure we’d crash, but then he recovered, placing me on the counter. I clutched my knees tightly at his sides. I was laughing so hard that I was afraid I’d crack a rib. Ryker wasn’t faring much better.
“Woman, are you trying to kill us?” he asked in between guffaws.
“How was I supposed to know that you’re just trying to feel me up?”
“Maybe because I’m always trying to do that?”
“Hmm... you do have a point.” I blew air out of the right corner of my mouth, because my hair was sticking everywhere. He pushed some strands away, tucking them over my shoulder. I loved that I was his confidante, the person he came to no matter if he had something good or bad to share.
“Mommy, can we go now?” Avery’s voice sounded from the corridor.
“We’ll be with you in a minute,” Ryker said. “Wait for us by the door.”
Avery squealed. “Okay.”
“Why did you tell her to wait there?” I asked, jumping down from the counter.
“So I could do this.” He brought a hand to my waist, pushing me against the door. I only caught a glimpse of the lust in his gaze before he brought his mouth down on mine. The second our lips touched, my nerve endings leapt to life, fire dancing along my skin everywhere he touched me. His hands pressed on my waist before skidding down to the hem of my dress. He slid one hand under the fabric before pulling back completely, as if afraid that if he didn’t put distance between us, he’d lose his head.
He didn’t say one word, but the way he kept his palms pressed against the wall was enough to give me a taste of all that passion he was barely keeping at bay.
“Sneaky kissing. I like it,” I whispered, grinning.
He grinned back. “There’ll be plenty more when we come back.”
“Why not now?” I teased.
“Because if I get another taste, we might not leave at all.”
His tone was playful, but that intense glint in his eyes told me just how plausible that scenario was. He grabbed the paper bag with breakfast in one hand, and we headed out to the corridor. My heart was beating insanely fast, as if we’d just been caught doing something wrong.
“Ready to go shopping?” Ryker asked Avery.
“YES,” Avery practically yelled. Yeah... she was definitely my daughter. No danger of hospital mix-ups there. If there was any opportunity to shop, Avery didn’t want to miss one minute of it.
“After you, my ladies.” Ryker opened the door. Avery skidded out first, mimicking a runway walk all the way to the elevator.
“What’s the first stop on the list?” I asked as we rode down. “Or wait, is there a list? Do we have an itinerary?”
I caught Ryker and Avery exchanging a glance. They’d been conspiring again?
“Bergdorf Goodman,” Ryker said.
Holy shit, that had escalated quickly. I’d expected Costco or Target.
“What exactly are we shopping for?” I inquired. This wasn’t my usual playground. It was out of my way, and honestly, above my paycheck.
“They have toys,” Avery declared. “The special collection Barbie dolls.”
“And we can’t find those anywhere else?” I asked.
“No, it’s an exclusive line. Some girls at my school have it.”
I barely hid my smile. My mother bribed Avery with actual animals. Ryker had only gotten to dolls. I didn’t know if I should consider myself lucky or brace myself for an escalation.
I took my phone out, sending a quick email to Danielle. I resolved not to think about any of this today and just enjoy our time together. I wasn’t going to let Ryker worry about anything today either. Usually, something like this would have sent me spiraling out in a panic, but I felt oddly at ease, feeling it in my bones that we really could work out everything together.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Heather
Saturday in Manhattan was crazy busy, especially on a gorgeous day like this one. It was the beginning of May, which meant half the flowers in the parks were in full bloom. Everything was green anyway.
I felt like royalty from the moment I stepped inside Bergdorf Goodman. Everything from the way the merchandise was arranged in displays and on shelves to the faint jasmine smell in the air dripped with elegance and luxury.
We went directly to the children’s section. Avery and Ryker were in the lead, whispering. It felt like we were a little family, traipsing around and discussing the pros and cons of every toy.
Ryker kept taking out his phone from time to time, typing notes on it.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Writing down potential investors for Skye and Tess.”
I’d resolved to not let him worry, but this was something else: he was finding solutions. I barely refrained from suggesting he take a seat in the coffee shop across the street and finish his list. He’d insisted that he did want this shopping trip... but he already had so much going on. An old worry resurfaced, wondering if this change in lifestyle was too much, but I pushed it away, choosing to focus on what was in front of me.
When Avery stopped to inspect a huge, turquoise Smurf figurine, I pulled Ryker to one side.
“How many items did you negotiate?” I asked him.
“What do you mean?”
“How many items is she allowed to choose?”
Ryker cocked a brow.
“Please say you’ve told her how many items she’s allowed.”
“That’s no fun. We’ll just play it by ear.”
“Have you ever been shopping with a seven-year-old before?”
“No.”
I pressed my lips together, but still couldn’t hold back laughter.
“I’ve got this,” Ryker said confidently.
“Okay. You do your thing. I won’t interfere.”
I was curious to see his tricks. After all, he’d cut his teeth on Wall Street wolves. Fifteen minutes later, I realized Ryker’s trick was saying yes to everything. Clearly, his Wall Street rules didn’t apply to Avery. We already needed a cart to carry around our acquisitions.
I’d said I wouldn’t interfere... but he needed saving from himself. I was torn between saying something and just watching Ryker and Avery. They were having so much fun that I just couldn’t bring myself to interfere. Midway through the spree, I went to buy water. Upon my return, there were three more items in the buggy: a mini skateboard, a mug, and a candle. I wasn’t sure who was trying harder to pretend that the items weren’t there: Avery or Ryker. I decided not to call them out on it. Five minutes later, it turned out they thought they’d fooled me, because they attempted the same maneuver. I had gone to ask where we could find sheets, and upon my return, there was a tea set in the pile that most definitely hadn’t been there before. Yeah... definitely time to interfere.
“What’s
that?” I asked, gesturing to the tea set.
Avery pointed an accusatory finger at Ryker. “It was his idea.”
Ryker laughed, crouching until he was level with Avery.
“Avery, a partnership works only if we don’t rat each other out.”
Avery shrugged. “Yes, but then Mommy would be mad at both of us. Now she will only be mad at you.”
He laughed, standing up, turning to me. “She has a point.”
“I’m not mad at either of you. But we’ve got enough things. You already have enough toys to keep you busy for a while.”
Avery pouted, looking from me to Ryker, who nodded.
“Excellent. So we’re done?” I asked.
“Avery wants to check out the playground,” Ryker said. “We can drop her there while we wait for the store to bring the sheets from the storage room.”
We dropped Avery off at the playground, where a supervisor assured us she wasn’t letting the kids out of her sight.
“Just say it,” Ryker said as we went up again on the escalator.
“What?”
“I know you’re dying to make fun of me.”
“Well....”
“I just don’t know how you say no,” he said.
I wiggled my eyebrows. “Practice.”
“Doubtful. She just has this look in her eyes, like her entire world revolves around buying this next thing.”
I was on a higher step than him, so I easily laced my arms around his neck, playing with his hair.
“Yeah... she’s good at blackmailing without even using words.”
Once we reached the floor, Ryker put one arm around my shoulders, keeping me close. When he nibbled at my earlobe, I elbowed him lightly.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
“I’ve been dying to touch you for hours. Didn’t want to do it with Avery watching.”
“How about everyone watching right now?”
“Don’t give a fuck about them.”
Warmth coursed through me, rising to my cheeks.
“Fuck, I love seeing you blush. Especially because I know how far this blush spreads.” He dragged the back of his fingers from my cheek down to my neck, and then lower still, only stopping at the neckline of my dress. That warmth instantly turned to heat. I licked my lips, pulling slightly away, needing fresh air. The combo of cologne and testosterone was not easy to resist.