by Holly Hood
I start over thinking my outfit. Any other day I wouldn’t care so much about what I was wearing. But tonight, it just feels and looks wrong.
“You look hot,” Sophie tells me, adjusting her halter. She drops a fedora down on her blonde hair and slips into a flannel shirt leaving it unbuttoned.
“You look perfect and casual like always.” She is such the trendsetter. She can pull anything off and sometimes it makes me jealous.
She touches my braid. “You totally need to lose the braid. You’re twenty-one now. He needs to see the beautiful woman you have become.”
I pull the rubber band from my hair and rake my fingers through it, and look at her for approval. “Is this better?”
“Much, much better.”
***
The Love Shack.
The place everyone in love with sports comes to drink beer and scream at giant televisions. Tonight was a little different. Tonight, Ryker’s face was plastered on giant signs hanging from the front of the building.
“Who’s Monty Chipman?” Sophie asks as we get closer. “He’s kind of cute. Please tell me Ryker knows him and he’s not married.”
I shrug. “He’s the other skateboarder with Ryker. He signed Finn’s skateboard. That’s about all I know about him.”
I flash my ID and Sophie does the same, and we go through the doors.
“This is a private event,” a man standing at the podium tells us. “I need a name.”
“Shit.” Sophie sighs.
“Savy—
He immediately waves me through. “Go right on in. And enjoy yourselves.”
“Well, that made me feel like a freaking rock star,” I tell Sophie.
The bar is filled to capacity with people sitting around drinking beer and shooting pool, among other things.
I stare down at my heels and suddenly feel overdressed. “Do you think this dress is too much?”
“That dress with your legs is never too much.” Sophie scours the scene. “Where is he?”
I start messing with the bracelet on my wrist.
“Don’t get nervous. We’re here to have a good time.” Sophie flips her hair from her shoulders and moves through the crowd. I follow her.
“Savy.” Ryker stands up from the table where he’s sitting. He’s wearing a red baseball hat, big diamond studs in each ear. Little bits of his dark hair peek out from underneath his hat. He looks great.
Sophie takes me by the hand and pulls me through the crowd and up the stairs, and now I am standing face to face with Ryker.
He smiles at me, and I smile back. Sophie breaks up our awkward reunion with, “Ryker, it’s so good to see you again.” She looks around. “Looks like things are going well for you.”
“Sophie. Everyone’s favorite Brit,” Ryker says, pulling her in for a hug. “How you been?”
“I’ve been great.” She eyes me. “We were just talking about you.”
Ryker looks at me and raises an eyebrow. ”What kind of talk?”
“Good things of course.” Sophie tilts her head back. “I could really go for a drink.”
Ryker smirks. “You always were a wild one.” He turns around, and I shoot Sophie a warning glare. She bats her eyelashes at me playing innocent.
“Monty. Come over here and meet my friend.”
Sophie is grinning from ear to ear as Monty approaches. I can tell it’s the start of an interesting evening.
“This is Sophie. Sophie this is one of my best friends, Monty Chipman.” Monty extends a hand, his blue eyes settle on Sophie.
“Nice to meet you. What do you like to drink?”
Sophie takes his hand. “Anything strong; the stronger, the better.”
“My type of girl,” Monty says. He throws an arm around her shoulder, and they slip away together.
“Four whole years,” Ryker says, taking hold of the railing. He stares out into the crowd of people. “I can’t believe it’s been that long.”
I nod. “Yeah. I can’t believe it either.”
“What have you been doing?” He searches my eyes. “We used to be inseparable.”
“We were.”
The people below us start shouting his name, interrupting our conversation.
“I’ll be right back.” He hops over the railing and lands on his feet. Everyone cheers for him. I watch him sign hats and arms and napkins. He shakes hands and takes picture after picture with everyone who asks. I think I would be worn out after a while, but it looks like he doesn’t tire of it.
As I am about to find something else to do, he finally returns to our table.
“Sorry about that.”
“Oh, it’s fine,” I lie. It’s not fine. It’s almost annoying.
“Let’s sit down.” We both look around. There isn’t anywhere to sit that could provide us any privacy. Just a bunch of eager fans looking for their piece of Ryker.
“So,” I tilt my head to the side, “when did this all start?”
Ryker shakes his head. “What do you mean?”
“You’re even more a big deal than the last time I saw you.”
“Oh. So you’re telling me you did think I was a big deal?” He grins, one hand on the railing the other sliding into the pocket of his jeans.
“That’s not what I am telling you at all.” Of course, he was a big deal. But I didn’t want him knowing I thought he was a big deal back then.
“I was always into skateboarding. I guess I finally took it seriously, and I just met the right people.”
He moves closer. “What about you?”
“What about me? I have no story anywhere near as exciting as yours.” I release a breath. “I was going to school to become a lawyer, but I decided it wasn’t for me, and I quit. Now I’m about to start working for no pay at a homeless shelter.”
“That’s something I could see you doing.” He smiles. “You always liked helping people.”
We both go quiet. I think back to the days when I helped him as he struggled with life at home. His parents were just as hard on him as mine were on me, but in a different kind of way. What my parents did constructively, Ryker’s rarely kept things civil when he pissed them off. Sometimes it got to him, and I was the only person willing to listen to his problems. Everyone around him only wanted him for his fun side--nothing else. They didn’t care if he had any problems.
“You were always the same way,” I tell him. “Just like that night I broke up with my boyfriend.”
Ryker looks away. “I failed miserably that night.”
“That doesn’t matter. You were doing the right thing.” I touch his hand. “And let me tell you, it feels so good to be able to tell you that in person.”
His friends at a table yell his name. He sighs, “I swear this is endless sometimes.”
“How often do you come back?” I force a smile, disappointed that I can’t hold his attention for more than five minutes at a time.
“Wait a minute,” he leaves me there, going back to the table and shaking hands with another fan. But he quickly returns. “Let’s go.”
I take his hand, and we slip through the crowd. “Where are we going?”
“Someplace quiet.” He slips behind the bar and opens the door that leads to the back room and storage. There’s one exit and a small bathroom with the door halfway open.
“What are we doing?” I look around at all the boxes.
“I always wondered if you were mad at me for what happened.” I take a seat on one of the boxes and look up at him.
“I was never mad. I missed you. One minute you were there the next you were gone, and I didn’t know what happened to you.” It feels good to admit.
“I missed you too, Sav.”
I smile, getting that same giddy feeling in my stomach like old times.
“Sucks that you’re only here for two days.”
He nods.
“I feel like there’s so much we have to catch up on.” There are so many questions racing through my mind.
He
turns on the light and turns to face me. “I like that dress.”
I smirk, and he smirks back. “You always knew just what to say.”
He steps closer. Suddenly I realize I want to kiss him, and when he pulls me up and grabs me by the waist, I know he feels the same way.
It’s the moment I have been waiting for--for years. I’ve always wanted Ryker to kiss me. The closer he gets to me, the faster my heart starts beating. Ready and willing, I bring my hands to his chest and close my eyes.
His phone rings, and I open my eyes. “You can answer that if you need to.”
“I don’t need to.” He moves in pressing his lips into mine. I snake my arms around his neck. As our lips become more familiar with one another, he takes me by the chin and deepens his kiss.
His hands creep up the back of my dress, and he frees me from my bra. I press against him when his hands reach my breasts. I have never been so turned on by a boy’s touch before.
I work on his neck as he slips his arms and head out of his shirt. Once his shirt is removed, he turns his attention back to my lips where he catches my bottom lip between his teeth.
“I wasn’t expecting this,” he says against my mouth. “I don’t want you thinking I brought you here for this.”
I shake my head, “I don’t.”
His fingers dig into my thighs, and he presses his forehead against mine. I slip my fingers through his hair. “What’s wrong?”
“I want to take you out. I don’t want to fuck you in the back of the bar.”
I kiss him on the lips and let him go. “Then take me out.”
“Tomorrow.” He lifts his shirt off the ground. “We can go to dinner or something.”
I pull myself together. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”
He smiles, “me too.”
Chapter 4
We could have had sex, and we didn’t.
One part of me is happy that Ryker didn’t push for sex at that moment. The other part of me wishes he would have gone for it.
I roll over on the guest bed in Sophie’s apartment and check my account balance from my phone. I still have money and I am thankful. I guess my dad isn’t as hardcore as he wants me to think he is.
Sophie enters the room in a t-shirt and crawls into bed with me. “Good morning.”
“Morning, Sophie.” She crosses her legs, sitting Indian style and works on the bowl of cereal in her hands.
“I had an amazing night with Monty.” She tilts her head. “He is a pretty interesting man. Very successful and he is single.”
I nod. “I’m happy for you.”
“I also saw Ryker at the end of the night.” She licks her lips, chewing thoughtfully. “I still believe the connection is there between you two. Ryker said so himself.”
“He did not,” I say. I want to hear every juicy detail.
“Ryker told me to remind you of your date today.” She eyes me, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement. “He wants you.”
“Yeah well, he can have me,” I admit.
Sophie sets her bowl on the nightstand and drops down on the bed. “You two would be very cute together.”
“Thanks, but I don’t think it will be anything more than a fling before he moves on to the next state.” And I don’t think that bothers me. Any connection with Ryker is better than none at all, so if we meet up occasionally and make up for lost time, that’s fine by me. We’re two consenting adults, capable of making our own decisions with no strings attached.
“That’s a good way to look at it.” She studies a lock of her hair. “I sleep with men all the time and I am completely fine.”
“That’s yet to be determined,” I smirk. ”We’re not kids anymore. We’re adults with adult problems. I can handle whatever it is that happens tonight.”
“Even if he wants to fuck you?” Sophie raises an eyebrow, looking at me. “And even if he leaves for a very long time?”
“Yes.” I sigh. “It’s not like I don’t have a life here. I’m starting a new job tomorrow, headed down a new path in life. I have this under control.”
I take a little over an hour to get ready. I do my hair, paint my nails, and make sure my legs are shaved before I pick the perfect outfit for dinner with Ryker. I wear my favorite bracelet and apply lip gloss. When I’m done getting ready for Ryker I send him a text letting him know that I’m ready for our night out.
I sit on the bar stool in Sophie’s kitchen scribbling on one of her notebooks and just when I think I am about to lose my mind having to wait for Ryker to show up the doorbell rings. I look at Sophie; she jumps up and throws the door open.
“Ryker, so very nice to see you.” She throws her arms around him giving him a hug and asks him to come inside.
“Nice place, Sophie.” He takes in Sophie’s high-end apartment.
“So, where are the two of you going tonight for dinner?” Sophie asks settling into her couch.
Ryker looks at me. “Wherever she wants to go.”
This makes me smile. He’s making me feel very important. Just like old times.
“Well, she likes to eat just about anything. So I can’t see you ruining this.” Sophie smirks.
I shake my head. “You are such a jerk sometimes. You know that, right?”
We say goodbye to Sophie and head out of her apartment.
“You look nice,” Ryker says, admiring my silver dress and black belt.
“So do you,” I point out.
His black slacks and gray shirt make him look more like a man and less casual. I’ve never seen Ryker so formal, and I like it.
“Are you surprised?” he teases. “I know you’re used to the baseball hats and skater shoes.”
“Yes. But this is nice too.” I touch his face, and he kisses me--something I’m not expecting.
I pull away and smile. “I can’t believe after four years you’re back here and taking me to dinner.”
He holds the door for me. I look around the parking lot trying to guess what car he drives.
He grabs me by the waist. “It’s the red one with the black stripe.”
I smirk. “Flashy.”
He even opens the car door for me, letting me climb in before he goes around to get in on the driver’s side.
“I have a few places in mind for dinner,” he tells me, closing his door. He twists around in his seat and pulls a bouquet of wild flowers from his back seat. “These are for you.”
I look at him. “You brought me flowers?”
“Well, I bought flowers for you. I just didn’t want to show up at the door with them. Seemed rather cheesy. But it also seemed rude not to, so I settled on throwing them in the back seat. It’s a happy medium.”
I bite down on my lip. Ryker watches me. “Don’t bite too hard. I don’t think I’m done kissing you.”
He chooses a fancy steakhouse for our dinner date. And I like his choice even though I’m not as interested in eating as I am in playing catch up with Ryker.
As soon as we hit the parking lot, I don’t think there is a person here who doesn’t know who Ryker is. I feel bad that I never knew he was anything more than just Ryker Sosa, the boy I knew in high school.
“I can’t believe I’ve been so out of the loop about your career.” If I just paid more attention to the sporting world, I might have known Ryker was alive and well all these years.
“I’m not holding it against you.” He touches the small of my back leading me through the doors. “It’s refreshing. I get tired of everyone wanting to hang out with me because I’m a celebrity.”
The wait for our seats is only seconds.
“Right this way,” the waiter says, walking us through the restaurant. Everyone’s eyes are on the two of us. Ryker is kind enough to acknowledge each person who waves or says hello.
The waiter opens the big wooden doors to the great room, and I look around. The entire room is empty except for a single table in the center, covered with a white linen tablecloth and lit candles in the middle.
“What can I start you off with?” he asks us.
Ryker looks to me for an answer, but I shrug my shoulders, unsure on what to do.
“How about a bottle of wine?” He looks at me. “I’m more a beer guy, but sometimes it’s fun to do things fancy.”
I nod my head in agreement. “Sounds good to me.”
“Give me your best bottle,” he says.
I watch the waiter leave. He closes the doors behind him, leaving us alone in the big room. “This is nice.”
“Glad you think so.” He lifts his menu.
I study my menu. I don’t have an appetite, but I am going to order something even if I have to take it home in a doggy bag.
When I look back up from my menu, Ryker is looking at me, and he doesn’t turn away to hide the fact.
“Four years I have been waiting to say what I need to say to you now.”
I swallow. I know this is the moment. So I just nod my head and wait for whatever it is he has to say.
“The night we crashed was the worst night of my life.”
I drop my head; hearing those words deeply saddens me.
“I thought I killed you, Sav. I don’t know how to say I am sorry for putting you through that.”
I shake my head. “You don’t have to apologize.”
“I might not have caused the accident, but I feel responsible.”
“What happened?” I’m not talking about the accident. I’m talking about the four years he went away. “How come you just left?”
Ryker looks away. I can see he’s debating if he should tell me; something is bothering him. I’m not sure.
“I broke a lot of bones. I even had a pretty bad head injury. But when I came out of a coma—“
“You were in a coma?” I can’t believe I never knew that.
“Yes.” He nods his head. “That’s not the important part. I didn’t leave because I wanted to. They made me.”
“Who?” I ask.
“My parents. Your parents. They all thought it was for the best. They didn’t want to give me a chance to ruin your life any more than I already did, and I was okay with that.” He runs a hand across his chin. “I could have killed you.”