“Last time,” Hunter said, though his attention never wandered from Ryder. “We’ll take Cody on home and pick up Jo before it gets too late.”
Renata and Cody ran off while Eli started counting in the great room.
Hunter cast a quick glance at their father before adding, “You ready to tell us why you’re here?”
Ryder cocked an eyebrow. “Why does there have to be a reason?”
“You gonna stop using questions as your answers?” his father interjected.
Ryder and Hunter laughed then. Ever since Ryder was a boy, he’d answer questions with questions to muddy the waters—hoping to avoid trouble or consequences. It had irritated their father to no end.
“You in trouble?” his father asked.
Ryder opened his mouth, ready to answer with some smart-ass comeback. Assuming Ryder was in trouble would be the first conclusion his father would jump to. And, even though his father was right, he couldn’t dismiss the anger his father’s question stirred up.
“Ryder?” his father repeated.
“No, sir,” he answered. “On my way to Fisher’s for my steel-toe boots,” he lied.
His father frowned while Hunter crossed his arms over his chest, waiting.
“I can’t just stop by?” Ryder felt his cheeks burn, the words damn near choking him.
His father stared at him, long and hard. “’Course you can, Ryder. This is your home.”
“Might stop by more often for these,” he murmured, holding up a snickerdoodle cookie.
There was a loud thump, sending their father out of the kitchen with a smile, and leaving Ryder alone with his big brother.
“’Fess up.” Hunter’s voice was low, neutral.
Ryder placed his half-eaten cookie back on the plate.
“I’m thinking it’s the same girl that’s had you wrapped around her pinkie since grade school.”
Ryder couldn’t help grinning.
Hunter sighed. “Jo thinks something’s going on between you and Annabeth.”
Ryder met his brother’s stare.
“Then you’re one lucky son of a bitch.” Hunter stared at him, long and hard. “But she and Cody have been through a lot. She comes with a kid, a big job, her grandmother... Makes things harder, when so many people are involved, if things don’t work out. A lot of people can get hurt. Like me and Amy—a lot of hurt there.” Hunter shook his head. “I was damn lucky to get a second chance with Jo.”
“Guess I was hoping not to talk about the end of something that hasn’t started yet.” Ryder felt his temper rising. His brother’s mess of a first marriage and nasty divorce was nothing like what he and Annabeth were facing. Yes, he’d messed up more times than not, but—just once—it’d be nice not to get a lecture from his family.
Hunter nodded. “Just don’t screw things up.”
“I don’t plan on it.” Ryder sighed, his chest heavy. “But it’d be a hell of a lot easier if I knew what to do next.”
“Start with telling her how you feel. Then show her what she means to you.” Hunter grinned. “Then do it again, every day.”
Hearing his brother say it out loud made it sound easy. He suspected it wasn’t, but at least now he had a place to start. It was something he’d make damn sure he stayed on top of. Ryder picked up the cookie and popped it into his mouth.
Chapter Five
Annabeth parked her car and rested her head on the steering wheel. This had been one of her all-time longest days—wrapping up one of the longest weeks of her life. She’d been so busy she’d lost track of time. Once Greg’s parents had picked up Cody from school, she’d had team meetings, campus improvement council and a mountain of certificates to review and sign before the academic awards ceremony next week.
This weekend she planned on sleeping, if she wasn’t too nauseous. She’d never once thrown up when she was expecting Cody, but she’d been fighting to keep every bite down for the past few days. She’d gone through an entire box of crackers and a few bottles of ginger ale, but neither had done much good.
She turned off Lady Blue and climbed out of the car, tugging her briefcase and laptop bag out with her. It was only as she opened the door that she realized the front porch light was on. And the kitchen light was on. And music was playing.
“Hello?” she called out, too exhausted to be scared. It was Stonewall Crossing, after all—folks looked out for each other. If she had something to worry about, one of her neighbors would have let her know.
Ryder walked out of the kitchen, all smiles. Her lime-green-and-lemon-yellow-pattern apron looked downright sexy over his skintight black T-shirt and jeans. “You work long hours, Princess.”
She stood frozen, surprised, as he took her bags and helped her out of her coat. His thumb brushed the base of her neck, sending a shiver down her spine and jolting her into action. “Cody’s spending the weekend with Greg’s folks, so I wanted to wrap up all the loose ends before I left.” She followed him, unable to resist the view of his perfect butt encased in snug, work-worn jeans. “A little surprised to see you here—” Her stomach roiled as the mingling scents of garlic, rosemary, and...freesia filled her nostrils. She pressed her hand over her mouth and swallowed.
“You okay?” His smile dimmed as he looked at her. “You look a little green.”
She shook her head, swallowing repeatedly, as she stared around the kitchen. The small table was covered in her best tablecloth and set with her mother’s china. Candles flickered invitingly beside a massive bouquet of flowers. And a bottle of sparkling grape juice sat beside two wineglasses on the counter. “What’s this?” she murmured.
“Dinner.” He pulled a chair back for her.
She cocked an eyebrow at him, too bewildered—and tired—to argue. She sat, her mind racing. She should be mad at him. She should be yelling at him for running for the hills. She should kick him out and crawl into bed. But she was too tired. All she managed was “Why are you cooking me dinner?”
“To apologize.” The uncertainty in his voice drew her full attention. She’d never seen him look so...nervous. Her stomach tightened, apprehension filling her.
“For?” She forced the words out.
“Acting like a dick.” He knelt in front of her, taking both her hands in his. “You deserve better, we both know that.”
She was speechless.
“It’s not like we’re strangers.”
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
“You and Cody are important to me. You always have been.” He cleared his throat. “Let me take care of you?”
Important to him. She knew that. She knew he would be there if she needed him. “Ryder...” Her voice was husky. She pulled one of her hands from his to take a sip of water. “What are you saying?” Her head was spinning. “Exactly?”
“Marry me.” His gaze traveled over her face. “Will you marry me?”
Marry him? “What?” she croaked. Emotion and nausea had her stomach churning.
He smiled. “You heard me.”
“I did, but...” She shook her head, then nodded. “Why? You don’t want this—”
“I might have not have known it a week ago, but yeah, I do want this.” His hand cupped her cheek, his voice warm and sincere. “We’ll be good together, Princess. You might have to—” The stove timer beeped and Ryder jumped up, opening the oven to pull out whatever was cooking. The scent of garlic quadrupled, and her stomach clenched violently as Ryder placed a pan of lasagna on the plate trivet in front of her.
“Oh, God.” She covered her mouth. She was not going to toss her cookies in the middle of Ryder’s proposal. She stood, ready to run for the bathroom.
“Annabeth...” The anguish in his voice made her pause.
Here was this gorgeous man, wearing her apron and mism
atched oven mitts, cooking a romantic dinner for them...asking her to marry him. And her stomach was going to rebel any second.
“I need a minute.” She held up a finger.
“I know I ran out on you, but I won’t ever do it again.” He threw the oven mitts over his shoulders, crossed the room in two big steps and gripped her shoulders. “I don’t mind spending all night convincing you how right we are,” he murmured, drawing her close as he bent his head.
Oh no. “Ryder, stop!” She pushed against his wall of a chest right before she threw up all over the kitchen floor.
* * *
RYDER KNEW NOW was not the time to laugh. But, damn, it took everything he had not to. One look at her horrified expression and he couldn’t resist a slight chuckle. “Is it me?” he teased.
She scowled at him. “You could say that.” She pointed to her stomach.
For some reason, that made him laugh. “Already causing trouble.”
She sighed, stepping away from the mess on the floor. “I’ll get the mop.”
“You lie down. I’ll clean this up.”
She stared at him, so tired and frail looking his heart hurt. “I can do it, Ryder.”
“You can.” He sighed, stepping over the mess. “But you don’t have to. I’ve got this.”
She frowned at him but didn’t fight as he led her to her bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed, too pale for his liking. He knelt to remove her boots. His fingers stroked along her calf before pulling her foot free. He smiled as she stretched and wiggled her toes. It was impossible not to stroke the arch of her left foot, to resist touching her. He looked up, swallowing at the sight that greeted him.
Annabeth’s eyes were closed, her toes arching as he massaged her foot. She looked sexy as hell, her fingers gripping the quilt, the slight part of her lips, and hiss of her breathing. He could imagine laying her back on the big, empty bed and worshipping every inch of her. He drew in a deep breath. Now wasn’t the time. Instead, he pulled off her other boot and kneaded her foot until she groaned.
“I’m not tired,” she murmured.
He released her foot and stood, freeing her golden hair from its long braid. She could barely keep her eyes open. “Sure you’re not.”
Her hazel eyes met his. “I need to take a shower first.”
He forced himself to walk the few steps from her small bedroom to the tiny bathroom. After he’d cleared an army of bath toys from the tub, he filled it with warm water and lemon-scented bubbles. Annabeth-scented bubbles.
He poked his head into her bedroom to find her sitting in exactly the same place. She was staring at the floor, looking deflated. “Bubble bath’s ready.”
Her surprise was evident, but her delighted smile was huge. “Thank you.”
He winked at her, wishing there was more he could do. How was he going to convince her he’d take some of the weight off her shoulders? He had no idea.
Once she’d closed the bathroom door behind her, he cleaned up the kitchen floor and sealed the lasagna and garlic bread in a Tupperware container. When that was done, he paced the length of the house. This wasn’t exactly the way he’d pictured tonight. But she hadn’t turned him down, not yet.
“You’re going to wear a hole through the wood floor,” Annabeth called from the bathroom.
“I can fix that,” he called back.
Her laugh made him smile.
A few minutes later, he heard the whirring of an electric toothbrush, then the bathroom door opened. She stood, hair twisted up in a towel on her head, in her rainbow pajamas.
“I’m thinking you’re not hungry?” he asked.
She shook her head.
He took her hand and led her to her room. When she was sitting on the edge of her bed, he started drying her hair with the towel. “Brush?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes but pointed at the dresser.
He grabbed her brush, gently working any snarls or tangles from her long hair. “Feeling better?”
“Ugh.”
He grinned, setting the brush aside. “Need anything?”
“Sleep,” she said, breaking into a yawn.
He wasn’t about to let her go to sleep just yet. His plans of seduction might be out the window, but he’d convinced the justice of the peace to marry them tomorrow morning. Now all he had to do was convince the bride.
He knelt in front of Annabeth, pulling the rings from his pocket.
Her eyes went round. “Where did you get these?”
“Flo.” He smiled. “Wouldn’t be right without her blessing.”
She shook her head, the unmistakable sheen of tears in her eyes.
“Don’t you cry on me, Princess.” He took her left hand and slid the engagement ring on. “Just say you’ll marry me. And then I’ll let you get some sleep.”
She stared at the ring, blinking furiously. When she looked at him, he wasn’t prepared for the raw emotion lining her face. He didn’t like seeing her vulnerable or afraid. He didn’t like her fragile. She was the strongest person he knew.
“And if I say no?” It was a whisper.
“You can’t.” He hadn’t expected the sharp stab of pain. “How hard have you fought for this job? You deserve to keep it. Marrying me makes this baby a good thing instead of a liability.”
He saw her bite her lip before she asked, “So you’re doing this for me?”
“I’m doing this for us.” He sighed. “Marry me. Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Her eyes went round.
“I figured the sooner, the better. Unless you want a big wedding?”
She shook her head. “God no, but we can’t do this willy-nilly—”
“Did you just say ‘willy-nilly’?” He laughed.
“We need a plan, Ryder,” she continued.
“Fine. After the ceremony. The JP owes me a favor.” He waited, watching the shift of emotions on her face. “No fuss, no stress, just you and me.”
Her eyes locked with his as a long stretch of silence filled the room. He wanted to pull her into his arms, to reassure her that everything was going to be okay. He wanted to kiss her. Damn, he wanted her. But more than anything, he wanted to hear her say yes.
She nodded.
“Yes?” He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath.
“Yes.” She stared down at their joined hands. “I... I know you’re making sure there’s no scandal for me and Cody and the...baby to deal with. I won’t ask you to give up your life because we...were careless.” She pulled her hand from his and scooted back on her bed to lie down. She didn’t look at him, even though he was staring at her. Anxiety coiled in his stomach as she continued, “Before things get too complicated, we’ll come up with a solid plan—so things go smoothly until we... Until it’s time to divorce.”
“Annabeth,” he murmured, lying down on his side to face her. His chest hurt, a pain he’d never felt before. “I’m not asking for anything half-assed.” And he sure as hell didn’t like how willing she was to let go of what he was offering.
She smoothed the hair from his forehead, a slight smile on her lips. Her touch left him breathless. “How many times have you said it, Ryder Boone? You’re not the forever type.” Her voice trailed off and her eyes closed. “But you are a good man. And a real friend.”
He was an idiot. Hearing his careless words from her lips only confirmed that. Amazing how much a week could change a man’s perspective on life. Forever had never included Annabeth before. He wanted Annabeth to rely on him, to count on him. He wanted to be there for her, Cody and their baby. It would take time to convince her he was in this for the long haul, but he had time. Sure, this might put his plans with JJ on hold, but his child came first.
One look at her told him how exhausted she was. She’d said yes—it was a start
. She had every right to doubt him. Actions spoke louder than words. Hunter’s words replayed through his head. He’d find a way to show Annabeth he was serious about this.
She sighed, her hand falling to rest on her stomach as she rolled onto her back. He stared at her hand, then covered it with his own. A baby. His baby. He had all the motivation he needed right here. The baby. Cody. Annabeth... A family. His family. Was he scared? Hell, yes. For the first time in his life, he had something to lose. He’d let her make her plan, but his wasn’t going to change. He was in this, for real, for life.
Chapter Six
“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Boone.” Mack McCoy smiled at her.
Annabeth Boone. She was Annabeth Boone.
“You’re a lucky man, Ryder.” Mack shook his hand.
Right now, that’s exactly how she was feeling. She was lucky. If Ryder hadn’t proposed, what would she have done? Would she have asked for his help, like Josie suggested? Or would she have tucked tail and run to her in-laws’ place? Would they take her in? It’s not like this baby had anything to do with them. But, thanks to Ryder, nothing had to change...for now.
“I am.” Ryder pulled her close, planting a soft kiss on her mouth before she could respond. Her body, on the other hand, was definitely reacting to his touch. Being close to him seemed to light an instant fire inside her. Waking up next to him, wrapped in his scent and warmth and arms, felt too good. So good, she’d lain there until he’d woken up. Even then, she’d have happily stayed cocooned against him. But he’d hustled her from the bed and to the justice of the peace.
Now she stood, wearing a cream sweater and jeans, married to the rebel Boone.
Mr. McCoy laughed, handing her the wedding certificate in its faux-leather holder. “Not to rush you two, but the missus has a honey-do list a mile long waiting for me at home.” He winked. “I imagine the two of you have your own plans for the day.”
She focused on the certificate she held, not the mix of emotions Mack McCoy’s teasing caused. Ryder had made it clear he wasn’t attracted to her from the beginning. If it hadn’t been for Mr. Ego at the bar, he wouldn’t have pretended he was, and she wouldn’t have jumped him... For all she knew, their time together hadn’t been anything special for him. Considering he’d all but bolted out of the bed when he woke up this morning, she didn’t think his interest level had changed.
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