Chapter 24
“Just so you’re aware, the house won’t come with a fridge,” I say to Susan, my real estate agent. I can’t believe that not only am I moving Aiden and myself to the ranch, but I’m also selling my house. I won’t need it anymore, and I don’t want to be a landlord, so it makes sense to sell while the weather is good and people want to move. “The existing one broke, and I’m not replacing it p>
“That’s fair,” Susan says. I can tell she’s writing that down. “What about the other appliances p>
“Everything else stays, including the washer and dryer p>
Ryker just replaced everything in the farmhouse. We’d have no need for my older appliances out here.
“That’s a good selling point,” she says. “Have you done any upgrades since you bought it six years ago p>
I lean back in my desk chair and swivel side to side. “Not really. I did have a walk-in closet soundproofed so I could use it as a studio. I’ll be leaving that as is, but a buyer could easily remove it p>
Susan asks me a few more questions, and I give her permission to go to the house without me to take photos so we can put it on the market.
I know that it surprised me when Ryker first mentioned us moving here permanently, and that made me pause, but now that I’ve had time to think about it and soak in the idea, I’m excited. There will be no more driving back and forth. Aiden will be away from the kids who mercilessly bullied him.
And we’ll be here, with Ryker.
“Okay, I’ll get over there and take some pictures, and we’ll get an appraisal. It should be on the market by next week p>
“Thanks, Susan. Let me know if you need anything from me p>
“You bet p>
She hangs up, and I stand up to stretch before I walk downstairs to find some lunch. I have a few hours of recording time left today, but I need a pick-me-up. Maybe I’ll even take a short walk and get some fresh air.
I can hear my guys in the kitchen, and it makes me smile. Ryker brings Aiden here almost every day for lunch. They’ve been doing this all summer, and I love that Ryker takes time to hang out with my boy.
“Why do you think that idiot says what he does about Willow?” Ryker asks, and I pause outside the kitchen, out of sight. I shouldn’t eavesdrop, but, well, I’m human. Sue me.
“Because he’s an asshole,” Aiden replies. I can hear the scowl on his face.
“It’s weird that it started out of the blue,” Ry counters. “Did something happen p>
Aiden’s quiet. I can hear him chewing from over here. “A couple years ago, I was doing summer league baseball, and we had a game. Miles—that’s his stupid name—was on the team, and his dad coached p>
I remember this.
“His dad’s single, and he asked me if Wills was single p>
He’s quiet again, obviously chewing his lunch.
I hated that guy. He always gave me the creeps.
“I told him I didn’t know about stuff like that with her. I was, like, twelve. How would I know? She never brought anyone home, but hell, I don’t know what she did when I was with friends, or whatever p>
“Sure, makes sense,” Ryker says.
“At first he let it go, but as the season went on, he’d ask me more. Finally, I told him to ask her himself p>
“What did he do?” Ryker asks.
“Don’t know. He didn’t ask me again, but he was also an ass to me after that. Liked to embarrass me in front of the other guys at practice p>
“So his kid comes by being an asshole naturally p>
Aiden snorts. “Totally. I don’t know what he said to Miles, but after that, Miles had it out for me. He’s relentless. I’d block him, and he’d figure out a way to change his number on an app or something to still get through. It was actually really creepy. Can I change my phone number p>
“We’ll make it happen,” Ry says, and those four words make me fall in love with him even more. I didn’t think that was possible. “Now, tell me about the girl you were with the night before you first came out here. The night school got out p>
Aiden’s quiet for a heartbeat. “She’s not important p>
“Important enough for you to have your hands on her p>
I cringe. I do not want to think about that.
“I liked her. Her name is Hilary. She’s cool, but she moved to Texas after we got out of school for the summer, so I probably won’t ever see her again p>
My kid has had so much going on, and I knew nothing.
That breaks my heart.
I walk into the kitchen and force a smile onto my lips before I stop by and kiss Aiden’s cheek, making him cringe.
“How’s it going out there today p>
“It’s hot,” Aiden says.
I saunter up to Ryker, who’s sweating like crazy, and carefully kiss his cheek as well.
“And how are you?” he asks me.
“I’m great. I called the real estate agent, so Operation Sell My House is underway p>
“Thank God,” Aiden mutters. “You can just toss my stuff. I have everything I need here p>
“That’s not how it works, buddy. We’ll be going back to pack up, and you’ll be going with us. I need your strong muscles to move all my heavy stuff p>
He scrunches up his nose and then shrugs. “I guess it’s worth it p>
Ryker’s phone rings, and he scowls at the display. “It’s fucking Andy. Again p>
“You should answer it p>
The man has been calling Ry every day for the past couple of days since we took our afternoon trip to Missoula, and Ryker always sends him to voicemail.
“This is Ryker,” Ry says as he puts the phone on speaker and sets it on the counter.
“Hey, man, how are you doing up there in the boonies p>
I feel my brows pull together. Why is Andy calling like he and Ryker are besties?
Aiden opens a bag of Cheetos and starts crunching away.
“What’s up, Andy?” Ryker asks.
“I’ve been trying to get ahold of you,” Andy says, and there’s an edge to his voice now that I don’t like.
“You didn’t leave any messages,” Ry replies.
“No, I’d rather just talk to you. I might have some appearances lined up for you, if you’re interested p>
Ryker shakes his head. “I made it clear that you’re no longer my agent. I’ll have my attorney send a cease and desist if I have to. Stop trying to line shit up for me p>
“Fine. I didn’t know how convinced you were of that decision p>
Aiden and I share a look.
“Listen, Ry, I could use some help. Just a loan, only a hundred eighty thousand, that I’ll pay back as soon as I’m able to. There are some guys who said they’d, well, hurt me p>
“You have lost your motherfucking mind,” Ryker replies. His voice is cold and hard, and it’s full of fury.
Andy is a stupid, stupid man.
“If you’d take the jobs I have lined up for you, I wouldn’t need the loan p>
“Stop talking,” Ryker barks. “I’m going to make myself perfectly fucking clear. I don’t owe you shit. I will not loan you money today or any other day. You no longer work for me. I want nothing to do with you ever again. Lose my goddamn number, Andy. If you keep calling me, I’ll sue you for harassment p>
“Sue me p>
“That’s right. Go. The fuck. Away p>
He hangs up on the man, and Aiden shakes his head. “You need to block his number p>
“Good idea,” Ryker says, tapping the screen. “There. Done p>
“We got a donkey,” Aiden says, cool as a cucumber, as if Ryker didn’t just threaten his former agent.
“Yeah? Is it here already?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
“Out with the herd now,” Ryker confirms, blowing out an agitated breath. “We named her Molly p>
“She’s gonna kick some coyote ass,” Aiden informs me before popping more Cheetos in his mouth.
“Let’s hope she just scares them off,” I reply. “I’m going to take a quick walk before I go back to work. I need some air p>
“It’s damn hot out,” Ry reminds me and reaches out to drag his fingertip down my bare arm. “Don’t get sunburned p>
“I won’t go far.” I boost up on my toes, and he leans down to kiss me.
“Here, take this sandwich with you.” Ryker passes me a turkey sandwich.
“Were you making that for me p>
“No, I was making it for me, but I can make another. Eat while you walk, Trouble p>
“Why do you call her Trouble?” Aiden wants to know.
“Because from the moment I met her, I knew that she’d get us all in a whole lot of it,” Ryker answers him with a smirk. His dark eyes find mine, and they’re full of humor and memories. “And I was right p>
“Hey, most of the trouble we got in was not my fault.” I take a bite of my sandwich and saunter out of the kitchen. “See you later p>
“Wait,” Aiden calls out, and I poke my head back into the kitchen. “I’m not coming for dinner tonight. Mac and I are gonna kill some zombies, so I’ll eat at the bunkhouse p>
“Does Dusty know p>
“Yeah, he’s cool with it,” Aiden says.
“Okay then. Have fun. Call me if you need me p>
“She’s such a mother hen,” I hear Aiden say as I walk through to the front door.
Of course I’m a mother hen.
He’s my boy.
Ryker and I have just settled back on the sofa, ready to watch a movie, when my phone rings with an incoming video call from Gideon.
He hasn’t called every day like he promised last week, but it’s been close.
“Hey, handsome,” I say as I answer and smile at him. Then I notice that he’s not sitting on a hospital bed. I recognize that couch. “Wow, are you home p>
“Yeah, I’m home. I’m doing outpatient PT now p>
“How are you feeling?” Ryker asks him, and I point the phone so we’re both in the picture.
“Like I got shot,” Gid replies. “I don’t want to talk about that. What’s happening there p>
So, for half an hour, we fill him in on Molly the donkey, Andy losing his ever-loving mind, and the fact that Aiden and I are moving here permanently.
“It’s never boring with you two,” Gid says with a sigh.
“You’d hate it if we were boring,” I tell him. “Will you ever tell us what happened p>
“When you get the security clearance you’d need to know the details, I’ll tell you p>
I roll my eyes. “Lame p>
“I think you just like to say ‘security clearance,’” Ryker says, pulling a laugh out of Gideon. “You like to sound cool p>
“I am cool,” Gid replies. “And I have the highest security clearance you can get, which makes me extra cool p>
I snort out a laugh.
“Have you ever won a Stanley Cup?” Ryker tosses back, and I roll my eyes.
“Have you ever protected a president?” Gideon volleys.
“I’ve got two of them,” Ry continues.
“You’re both giving me a headache. And if you pull your dicks out to compare the size, I’m out of here p>
Now we’re all laughing, and it feels so damn good.
We’re the Three Amigos.
These guys are my besties.
“Now that you’re out of the hospital, are you sure you won’t come home to rehab your leg?” I ask Gideon. “I know I’m annoying you because I’m asking you this all the time, but there are physical therapists here p>
A text from an unknown number flashes across the top of my screen, but I flick it away.
“I’ll stay here and work with the team I’ve started with,” he replies.
“I think you just don’t want to see me.” I pretend to start crying and wipe an imaginary tear from the corner of my eye. Gideon lets out a gusty sigh and rolls his eyes. “Don’t mind me and my feelings. I’m fine. Everything’s fine p>
“You’re a pain in my ass,” Gideon informs me.
“But you love me.” With no tears in sight, I wink at him and grin. “Seriously, take it easy. Don’t work that leg too hard. This is a marathon, not a sprint p>
“Ry?” Gideon says.
“Yeah, man p>
“Rein in your girl p>
My jaw drops, and then I glare at Gideon. “You did not just say that p>
He’s laughing again, and that makes me happy.
“I will cut off your balls and feed them to you p>
“You’ve always had a mean streak,” he says as he wipes the tears from his eyes from laughing so hard. “Okay, I’m headed to bed. Thought I’d check in and make sure you two are staying out of trouble p>
“We are p>
“We’re not p>
We say that at the same time, and Gid grins at us.
“Call me soon,” I tell him.
“Yes, boss.” He winks. “Love you guys p>
He hangs up, and I start to set the phone aside and then remember the text.
Expecting it to be something about my car’s warranty, I open it up and then freeze.
“Uh, Ry p>
“Yeah, babe p>
“What the fuck is this p>