Chapter 6
I’m going to kill him.
What is he thinking?
He’s not. That’s what. I’m at my wit’s end with my teenager. I hope that Ryker will help me. He will. Ryker’s my person. He won’t turn me away. He told me to come to him for help.
Honestly, I don’t usually hate the hour-long drive from my house in Missoula to the Triple Creek Ranch, but today it feels like it’s taking forever, even with the audiobook I have playing in the speakers. I don’t always listen to books, since it’s my whole job to narrate them, but today I thought a story might take me out of my head.
Right now, in this sexy Mafia romance that I’m listening to, the hero and heroine are getting it on. Jason Clarke is narrating the male point of view, and I love his voice. He’s so growly, and the way he says that’s my girl makes my toes curl.
Most people have an image of an actor or some celebrity in their head as the main character when they listen to books. For me, every single leading man is Ryker James.
Every single time. And it’s been that way for years.
Because of this, listening to or reading the sexy parts is almost torture.
It used to be safe because I hardly saw Ry in person for years. He’s always been so busy with hockey, and once Aiden came into my life full-time, I’ve been busy with him, so although I spoke with Ryker all the time via texts and phone calls, I was rarely in the same room with him.
“Calm down, Wills,” I mutter to myself as I turn onto the ranch road off the highway. I’ve been saying that to myself for the past few weeks every time I’m around my best friend, and it’s not working.
I can’t seem to calm down when I’m around Ryker.
I park and start to climb the steps, but then I freeze in my tracks when the door opens and Ryker’s standing there, shirtless, wearing only black sweatpants and sweat.
For the love of chiseled muscle.
“Uh, bad time?” I ask him.
“No, I just finished a quick workout. Your timing is perfect p>
I haven’t seen him shirtless in a long time. Ogling Ryker when he’s in a T-shirt is hard enough. The muscles, the tattoos, the veins in his forearms… they wake up every nerve ending in my body and make my ovaries do the jitterbug.
But shirtless? I’m going to need a defibrillator. Why do his abs look like they’re sculped from marble? And is that a tattoo over his ribs? When did he get that?
“Wills?” My eyes climb to his face, and he raises an eyebrow. “Wanna come inside? Gid’s in the kitchen. He’s leaving for the airport in a few minutes p>
“Oh, I’m glad I caught him before he goes.” I slide past him as he stands to the side, gesturing for me to walk through the door. The living room is ready for the new furniture, and it smells new in here, with the fresh paint and flooring. “I know I’ve been here through this whole process, but I still can’t believe how different it is in here p>
“Do you hate it?” he asks, and I can see that he’s worried.
“Are you kidding? It’s gorgeous. You live here now. It should be your space, Ry. It looks great p>
His shoulders drop in relief, and he offers me that cocky smile that’s been on his face since he was a teenager.
“Need something to drink?” he asks me.
“I’ll take some water,” I reply and follow him into the kitchen.
I see the paint was done this morning. I head straight for Gideon and hug him tight.
“You’re leaving us p>
“For now,” he confirms, and kisses the top of my head. These guys are so tall, I fit right under their chins. “I’ll be back before the end of the year p>
“Christmas?” I hear the hope in my voice as I look up at him, and he grins at me.
“I’ll try p>
“Try hard.” I poke him in the stomach, and he doubles over as if he’s in pain. “Weenie p>
“You’re so fucking mean,” he growls, but his gaze is playful. “I won’t miss you at all p>
Ry passes me a bottle of water, and I pop the cap and take a long sip. “Whatever. You’ll miss me. Call me when you get home p>
“I’ll consider it.” He walks over and hugs Ryker, pats him on the back, and then lifts his suitcase. “I have to get going. You okay, Wills p>
“I’m great. Safe travels today p>
Gideon nods, and then, with a wave, he walks out the front door. Ry and I watch each other as we listen to the rental car fire to life, and then the tires crunch on the gravel down the driveway.
“I’m gonna miss him,” I murmur.
“Yeah. Me too. So what’s going on?” he asks me, and I’m reminded why I’m here.
Right.
“I need your help,” I reply, and his eyes immediately narrow, that smile drops, and he crosses his arms over his chest, making his biceps bulge.
“Talk to me. What’s going on p>
“Uh.” I swallow and clear my throat. “Can you put a shirt on p>
“Why p>
Because you’re half naked, and I want to lick you all over.
I blink at him. “Because you’re distracting me p>
“Yeah? Why’s that p>
“You have such an ego, Captain p>
He smirks and holds up a finger, jogs up the stairs to his room, and I admire his ass as he goes.
You have got to calm the hell down, Willow.
Less than thirty seconds later, he returns while tugging a tight black T-shirt over his head and down those washboard abs, and I admit, I’m a little sad that they’re covered.
“Better p>
Not really.
“Thank you p>
“Okay, what do you need p>
I lick my lips and take in a deep breath. I hate asking for help. It doesn’t come easy to me. It never has.
But I don’t know what else to do. He knows that I’m having some challenges with Aiden—he doesn’t know how bad it is. But he’s about to.
“I need you to give Aiden a job here this summer,” I say and watch as he pulls his eyebrows together in a frown. “We’re struggling, Ry p>
“Financially p>
“No, it’s not that at all p>
I pull out a chair at the table and sit in it, and Ryker sits across from me, watching me intently.
“It’s time you tell me what’s going on at home, Trouble p>
I lick my lips.
“I know that a fifteen-year-old is going to push my buttons. Test boundaries. But he’s so… angry. I just got an email this morning from the school. He’s skipped school seventeen times this semester. He’s missing so many assignments it boggles my mind. He’s not doing any work, and he won’t talk to me anymore p>
I push my hands through my hair and cover my face for a second.
“We’ve always gotten along so well. He’s such a good boy. Sweet. Affectionate. But that kid hasn’t had a nice thing to say to me in two years, Ryker. I don’t know what changed. I don’t know if there was something specific that happened, because he won’t talk to me. He’s completely frozen me out. And now, as you know, he’s getting into trouble, and I’m failing him. I don’t know what to do, but school’s going to be out in two weeks, and I cannot have him left to his own devices this summer while I work, even if I do work from home p>
I shake my head and stand up to pace.
“I don’t trust him. That’s the part that sucks so damn bad. I don’t trust my kid p>
I’m a mess. I’m wringing my hands, and I’m on the verge of tears. I’m just so frustrated.
Ryker stands and simply pulls me into his arms and hugs me against his chest, and oh my God. It feels so good to lean on him. I wrap my arms around his middle and hold on, enjoying his heat and the sound of his heartbeat.
“Okay, we’re going to figure this out,” he murmurs and kisses the top of my head as his hands rub up and down my back, trying to soothe me. “I need help for the summer anyway, so he can work here and stay in the bunkhouse like Gid and I did when we were kids p>
I slump against him, and I’m so relieved that the tears threaten to fall, and I have to blink fast to keep them at bay.
“You don’t have to pay him p>
“I’ll pay him,” he says. “The same as the other hands, because he’ll be working his butt off, and it’ll give him some motivation p>
“Honestly, I think just working with you will be motivation. I know he was a jerk last weekend, but he thinks you’re super cool, what with the whole hockey thing p>
“I am cool,” he reminds me as I pull out of his arms. “Hockey or no hockey p>
“You’re okay p>
He taps me on the nose. “Admit it. You like me p>
“You’re okay,” I echo, making him grin. “I offered to put Aiden in hockey because he loves it so much, and we used to go to the rink to skate all the time, but he said no. I can’t get him to do anything except hang out with kids he shouldn’t be hanging out with. I know this isn’t your job, but I don’t know what else to do p>
“I’m not complaining, and I already said yes p>
“Thank you.” I bite my lower lip and wish that I could hug him again. “School gets out in two weeks, and if you’re open to it, I can bring him out here the next day to start work p>
“That’s fine by me.” He nods and then leans back against the countertop, crosses his ankles, and looks like he should be in a magazine. “Hey, I haven’t asked you, and I feel like an ass because I should have brought it up earlier. How’s the audiobook business going p>
I grin at him. “It’s great. I’m booked out about a year in advance with gigs, and I just finished some voice work for a video game p>
“Wow.” He tilts his head, watching me. “That’s fucking amazing. I’m proud of you p>
“Thanks. And speaking of work, I have to be in the booth today, so I’d better get home so I can get some work in before I have to pick Aiden up from school. I don’t let him walk home anymore p>
“You know that I hate that you drive back and forth from here to Missoula p>
“I’ve been doing it for a long time. I could probably do it with my eyes closed.” I smirk and walk to the front door. “But I won’t p>
“Text me when you get home p>
“Okay. Thanks, Ry. I mean it p>
“You didn’t even have to ask, you know. Just tell me what you need, and it’s yours p>
You. I need you. Naked and sweaty and saying filthy things in my ear.
“You’re blushing,” he says, and I’m instantly mortified.
“I am not blushing. I probably got sunburned yesterday or something p>
“Nope. Blushing.” He steps toward me.
“I have to go.” I hurry down the steps and wave at him before lowering myself into my car. “Talk to you later p>
He’s grinning at me, and it makes the butterflies wake up in my stomach.
I start the car, and with another wave, I drive away, but he doesn’t walk inside. I can see him in the rearview mirror until I drive around the bend and he’s out of sight.
It’s been the longest two weeks of my damn life. I’ve been buried in work, making up for the time I took off over the past month after Ray’s passing, and needing to be more present at the ranch for Ryker and Gideon. I feel like all I do is sit in my booth. I’ve barely spoken to Ryker at all. We’re mostly back to our normal texts and once-a-week phone calls, like it used to be.
And I kind of hate that. I got used to seeing him often.
Add on to that—and I didn’t think it was possible—the way Aiden’s attitude has gotten progressively worse with each passing day. He’s so short tempered and has been pretty much giving me the silent treatment.
School got out for the summer yesterday, and at some point after I went to bed, Aiden sneaked out of the house, and is just now at six in the morning sauntering through the front door, his hair tousled, his clothes rumpled, and is that a freaking hickey on his neck?
When he sees me waiting for him, standing in the kitchen with my arms crossed, there’s a quick flicker of guilt that flashes over his face, and then the scowl that seems to live there permanently takes up residence once more.
“Where the hell were you all night p>
“Celebrating” is all he says.
“You didn’t answer your phone p>
“Turned it off.” He yawns and scratches his flat stomach. Aiden may only be fifteen, but he’s big. He’s well over six feet tall, and he’s muscular. Weight lifting class is the only class he hasn’t missed all year. “Going to bed p>
“No, you’re not. You can turn around and get in my car. Now p>
“No way. I haven’t even been to bed yet p>
“Not my problem. Let’s go p>
His eyes narrow, and he steps into me, the way he’s started to do when he’s not getting his way and he thinks he can intimidate me.
I’d never admit this to anyone, but I’m starting to actually fear my kid, and that breaks my heart. It’s one more reason that I’m sure taking him out to work at the ranch is the right thing for him.
“I said I’m going to bed p>
I keep my chin lifted, not wavering in staring him down. “And I said get in the goddamn car, Aiden. Now p>
He growls, and then, to my utter horror, he punches the wall by my head, busting through the drywall, before he stomps away, and I hear the car door slam.
Holy fucking shit.
He’s never… What’s happening?
With a shaking hand, I push my hair behind my ear and then grab my purse and walk out to the car, where Aiden’s sitting in the back seat, fuming.
I guess he doesn’t want to sit next to me. That’s fine.
I don’t say a word as I shoot off a quick text to Ryker to let him know we’re on our way, start the engine, and pull out of the driveway. We’re just leaving town when Aiden demands, “Where the fuck are we going p>
“You’ll watch your mouth with me.” I hate the tremor in my voice. “You’ll see when we get there p>
“I don’t want to go to the freaking ranch p>
I don’t bother replying. I don’t want to fight with him, especially when I’m driving. It’s so early that the sun isn’t fully up yet. I wanted to have him out there by six because the ranch gets going early in the morning, but we’ll be late.
Aiden used to love the ranch when he was younger. He couldn’t get enough of it. Now, he never wants to go out there.
It’s a tense, quiet hour, and finally, I pull into the driveway and see that Ryker is standing on the porch, waiting for us. He’s in old, worn blue jeans, a T-shirt with a flannel over it because it’s cool this morning, and work boots.
“What the fuck,” Aiden grumbles, and I sigh out a breath. My hands still aren’t altogether steady after the altercation at home.
He’s never done that before.
And frankly, it hurt my feelings.
“Hey, Trouble,” Ryker says with a grin as he walks down the stairs, but then that smile falls when he sees my face. “What’s wrong p>
I shake my head and wait for Aiden to join me.
“Say hello,” I say to my boy.
“’Sup,” Aiden says.
Ryker’s eyes fall to Aiden’s hand, which is swollen and bruised. A little bloody. And then he turns to me again and tips my chin up.
“What. The fuck. Happened p>
I swallow hard, caught in his gaze. “He wasn’t happy about going out this morning. Punched the wall p>
Ry’s eyes narrow. “Where p>
“By my head p>
The lethal rage that rolls through Ryker’s eyes has me stepping back a pace, and he turns to Aiden.
“Did she tell you that you’ll be working for me this summer p>
“No.” Aiden glances at me, then at the ground.
“Well, you are. I have one rule. Are you listening to me? I’ll only say this once p>
“Whatever p>
Ryker moves into Aiden’s space, crowding him until Aiden looks up into his eyes. Ry is at least three inches taller than the teenager and is certainly stronger.
Aiden swallows hard.
“I’m listening,” Aiden says, some of his bravado gone.
“Good. I have one rule on this ranch.” He points to me but keeps his eyes on Aiden’s. “No one fucks with her. You don’t yell at her, you don’t swear at her, you absolutely do not punch a wall anywhere near her. You treat Willow with respect. That’s it. We’ll figure everything else out as we go. You got that p>
Aiden’s eyebrows pull together as if he regrets what he did, and then he licks his lips and offers Ryker a nod.
“Yeah. I got it p>
“Good.” He turns back to me. “Where are your bags p>
I shake my head. “I’ll bring him in and pick him up every day p>
Ryker scowls. “That’s a lot of driving, Wills p>
“Well, I’m not leaving him. Everyone else in his life has abandoned him, and I’m not going to ever do that.” Aiden’s gaze whips up to mine in surprise. “No matter how much of a brat he is, he’s my brat, and he goes where I go. So I’ll bring him every morning, and I’ll pick him up at the end of the day p>
Ry shakes his head and then sighs as he rubs his hand over the back of his neck. “Fine. He’ll be done by around six every day p>
I nod, and I want to reach out and hug my boy, but I know he won’t allow that to happen, so I just pat him on the arm.
“I love you, buddy. You’ve always loved the ranch. You’ll enjoy working out here p>
“Right p>
He hasn’t said I love you too in years. It shouldn’t hurt me anymore.
But it does.
“I’ll see you this evening p>
He nods, and I turn to Ryker.
“Thank you. Call me if you need me p>
“That’s my line.” He grabs my hand and pulls me in for a hug, and then he plants his lips on my forehead and kisses me so tenderly, it almost brings tears to my eyes. “He’ll be fine. Don’t worry p>
“Don’t you know?” I laugh as I pull away and saunter to the car. “Worry is my middle name. Willow Worry. It has a ring to it p>
I’m shocked to see that Aiden looks like he wants to smile, but then it’s gone.
“Drive safe,” Ry says.
“Have fun,” I reply, and leave the ranch.
I really hope this works. I want my happy kid back.