For a long time, he’d been satisfied single. He’d dated and had a great time, but he’d never met the whole package. He wanted it all, and he was willing to patiently wait until it presented itself.
Calla had clearly been his idea of the entire package, and the bitter sting of remorse he felt for not remembering her clawed at his gut like a sharp knife.
But rather than harp on the fact that this was all a blank page to him, he cupped her chin and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Look, I don’t remember the talk, but I know who I am, and if we had the talk about waiting, we had it because I want the same things you want. Commitment, a family, someone to theorize The Walking Dead with. So let’s reenact the talk, okay? I’ll burn every brain cell I have trying to remember it.” He held out his hand, hoping against goddamn hope she’d take it.
Calla let her fingers brush his then intertwine with them, her smaller hand—
“Ryder! Get your hands off her, you son of a bitch!”
Nash whipped around to see Denny Parks stomping across the grass of the park, his face a mask of anger.
“Oooo weeee!” Gus giggled with glee. “It’s on! Greta, get your whistle and let’s get ready to rummmblllllleeeeeeee!”
Chapter 10
Denny stalked toward them, his skin red, sweat framing his long, angular face. “Did you hear me, Ryder? Get the hell away from her!”
He was such an odd contrast to Nash—tall and lean and groomed to within an inch of his life, as opposed to Nash’s rugged, bulky good looks.
To hear him ordering Nash around was like watching Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory threatening The Rock. Except she really liked Sheldon. Denny? Not so much.
Putting a hand to Nash’s chest, she pushed him aside and squared off with Denny. “What the hell are you doing, Denny?”
“I said, you get away from her, Ryder!”
Nash lifted his chin, his voice low and threatening. “Or you’ll what? Steal my 401K?”
Calla shot him a pleading look to quiet before confronting Denny. “What is going on? Why are you carrying on and scaring all the kids?”
Clive sloshed up beside them, his plaid shorts thoroughly soaked, his sweet face puffy. “Are you two gonna roll around like two roughnecks for Calla’s favor? Because if so, could we do it at the center where there’s air conditioning? It’s like GD Africa out here.”
“No! They absolutely are not going to do anything of the sort. Clive, please sit under the tree and have some water from the cooler until Kirby can bring you back. Denny? Back. Off!” she bellowed. The heat, her frustration, that amazing do over of her first kiss with Nash, were all getting to her.
“The hell I will,” Denny barked. “It’s all over town what he did to you, and I won’t allow it!”
Nash’s eyes narrowed. “Did to her? Allow it? You’re barkin’ up the wrong Cowboy, friend. Do as the lady asked or I’m going to teach you how to put your listening ears on.”
“Nash, one. City Slicker, zeee-ro!” Gus yelped with delight, dancing around them with a devilish grin.
Blowing her hair out of her face, Calla rubbed her temples. “Gus, can it or the next time you want to scroll the internet, I’m blocking you from Senior Mingle. Clear?”
Denny grabbed her hand, making Nash move in closer. “Let’s go somewhere we can talk, Calla. Just you and me.”
She sniffed the air, her nostrils flaring. She was almost positive he had nothing to do with this. There was no deception in his scent. “Talk about what, Denny?”
“About whatever the hell kind of game Nash is playing here. You don’t really believe he doesn’t remember who you are, do you?”
“Of course I do. What other explanation is there?” If she believed nothing else from this unbelievable situation, she completely believed Nash didn’t remember her after that kiss.
Denny shrugged his lean shoulders. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s faking this memory loss.”
“To what end, Parks?” Nash asked, clenching his stubbled jaw until the tic in it made an appearance.
“The end where you finally got what you wanted and now you’re done with her?”
Nash hissed a breath before he was two inches from Denny’s face. “If I were you, pardner, I’d walk the hell away—now. And fast.”
Calla squeezed between their chests, using both hands to separate them. “That’s ridiculous, Denny, and you know it. It’s a pretty elaborate stunt, don’t you think? To pretend he doesn’t know who I am rather than just break up with me?” Saying it out loud made is sound even more ridiculous than it had sounded in her head.
Nash lifted Calla and set her aside as if she were no heavier than a feather. Then he closed in on Denny, his stance threatening. “I’m not even going to dignify you with an answer, Parks, but I am going to tell you to take your sorry ass on out of here before I behave in a very ungentlemanly way and help you leave.”