Vanessa stood a bit taller as she said, “Excuse me, I’m so sorry. That was so rude of me to barge in like that and take over. I volunteer doing historical home tours and when I saw how excited you were seeing the house, I figured I’d give a better tour than the boys, but forgive me.” She slightly shook her head as she looked at me.
“I’m sorry … how exactly do you know Ryder and Nate?”
Oh, you bitch. The gloves just came off.
Ryder stepped up next to me. It was in that moment he realized he had never said who I was, but only gave my name. “Oh sorry, Vanessa, Ava is my girlfriend.”
“For now,” I mumbled as I made my way past all three of them and stepped into one of the most amazing kitchens I’d ever seen.
The cabinets were the same color as the rest of the wood in the house. The light-colored granite offset the darker cabinets perfectly.
“Beautiful,” I whispered as Ryder walked up next to me.
“Ava, is something wrong? Why are you mad at me?”
Looking into his eyes, I could see he was confused, but if he didn't realize how he had acted when Ms. Fancy Pants showed up, then that was his fault.
Vanessa walked in and sighed. “Couldn’t you see yourself baking in this kitchen, Ava?”
With a fake smile, I turned her way. “Yep.”
“Now upstairs are six bedrooms and two bathrooms. Every light fixture in the house is turn-of-the-century original to the house.”
Nate walked up next to me and leaned in close as he asked, “Would you like me to shut her off now?”
“Please,” I whispered.
Nate clapped his hands together, getting Vanessa’s attention. “So, Vanessa, I’m sure Ava is pretty exhausted from the trip here and is probably ready to rest.”
Pulling her head back and wearing the fakest concerned look I’d ever seen, she asked, “The forty-minute drive got you tired? Well … country life must not agree with you.”
I opened my mouth to say something when Ryder seemed to finally snap out of his Vanessa-daze.
“Um … Vanessa, it was really great seeing you, but if you don’t mind we’d probably like to get settled in. We have a lot of things to take care of.”
She looked hurt as her eyes bounced from me to Ryder. “Right, of course. Dinner tonight?”
“Not for me,” I quickly said. Looking over to Ryder, I flashed him a smirk. “But please, don’t let me keep you from catching up with an old friend.”
I could see Ryder was not pleased with me and I could have cared less.
Vanessa jumped just enough to make her breasts bounce as I turned away and rolled my eyes. “Oh good! Can I count on you boys for dinner?”
“As much fun as that would be, I’m going to have to pass as well. This trip was for Ava.”
Disappointment was laced in Vanessa’s voice as she said, “I see. Well, it was great seeing you again and I hope to see you before you leave.” Turning to me, she held her hand out. “Ava, it was nice meeting you.”
With a forced smile, I nodded my head. “It was a pleasure meeting you.”
“I’ll walk you out, Vanessa,” Nate said as he motioned for her to head out of the kitchen first. She turned to kiss Ryder on the cheek, but he was smart enough to avoid it.
With a deep breath in and out, Vanessa nodded. “Good seeing you.”
Ryder turned and stared at me intently. “I’m sorry if you got the impression that I—”
Leaning over on my crutches, I held up my hand. “Please don’t. I acted like a child and let jealousy take over. I think I’m tired.”
Ryder’s crooked smile had my stomach dropping as he walked up and placed his hand on the side of my face. “I swear there is nothing there.”
My eyes threatened to build with tears for some unknown reason. “I’m tired. Can you please help me upstairs to a bedroom?”
Pulling his head back, Ryder asked, “You don’t want to explore the house?”
“Not right now.”
“O-okay. Let me help you up the steps and we’ll stay in the room I always stay in. There’s a queen-size bed in there.”
“Sounds good.”
We didn’t utter a single word as I slowly made my way up the stairs.
“YOU LOOK LIKE you just lost your dog, dude.”
With a frustrated sigh, I dropped onto the sofa and glared at Nate.
“Ava’s pissed at me.”
With a gruff laugh, Nate replied, “I don’t blame her. Dude, you introduced her like she was an acquaintance and not your girlfriend. Then you let Vanessa take over and give us a damn tour of our own house.”
“Fuck you, Nate. You didn’t stop her either.”
Nate shrugged. “I was looking at her ass … you on the other hand were not paying any attention to your crippled girlfriend.”
Scrubbing my hands down my face, I let out a moan. “Fucking hell. I was just surprised to see Vanessa. I have no feelings for her what so ever.”
“You used to. Matter of fact, didn’t the two of you have sex in your—”
Reaching for a pillow, I threw it and hit Nate on the side of the head. “Shut the fuck up, you asshole!”
Nate shot the pillow back at me. “Hey, it’s not my fault you ignored Ava.”
“I didn't ignore her!”
Nate raised his eyebrows and gave me a stern look. “Really? I’m pretty sure you did. I was the one who had to turn Vanessa off and get her on her way. Not you.”