“Hey, did you make that?” I asked as I licked my lips.
Ryder didn’t utter a word until he set it down on the table at the end of the bed. With a sigh of relief, he glanced up at me and grinned from ear to ear. “It’s probably cold because it took me so long to climb the stairs. And hell no, I didn’t make it. Jennifer ordered it when I called her for help in figuring out what to do to make up for being such an asshole earlier.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You were moving pretty slow, I don’t care if it’s cold, and you weren’t the one being an asshole. I was too and I’m sorry.”
“Let’s just say we both played a small role and move on?”
With a nod of my head, I said, “Sounds good to me. I’m starving! What did she send us?”
Ryder took his food off and placed it on the table then carefully picked up the tray and brought it over to me. “I’ll eat mine over here.”
“Yummy. This looks so good. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until I saw it.”
Ryder chuckled. “Same here.”
Picking up the sandwich, I took a bite and moaned in sweet relief. “I never thought a BLT would taste so good.”
With a head bob, Ryder agreed.
My mind was racing as I tried to process what I had just read in Kate’s journal. Clearly Ryder had no idea about the pregnancy with how he reacted to her saying she had sex with Jackson.
“So, Dani’s baby will be the first baby, huh?”
His eyes lifted as he looked at me. “First baby?”
“Yeah, you know … first grandbaby for your mom and dad.”
He narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment. “Unless Nate’s fathered a few kids we don’t know about.”
Letting out a chuckle, I shook my head and ate some soup. “That’s mean, Ryder.”
“The scary part is I’m not kidding.”
With a roll of my eyes, I kept eating.
“What about Jennifer? No desire to have kids?”
His eyes lifted to mine again. “Not that I’m aware of, but I doubt she would talk to me about that. Ava, you’re kind of freaking me out with this baby talk. Is there something I should know?”
“No! God no. I’m curious that’s all. I’m sure your mom and dad are excited, and I was just … curious.”
“Well, as far as I’m aware, Dani’s is indeed the first grandbaby on the way.”
I smiled and took another bite of the BLT.
“This room is beautiful.”
Ryder looked around as he took another bite and nodded. When he was finished chewing, he turned back to me. “This house is actually going to one of the kids when they get married.”
That peeked my interest. “Really? Who?”
“Well, it was Dani’s first pick, but she had no desire for it. Jennifer’s already said she doesn’t want it, so it comes down to me or Nate.”
Everything made such sense. Vanessa is after the house and the only way to get the house is … marry Nate or Ryder.
“How will it be decided?” I asked.
“Whoever gets married first.”
I swallowed hard. “Married first?”
Ryder smiled bigger and winked. “It’s pretty safe to say I’ve got this one in the bag.”
My stomach felt like I was on a roller coaster. “In the bag?” I croaked out.
“Yep. Hell will freeze over before Nate Montgomery ever marries a woman and settles down. I’m sure to beat him to the altar.”
Disappointment swept through my body like lightning as I quickly looked down at my soup. How silly of me to even get my hopes up like that. Ryder and I barely just started dating.
I forced a chuckle out. “Probably.”
We finished eating the rest of lunch in silence. I couldn’t stop thinking about Kate being pregnant. Of course the idea of Ryder marrying anyone but me about had me feeling sick and I had to force myself to eat.
“Ava? Are you even listening to me?”
My head snapped up as I looked into Ryder’s beautiful hazel eyes. “I’m sorry … what were you saying?”
“So what do you think?”
“About?”
“The house, silly. Do you like it?”
Trying to clear the lump from my throat, I swung my legs around the edge of the bed as Ryder helped me to stand up.
“Yes. It’s beautiful and I can’t wait to see more.”
I’d never seen Ryder’s eyes twinkle like they were. It was almost as if someone was shining a light on them.
“Could you ever see yourself living here?”
Without even thinking, I blurted out my answer. “Yes!”
His hands cupped my face as he brushed his lips across mine. “Good, because you’re the only woman I could see living in this house.”
He pulled me closer as he deepened the kiss. My arms wrapped around his neck as I let the moment take control.
When he pulled back slightly he rested his head against mine as I spoke the only word I could manage. “Ryder.”
“That was my very poor attempt at asking you to marry me, Ava.”
My head pulled back as my eyes widened in shock.
Holy shit balls.
“I wouldn’t say that was a poor attempt. It was the most romantic thing ever,” I said in a breathy voice.
He softly chuckled as he kissed the tip of my nose. “So?”
“So?” I asked.