My jaw dropped. “That’s like asking me to never eat chocolate again!”
Ryder furrowed his brows. “Really? I’m just asking that you don’t try to find anything until I get back.”
“What am I supposed to do until you get back?”
He shrugged. “See if Jennifer wants to meet for lunch. Or Dani and the baby.”
Dani had a little girl a few days after Christmas she named Lindsay. She was adorable and the moment I held her in my arms, something weird happened. I wanted a baby. Not that I would ever admit that to anyone.
“I guess I could do that,” I somberly said.
Pulling me closer to him, Ryder held my eyes with his. “I want to be here if you find something.”
His eyes looked so sad. There was no way I would ever go against his wishes. “I’ll call Jennifer and Dani. Maybe they can both sneak away for lunch.”
His hand came up to my face where I leaned into it. “Thank you.”
Smiling, I closed my eyes and let the moment between us settle in my heart.
“One more thing.”
Opening my eyes, I looked at him skeptically. “What?”
“I called Jackson.”
Gasping, I replied, “When?”
“This morning. I asked him if he would join us for dinner. I didn’t ask him to come to the house. Not really knowing what happened here between them, I wasn’t sure how he would feel.”
“That was sweet of you to think that way. What are you planning on saying to him?”
I couldn’t imagine how Ryder was feeling or what he was even thinking. Even more so, I couldn’t imagine what information he thought he would get from Jackson.
“I’m not sure. I guess I want to ask him about the baby. Was Kate scared? Was she happy? What in the hell were they thinking?”
With a slight frown, I placed my hands on his chest. “Will you do me one favor?”
His face softened. “Of course.”
“Remember he suffered a loss as well and he had to hide part of that loss. Put yourself in his shoes, Ryder. He lost the girl he loved and his child.”
His eyes fought back the tears that were welling up. “I know. I promise I’ll remember that.”
Reaching up on my toes, I gently kissed him. “You better go before you’re late.”
With a nod, he replied, “I’ll call you when the meetings over.”
Following him back out to his truck, I watched him drive off. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Vanessa. Peeking over, I watched her wave and smile as Ryder drove off.
Ugh.
Before she could see me, I quickly turned and headed back into the house.
“Ava? Ava wait!”
Shit. Put on your happy face, Ava.
Plastering on a fake ass smile, I turned to face her.
“I thought that was you. I see you got your cast off.”
The way she made her breasts bounce when she walked turned my stomach. She was the last person I wanted to see and probably the only reason I would not ever move into this house permanently. “Yep, I got it off about two weeks ago.”
She let out a fake chuckle. “I bet you’re happy to get it off.”
I wiggled my eyebrows and replied, “I am. It makes everything so much easier. Even Ryder agrees.”
Her smile faltered for a moment. “What brings you and Ryder here?”
I could tell her Ryder was here for a lunch meeting, but I thought I would put this bitch in her place once and for all. “Lucy has a friend who is making my wedding dress.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Your what?” Shaking her head, she let out a dry laugh as she said, “I swear you said wedding dress.”
Holding up my left hand, I smiled as big as I possibly could. I could have let out my old cheerleader personality with an Oh my gawd, Ryder asked me to marry him! Ahh! Instead, I simply said, “You heard right. Ryder and I are getting married on Valentine’s Day.”
I don’t know why, but her deer-in-the-headlights look made me want to do a little dance. I wonder if I asked her to give me a tour of my future home again if she would be down for it?
“Vanessa? Are you okay? You seem a little … stunned.”
Her eyes flicked between the ring, the house, and me. Clearing her throat, she forced a smile. “I’m fine. I was just taken aback I guess. I didn’t realize he was that serious about you.”
You. Did. Not. You. Bitch.
Narrowing my eyes at her, I stated, “I didn’t realize you were that close to him to make that assumption.”
With a look that honestly should have had me falling over dead, she screwed her face and shot daggers at me. “We’re not. I just didn’t picture Ryder settling.”
“You mean settling down.”
“No, I meant settling.”
Oh, hell no.
Walking toward her, I stopped just short. “Listen here, Vanessa. I’ve got your number. I grew up with a brother and a best friend who taught me how to throw a right hook, and trust me when I say I am not afraid to use it.”