off to the supermarket to fill up on our personal groceries we’d run short of in our apartment. I was about to go out of my mind from boredom. I had cleaned the dining area and moved on to wiping down the displays that held our fresh-baked goods.
My cell phone vibrated in my back pocket, and I pulled it out quickly, hoping it was Ryan. When Kevin’s name lit up the screen, I rolled my eyes. This was the third time he’d called in the last two days. The icon on my phone indicating I had awaiting messages confirmed that I still didn’t give a shit what he had to say. There was nothing left for us to say to each other. I had wasted enough of my life already, and I had no intentions of allowing him to waste any more.
I hit Ignore and shoved my phone into my back pocket again before going back to cleaning things that didn’t need to be cleaned.
The bell on the door jingled as it bounced shut, causing me to instantly look up. The rag I’d been using to wipe the tables stilled against the marble as I stared at Ryan. He stood before me in his dark blue uniform with a single red rose in his hand.
“Hi,” he said, a smile tugging at his mouth.
I stood taller and dried my hands on the dish towel that hung over my shoulder. Without taking my eyes off him, I stepped around the table, appraising him in all his manliness. He truly was handsome. His jaw had just the right amount of scruff, and the uniform hugged his broad shoulders and chest just right. He lit up my insides with an extreme amount of excitement with just one smirk.
“Hello, handsome,” I replied as I hooked my thumbs in my back pockets. Silently, I begged for him to come closer, yet I stood patiently waiting for him to make the next move. Within seconds he was standing before me and placing the rose in my hand. “I can’t stay long,” he said. Instantly I felt disappointed, knowing this visit would be a short one. “But I wanted to ask you if you would come over for dinner tonight.”
I stared at him in shock. I had never been invited to his home, and to be perfectly honest, I thought he wouldn’t for a very long time. “Are you sure?” I questioned.
A knowing grin pulled at his lips, and he offered a gentle nod. “Yeah, I’m sure.” Ryan placed his hands on my hips and pulled me closer. “I know over the last couple weeks I’ve been a little distant. I’m sorry for that. Olivia finally came home from my parents’, and we’ve been doing a lot of talking. I’m not sure if it helped, but I am hoping things are starting to get better. Since she hasn’t officially been introduced to you, I told her I was going to ask if I could see you tonight for dinner.”
Yes, the idea of having dinner with Olivia and Ryan was intimidating. But my desire to see this work was stronger than my fear. I wanted something more than just the occasional date followed by a few stolen kisses to end our nights.
“What time should I be there?”
His grin grew wider, and he leaned and kissed me softly. “Is seven okay with you?” he asked in a soft, husky whisper.
“Seven is perfect,” I replied.
***
As I pulled into the driveway of Ryan’s house, my pulse was racing. That wild feeling you get when you’re unable to control what may be about to happen was rocking through me like a tidal wave.
I had spent twenty minutes with Bailey prior to leaving, twenty minutes of hearing over and over that things would work out. Now I sat in my car as it idled, staring at the house before me. The light shining from its huge windows highlighted its beauty.
A shadow through the blinds in the large picture window straight ahead caught my attention. Ryan was fisting his hair with one hand while he appeared to be holding his phone to his ear with the other. An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach as I continued to watch. After a few minutes he hung up and let his head hang forward.
I carefully crawled out of my car and walked up the driveway. Before I could knock, the front door opened, and there stood Ryan wearing a look of defeat. “Hey,” he offered, letting out