“She’s just pushing you, Rach. Testing boundaries. It’s the middle of the night, I’m not coming to get her. I’m not even home and she needs to understand a plan is a plan and we’re not all dropping everything in the middle of the night when she changes her mind.”
If Rick had a daughter he and everyone else had failed to mention, Sloane wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She was going to assume if Rachel was the mother they weren’t together since they clearly didn’t live together.
Sloane rolled onto her side so she could listen better. She murmured, “If you have to go, it’s okay, I understand.”
“No, it’s fine,” he told her in full volume.
“What’s fine?” Rachel said.
“Nothing, I was talking to—”
Sloane waved her hands desperately. She didn’t want anyone to find out she’d had sex with Rick because then the whole town would know and then Sullivan would go have a reason to take out his anger on someone other than Death, irrational or not, and she did not want to deal with that.
“You’re with who?” Rachel asked, sounding suspicious.
“A friend.”
“Geez. Can you keep it in your pants for one night?” Rachel asked. “Your body count is gross.”
Sloane wrinkled her nose. Wow. She was part of his “body count.” What a fabulous way to think of it. Not.
“Hey, mind your own business. And it’s three in the morning, I’m not giving in to River. Deal with it.”
“I hate you,” Rachel said. “I’m not going to get any sleep tonight because you need to prove you’re not Little Dickie anymore.”
“Hey. Watch it.”
“Whatever.”
Rick glanced over at the screen. “She hung up on me.” He gave a sleepy yawn and reached for her, pulling her onto his chest.
Sloane didn’t come easily, resisting.
“What’s the matter?”
“Is River your daughter?” she asked, genuinely curious. She didn’t necessarily mind if he had a child but she would have liked a head’s up. Not that it mattered. They weren’t dating. It really didn’t matter at all. Except that it bothered her he hadn’t mentioned it and she couldn’t put her finger on why.
“Nope. River is my nine-year-old sister. I have guardianship of her and she lives with me.” He gave her a long look. “I guess you really haven’t kept tabs on anyone from Beaver Bend.”
That made her cheeks flush. “Oh. No, I had no idea you even had a little sister.” She had obviously been born after Sloane had left for college. “Is your dad okay?” If his father had passed away and she didn’t know that she was going to feel like a megabitch. To be honest, she didn’t remember Rick ever mentioning his mom back when they were kids.
“My dad is okay in the sense that he is alive and healthy and living on his terms. But he’s a hoarder and the house is unsafe for a kid. I’ve had River si
nce she was three because Child Protective Services wanted to put her in foster care.” Rick had stopped trying to pull her over to him. He looked suddenly… aloof.
“Oh.” She wasn’t sure what else to say. “That’s really impressive of you. You’re a good man.”
“Thanks.” Nothing else. He didn’t elaborate and she wasn’t sure what would be appropriate and what would come off as prying. “River doesn’t respect Rachel’s authority as much as she should even though she does love spending time with her.”
But then because she had to know she asked, “And who is Rachel? Besides the leasing agent for this building?”
Rick snorted and rolled his eyes. “Wow. You really weren’t paying any attention even when you did live here. Rachel is my other sister. She’s eight years younger than me.”
Oh, geez. Sloane wracked her brains trying to do the math and remember if she had ever been aware of Rick having siblings. “She doesn’t look like you,” she said, because she had no idea what else to say. Did she apologize for being self-absorbed at sixteen? She wasn’t even sure if that was entirely fair. Dickie hadn’t been her friend; he’d been Sullivan’s.
“We have different mothers. As does River, if you’re wondering.” Rick propped himself up on his elbow. “It’s a Ryder trait, apparently. We don’t like to settle down.”
It felt like an intentional warning.