“What is it, baby? Tell me what's upset you. I only want to give you what you need.”
Her eyes stayed on the wall behind him. “Can we just go to sleep? I’m so tired.”
There was something he was missing. Something big. But he honestly couldn’t imagine what it was so he did the only thing he could. Gave her what she asked for.
But it was a long time before he fell asleep and when he dreamed it was of falling off a cliff onto the jagged rocks below.
chapter three
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Ridley had been so preoccupied lately that she forgot it was time for Girl’s Night, her group of friend’s monthly gathering to catch up, hang out and talk about their men. It was a welcome distraction to plan the menu and she even bust out the bottle of tequila she hadn’t touched since she’d gotten pregnant to make margaritas.
Her future sister-in-law Kaylee arrived first with her best friend, Sasha, in tow. Both were singers and had been friends since childhood. Over the years, Ri had gotten to know Sasha quite well, too.
“Oh my god! Look at you!” Sasha embraced her gently. “You’re about to pop!”
Ridley rubbed her belly. “It feels like it, too.”
Kaylee led her toward the sofa. “You need to put your feet up. We can handle letting everyone in.”
Grateful, Ri allowed them to tuck her into a corner of the couch, her eyes tearing up slightly when Sasha rushed over with a throw blanket to cover her legs.
“You guys are the best,” she whispered.
Kaylee peered down at her with concern in her eyes. “Is everything okay, Ri?”
But just then the door opened again and she heard the voice of her friend Penny and then the extremely loud voice of Raina.
Ridley sighed. “I’m fine. Just tired and wishing I could have a margarita.”
Kay gave her a sympathetic look. But just then they heard Raina’s voice calling out again.
“Ri! Where’s Ri?” When the crowd parted so she could see her sister, Raina bounced up and down in excitement. “I just got a major campaign! The first since I had the baby!”
A cheer went up from the others and Ri held out her arms. Raina dropped down on the couch next to her and hugged her.
“Congratulations, sis. I’m so proud of you.”
Raina shrugged but Ri could tell she was just bursting with excitement. “Maybe I really can have it all. Nick, a family and my career. It feels too good to be true.” She stood. “I need a drink. Ooh you made margaritas!”
When Raina walked to the kitchen, Ridley’s neighbor and good friend Katie Mason sat in her place. Ridley observed her silently. One of the things Ridley loved the most was matchmaking. Despite everyone else’s claims that she was “meddling” she’d done a pretty fine job of matching couples so far. When Nick and Raina were still dancing around each other, she’d told her brother-in-law that her sister longed for a baby, knowing that he wouldn’t want anyone else fathering her children. Now they were happily married.
When Kaylee had still been too nervous to talk to her brother-in-law Elliott, Ridley had come up with a way to force the two together. She’d been asked to schedule a small gig for Kay and instead of booking an extra room for Eli, who was coming along as her security, Ridley had made sure to only book one.
Now they were engaged.
So when she’d seen the way Katie looked at the oldest Alexander brother, she’d hoped that her matchmaking luck would hold out once again. She’d gotten her friend a job assisting Bennett in his lab but if the sad look on Katie’s face was any indication, things weren’t working out so well.
Katie sighed and peered down at the drink in her hand. It was still full.
“You’re not drinking. Is it too strong?” Ridley asked. “I probably overdid it. Since I can’t have alcohol anymore, I had to guess at how much tequila to add.”
Katie smiled but Ri could tell it wasn’t genuine. “No, the drink is fine. I’m just daydreaming.”
“Are the kids okay?” Ridley pressed.
“Oh yeah. They’re fine. Mrs. Hillard is babysitting tonight and she brought her grandson Carter along again. They always have a good time when she babysits so it’s not that.”