“Okay, but here’s the thing—it would be so much easier for him to be with her. She doesn’t have any baggage.”
“The hell she doesn’t. She left him and got engaged to someone else. That’s emotional baggage.”
“Okay. Yeah, that’s true.”
“I like you for him, Eden. You know why? Because I’ve never seen him happier. I’ve long given up the dream of Ryder marrying one of my nieces.” She laughed. “So I’m rooting for you. And I’m gonna give you a little advice, too.”
“Okay…”
“Don’t be reactive to your fears. Don’t distance yourself or change how you treat him because you’re afraid of losing him. Don’t let someone else invade what you two have. Be there for him, and always be that girl he fell for. If it’s meant to be, it will. With his only family gone, more than anything right now, Ryder needs people around him whom he can trust. And believe me, there aren’t many.” She shrugged. “And hey, if he takes her back, he’s not the one for you anyway.”
Her words gave me a boost of confidence. “You’re right, Lorena. You’re very wise.”
“Well, there’s got to be some benefit to getting older, right?” She smiled. “You’re a lot like me—a strong, independent woman who does what she needs to do to support her family. My ex-husband…took off on me and left me to raise my son alone. I was determined to find a job. I kept getting turned down, but I went after anything and everything I could find. Somehow, I ended up on Ryder’s parents’ doorstep. That changed my life. His mother hired me because she said her intuition told her to. I had no experience and didn’t deserve the job. But thirty years later, here I am. They have taken care of me very well. And I’ve tried to return the favor.” Lorena sighed. “Anyway, I will always have respect for women who do whatever it takes to fend for themselves and their families. And that’s you.”
I wanted to hug her. “Thank you. I appreciate you saying that.”
Suddenly, Ryder’s deep morning voice came up from behind us. “The one morning I decide to sleep in a little, and the two women in my life are conspiring against me?”
“I was just telling Eden here she needs to treat you right, or she’ll have to answer to me.” Lorena winked at me.
“Pretty sure it’s the other way around. You’ll be the first to kick my ass if I ever fuck things up with her.”
“You know me so well, mijo.”
Lorena stood up and brushed off her white pants. “I’ll go make you guys breakfast.”
Ryder shook his head. “You don’t have to do that. I got it, Lorena.”
“Spend time with your lady. You only have a few hours before she has to leave. I’ve got it.”
She was already halfway to the door when he hollered after her, “Thank you.”
I watched as she disappeared inside. “She’s so nice.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Really?”
“Why do you sound surprised?”
Sitting down next to me, he said, “Lorena doesn’t normally come across as nice. She’s pretty tough on most people, but I think she really likes you. She respects you.”
“She only respects me because of how you speak of me, because you respect me.”
“I do.” He grinned. “You know, I reached over for you in bed when I woke up and freaked out for a second that you weren’t there.”
That made my chest hurt, because I knew he still needed me so much, and I wouldn’t be next to him when he woke up tomorrow.
“I’ve been out here watching the sunrise.”
“I would’ve loved to do that with you. You should’ve gotten me up to join you.”
“You needed your sleep.”
“I would never choose sleep—or anything else—over watching a sunrise with you.”
I took his hand. “I wish we had more time together. I hate feeling resentful of my life, but that’s exactly what I am right now. I resent having to leave. I’m not ready.”
“I’m sure as fuck not ready to let you go, either.” He leaned in close. “I need to make love to you before you leave.”
“We should go back to the bedroom after breakfast, then.” I stared at my refection in his eyes. “I’m sorry if last night was a little tense. I didn’t mean to put added pressure on you.”
“You said what needed to be said. Don’t be sorry about that.” He moved behind me and brought me to his chest as he cradled me. “Let me hold you,” he said before locking me in with both of his legs. “Do you have to work tonight?”
“Yeah.”
“Can we talk at the normal time? At midnight?”
“Of course, if you’re up for it.”
“I’ll be looking forward to that more than ever. I need it before having to face work tomorrow.”
“You’re not taking any time off before going back to the office?”