Everything OK?
“If you’re worried, I’m going to start worrying, too,” Natalie says.
I put my phone down. “Sorry. And don’t worry. I’m not… worried. At least, not about Joel or your wedding.”
Natalie’s eyebrows crease. “But you’re worried about something?”
“I…”
I pause to gather my thoughts and put them into words but fail.
Natalie scoots over to my side. “Is it about that guy you’re going out with?”
I look at her with arched eyebrows. “What guy?”
She chuckles. “Seriously, do you think I didn’t notice that you bought lingerie for yourself?”
I thought I was able to put the bag away before she saw it.
“And don’t tell me you just like wearing sexy lingerie, because I’ve never seen you wear any or wash any or pack any. You’re seeing someone, aren’t you?”
Busted.
Natalie places a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell Joel. I promise I won’t.”
I look at her. “Thanks.”
She leans over my shoulder. “So, did he like it?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. I think so, but I don’t know.”
“What’s he like?” she asks next. “Where did you meet him?”
Too many questions.
“I’ll only answer the first one. He’s hot.”
Very hot.
“He’s hard-working. He’s great at everything.”
“Even in bed?”
I can’t help but blush. “Yes.”
I’ve never been with a man who could make me lose my mind like he can.
“What’s his job?” Natalie asks.
“He has an office job,” I answer.
She gasps. “You’re not going out with Ryker Hawthorne, are you?”
“No,” I deny it immediately even as I wonder how she got that right.
Have I been so obvious? Or is she just observant? This is just her suspicion, right? She doesn’t know?
“It’s… someone I met while I was giving a cooking lesson,” I add.
Natalie touches her chin. “I see.”
I realize I just answered her second question, too. I frown. I may think of her as an angel, but she’s a clever one.
“Anyway, don’t tell Joel,” I tell her. “It’s not… serious, anyway.”
“You mean you’re just having sex?”
Are we? It feels like more than that, but I don’t really know. He hasn’t said he loves me, but I know he cares about me. This is Ryker we’re talking about. He doesn’t sleep around. Plus, didn’t he say he doesn’t want anyone but me?
“More than that,” I say. “Actually, maybe it is serious. But we’re not getting married or anything.”
We’re not even boyfriend and girlfriend, as far as I know.
“If you are, do you promise you’ll let me know?” Natalie asks.
“Sure,” I answer. “You can even be my maid of honor.”
“Nah.” She shakes her head. “I think a maid of honor has to be single. But I can be your matron of honor.”
“Then that’s what you’ll be,” I tell her with a smile. “But enough about my wedding that may not even happen. You’re the one who’s getting married.”
“If Joel comes back.”
“He will come back,” I assure her. “How can he not when he has such a wonderful woman waiting for him? And if he doesn’t, I’ll disown him. I’ll be your sister instead.”
Natalie laughs.
I hold her hand. “Seriously, though, Joel will come back and the two of you will have a beautiful wedding. And an amazing wedding shower.”
“Have you and Ryker booked a venue for that yet?”
“No.” Because honestly, we haven’t talked much about it. “But we have some ideas. I…”
I stop as I remember that I was writing down those ideas while waiting for Ryker to come home to his apartment. I left the list inside a magazine that I put away when I heard footsteps out in the hallway. I should go back to get it.
Who knows? Maybe we can pick up where we left off, too.
“Is something wrong?” Natalie asks.
“Nothing,” I reply. “Just making plans inside my head.”
Hopefully, this one will work.
~
I go back to Ryker’s apartment the next day. This time, I do things the proper way. I tell him I’m coming over—he hasn’t replied, but the point is he knows I’m coming—and I ring his doorbell instead of asking for his keys. After the second ring, he opens the door.
“Hey.” I give him a wide smile.
Ryker’s eyes narrow. “Claire?”
My smile vanishes as my heart sinks.
Why? Why doesn’t he seem happy to see me? Didn’t he get my message? Is that why he didn’t reply—because he didn’t want to see me? But why? What did I do?
“Are you still mad at me?” I ask him outright.
I don’t want to waste any more time guessing.
Ryker opens the door wider. “Why don’t you come in and we’ll talk?”
Talk? About what? Why does he look more serious than usual?
I guess I only have one way to find out.
I step inside his apartment. He closes the door behind me and walks to the living room. I try not to stare at the muscles of his back framed by his thin shirt. Or his firm ass.
He wants to talk, not to fuck. That means something is up.