Page 34 of Ryder

He looks delighted. “Man, you know it, but seriously you don’t have to cook.”

She rolls her eyes, “You’ve been at work. A home cooked meal is just what you need.”

Her words niggle at me. I haven’t cooked one meal for Ryder, he often orders in or snacks, but I’ve never seen him eat a good meal. He heads back to me, handing Harlee over. “I’ll be back in an hour or so,” he tells me. I nod and he rolls his eyes in irritation before following Sarah out.

An hour turns to two, then three, then four and by eleven, I’m annoyed. I shouldn’t be. I have no right to be. Ryder’s done nothing to make me doubt him and he’s reassured me so much, more than any other man would bother to do. I eventually drift off to sleep, where I mainly dream of Ryder being swayed by Sarah’s stocking clad legs. I wake with a start when I hear him stumble into the bedroom. He curses before chuckling to himself. I glance at the bedside clock to see it’s almost one in the morning. “Ryder?” I whisper, turning on the lamp. He’s holding on to the wall for support and he gives me a stupid grin. “I was worried.”

He pushes off the wall and falls face first onto the end of the bed. “Yeah, it took longer than I thought.”

“Did you manage to sort anything out about Alfie?” He chuckles again and shrugs his shoulders. “Wasn’t that the point?”

“Yeah, but then Sass opened a bottle of my favourite whiskey and we got reminiscing. You know, there was a time when she was my bestest friend,” he mutters, almost wistfully.

“Great,” I huff, lying back down and kicking my feet into his ribs. He grunts but doesn’t move.

“Are you mad with me?” He sounds amused.

“Should I be?”

“I was catching up with an old friend,” he says, turning onto his side and dragging himself to his half of the bed. “I told you a million times, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Right, but then you go for a chat about your son and end up coming home hours later, shit faced. Good night, Ryder.”

He sighs heavily and I pull the sheets up to my chin. I can’t help how I feel.

I kiss Harlee on the head and she rushes off in the direction of her friends. “Have a great day, Popple.”

This morning I’d woken with a fresh mind and the intention of getting my life back on track. I need routine and so does Harlee. Ryder had groaned and covered his head with the pillow when I’d tried to wake him to discuss it, so I’d gone ahead and made my own decision, after all, I’m a grown woman and I can do as I please.

I’d quit the job at the hotel but I knew exactly where I’d be welcomed, and as I push open the door to the florist, Mollie smiles wide. “Hey Neve.” She dropped her cutting tool and the rose stem and rounded the counter to hug me in greeting. “How are you?”

“I’m good. I needed to get out the house. Do you need a hand?”

“Oh my god, if you’re serious, I could kiss you right now. I have a tonne of orders.” She nodded towards the pile of note paper on the worktop.

“I’ll get stuck in then.” I take my things into the back room and swap my jacket for an apron.

“Weren’t there any extra shifts at work?” Mollie asks when I rejoin her.

“I quit. It’s a long story involving bikers, Finn, and a not very understanding boss.”

“Oh, that’s not good. How will you manage financially?”

“Ryder’s helping me out,” I tell her wincing. “I’ll get back on my feet when things have died down with Finn.”

“Okay, fill me in,” she says, and I do. I tell her everything that led me to this point and she stares open mouthed.

“Christ Neve, your life is like a soap drama. Are you sure Harlee is safe at school?”

“Yes. I’m going early to collect her, and all of the teachers know that she is not to be released to her Dad.”

My phone rings out and I see Ryders name and groan. I’m surprised it took him two hours to be honest, so I paste a smile on my face and answer, making sure to sound relaxed and breezy.

“Hi Ryder.”

“Don’t you dare tell me you’re out without an escort?”

“I am out without an escort. Harlee is at school and…”

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