Page 16 of Just Forever

“It sure as hell doesn’t sound like it,” Ryker snaps.

This is getting out of hand very fast. My gaze darts between the two of them. I have to say something, but I don’t know what. I don’t know how to de-escalate situations, and since I witnessedyears of my parents fighting with each other, conflict just makes me really uncomfortable.

“Maybe we should all take a deep breath,” I say. “And calm down.”

That’s when the waiter finally arrives with our food. I’m going to tip him extra for his excellent timing.

Instead of picking up his fork, though, Ryker leans back in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest, glaring at his mom.

“Have you thought it all through?” Genevive asks. “The possible repercussions. What it means to your career. Have you considered this from all angles?”

“It’s love, not one of your spreadsheets,” Ryker says tightly.

“Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think things through, for God’s sake!”

“How very supportive,” Ryker mutters.

“Thisisme being supportive. Honey, you’re both still so young.”

“I’m twenty-three.”

“Which is impossibly young.”

“Interestingly enough, young doesn’t have to mean dumb.”

Genevive takes a deep breath. “I’m not explaining myself correctly.”

“Yeah, no shit,” Ryker snaps.

“Ryk,” I say quietly.

“All I’m saying is that you could change—” Genevive starts, but the look Ryker sends her is downright enraged.

“Change my sexual orientation? Oh! Or I could figure out it’d be easier to be with a woman, right? That would be more convenient, I guess?”

“That wasn’t—” Genevive starts to say, but Ryker pushes himself up from his seat to the soundtrack of his chair legs scraping loudly over the floor.

“I’m not hungry anymore.”

He turns on his heel and marches out of the restaurant, leaving me to sit there with Genevive, who’s still clutching the stem of her wineglass between her fingers.

We both stare after Ryker in startled silence for a few moments. This escalated so fast I can’t seem to get over the whiplash.

A few more seconds pass.

I clear my throat, and Genevive’s wide gaze snaps to me.

“I… I’m going to go see if he’s okay.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Genevive says. “I just…” She shakes her head. “It’s not that I have anything against your relationship. That’s not what I was saying.” She rubs her fingertips against her forehead. “It’s still not coming out right. I have to go talk to him.”

“Maybe,” I say loudly when she starts to get up, “maybe it’d be better to let him calm down a bit?”

She slumps back in her chair and looks around the restaurant. She seems lost.

“I’m gonna…” I gesture in the direction of the door. Genevive nods absently, and I take that as my cue to escape. I grab both our jackets and head outside. Ryker is pacing near the corner of the building and snaps his head up when he hears me approach.

He rakes his fingers through his hair before he looks at me, and then he’s walking toward me with a look of determination on his face. A second later I’m in his arms, and he’s hugging me like he never wants to let me go. I wrap my arms around him in return and wait. He’s tense for a second, almost like he’s expecting me to push him away, so I squeeze him tighter. He leans his forehead against my shoulder and turns his head so his lips are against my skin.

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