Page 96 of A Lot Like Love
Chloe flopped down onto the sofa. “You’re never going to believe it, but I’m in Vegas. I surprised Ryder at the rodeo here and I haven’t left yet.” She hadn’t realized how desperate she’d been to talk to her best friend.
Shelly laughed down the line. “Oh, I believe you,” she said. “Because one of Ryder’s brothers personally escorted me onto a private jet about ten minutes ago, with the promise of a free trip to Vegas. He wouldn’t take no for an answer”
Chloe put down her glass, goose bumps tracing across every inch of her skin. “He what?”
“I’m sipping champagne and looking into some seriously sexy brown eyes right now.”
Oh my god.“Give Nate the phone,” she ordered. If he’d sent someone to get Shelly on the jet, she’d bet hands down it would be Nate.
“So you want to tell me what’s going on here?” Shelly asked.
“Honestly? I have no idea,” Chloe admitted. And she didn’t. Not the faintest damn clue and it was driving her insane.
“Hey baby.” Nate’s voice came on the line and she heard Shelly giggling in the background, no doubt in heaven traveling in luxury with Nate.
“Tell me what’s going on,” she demanded. “And don’t give me any bullshit excuses.”
“Sorry darlin’,” Nate drawled. “Ryder told me he’d beat the crap out of me if I told you anything.”
“Nate,” she said, trying to sound less pissed off and ending up pleading. “I thought we were friends.”
His laugh was loud through the phone. “No, sweetheart, you stole all my money in a card game and got me stupid drunk playing poker. I love you, but we’re not friends.”
She paused, looking at the dresses again and hating that she didn’t know what Ryder was up to. She was always in control, never let anyone in her life just make decisions for her. At first it had been about survival, now it was just because she was stubborn as hell and liked her independence.
“Then what are we?” she asked, holding her breath as she waited for him to answer.
“Family,” Nate said, the one word he uttered almost making her heart stop it held so much power. “Or at least we could be.”
Chloe dropped the phone and crossed the room, never taking her eyes off the dresses. Her instinct was to pack her bags and run, but… this was Ryder. She was the one who’d pushed him to prove himself, and now she was going to have to sit tight and see what he had planned for her. She’d already run once and regretted it, so if she had to knock back a few shots and lock the door, then so be it.
