Page 87 of Faking It Right
The look Ryker gave me was so soft and open that my heart pulled a tray of freshly baked gooey feelings out of the oven. “Yeah, I do.”
Something about the interrupted moment in the hot tub and our seamless transition from passion to tenderness made the night feel even more perfect. It wasn’t just about the physical chemistry, although that was there in abundance. It felt natural to care for him, to make him laugh, to be the person he leaned on for strength.
As we reached the top of the stairs, I checked in again. “How are you feeling now?”
“Better.” He smiled up at me. “Thanks for not letting me drown.”
“I’d never let anything happen to you,” I replied, the words coming out more seriously than I’d intended.
Since he felt better, I teased him again. “In our next incarnation, I hope we find each other faster. Though I have to say, I think we’re making excellent use of this lifetime already.”
“You think we’ll have another lifetime after this one?” Ryker asked in a hopeful voice.
“Snookums, if Maylin is right about all our past lives, we’ve got a standing reservation with the cosmos.” I stopped him for akiss. “Which is good, because I plan to keep requesting you for eternity.”
The happy smile that spread across his face was worth every second of the three years I’d spent waiting for him to fall for me.
Chapter Seventeen
RYKER
A few days later,I woke up to the tantalizing scent of bacon and coffee wafting through the house. Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting patterns across the empty space beside me where Harley should have been. I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the time on my phone. It was a little past seven. For a man who normally scorned the morning sun like a hissing vampire, Harley’s absence was more suspicious than finding a fresh vegetable in a frat boy’s fridge.
I dragged myself out of bed, got dressed, then stumbled downstairs. The sound of laughter from the kitchen drew me in, where I found Harley already dressed and helping my mom flip pancakes while wearing one of her frilly aprons.
“Morning, snookums,” he called out, flashing me an offensively cheerful smile for such an ungodly hour. “Your mom’s teaching me her secret recipe.”
Mom beamed at him as if he’d just announced he’d discovered the cure for some disease. “Harley has a natural talent in thekitchen, unlikesomepeople I know.” She shot me a pointed look.
“Hey, I can make cereal without setting off the smoke alarm,” I retorted, sliding onto a stool at the counter.
Harley winked at me. “That’s why we make such a good team. I cook, and you do the dishes.”
“Oh, that reminds me!” Mom exclaimed, turning to the fridge. “I made your favorite breakfast casserole to take with you, and I’ve got those blueberry muffins Harley adores. And I packed some sandwiches, chips, cookies, and thermoses of coffee for the road.”
Dad walked in, placing a hand on Mom’s shoulder. “Jacinta, they’re driving three hours back to campus, not embarking on the Oregon Trail. I think they’ll survive without provisions for a months-long trek.”
“A lot can happen in three hours,” Mom replied. “What if they get stuck in traffic? Or there’s a detour? Or?—”
“Or we stop at one of the dozen restaurants along the way?” I suggested, accepting the mug of coffee Dad slid my way.
Harley, ever the diplomat, stepped in. “Everything looks fantastic, Jacinta. We appreciate you looking out for us. I’d much rather enjoy your treats than fast food.”
Footsteps on the stairs announced Sawyer and Gia’s arrival. My sister took one glance at me and snorted. “I see you were aiming for the ‘electrocuted hedgehog’ look today.” She ruffled my bedhead as she passed. “Cute.”
“At least I don’t need to spend two hours transforming into a human,” I shot back.
Gia laughed. “He’s got you there, princess.”
“Traitor,” Sawyer muttered, kissing Gia’s cheek before helping herself to coffee.
Mom clapped her hands. “Breakfast is served.”
We gathered around the table, the butter, syrup, and pancake platter flying between us in the practiced chaos of a thousand family breakfasts. Dad asked Harley about his plans for an upcoming project. Sawyer and Gia debated the merits of their planned summer road trip. Mom fussed over making sure everyone had plenty of food, despite having prepared enough food to feed a battalion of Vikings, with leftovers for their ocean voyage.
From the start, they had treated Harley like the bonus child they never had to pay college tuition for, but now that he was my boyfriend, he filled a space in our family constellation that I’d never noticed was empty. It made me wonder what other obvious truths I might be blind to.
I watched Harley charm my family, a feat he’d always pulled off, but now it resonated differently. For years, they’d welcomed him as my best friend, but as my boyfriend, our family felt complete in a brand-new way.
