Page 54 of Rip Ryder's Second Chance

“You never really cared for me, did you?”

She glanced at his profile illuminated by the dashboard lights. “And you never really cared for me either, but that’s the past. We have moved on from that and started fresh.”

“Do you mean that?” He looked at her with a blank stare.

Swallowing an eerie awareness climbing her throat, she absorbed the fact that Derry had been one of the names she’d written down on the list of partygoers. She’d only caught a glimpse of him that night. Yet, he was a respected attorney who had a loving family. Tuck had trusted him and he was a good judge of character. Clearing her throat, she pushed aside her suspicions. “I’ve decided to stay in town.”

“That’s a revelation,” he said quietly.

“You don’t think that’s a good idea, do you?” She wasn’t sure why he slowed the truck to a crawl when they needed to get back to his house for Parker.

“Something told me you would. You’ve always been a fighter. Even when we were teens. I had a crush on you. Did you know that?” His chuckle echoed through the inside of the cab.

She didn’t like where this conversation was headed. “No, I didn’t.”

“Yes.” He sighed as if releasing a lot of restless energy. “But you were stuck on Rip. Can’t say I blame you. Good looking fellow with that confident air. I just thought you were different.”

“Excuse me?” How could he be worrying about the past when his baby was about to be born? The hairs on her neck lifted as she started to realize something wasn’t right.

“Oh…I’m just saying that you didn’t seem like all the other girls, falling at a Ryder’s boots.” He laughed. “I was wrong because look at you now. In town less than a few hours and Rip has you wrapped around his finger again. Man, they are good, aren’t they?”

“Shouldn’t we be in a hurry? Parker said her contractions were close.” Noelle guessed that a woman who’d been through labor as many times as Parker the baby would come much sooner.

He snorted. “She’ll be fine. Trust me. She’s sleeping soundly. Right now, I have a bigger problem.”

Sleeping? When her contractions were close? It didn’t make sense. “I’m going to give her a call and check on her.” Noelle lifted the phone but he knocked it out of her hand, sending it flying into the backseat. Noelle let out a squeal, then backed against the door. “What are you doing?”

“Come now, Noelle. You’re a smart woman. Do you really expect me to believe that you don’t remember anything from that night?” he said in an unnerving tone. His demeanor had done a complete one-eighty.

“That night?” She felt she knew exactly which night he referred to but she needed to hear it directly from him.

He snickered coldly. “You’re such a tease. Most women like you are. I’ll humor you then. Graduation party. You were wearing that cute off-the-shoulder dress that gave all the boys something to dream about.”

“I think you should pull over and let me out.”

“Why? We’re just getting into the good details.” He flipped on his turn signal and turned onto a narrow back road that led toward the mountain.

“Where are we going?” She searched the dark shadows of the fields. The inside of the truck had grown cold.

“You’ll soon find out,” he said calmly.

“Let me out. Now,” she demanded.

“I’m afraid you’re not in a position to make any requests.” The truck’s tires bounced over the gravel road, sending her jostling around the seat. “Let’s make this as easy as butter.”

Those words…the ones she took along with her from that night. The words that had haunted her. “You were the one, weren’t you?” The words stung her throat.

“That drugged you? Yes, I am,” he said without a sliver of humility or regret.

Noelle blinked back tears. Not for herself as much as for Parker and their children. Their father was a criminal. “Bend and Rip are onto you.”

“Nah. I’m smarter than both put together. They’re onto Buddy,” he said smugly.

“Buddy?” She narrowed her gaze. “He took the pictures that night, didn’t he?”

“You’re smarter than I thought. Buddy isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. He’s still convinced that he and I are good friends. I’m still shocked that Tuck felt sorry for Buddy enough to give the idiot a portion of the land. I bet the old man would turn in his grave if he knew his little trusted hand had taken pictures of his obsession that night that she was drugged. I’ll laugh my ass off when poor innocent Buddy goes down for a crime he didn’t commit.”

She felt sick. “Why?”

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