“It is a chance for you to take a trip before the baby comes.”
Last night after I got back from Amara’s, Ryan and I stayed up talking some more about our marriage. He’d pitched it as friends, co-parenting, with the option of benefits. We hadn’t even been married twenty-four hours, and it was feeling like…more.
“We already have a trip planned in a couple of weeks to register our wedding in the U.S.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “That is more of an errand; this would be fun. A honeymoon, if you will.”
“We don’t need a honeymoon.”
“No, we don’t need one, but spending time together without all those nosy busybodies will be nice.”
Okay, he had a point. It had gotten out that I was pregnant and that Ryan was the father. The town was buzzing. ‘The singles’, along with their mommas, were being catty. Especially Vera. Ryan didn’t even live in our town. Yet somehow, she thought I ruined her chance with him. The entire thing was ridiculous, but it was one downside of living in a small town.
“I don’t know,” I mused.
“Come on. Come away with me for a couple of days before I have to head back to South Dakota.”
“I didn’t pack anything nice.”
“We’ll go shopping.”
I saw how it would go. Ryan would offer a solution for every objection I made.
“Fine. I will find a musical.”
Ryan’s left eye twitched.
I tried but failed to suppress a laugh. “Unless you’d rather we not take the trip,” I quickly interjected.
“Nope. I’m fine with a musical, Sunshine. As soon as we’re finished eating, I’m booking a flight, and you tell me what show you want to see.”
Spending time with Ryan wasn’t a hardship. His witty remarks always kept me on my toes, and our conversations flowed effortlessly, filled with laughter and understanding. Whether we were discussing deep topics or exchanging playful banter, it felt natural and comforting. Being with him was like being with a longtime friend who just happened to be skilled at making me come.
By the morning, I was looking forward to flying out on our getaway with him. I called Amara from the airport.
My cousin had lots of questions about my extending the trip. She had been apprehensive about me going away with Ryan in the first place. The addition of extra days put her in a tizzy.
It almost made me feel petty enough to tell her where I was going and that my trip included dinner at Fusion in Toronto, with a tableside dining experience by Chef Aaron Ma, whom she admired. She had often talked about running into him at a pop-up restaurant on her honeymoon. Although our trip wasn’t a honeymoon, she would be so jealous if she knew he was cooking for us.
“I don’t get it, Jo. You said you guys weren’t in a relationship, that you and Ryan were just going to be friends co-parenting.”
“I did. We are.”
“Extending this trip doesn’t sound like you guys are staying in the friend zone.”
I love my cousin. Really, I do, but Amara had appointed herself as my protector since we were little girls. It had become more problematic since I got pregnant, and if things couldn’t get any harder, they only got worse when she found out she and Chase were expecting a baby as well.
It was partially hormones, but also because Amara didn’t like things she didn’t understand, and she wasn’t sure where Ryan and I stood. Well, that made two of us. Although I had no intention of telling her that. I was grown, and I could navigate ‘my marriage’ on my own.
“We know what we are doing. Don’t worry,” I assured her.
“I just want you to be happy.”
“I am.” Wow, it was true. The question was, would it stay that way?
CHAPTER NINE
RYAN
