“Ryker,” Tina interrupted.“What is it?”
Ryker paused to clear his throat.“Whathappened when you met my father?I mean, you got married veryquickly.Did you fall in love that fast?”
Ryker heard his mom’s indrawn breath.“Yes,it was, as the expression goes, love at first sight.Everythingjust clicked.Our eyes met and I knew.I knew I had to be with him.When we touched, it was so powerful that I was helpless to resist.And when we talked—him with his basic Spanish and me with verylittle English—well, the language barrier didn’t matter.We justwanted to be with each other all the time.”She sighed, sniffling.“Why do you ask this,querido?Is it Wes?”
He wouldn’t bother to lie at this point.“I’ve never felt this way about a man before.Which is crazy,because at first I didn’t like him—or I didn’t want to like him—andnow we can’t stay away from each other.And I don’t want anyoneelse.But I’m also scared shitless.Neither of us are interested ina relationship.I think.”Ryker sighed and ran a hand down hischest, over his heart.“I don’t know what to do.All I know is I’ma confirmed bachelor, prone to anxiety and grumpiness, who prefersto live alone.I’m set in my ways.Wes lives his life in the publiceye and can have any man he wants.And now we’re working togetheron this book.”
“Querido, slow down.Never beforehave I heard you talk this way.First, you are amazing just as youare.None of us are without faults, Wes included.And sometimesdifferences in people balance each other out.But more importantly,this feeling you have sounds like something special.A love likethat is when you feel so alive.And as it relates to your work,this is a risk, for sure.But if I didn’t take a risk with yourfather, I wouldn’t have you and Rachel,sí?”
“Yes, Mama, I get it.Thanks, I have a lotto think about.Well, I better go.”
“I’m not done yet,” she murmured.“Pleasecall your sister.I worry, with her working so far away inAustralia.Oh, and come for dinner next Sunday.I’m makingropaviejawith plantains.”Ryker heard her doorbell ring.“I haveto go.Tell Wes I said hi.He’d better treat you right, or I willfind him and he will get the wooden spoon.”
Ouch, an angry mom with a weapon wassomething Ryker would wish upon no man.
Okay—call Rachel.
Say hi to Wes.Wes.
Work.Try not to think about Wes for fiveminutes.If possible.
Good luck with that.
Chapter Eighteen
Wes
Wes strolled along a deserted section ofBaker Beach, on the outskirts of San Francisco.The cool, saltyair, vivid sunshine, and blue skycombined tocreatea bright, beautiful mirror of his mood.Despite thejet lag, he was energized—and shocked to admit to himself thereason why.
Ryker.
Although they had only recently met, livedin two different countries, and were opposites in many ways, Wesfelt a bond with Ryker, a protective and possessive feeling thathe’d never experienced with any man before.It made Wes smile forno reason, and it frightened him for so many more.As both feelingswarred inside of him, Wes vowed to use this newfound energy to fuelthe last part of his tour and start writing again.He needed tofocus less on Ryker the man and more on Ryker the writing partner.Work should come first and foremost.The rest would work itself outover time.
Wes headed back to his hotel to do justthat.Three hours and one chapter later, he was perusing socialmedia when an e-mail notification popped up.
From:Kieran Moore
Subject:Hi
Wes,
I know it’s been a long time, but I wantedto reach out.I’ve seen you in the news recently and I can’t stopthinking about you.I see from your social media posts that you’llbe in Portland on the 26th.Let’s meet up for coffee.My new numberis attached, please call or text anytime.
Yours,
Kieran
The nerve of of his manipulative asshole ex!After all his lies, he expected Wes to forgive him and agree toreunite all these years later, like nothing happened?
Wes hit delete,blocked the e-mail,and sent a note to Luca and Grey to warn them.Then he went on withhis morning.
By noon, Wes was off to another event, wherehe and three other best-selling authors took part in aninternational conference on top writing trends and topics.Thequality of panelists was high, but Wes found Ethan Blackwell, aformer FBI agent turned crime fiction author, the most stimulating.Ethan was a forty-year-old man with salt-and-pepper hair who lookedmore like a model than a former cop.He had brains, looks, andtalent, and his charismatic presence had drawn huge crowds to thesession.The audience lapped up his funny quips and dramaticstories.
Once the individual presentations were over,all the panelists gathered on the stage to participate in thelively Q&A portion of the event.The moderator stood up andstarted fielding questions.
“My question is for Ethan Blackwell,” ayoung woman in the front row said.“How did you make the transitionfrom active investigator to author?Was it difficult?Do you missthe thrill of hunting down leads and solving cases?”
Ethan gave a huge smile.“Good question.Actually, I still solve the case, except now I also create thecrime.”The audience laughed.“Truthfully, my work at the bureauwas rewarding, but it was also personally draining after so manyyears of long hours and stressful situations.And the transition tofull-time writing was pretty smooth.I still have to do a lot ofresearch, so there’s a good deal of overlap with my last job.Ilove what I do now, and I have no regrets.”
