“Better get inside,” Ryder said. “Take care, Kin.”
The declaration of love she’d hoped to hear from Ryder never came.
Chapter Seventeen
Ryder
Driving away from the airport gutted Ryder. Rowdy seemed to sense his despair because she crept into the off-limits front seat and curled into a ball, resting her head on the center console. She gave his hand a gentle lick.
“Doesn’t feel right, does it, girl?”
The silver lining in all this was that Ryder could go back to work tomorrow and keep himself distracted.
While Kinley had breakfast with Lee this morning, Ryder was able to get incriminating information out of Matthews. Jenkins sat quietly in the corner, recording it all. Any lawsuit would crumble in court if Matthews was clueless enough to pursue it, and he might be disbarred before he ever had the chance to try.
“Let’s stop for something to eat. What do you say?”
Rowdy’s ears perked and she licked his hand again.
He meandered through town, toward a lake, and a float plane restaurant Liam had recommended. He doubted they offered dog-friendly patio service, but Ryder could get some food to go and pick out a spot in the grass near the water. He wasn’t in any hurry to start the long drive, or make it back to Sunset Ridge.
Rowdy didn’t seem put-out in the least, hanging out in the grass and catching flying fries while Ryder watched the sky overhead. With each plane that launched from the airport, he wondered if Kinley was on it.
“I should’ve told her,” he murmured to the dog. “I should’ve told her I loved her. I just-I didn’t think it was fair, girl.” Sitting here without Kinley, unsure whether they’d even keep in touch, much less see each other in the near—or distant—future, filled him with regret. “Dang it, I screwed up.”
Ryder watched float planes land and take off in the pond, one after another, no sense of urgency to leave. He kept checking his phone, hoping for a text from Kinley. Something to let him know she hated leaving him as much as he hated saying good-bye.
But why would she?Take care. “I can’t believethat’swhat I said. I’m an idiot.”
When the sun began to bake his arms and Rowdy was panting heavily, they walked back to the truck. Ryder dug her travel bowl out of the back seat and filled it with water. Setting it on the shaded pavement to let her slurp it up before they got back on the road, he checked his phone once more.Nothing.
Then he spotted it.
The silver purse on the front seat. “Rowdy, have you been laying on that the whole time?” He tossed open the door, reaching for Kinley’s purse. Normally, he wouldn’t dare riffle through a woman’s purse, but this was an exception. He found her billfold and phone stuffed into the larger of two open pockets.
“Rowdy, we gotta go.”
The dog happily hopped into the truck, tail wagging and ears perked, much more excited than the sullen dog who left the airport with him over two hours ago.
“Two hours.”
Kinley couldn’t board a plane without an ID.
He sped across town, catching late yellow lights. He pulled up alongside the drop off area, spotting Kinley before she saw him. She sat on a bench, staring down at her folded hands.She’s still here.
Ryder darted out of the truck, racing around to the sidewalk. The second she looked up at him, he blurted, “I love you.”
Surprise washed over her eyes, then a slow if confused smile began to spread. “What was that? Didn’t quite make it out—”
“I love you, Kinley James. I should’ve told you sooner.” He held her purse out in offering. “I know you can’t stay, but you forgot this.”
“This stupid purse,” she mumbled, taking it from him and hanging it over her shoulder.
“Rowdy was sitting on it—”
“You want to know something?”
“What?”
