Just then, another snore echoed through the quiet shop – loud, aggressive, and obviously fake.
I moved past the shelves and looked toward that stupid recliner.
And there he was.
Ryder.
He was sprawled out with a dark jacket propped behind his head. His hair was tousled, his jaw was rough with stubble, and his posture was deceptively relaxed. He looked unfairly good when he should've looked silly.
I was still staring when he opened his eyes and let out another snore while staring straight in my direction.
I burst out laughing. "Wow. Skip, you've really changed."
He sat up. "SoSkip'sa jackass, too?"
Actually, he was.But I wasn't thinking of Skip. I was thinking only of Ryder as I devoured the sight of him, making a total fool of himself in that stupid chair.
Except he didn't look like a fool.He looked amazing – loose-limbed and unguarded, like a man who knew exactly what he was.
A jackass?
Maybe sometimes.
But not now.
I was still searching for a clever reply when he said, "I've got something to say, and I didn't want to wait."
I smiled. "Oh, yeah?"
"Yup." He pushed himself up and stood, slowly approaching me in the quiet space. When we were close enough to touch, he looked me straight in the eyes and softly said, "I'm sorry I was a jackass."
And of course, my heart went all gooey right there on the spot. "Yeah, well…I'm sorry, too."
"Don't be," he said. "Last night, I was mad for all the wrong reasons."
"Really? What reasons are those?"
"Mostly, I was mad at myself."
"But why?"
"Because I figured out what you meant." And then, at my confused expression, he said, "At the boathouse, Maisie overheard me hassling Griff. Am I right?"
Maisie had called it teasing, not hassling, but the sentiment fit. Still, I hesitated, not wanting to share her secrets.
With a chuckle, Ryder said, "Don't answer."
I was relieved, but curious. "Why not?"
"Because the answer's on your face. But listen, I want to tell you something."
"What?"
"Griff's a good guy. He'd never cheat."
I should've been reassured. And Iwas, mostly. But I would be more assured if I knew what Griff had been doing on the night in question. "So…I'm guessing you know where he was?"
"Nope. But Idoknow he wasn't cheating. He's not the type."
