I nod, letting the words sink in. “So we have to throw that perfect daughter shit out the window and love who we actually are instead.”
I haven’t had nightmares in over a week now. I wonder if that’s because I’m formulating a new plan—a viable, thrillingone—for my future. First, I acted on my feelings for Ryder. And now I’m acting on making big changes in my career.
There’s finally air in the proverbial room. I’m not suffocating anymore, and it feels glorious.
“Yes!” Ava beams. “There’s our girl.”
But I’m not ready to let my parents down.
Maybe I’ll never be ready. Maybe I just have to decide I’m ready and…go for it.
At this point, I have no choice, do I? Everything inside me is screaming, telling me to be the hero of my own damn story.
CHAPTER 26
Under Arrest
RYDER
Saturday.
Bless the broken road that led me to the weekend. ’Causedamnis life good today.
I can tell it’s past seven by the light that burns through my closed eyelids. Slipping a hand behind my head on the pillow, I stretch out my legs. My calves and hamstrings sing pleasantly, just the tiniest bit tight from last night.
The sheets are warm, soft.
Best of all, they smell like peaches. And sex.
My dick is hard, and I wince when my overly sensitive tip catches on the top sheet. I always wake up hard when I’m in bed with her. You’d think after a month of dating that my hunger for my girlfriend would be slightly less ferocious, especially with the holidays approaching. We’ve had a lot on our plates: making plans for Thanksgiving, making meals for an impromptu Friendsgiving we hosted with my brothers and their significant others, and just making merry in general as my girl and I enjoy our time together.
I’m hungover far too often. But I’m also happy as hell.
Now that my place is basically a construction zone, we’ve been shacking up at Billie’s cute little apartment. Yeah, I gotta wake up an extra hour early to make it to work on time—there’s the twenty or so minutes I spend making love to Billie every morning, and then the twenty-minute drive back to Lucky River Ranch—but I don’t mind.
Who needs sleep when you’re living in a dream?
Fucking cheeseball.Like I fucking care.
Colt is still not talking to either of us. Won’t even show his face at family dinners or at the Rattler on Friday nights. I only know he’s alive because I’ve been bugging Beck every few days, asking if Colt’s said anything about, well, everything.
Colt and Beck work together at their ranch, so of course Beck sees a lot of his brother. But Beck told me Colt hasn’t mentioned Billie or me. It’s like we no longer exist to him.
My chest feels heavy thinking about it. I miss my friend. I’m falling hard and fast for his sister, and I want to tell him about it. Get his opinion on shit. Celebrate this major win with one of my favorite people on the planet.
I want him to be part of our story, damn it. The fact that my brothers are happy for me and Billie makes everything that much sweeter. They’re participating in our shared life, and that means the world to me.
Colt is missing out. And I’m missing out on his life too. So is Billie. I know she is dying to see Dean more. As things stand right now, she only sees him in passing or if she happens to run into him at her parents’ house.
I also know there’s nothing to do but wait it out and hope for the best, but…
Yeah, the whole thing sucks.
Not gonna let that ruin a perfectly good Saturday morning. I smile when I hear the whirr of Billie’s electric toothbrush. Opening my eyes, I see that the door to the bathroom is closed.
She’d best still be naked. I told her in no uncertain terms that jammies are not allowed at our sleepovers.
Tossing off the covers, I stand and stretch again, this time with my arms over my head. I have a headache from the tequila we sipped last night by the fire, but otherwise, I feel good.
