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Ryder - Creepy Andrew and a Pity Party
“Iam so glad you guys worked out your differences,” I say around a mouthful of prime rib. “Your weekly dinners are the only time I eat well all week.”
Ever since Alex and Connor reconnected, and then made it through the bullshit that was that groupie drugging and trying to rape Connor a couple of months ago, Alex has been hosting weekly family dinners at their house. She’s a professional chef and loves cooking. And I am more than willing to eat any of the delicious things she makes.
My dad wasn’t much of a cook while I was growing up. His specialty was mac and cheese and takeout. I was always fed, but it probably could have been healthier. It’s not his fault, though. Being stuck raising two young boys all alone because their mom decides she wants nothing to do with them is tough. He did the best he could with us. It’s just really hard to compete with an actual chef.
“I’m just happy that you all come every week and give me a chance to feed you. It’s been tough since I haven’t been working. Who knew that taking ten weeks off would have such an impact on my employability.” Alex is serving up extra Yorkshire puddings that she’s just pulled from the oven. I immediately put my plate up to grab a couple of those crispy little golden puffs of goodness. Maybe it’s a good thing that Dad couldn’t cook like this. I’d never have been able to maintain my girlish figure.
“How is your hand feeling now that you’ve had your cast removed?” Denise asks. She’s sitting opposite me, next to her clean-cut looking doofus of a boyfriend. Dude hardly ever talks, unless he whispers something into Denise’s ear. She never looks pleased with what he’s said when he does that either. The guy gives me a weird feeling, but I can’t put my finger on why. He just gives me the creeps.
“So much better. I can shower without help now, which is nice. I can’t believe they made me keep it on for nine weeks.”
Connor comes up behind Alex and runs his hands around her waist as he pulls her toward him. “Oh babe, you know I’m still going to help you in the shower.”
“Get off me, perv.” Alex laughs while pushing Connor away.
They’ve come a long way in the ten weeks since Alex broke her hand defending Connor from that groupie. It was subconscious since she didn’t know that Connor had been drugged, but she beat the chick so hard she fractured her hand and saved Connor from sex that he didn’t want. They’re so happy together it’s gross, but in a good way.
I hope one day that I can find love like they have, but since I’m only interested in one person and she is dating a stupid asshole named Andrew, I don’t think that’s likely to happen. You could say my crush on Denise is the reason I have a problem with Andrew, but it’s not. Well, it’s not the only reason, anyway. He’s just not quite right.
I look across the table at Denise. She’s got her long black hair tied up in a red bandana with just her long bangs hanging down over her forehead. It goes great with the tight jeans and flannel shirt she’s wearing tonight. She looks like a pin-up queen out for a casual stroll. That idiot Andrew leans over and whispers in her ear while I’m looking. Denise looks at him and shakes her head a little before he whispers to her again. She looks away from him and rolls her eyes while letting out an enormous sigh.
“Well, I hate to say it, we’re going to have to get going now. I’ve got early meetings tomorrow and there are some things that I need to get sorted tonight in preparation.” Denise says while standing and placing her napkin beside her still full plate. She spent more time wiping her fork with her napkin than she did eating. Every time she took a bite, she’d make a face and then wipe her fork again. “Thank you so much for dinner, Alex. It was delicious as always.”
“You’re leaving already?” I stand when Denise does, a remnant from when I was a kid and my brother, Hunter, and I would spend half of every summer vacation with my grandmother. She drilled into me the importance of being a gentleman. I may be an asshole, and I may drink too much, but I still use my manners, especially with women like Denise. Standing when she does is the least I can do.
“Yes, Ryder,” she says to me, a look of irritation on her face. “Can you please try to behave tonight? I don’t have time to bail you out of jail again.”
That only happened once. However, she has had to rescue me from other towns, public parks, private homes, and from strange hotels occasionally. Like I said, I drink a lot more than I probably should.
“I will be on my best behaviour tonight, love. Just for you.” I wink and give her a little bow. That’s probably too over the top but it gets a laugh from her so it’s worth it.
“Good,” Andrew sneers in my direction. “I plan to keep her very occupied tonight.”
Ugh, that guy is such a creep.
“Yeah, we’ll see,” is all Denise says. She looks a little uncomfortable. “See you all later.”
Denise and Andrew leave, and the rest of us stay to enjoy our dinner.
Alex looks over at me, checking if I’m OK. She knows I have a thing for Denise, and she knows that I’m doing my best to stay out of her business with Andrew.
“That was a little weird.” Aiden is sitting to my right. He’s noticed my crush too, but he hasn’t come right out and said anything. “I’m not sure I really like Andrew.”
“Me neither,” Alex says, still looking at me. “Why is he always whispering in her ear? And she always looks uncomfortable when he does it. There’s something weird about him.”
“Agreed.” I put my napkin on my plate. I’ve had three helpings already. There’s no way I could fit anything else in my stomach.
“I have crème brûlée for dessert,” Alex offers. “I’m so excited to try my new torch.”
“Leave it to my girl to want to play with fire for the sake of dessert.” Connor’s pulled Alex down to sit on his lap, and he’s kissing along her jaw while she tries to stand.
“I’m going to have to pass, Alex. I couldn’t eat another bite if I tried.” I’m already going to need to open the top button on my jeans as soon as possible, I’m that full.
“Well, I’m going to get a few ready, anyway. Connor, can you help me?” Alex gets out of Connor’s grip and she walks out of the dining room.
