“Absolutely. There’s no way I can commit to full-bodyhairlessnessif these are the methods required.”
“Tell me you didn’t wax your chest?” I snicker as I picture him going full40 Year Old Virginand screaming out ‘Kelly Clarkson’ like Steve Carell did in that movie.
“I waxed my everything,” he says, “and I do not recommend it.” I can just see him pushing his lower lip out in a big pout.
Uncontrollable laughter bursts out of my mouth and tears start to stream down my face. I’m picturing Ryder writhing in anguish as a big mean lady slathers him in hot wax and rips it off while he cries. It’s so hard to see through my tears that I pull off the road and into the parking lot of a small diner.
“Oh yeah, thanks for laughing at my pain. I won’t forget this next time you get your asshole waxed and bleached and are looking for sympathy.”
That just makes me laugh harder. Tears run down my cheeks and drip onto the steering wheel as I bend over, holding my stomach. My breath comes in gasps, and my laughs are nothing more than open-mouthed wheezes at this point. I can’t remember when I’ve ever laughed this hard.
I take a few minutes before I can get myself under control and catch my breath. Ryder waits patiently on the phone the whole time, an occasional chuckle from him my only sign that he’s still there.
“What are you doing before the party?” I ask, on a whim. “Want to grab an early dinner with me, or do you need to go help Connor finish setting up?”
“Fuck that!” Ryder exclaims. “I have already sacrificed all of my body hair for this proposal. I’m not planning to do anything else but have drinks, play his song, and say congratulations. So yes, I’d love to grab dinner.”
That gets another chuckle out of me. “I was laughing so hard I had to pull over and I’m here at a diner. Do you know where Maggie’s is? On 108th Street, downtown?”
“I know where that is. I’ll meet you there in about fifteen minutes?”
“Sounds good, see you soon.” I say before disconnecting the call.
I can’t believe I just asked Ryder to meet me for dinner. Why would I torture myself like this when I know I can’t start anything with him?
He made me laugh so hard though, and I could really use the good cheer right now. It’s not fair to either of us really, but it’s so hard to think straight when I have such a good time just talking to him. The invitation to dinner was out of my mouth before I even knew I was thinking about it. Last I knew, I was going home to nap before the party, and then suddenly I was asking Ryder out to eat.
Getting out of my car, I go into the diner and find us a place to sit. I choose a booth in the front window and I sit facing the door so I can see when Ryder comes in. The server brings me menus and I ask for a chocolate milkshake. I’ve been craving one forever. OK, not really forever, only since I walked in here and saw that Maggie’s is apparently home to ‘Westborough’s finest double cup milkshake’. So I’ve been craving it for all of three minutes, but, hey, pregnancy cravings are intense and forceful and not to be denied. At least when it’s the only liquid courage I can have before I face Ryder. Not that this place looks like it serves alcohol, even if I’d been able to have some.
I look over the menu while waiting for Ryder, and I hear a buzz from my cell phone. Shit, I hope he’s not cancelling. I flip over my phone to look. Nope, it’s just Andrew.
Andrew- What are you up to? Want some company for dinner?
What is he thinking? He knows the party is tonight.
Me- No thanks, just getting ready before heading out to the party tonight. I’ll talk to you next week.
Andrew-Oh right, that’s tonight. OK, I’ll talk to you later then.
I put my phone on silent, and I’m just putting it into my purse when I see Ryder pull into the lot. He parks next to my car and gets out. I can’t help but check him out. He’s wearing dark jeans that hug his ass and quads with a grey, well-worn, looser fit, v-neck t-shirt. He’s wearing black Chuck Taylors like he usually does and has mirrored aviator sunglasses shielding his eyes. The man looks practically edible.
I wave him over when he looks around to find me, and I see his face light up when he sees me. Andrew never looked that happy to see me, not once in our entire time together. How sad is it that I was going to settle for that? That I was going to attempt to make that work? I’m shaking my head at my stupidity when Ryder makes it to the table and takes a seat across from me.
“What’s wrong?” he asks while hooking his sunglasses into the front of his shirt. “Why are you shaking your head?”
Before I can answer, the server arrives with my milkshake. My enormous double milkshake. There’s enough here for me, Ryder, and the table sitting across the aisle from us.
“WOW!” I exclaim. “This thing is huge. Want to split this with me?” I ask Ryder.
“Sure, it looks amazing. I saw the sign on the way in, and I was going to get a milkshake, anyway. Now that I see the size of it I think it’s better if I just share with you.” He looks at the server. “Can I get a cup of coffee too, please?”
She nods her head while fluttering her eyelashes at him, which sends a shock of jealousy through my body.He’s mine!I say in my head before I can stop myself. That’s not even right, anyway. He’s not mine. He can’t be mine. This baby is mine, that’s all.
“So what’s good here?” Ryder asks while opening the menu?
“No idea,” I say. “I’ve never been here, I just pulled in when I couldn’t see to drive because I was laughing so hard I was crying. I figured it was as good a place as any. Dinner wasn’t even on my mind before that; I was on my way home for a nap.”
“A nap? Are you still not feeling well?” The concern in Ryder’s eyes makes me like him just a little more.
