I sign the picture, and Mindy escorts Rodney away, then waves the next fan forward.
I shake hands, scribble my name, and smile, but the reality of Ryder throwing herself in front of me at the hint of danger reminds me of what we’re doing here. She’s doing her job, but the thought of her taking any kind of hit for me has my body breaking out in a fiery ball of fury.
Whatever I’m quickly sailing into with Ryder is uncharted waters, but I don’t know if I can have her putting herself in harm’s way for me. I couldn’t stand it if something happened.
I glance at her as she resumes duty.
But what if this is truly only a job for her? I’m still just the person she’s supposed to protect.
I told her the truth earlier. I’ve never been more terrified in my life.
What if all I am is a temporary assignment, and when there’s no more potential danger, she disappears, too?
Chapter 29
RYDER
ME: We need to dig further into Mindy, the Stingrays’s PR rep. I might’ve been wrong.
TRACKER: I’ll get someone on it. Sit tight.
______
“Sooo…”
Jamie lets it hang there like I have some sort of juicy secret to spill.
“What?” I say, around a large mouthful of gooey brownie that is pure chocolatey heaven in my mouth.
“Ugh. Don’t even “what” us,” Jos groans. “We’ve hardly seen you these past weeks. You cannot tell us thatnothinghas been happening.”
I shove the last bite in my mouth and lick my fingers. With Cole’s cookies gone, these brownies are everything I’ve needed.
Are they as good? No. Will I eat another or maybe two? Definitely yes.
“You all clearly think living with Cole is way more exciting than it is?”
Jos’s head falls to the back of the couch in annoyance, and Van lowers one eyelid.
If she thinks that squinty eye will intimidate me into sharing the thoughts rolling around in my head lately, she’s got another thing coming. Those thoughts and feelings are staying tuckedaway inside my brain where no one else can see them. Hell, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to see them.
“Well, fine then,” Jamie says, snatching the pan of brownies off the coffee table. “Then I’m not sharing either.”
This little redhead didnotjust steal my pan full of joy.
“You’re eating your feelings.” Jamie shoves the side of the pan against her hip, holding it hostage. “And given that you were about to reach for a third, there area lotof feelings you’re trying to drown with sugar.”
“We’ve got her by the balls now, boys,” Jos says in an old-timey announcer voice and high-fives Jamie.
Van’s prim and proper ass laughs.
“That man eats nothing but healthy food. You guys really suck.” I flop back on the couch in defeat.
“If you’d just tell us, then you could get back to eating your way into a sugar coma.” Jamie wiggles the pan of brownies in front of her like a master with treats.
Whydid Cole have to have an away game? We’d be sitting in amicable silence, watching football,nottalking about all the feelings floating close to the surface—feelings I can see and sense, but I’m not allowing close enough to identify.
“Come on. It’s so boring around here,” Jos whines.
