Ryan crosses his arms, now looking thoroughly confused and slightly offended.
I point at him. “You.” His eyes widen. “You and your fucking sunshine.”
“Uh—”
“You barged into my office.” Ryan winces. “You took over our condo.” His mouth twitches. “And you invaded my heart, Ryan Buterbaugh.” His eyes widen.
The words break something open inside me. I brace a hand on the corner of the desk, trying to steady myself.
“Spence—”
I hold up a hand. “No.” He obeys. I swallow hard, then look directly at him. “Then I find out you've been here all along.”
“What?” Confusion flashes across his stupidly gorgeous face.
“The boy with the kind eyes,” I choke out.
Ryan blinks. “Who?”
“Second Sunrise.”
He looks baffled for a moment, then his expression changes, just slightly. “My aunt worked there. But what does that—”
“She took you there a couple times.”
Understanding still hasn't arrived. I pull back the sleeve on my suit jacket, and expose the cufflink. The silver twenty-two catches the light. Ryan's eyes drop to it. “You asked me about this,” I remind him. His gaze remains fixed on the number.
“My mom and I,” I tell him, voice trembling. We were Family Twenty-Two.”
His eyes widen in sudden understanding. I’d told him there were a few years we bounced around shelters, but there’s no reason he would have made the connection. Until I made it for him.
Ryan stares at me, then the cufflink, then me again.
“Oh, Perfect.” His voice barely exists. He reaches toward me. I take a step back because I have to get this out.
“You tried to be nice to me.” My throat chokes on the words. “And I pushed you away.”
“Spence, I can't imagine what you were going through.”
I shake my head. “Let me finish.”
Ryan nods.
“After that experience...” I stare down at the floor. “After losing her.” The words nearly destroy me. “I built a plan. A very detailed plan. I designed my entire life around never being vulnerable again.” I shrug. “And honestly? It worked.”
Ryan's jaw tightens. “Until Travis.”
I nod. “Until Travis.”
His fists bunch.
“But I got back on track.” I meet his eyes. “I lived exactly the life I planned. And then you showed up.”
Ryan's expression melts.
“With your kind eyes.” A tear slides down my cheek.
“And your perfect ass.” He lets out a surprised laugh.
