Page 30 of Ashes to Ink

“Know that you and the girls were talking about our datelast night? Yeah, I know, and I don’t mind. The guys asked me about it, and Ididn’t go into detail, but I did say that we went on a date.”

“I might have gone into a little bit more detail,” she said,cringing.

Ryan laughed, that deep belly laugh that went straight toher core. “See? And now I’m going to have to look Adrienne in the eyes latertoday and know that she knows something that I’m not sure I want her to know.”

“I’m sorry, Ryan.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’m just kidding with you. And I did comeover here for a purpose.”

“Peppermint tea?”

He shook his head, and her stomach filled with butterfliesagain. “I like the tea, but I think I like you more.”

“You think?” Once again, her voice was a whisper. And notbecause she didn’t want anyone to hear. Because it was just her and him, justthem in the space.

“Oh, I know, but I didn’t want to sound too forward.”

“I don’t mind, at least about that.”

“Good, then let’s do it again.”

“The sex? Or when I talk about Max for hours?” She hadn’tmeant to blurt that out, but here she was, being a dork again.

“Either. Both? And you didn’t talk about Max for hours. Ijust want to get to know you. I mean, I know you, but I want to know you more.And I want to go on another date.”

“I think I’d like that.”

Before they could say anything else, the bell over the doorrang, and both of them turned.

When Ryan suddenly put his body between her and the personcoming through the door, his shoulders going back, and his hands fisting at hissides, she knew that something was wrong.

And she knew that this might end badly.

“What are you doing here, Michael?”

Chapter Eight

Ryan’s stomach lurched as Michael took another step into Teas’d.

Michael being here couldn’t be good. In fact, Ryan knew thatwhatever Michael had in store, it would likely hurt everybody in the end. It alwaysdid when it came to Michael.

“What are you doing here, Michael?” Ryan asked again whenhis brother didn’t say anything. Michael looked around the tea shop, and Ryanknew that his brother was taking in everything as if he were casing the place.Michael would see random bags of tea, containers for it, and teapots andhandmade ceramics. He wouldn’t see anything valuable, but that was his brother.He only saw value in monetary worth. Whatever he could use to get more drugs oruse more people.

He wouldn’t see the heart and the soul of the place.Wouldn’t see all of the hard work that Abby had put into everything that shedid. He wouldn’t see the way she had arranged each of the areas so that peoplefelt like they were at home and could just sit right down and have a cup oftea.

He wouldn’t see the different flavorings and the ways thatAbby did her best to make sure it felt like it was a new season with each oneso her customers felt like they could just sip and enjoy their time.

Michael wouldn’t see any of that.

He wouldn’t see the value in what Abby had, or even in whoshe was.

But Ryan did.

And because he knew that Michael always saw what Ryan had,wanted what was Ryan’s and coveted it for himself, Ryan had to get his brotherout of this place before he screwed it all up. Ryan knew that he could screw upeverything just fine on his own, he didn’t need the help of his drug-addictedbrother.

And Michael was completely stoned off his ass right then.

Ryan could see the glassy sheen in eyes so like his own setin his brother’s sunken face. He could see the dark shadows beneath those eyes.He could see his brother’s state in the way Michael suddenly twitched, itchinga spot on his arm through his jacket. He could see it in the way Michael staggeredjust a little as he took another step into the store.