Page 81 of Selfless

She wraps her arms around me, surprising me, and Ryder chuckles. “It’s great to meet you,” she says as she pulls away. “Becca has told me so much about you.”

My eyes widen in surprise. Becca never talks to me much about her family.

“Look at you.” She looks at Ryder and punches him in the arm. “Finally growing up.”

He laughs. “Well, I won’t keep you,” he says as if he’s getting uncomfortable. “I just wanted to see you before the show got started and then you were too busy taking pictures or running off to catch your plane for your honeymoon.”

She gives him one last hug and then gives me another. We walk out of the room and make our way to the back of the house. When we walk outside, I see seats lined up forever. “Wow!” I say wide-eyed as I look at the abundance of red roses that line the aisle. They’re on either side and then wrapped around the white pillars underneath the awning. “This is a big wedding,” I say quietly.

“I think she has four hundred coming.”

My eyes widen. “I don’t even know that many people.”

He laughs as he places his hand on the small of my back. “They’re mainly their fathers’ friends. People like my father use opportunities like this to show off.” I frown when I hear the tension in his voice. He hasn’t mentioned his father in the past week. Not since we had the family meeting at Rosie’s.

“What does your uncle do?” I ask. That’s one thing we’ve never discussed. His family.

“He’s in oil,” he says.

He guides me down the ten steps off the porch and onto the red carpet that lines the aisle as well. “Why didn’t he help your father with O’Kane Enterprises?” I wonder.

He reaches down and fiddles with his Rolex as if a nervous habit. “Because it wasn’t left to him,” he says curtly.

I nod my head and drop it. It’s obviously a sore subject. “Come on; let’s go find Becca and Jaycent,” he says as a guy dressed in a white tuxedo walks by carrying a tray of flutes filled with bubbly. He grabs two and hands me one. I take a sip. Hmm. It’s champagne.

“Where are your parents?” I ask, looking at the people standing around, but I don’t see his mother or father anywhere. “Have you seen your dad?” I’m not all that excited to see his mom, but I have become quite fond of Timothy.

“No and I don’t know.”

I stop walking. “Are you okay?” He comes to a stop as well and turns to face me. His eyes look hard and his jaw sharp. “Did I say something to upset you?” He was fine not five minutes ago.

He stares down at me for a few long seconds, and he lifts his hand to my cheek. I place my hand on his, my charm bracelet dangling from it as the charms clink together. He looks at it, and then his eyes come back to mine. They soften, and he sighs. “Not at all. I just don’t care to see my mother.”

That’s one thing I can agree on. But if I had to choose between her and Vicki, I’d choose her. But it’s bound to happen. I know they’re both here somewhere.

He leans in to whisper in my ear. “Have I told you that you look absolutely gorgeous tonight?”

“Yes,” I say in a whisper, my chest rising and falling fast from his words. All I can think about is him and me in that large bed rolling around sweaty and panting.

He runs his hands up and down my arms, leaving goose bumps from his soft touch. “I can’t wait until this wedding is over.” He licks his lips as his dark green eyes fall to my chest. “I’m gonna play with you tonight.”

Wetness pools between my legs, and I tighten them. “I have to go to the restroom,” I say suddenly.

He smirks. “I’ll show you the way, darling.”

I step into a master bath and walk past the sink and mirror to the door over in the corner to see it separates the toilet from the rest of the bathroom.

I’m in the separate room when I hear the door open and then a woman’s voice. “Did you see her?”

“Yes. I can’t believe he brought her here,” another woman answers.

I freeze as a sickening feeling hits me. Are they talking about Ryder bringing me? They can’t be. Can they?

I hear the door open again, and then I hear a familiar voice. “Vicki. How have you been?”

It’s Becca, and she just said Vicki. Just great! Once again, the door opens and closes as if the other woman who came in with Vicki left.

“Becca,” she says coldly. “Surprised to see you here?”

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