Page 56 of Follow My Heart

“It wasn’t a big deal.” In fact, it worked out better than we could have imagined. I got some much-needed time alone with Ryder.

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep in the car.” Faith took a large bite of pancake.

“It was a long day,” Ryder said to her, and then smiled at me. “Pancakes?”

“Yes, please.” I sat next to Faith, wondering if this was how mornings would always be at Ryder’s house when Faith was home.

Ryder stacked a couple of pancakes on a plate, then slid it over to me. “Coffee?”

“Please.” It felt a little weird to be served because it was usually me cooking breakfast for my guests or just for myself.

“What are your plans for the day?” I asked them.

“We haven’t decided yet. Maybe we’ll drive to a ski resort in Pennsylvania and go snow tubing.”

“That sounds fun.”

“It’s nice to have some time off.” Ryder stood and ate his pancakes.

The kitchen was messy from his efforts to cook. It wasn’t the sterile kitchen we’d had growing up. Mom enjoyed a spotless house, and my messy ways irritated her.

The lingering thoughts that I wasn’t good enough for my parents threatened to spoil the day.

Ryder was a good man. He loved his job, his daughter, and he genuinely wanted a family.

Would I fit in, or would he decide that I didn’t measure up? I tried to shake off the doubt and eat my pancakes.

“You work today, right?” Ryder asked as he rinsed his dish and placed it in the dishwasher.

“During the day, but Julia’s closing for me.”

“Want to come over afterward? We can get something for dinner and watch a movie.”

“That would be great.”

He was making an effort to include me in his life, and I appreciated that. I just needed to clear the doubts, or they’d be the end of us.

I helped him clean the kitchen. Then I waved goodbye to Faith. She was going to watch TV while he drove me home.

In the truck, I said, “She seemed okay with me staying overnight.”

“She found me on the couch. I can’t imagine what she would have thought if she’d come to my room and found us together.”

That was a good reminder to be careful and not get lost in the moment. We had a twelve-year-old girl’s feelings to consider. “I didn’t even hear you slip out last night.”

He flashed a smile in my direction. “I can be a ninja when I want to be.”

“Sorry I didn’t return the favor last night.”

He glanced over at me. “I told you last night was for you. We’ll have plenty of time.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” I said, and his eyes heated.

“Me too.”

The fact that we had to be careful because of Faith ratchetted up my desire for him. We had small moments, and we had to make them count.

He pulled in front of my house. “You’ll come over tonight?”

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