Page 101 of Broken Bonds

Her happiness.

Her comfort.

Her safety.

There’s nothing I wouldn’t do, nothing I wouldn’t give to secure a future with her. Her beauty is far more than skin deep. Her soul shines so brightly she makes the world a better place simply by being in it.

If I’m lucky, I’ll get to wake up next to her one day. To see her grow and flourish as a mother and beyond.

If I’m lucky?

I’ll be standing beside her through it all.

Sometime after one, we have to call Jillian in for backup because we’re swamped. Things are finally starting to die down from the random lunch rush we just got, which has me wondering why we don’t serve food here. It could be something to look into. Maybe I’ll bring it up to Maribel… or Ramsey.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and when I pull it out, I don’t recognize the number. I signal to Forde that I’m taking a break and walk down the back hallway quickly to the exit, answering just before the call is sent to voicemail.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Rion. It’s, um, it’s Ramsey. I hope you don’t mind, but I asked Jilly for your number,” she says, a nervous chuckle echoing down the line.

My heart stutters painfully in my chest as I lean against the wall of the building, my eyes closing involuntarily when I register her voice.

“Of course, I don’t mind. I should have already given you my number,” I tell her, walking over to a picnic table a few feet away to sit down. “Is everything okay?”

“Oh, yes. Everything is fine. I’m calling to ask you, well, I suppose it’s a favor, but I’d like for it to be considered a date.” She blows out a nervous breath and I can just imagine her cheeks turning the brightest shade of red. “I need someone to drive me to get everything I need to cook for you guys tonight, and then I wondered if maybe you’d like to help me? And you know… spend some time together?”

She’s rambling now, and I can’t help but grin, laughing under my breath.

“Hey, Ray?” I say, interrupting her.

I rest my head in my hand, grinning down at the damn table like a lovesick teenager.

“Yeah?”

“I’d love to.”

I can practically hear the smile in her voice when she says, “Great. It’s a date. Can you come pick me up in maybe… an hour?”

“See you then.”

Grinning like a maniac, I walk back inside and stop by Maribel’s office to let her know I’m getting ready to leave. I open the door when she calls for me to come in, poking my head in instead of walking all the way in.

“Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I’m about to leave. I’m going to help Ramsey,” I tell her, unable to contain my excitement.

It’s just going to be us two for the first time. And she wants it to be a date!

Fuck yes!

Maribel raises her brows at me, pursing her lips.

“You behave with my girl, ya hear? If you don’t know what she wants for sure, don’t do it. Other than that, make her smile, handsome. ‘Bout godsdamn time,” she says, giving me a lopsided grin and shooing me away.

I walk behind the bar to grab my jacket and keys, nearly walking right into Forde when I turn to leave. He narrows his eyes on me as I slip my arms into my jacket, straightening it out.

“Where the hell are you going? And why are you so… happy?”

“None of your business,” I say, but I still can’t stop smiling.

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