Page 90 of Forgotten Pieces

“T, so nice of you two show up,” Easton jokes as I step up onto the deck.

I lift my sunglasses off my eyes, hoping some remnants of dark circles appear. “Laney kept me up late and got me drunk. Needed to sleep it off.”

“I’m sure that margarita will make you feel better,” he answers as he nods toward the drink Rae brought me.

“Absolutely,” I say as I hand him the bottle of wine I stole from Ryder’s house. “I brought you a fruit salad.”

“If this is your version of a fruit salad I am concerned.”

“You’ll live,” I joke as I smack his cheek. “Where is my nephew?”

“Right here,” Harper says as she walks out of the house with Theo in her arms. “He has been waitin’ on you.”

I smile as I take him into my arms.

“Ryder, you came!” she exclaims as she sees his brooding self behind me.

“I had to force him out of the house. Mac has been concerned. So I dragged him here.”

Mac walks over with a beer in his hand. “Likely story.”

I glare at him before turning back to my sister-in-law. “Well since a few of us are in need of hangover cures, let’s drink.”

“I got here like two hours ago. You two should have too,” Mac says. “I thought y’all might be as dead as Laney is. She can’t even take the pillow off her eyes.”

“You know I had to get my work out in,” Ryder chimes in as I fail to hold back a snort. “I brought a pasta salad.”

“That’s nice of you,” my brother says as he walks up to us. “Better than T’s wine.”

“I’ll have you know I spent a lot of time picking out that bottle.”

“Sure, sis,” he says as he pats me on the head and walks over to man the grill.

I hand my nephew back to Harper as we all take seats on the couches. I sit next to my sister and Ryder takes a seat as far away from me as possible. Ivy and Trace are here so we all converse and joke around for a few hours while enjoying food and drinks.

Ryder has been quiet most of the time, but at least I got him out. I think his PTSD makes him uncomfortable in social situations. He is tense at the bar when it’s crowded but as soon as the crowd lets up he relaxes. I talk with Mac a lot and I am grateful Mac engages with him to keep his mind occupied. I hate that he went through what he did. And I hate that his stupid fiancée can’t see how amazing he is. He struggles, but who doesn’t these days. And every time we can talk and relax he let’s go, letting his mind steer clear of his trauma.

I know I have a lot to do with it. I know he has trouble opening up to people. I wonder if he can’t do that with his fiancée. Maybe if he did, things would change between us. Maybe he wouldn’t want me like he does. I should do the right thing and talk to her. Let her know what he needs. But I am selfish and these feelings I have for the man sitting across the deck from me are too strong for me to just let go.

“Good thing you have sunglasses on or else everyone would know you are in love with Ryder.”

I nearly jump out of my seat as Rae whispers in my ear. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Doyouwant to help me make more margaritas?” she says emphasizing the you.

I know I don’t have an option. I am sure my sister will say something publicly just to get me to spill the beans. We are related, we tend to do the same thing sometimes. “Fine.”

We head into the house and I start pouring tequila into the mixer.

“You not gonna say anything?” she asks me.

“What is there to say?”

“Oh come on, T. I can see it. It’s plain as day. You love Ryder.”

I smash up some limes on the hand juicer. “It’s not what you think.”

“It’s not what I think? Girl, you have not taken your eyes off him the whole time you’ve been here. Those glasses may hide it from everyone else, but I can see it. Not to mention you just showed up with him. And don’t give me some bullshit excuse of him being on the way here. Mac is Brooks’ best friend. I know how he is and he was making references to the two of you all day.”

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