Page 38 of Something to Someone

Ryder: That’s what I thought ;) I can’t wait to see you

I caught myself smiling down at my phone and quickly straightened my features. We hadn’t seen each other since he’d been at my house a week and a half before. With wedding season in full swing and him in the middle of finals, we hadn’t had any time to even try.

My mind was still in chaos knowing what we’d done, and the first time I’d seen Natalie afterward made my gut churn with guilt. I felt guilty for doing it, but even more, I felt guilty because I really wanted to do it again. And I hadn’t shut down Ryder’s obvious advances.

We hadn’t seen each other since that afternoon, but that hadn’t kept Ryder from texting me and calling. Or kept me from answering every single time. Butterflies, I felt fucking butterflies when his name popped up on my screen, or I heard his voice.

Jessica excused herself to the restroom, and Natalie turned to me.

“So, you haven’t told me about the guy from last week,” she said, and I made it a point not to look at her. Instead, I continued fanning myself with the program. She hadn’t brought it up before, I wasn’t sure why she decided now was the time to do so.

“There’s nothing to tell. He was…a man,” I said, knowing she wouldn’t let it go if I didn’t say something.

I felt her stare boring into the side of my face, and I readjusted in my seat. “That’s all? You’re not going to tell me anything else about him?”

“What do you want to know?” I shouldn’t have asked, but the words were out of my mouth before I considered the repercussions. And of course, it would be my luck that she would ask the single worst question possible.

“Do I know him?”

I stopped fanning myself and whipped my head in Natalie’s direction. Guilt and anxiety slipped through me. Caught off guard by her question, I swallowed before I answered.

“I don’t think you’ve known any of the men I’ve slept with before,” I said simply.

She shook her head. “I mean, have you talked about him before? Do I knowofhim?”

“No, I haven’t talked about him before.” My voice wavered, but the slight shake was concealed by the music that erupted from the speakers positioned around the courtyard.

Jessica also squeezed past us at that moment which I thought was enough to draw Natalie’s attention. But she never missed anything. She cut her eyes at me as she smiled up at Jessica. When she took her seat, Natalie nudged my leg with hers.

“You’re acting weird,” she said. “Is this one different?”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I swallowed and shrugged as the processional began. But that was what I was afraid of, that he was different.

The ceremony was long. It likely wouldn’t have felt as long as it did if it hadn’t been so hot, but we made it. And were gathered underneath another tree, waiting for Theo and Ryder to find us for the required photo ops.

Mark, Jessica, and Natalie constantly scanned the surrounding crowd for the two of them. But everyone was wearing the same black gown and funny hat, so I leaned against the tree and waited for them to find us.

I pushed my sunglasses on top of my head and looked up at the exact moment Ryder and Theo stepped through the crowd. Theo spotted me then immediately searched out Natalie whom he scooped into his arms and spun around.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mark flinch, but he refrained from saying anything. Instead, he stepped toward his son. But the moment Ryder found me, his eyes didn’t move, and a slow smile slid across his lips. My skin flushed, and for once, it wasn’t due to the heat.

Intercepted by his father and his outstretched hand, Ryder was forced to look away. He shook his dad’s hand and gave Jessica a side-hug. They congratulated him, and he thanked them both for coming, but he couldn’t get away fast enough.

I pushed off the tree and bit my lower lip as he tugged me forward and wrapped his arms around me. My hands slid around his waist and across the scratchy graduation robe. Rather than get lost in the embrace like I wanted to, I tried to pull back when the appropriate amount of time passed. But Ryder didn’t let me go.

“Thanks for coming, pretty girl,” he muttered against my ear.

“Any time, Trouble.”

Finally, he stepped back, and his eyes raked down my dress. “God, you look good.”

I straightened and tried to appear unaffected by the way his sincerity-laced voice dropped.

“Let’s take some photos!” Natalie exclaimed, and both Ryder and I jerked our heads in her direction.

“Whatever you want, Mom,” Ryder said, and emotion hit me directly in the center of the chest with the reminder.

They took photos in every combination I could think of—Ryder with his parents, Ryder with his dad and Jessica, Theo with Natalie, Theo, Ryder, and Natalie together. Ryder had even requested one with me and Natalie squeezed between him and Theo.

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