Page 141 of As The Shifter World Turns

While Seb had his issues and he wasn’t my favorite person, I had to give him points for stepping up and helping Ryder’s ex.

Kellan got out of the car and my gaze went to his small baby bump. “This is goodbye, Ryder.”

Once again, he ignored me but Ryder took my hand and his ex’s eyes took note of that. I understood the pain of loving someone and them not returning your feelings. You wanted to scream and throw something at them.

But the difference between Kellan and most other people was that they didn’t act on those feelings. He manipulated everyone, most of all Ryder. And sure the stag shifter stepped right in it, and he had to accept responsibility for his actions, but it was hard to tell what was truth and what was fiction with Kellan’s lies.

And the times he’d cheated on Ryder showed it wasn’t that he cared about him but he hated something about himself. I wouldn’t miss his presence and hoped he’d find happiness but kept my mouth shut. He didn’t want to hear from me.

“I wish I could have seen you as a father,” Kellan told Ryder and I almost threw up. The baby inside me was mine and Ryder’s and I hated that Kellan even mentioned our little one. “Our kids will be a similar age.”

If he suggested they could have playdates when he came back to town, I’d lose it. But Ryder didn’t let himself be drawn into that possible mess.

“Kellan we have to go.”

It was late in the day to be starting a road trip but maybe they were stopping at a motel for the night.

“Does Daire know you’re leaving?” Ryder asked Seb.

“He does.”

Kellan put his hand out to Ryder and he shook it.

“Drive safe,” Ryder said as they got in the car.

Neither of us waved goodbye or waited until they left. Instead, Ryder put his hand behind my back and we walked toward the building.

“He’s gone,” I said as I walked up the stairs in front of Ryder.

“Yeah, can’t say I’m sorry about that.”

“Me neither.”

I headed into the bathroom for a shower while Ryder started dinner and I was grateful for the time alone. Did Kellan’s leaving make a difference to me and Ryder? It occurred that I may have been using Kellan as an excuse not to mate. And now that barrier had been removed, there was nothing standing in our way. Was it that I didn’t trust Kellan or was I unsure that Ryder could be the alpha I wanted him to be?

So many questions and I didn’t have the answers.

56

GREEN EYES

Ryder

I had to admit that while hiring someone had been a grade A pain in the butt from figuring out who was good enough, to the breakdown where I ended up drawing a name at random and then having not one, but two people whose names were picked turning down the job. No part of the process was fun. But at the end of the day I ended up with Trey and he was doing a pretty great job.

If I had one complaint it was that all the delivery guys took their sweet time doing their jobs so they could oogle him. And really, had I not been madly in love with the father of my baby, I’d have looked twice at him probably. He was stunning. We had nothing in common and looking would be all it was, but I understood their interest. I just wish it didn’t slow productivity down.

“Hey, boss man, I know I’m new here, but can I have off next Saturday? This guy I’m seeing got invited to some art thing and he wants me to go.”

“Yeah, I don’t see why not. I’ll try to be flexible whenever I can.” I had those bosses that controlled your free time because they could at my first job and I planned to never be that guy. “Tell me about the art thing.”

“I have no idea,” he chuckled. “He asked me to go and I said yes. That’s the extent of it. Sometimes guys are just… sometimes you always say yes.” He blushed and looked down at the desk. Adorable.

“I get that.” I did too. I would pretty much do anything Ivor asked. “I’m going to grab a sandwich. Need anything?”

“Nah. Someone made me one.” And there was that blush again. So sweet.

I ran to the sandwich shop and grabbed a turkey sub and chips, rushing back. I had some invoices to enter into the books before I could go home and Iwas hoping to leave early. Ivor didn’t work on Saturdays and I was hoping he'd be up for an early movie at home. He was at that sleepy stage of his pregnancy so if it wasn’t done before seven, he’d be sleeping through it.

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