Page 40 of Ryder

Funny, I never thought to ask.

“Jimmy,” Luca fills me in.

I snort. “Jim?”

“Shut up, Ryder.” Crystal’s mouth is a hard line, but I’ll take that over her hostility any day of the week. “There’s nothing wrong with the name Jimmy.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” I fire back.

“Now, now, children.” Luca laughs, albeit a little nervously. “There’s no need to get all twisted over it. If Ryder’s looking out for you, then that’ll make my life a lot easier, sis.”

She shoots him a glare. “I’m a grown adult, last time I checked. And I’mfine.”

Ooh, the stubborn side rears its ugly head. That didn’t take too long.

The server comes over and I quickly open the menu back up and order. Then Luca stands. “I’m just heading to the restroom. Can you two be civil to one another while I’m gone?”

Crystal dazzles him with a smile. “Always.”

I don’t even dignify him with an answer; I just give him a Boy Scout salute.

As soon as he’s out of earshot, I turn to look at her. “You’re different. Quiet. That’s not like you.”

She smiles, but it doesn’t touch her eyes. “And here I was thinking you were going to say something nice.”

“Quiet isn’t nice?”

“Not that part; the different part.”

“Just tellin’ it like it is.”

She shrugs. “I’ve changed. I grew up, it happens.” She looks down at the table, her brow furrowing as I try to figure out what the hell is going on. I know her. I know her intimately, and this isn’t the same girl I let slip away from me a year ago. She’s always been bubbly, but I can’t get two words out of the woman.

“So he’s really stuck in a business meeting? Seems sus.”

She bites her lip, a surefire way of telling me she’s lying. “Just shut up about it.”

I pique a brow. “Really?”

“Ryd, you’re acting like a jealous boyfriend or something. Let’s just change the subject because clearly we can’t have an adult conversation about any of this.”

“I don’t want to change the subject. I wanna know why you didn’t tell me you were in New Orleans this whole damn time?”

“Do I have to run everything by the man who took my virginity?” For the first time since I’ve known her, I hear a snark in her voice that hits differently.The fuck am I missing?

“Is that all I’m known as these days?”

She leans forward. “Are we really going to fight about this?”

“No, but I do want to know one thing,” I say carefully.

“Spit it out then.”

“Are you happy?”

She swallows hard and then sits back in her seat. Her voice lowers when she says, “Chatty all of sudden? You’ve been purposely ignoring me and making snide remarks.”

“Answer the fuckin’ question, Crys.”

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