Page 93 of Call Sign: King
Ryder had met Reaper’s mom many times over the years. She lived in San Antonio, close enough to The Ranch that she came for visits pretty often. Now that he thought about it, she was probably coming to visit so she could cook and clean for her only son.
“Ma, I haven’t forgotten. It’s just that I’m feeling fine. I don’t need to be babied. I need to get back to work,” Gabriel argued.
If his team leader thought he was going to get any help from Ryder on his argument, he’d be disappointed.
“There is no need to rush back to The Ranch. I’m giving everyone the next week off, including myself. We all need to decompress and heal.”
“But I’m sure there have to be cake orders starting to back up.”
“The cake orders can wait. That’s the great thing about being private contractors. We take the jobs we can, but we can also pass on those we can’t. This week, we can’t.”
Ryder was saying the words to convince himself as much as he was Gabriel. He hadn’t turned down many jobs in the past — choosing to push the team to have the biggest impact they could, knowing they did important work. But going forward, he wouldn’t forget that family and friends — relationships — were more important than cake orders.
Ryder let Doc and Khloe take the lead, chatting with Reaper and his mom until that internal urge to get Khloe behind closed doors again couldn’t be ignored.
“Come wife,” he said, pulling Khloe’s hand in an attempt to leave. “We’ll be seeing the Garcias again soon, since I’m guessing Reaper is going to con his mother into staying with him at The Ranch instead of at her house.”
The men exchanged a knowing look.
Khloe gave Reaper a kiss on his cheek before hugging Mrs. Garcia goodbye. “See you both soon, and thanks again.”
Doc and Hawkeye were waiting in the hall for them. Ryder wanted nothing more than to leave.
“You know, Ricky is doing well. Maybe you could just call him… “
“Ryder Helms, I am not leaving this hospital without seeing Ricky.”
Well alright then.
“We might be too late. They are releasing him today.” Hawkeye must have picked up on Ryder’s growing anxiety because he tried to reassure him.
When they entered Ricky’s room a minute later, Ryder realized they probably should have knocked first since Michael was kneeling in front of a wobbly Ricky, holding out a pair of sweatpants for Khloe’s long-time personal assistant to step into.
Ryder may have been embarrassed at walking in on Ricky dressing, but the patient couldn’t have cared less.
“Khloe!” he shouted. “Oh, thank God. I’ve been so worried.”
Forgetting about dressing, Ricky let the hospital gown he’d been holding up fall as he rushed into his wife’s arms. As emotional as this day had been for everyone, it was Ricky who seemed to be the most emotional as he burst into sobs as he clung to his boss for dear life.
“I thought you were dead!”
And that was all it took for Khloe to finally break down into the first real tears she’d shed since she’d thought Ryder had been captured by the Volkovs. She’d been so strong… so positive… so worried about everyone else. Seeing her finally breaking down — whether from relief or pent-up anxiety — hurt his heart. He hated to see her cry unless those tears were on her knees at his feet.
Get your head out of the gutter asshole. Your wife needs you.
Stepping up close, Ryder wrapped his arms around her. Both Khloe and Ricky were so thin, he was able to get them both into his embrace, quietly holding them all together for long minutes until he felt the pieces of their broken hearts for all they’d been through slowly getting pieced back together again.
As their tears subsided, Ryder peeled them from their group hug and took the tissues Doc was holding out to them.
“Here you go,” handing one to Ricky. “Everything is going to be okay now.”
Pulling Khloe to face him, Ryder smiled at the mess she’d made of her make-up. Holding the tissue to her running nose, he ordered her to, “Blow for me, Princess.”
Her soft, “Yes, sir,” reminded him of her unwavering trust in him.
“You feeling better?” he asked, trying to clean up her splotchy makeup, knowing she’d hate meeting the doctors and nurses looking a mess.
“Now that I’ve seen everyone, yeah, I am.”
