Page 165 of When Wrecked Meets Ruined
Ridge
I’d spentevery night with Evie for the past two weeks. Not in my bed. Total PG shit. We went to dinner. To the theater where we sat through two slasher films and a zombie apocalypse. We took late-night swims in the lake on my brother’s ranch. And two nights ago, we were driving on the back roads when we got caught in a thunderstorm. At Evie’s insistence, I pulled over, and she hopped out of the truck and danced in the rain.
“I love storms,” she yelled over a clap of thunder followed by a streak of lightning that split the sky in two.
It made sense that Evie loved thunderstorms. Shewasthe storm.
We got soaked to the skin, and the rain poured over us in torrents while we kissed, her lips cold from the rain, her mouth warm, her arms wrapped tightly around me.
She tasted like summer rain and hope and possibility.
But after that kiss, she put on the brakes. We were taking it slow, finding our way back, testing the waters. Her idea, not mine. She insisted that we were just friends, but we both knew it was a lie.
We’d seen each other every day since she arrived. We’d talked and laughed and argued and kissed, but she hadn’t seen my house yet.
The pool was ready, so I’d decided to throw a little housewarming party. Initially, it was just supposed to be a casual Saturday afternoon barbecue/pool party for my family, but it had snowballed. So now I was expecting dozens of guests. High school and college friends, Quinn’s brothers, a few teammates, and God knew who else would crash this shindig.
I texted Evie the morning of the party.Would you mind coming over early to help?
She answered immediately, and I knew it was because she was dying to see my house, but I liked to think it was because she wanted to see me too.
Evie:Sure. What time do you want me?
All the time.
Whenever you can get here. Now would be good.
She arrived an hour later, and I strode out the front door and met her in the driveway. My eyes roamed over her mile-long suntanned legs in wedge sandals. Her dress was short. White. Off-white? Didn’t matter. The skirt was short and skimmed her thighs with a halter neck that left her back bare.
And just like that, I went from being a twenty-six-year-old worth millions to a teenager with a semi and zero game.
“Is this dress okay?” She smoothed her hand over the skirt and adjusted the top.
“It’s more than okay.”
“I just…” She bit the corner of her mouth. “I know you’ve been with models and glamorous women who probably drink champagne. And I know some of your friends are coming, and I….” Her shoulders sagged, and she covered her face with her hands and groaned. “This is so not like me.”
I wrapped my hands around her arms. “Look at me.” She lowered her hands and worried her lip between her teeth. “I’m still me. I’m still Ridge from the junkyard. Yeah, I make a lot of money. Yeah, my clothes are more expensive, and I paid two hundred fucking dollars for this haircut, but I’m still the same guy I was before.”
Her jaw dropped. “You paid two hundred dollars for someone toruinyour hair?”
I chuckled at her outraged expression. “I went to Gideon’s barber.”
Evie rolled her eyes. “I should have known. You have to stay away from him. He’s too fancy.”
I laughed again. “So, you’re saying you don’t like my hair?” I quirked my brows.
“No. I like it. You look great. I guess I just miss the longer hair, that’s all.” She shook her head. “Why are we always talking about hair? Like it even matters.”
I tugged on the end of one of her loose curls. “It’s not really about the hair, is it?”
“No. I guess it’s just symbolic of how much we’ve changed.”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. My circumstances have changed, but I haven’t. And you, Evie Bellamy”—I framed her face in my hands—"will always be the most beautiful girl in the room. That hasn’t changed either.”
She lowered her lashes, a small smile on her lips. “Thank you.” She gave me a playful smack on the arm. “Now show me the house. I’ve been dying to see it.”
NowIwas nervous. Why? Because I wanted her to love this house as much as I did. But there was a lot more to it than that.
