Page 21 of Save Me

“Hey, Ry,” Jamie said with a grin as he walked over and poured a couple of drinks. “I heard you got in the middle of a fight between my mother and sister last night.”

All he did was nod.

“I’m impressed that you were brave enough to come back. Good on you.”

He shrugged.

“Can I give you a bit of advice?”

“Sure.”

“Don’t bring Ryleigh here on any dates. I think she needs to spend some time away from not only the pub, but the family.” He shook his head. “We all joke how as long as Mom’s picking on Ryleigh, she’s not picking on us, but…I know it’s not fair. So if you’re dating her, please show her it’s okay to not be here all the damn time.”

“Jamie! Order up!” someone called out.

“Gotta go!” Reaching over the bar, he shook Ryker’s hand. “Be good to her or you’ll have all of us on your ass.” And then, with his grin still in place, he walked away.

Interesting family.

And yet…he sort of respected Jamie a little more than he had in the past. The fact that he was looking out for his sister was a good thing. And it was also good how he owned up to the way everyone was allowing her to bear the brunt of their mother’s misplaced attention.

Yeah, that’s one way to describe it…

Finishing his drink, he threw a twenty down on the bar and got up to leave. He spotted a few familiar faces and nodded as he made his way toward the door. Outside, he considered what to do next because that killed all of fifteen minutes.

Twenty if he counted the drive over.

Pulling out his phone, he decided it was early enough to maybe do a few other things in town. Walking down the street and around the corner, he came to the other thing he purchased in Laurel Bay. It was another rehab job, only this one wasn’t finished and he wasn’t sure it ever would be.

Taking the keys from his pocket, Ryker let himself in and locked the door behind him.

The windows were covered in dark paper and so was the glass door so no one could see inside. He wasn’t ready for anyone to see what he’d created, and even the construction crew he’d brought in had signed confidentiality agreements and weren’t allowed to talk to anyone about the project.

Not that there was much to talk about.

Turning on the lights, Ryker slowly made his way around.

The paint was dry, all the fixtures and furniture were in place, and it had all been cleaned and disinfected until everything shined.

And he hadn’t done more than walk through, much like he was doing now.

“What the hell am I waiting for?” It wasn’t the first time he asked himself that question and it certainly wouldn’t be the last, but…he still didn’t have the answer.

Walking toward the back—to the room that was built and designed to his exact specifications—Ryker simply stood in the doorway and stared. His fingers twitched with the need to sit and touch it all. To test out all the equipment and actually create something with it. Only…he couldn’t.

Eventually he was going to have to do something with the space—either open it up and use it or sell it and everything in it.

And right now, both options gave him the same feeling.

Nothing.

This had been his dream for so long and now that it was a reality, it wasn’t quite what he was expecting.

“Maybe I do need to see a shrink,” he murmured, raking a hand through his hair.

Something had to give.

Soon.

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