Maybe This Time (18 page)

“Hey, I don’t
know either. You should ask your dad,” she says.

I pull my
phone out of my bra, and call Ryan.

“Hey, babe,”
he answers.

“Are we still
doing dinner?” I ask him, hoping he says yes.

“Yeah, I’ll be
there in an hour.”

“Okay.”

“Bye.”

We both hang
up.

“You’re going
out to dinner with Ryan?” Jade asks, her eyebrows rising.

I frown.
“Yeah, why not?”

“Isn’t it
weird?” she asks, pursing her pink lips.

“Ryan’s my
best friend.” What’s the big deal? I don’t really care if people
don’t get our relationship. We’re friends, really good friends.
Friendships like that are hard to come by.

“What does
Reid say?” she asks, leaning against the bar.

“Reid knows
Ryan and I are close.” He acts like we annoy him but I know he’s
happy we get along so well.

She makes a
noncommittal sound which just pisses me off. I’m about to tell her
as much when a group of customers walk in.

An hour passes
quickly, and soon Ryan walks in to pick me up. He’s dressed in dark
worn jeans and a long sleeve black sweater. His light hair falls
across his forehead, and his baby blue eyes are warm.

“You ready,
babe?”

“Yeah, give me
a minute.” I walk to the staff bathroom and change clothes, then
re-apply some make up. I spray myself with my new Vera Wang
perfume, and I’m good to go.

“Okay, let’s
go.” I say as I walk out, my bag in hand. I say bye to Tag and
Jade, and walk out side by side with Ryan.

He pulls out
of the car park. “What do you feel like eating?”

“Creamy
chicken and mash potatoes,” I answer instantly.

He chuckles
deeply. “I know just the place.”

“So, what’s
new with you?”

“Nothing, same
old. Work hard, play hard.”

“We all know
you play hard. I was at your place the other night,” I tease.

“Oh, like
you’re all innocent. Oh, Reid! Reid!” he imitates, causing me to
burst out laughing, my face turning a little red.

“Are you
blushing? You’re the only girl I know that still blushes.”

“Yeah,
right!”

“I’m serious.
Most girls are forward these days, they don’t blush or get
shy.”

“Maybe the
women you hang around.”

“What does
that mean?”

“Maybe you
should try picking up chicks somewhere different. In a library,
perhaps. I assure you the women who frequent there would probably
be blushers.”

“Stereotype,”
he says in a sing song voice.

I roll my
eyes. “Maybe so, why don’t we put that to the test sometime?”

“You’re on.
What did I do with my time before you moved here?” he asks
playfully.

“Have more
sex?”

He thinks it
over. “You’re probably right. And try to keep an eye on Reid, but
now you’re here for that.”

“Ha!”

“I think
you’re the only person he will listen to.”

“I think
you’re exaggerating,” I reply.

“Oh, please.
He’s so pussy whipped,” he says, then commences to make whipping
noises.

“Mature,
Ryan,” I say, shaking my head and smiling.

“Seriously
though, you’re good for him, babe. I’m happy you’re here,” he says
in a gentle voice.

“I can’t
handle your sweet, Ryan,” I say, looking out the window.

“Don’t get all
hormonal on me,” he says, chuckling.

“Aaand you’re
back.”

“We’re here,
come on.” He says, getting out of the car. I hop out and walk
around to meet him.

“You didn’t
tell me you hired Jade,” I say after we order our food and
drinks.

“I’m sure I
did,” he says, looking around the restaurant.

“Scared of my
reaction, Ryan Knox?”

His eyes snap
to mine and narrow. “I had to hire her. She needed the money and
she was my brother’s girl. Was I a little worried how you would
react? Maybe,” he admits. “But it was also kinda fun, waiting to
see what you'd do.”

“I don’t mind
Jade, and it’s your bar, you can hire who you want.”

“Yeah, but I
was hoping you would think Reid hired her, not me.”

“You’re
evil.”

“There’s
always an evil twin,” he says in a creepy voice.

“Two in some
families,” I tease, poking my tongue out at him.

“Who’s the
babe?” comes a deep voice. I look up into the face of a muscular
man with reddish hair and green eyes. He has a goatee and a
slightly crooked nose.

“None of your
fucking business. Leave,” Ryan demands, his voice dangerously
low.

“I saw you at
the fight, you’re Reid’s bitch?” he leers, staring down my top.

I sit up
straighter in my seat, pulling my top up as high as it can go.

“I’m next up
against Reid,” he says, sounding thrilled. Reid is fighting this
sasquatch of a man? Fucking hell.

“Get the fuck
out of here, before you regret it,” Ryan spits out. His hands
clench on the table, and his jaw is set stubbornly.

“You guys
share this bitch, or what?”

Ryan stands
up. I know this guy is just pushing him, obviously wanting Ryan to
react.

“Ryan,” I say,
my eyes pleading with him. A guy calls out “Frank” and the
sasquatch retreats, his smug chuckles permeating the
restaurant.

“Stupid fuck,”
Ryan curses.

“Don’t let him
get to you. Let’s try to enjoy our meal, okay?”

“Shit, I was
worried about you, babe. If he wanted to fight I have no problem
handling that, hell, both Reid or I could kick his ass. But then
one of his asshole friends would have come up and started to harass
you, I know how these assholes operate.”

“Is that who
Xander got into a fight with?”

“Not the same
guys, but other fighters. There are some good guys who fight, then
there are some dickheads like those, who go looking for fights and
drama everywhere they go.”

“He was
scary,” I admit.

Ryan scowls.
“I’ll never let anything happen to you, babe.”

“I know that,
he just looked like a serial killer.”

Our food
arrives and we wait quietly as they place down our plates.

“Thank you,”
Ryan and I both say to the waitress at the same time.

“Shit, maybe
we are seeing too much of each other,” he jokes, lightening the
mood.

“Cos we're
both polite?”

“Cos we're
speaking at the same time. Even Reid and I don’t do that, and we’re
twins.”

“Sexy twins,”
I correct.

Ryan grins.
“You’re so good for my ego, babe.”

“Trust me,
your ego doesn’t need any stroking, Ryan.” I eye his food. “I want
a bite.”

“Of course you
do,” he says dryly.

“What you’re
like Joey from
Friends
now, you don’t share food?”

“
Friends.
” He chuckles. “We should watch that tonight.”

“Let’s. We
should take home dinner for Reid, too.”

Ryan gives me
a taste of his steak, I give him a bite of my chicken. We finish up
and then head back to their apartment, with a shitload of food for
Reid. I wonder if he’s even home yet. What I don’t expect to see,
as we walk up the stairs to the front door, is a woman standing
there. Dark red hair and fair skin. I can’t tell the colour of her
eyes from where I’m standing, but I instantly recognise her as the
woman from the bar.

“What are you
doing here?” Ryan growls from behind me.

“I need to
talk to Reid,” she says in a stern tone.

“Reid’s moved
on, doc, you needa let him go,” Ryan says, nothing gentle in his
tone. I should have known she'd show up here at some point, because
that’s just how lucky I am. Ryan walks around her, his hand on my
wrist, pulling me closer. While he unlocks the door, my gaze can’t
help but be glued to Reid’s past, I never got a good look at her
the first time around. She’s a lot older than me, that much I can
tell. She must be in her thirties, so older than Reid, too. Ryan
shuffles me into the house, hesitating with his hand on the door.
She’s still standing there, and Ryan clearly doesn’t want to just
shut the door in her face. He looks at me and shrugs his
shoulder.

“We can’t just
leave her standing there,” I whisper.

Ryan looks at
me quizzically. “You’re a one of a kind woman, babe.”

“Why?”

“Other women
would throw her down the stairs then slam the door shut in her
face.”

“Great, now
I’m thinking about it.”

Ryan gives me
a belly laugh. We’re both saved from making any decisions about
letting her in when we hear Reid’s deep voice.

“What the fuck
are you doing here?” he growls, and I cringe, because his tone is
downright hostile.

“I wanted to
talk to you,” she says, sounding a little unsure. Ryan and I share
a glance before we shuffle against the wall so no one can see us
standing here listening. We're terrible, I know, but I could care
less right now. Reid isn’t much of a sharer of information.

“We have
nothing to talk about, I told you the other night.”

“Reid, I want
you back.”

Reid sighs,
like he’s put out. “And I told you that isn’t gonna happen. I love
my woman, nothing’s gonna change that.”

Wait, what? He
loves me? I glance at Ryan, wide eyed, who is smiling his megawatt
smile.

“You love
her?” she says, her voice breaking.

“Yeah, I
do.”

“That young
girl? Is she even legal?” I open my mouth, but Ryan pinches me,
reminding me where we are.

“For fuck's
sake, Mia. You needa go. I’m sorry, but don’t come back. I don’t
need you ruining what I have, it’s good.”

“What does she
have that I don’t? We were amazing together in bed, fucking wild,
so it can’t be that.”

And I’m back
to thinking about pushing her down the stairs.

“We’re done,
Mia. Please go home, alright?” he says, his voice softening a
little. I hear her heels clicking away. Ryan grabs my arm to pull
me away from the door, but then we hear Reid speak.

“Enjoy the
show?” he says. Luckily he sounds amused, not angry. He walks in
and wraps me in his arms, placing his face in the crook of my neck
and shoulder.

“Missed you
today, beauty,” he says, reigning kisses on my neck. He pulls back
and kisses me gently on the mouth.

“Did you miss
me?” Ryan asks, grinning.

“No,” Reid
answers playfully. “You two are trouble together, I swear,” he
says, shaking his head at us.

Ryan takes the
plastic bag filled with food and puts it on the table. “Brought you
dinner.”

“Thanks,
bro.”

“Thank your
girl,” Ryan answers mischievously.

“I plan to,”
he says, fusing his lips to mine.

“Get a room!”
Ryan calls out, heading into his own room.

“Ryan, don’t
come out of your room,” Reid tells him and walks me backwards to
the couch.

I hear Ryan
say, “Kinky bastards.”

“Wait, what
are you doing?” I ask, sounding panicked. Reid smiles and sits me
down. He removes my black flats, and then pulls off my jeans.

“I needa taste
you, now,” he says, the urgency evident in his breathy tone.

“Reid-” He
kisses me, halting any objections. Taking my jeans and panties off,
he kisses me until I’m breathless. Oxygen is trivial, all I need is
his kisses to survive. When he pulls away to kiss down my neck, I’m
panting. With no warning, Reid lowers his head and attaches his
mouth to my centre, his tongue darting inside.

I scream, not
even caring that Ryan can hear.

“Is it true?”
I demand.

“Is what
true?”

“Are you not
dating anyone because of me?” I ask, frowning.

“After what
happened with Tina…” he trails off.

“Cos Tina was
a bitch, you decided not to date anyone else?”

“Not for a
while, I just wanted to make you my primary focus,” he says softly.
I love my dad.

“You don’t
needa put your life on hold, dad,” I tell him, hating that he’s
doing this because of me.

He chuckles.
“It’s not some big sacrifice, baby girl.”

“Okay, but you
don’t needa worry about me. And yes, Tina was a bitch, but I was
selfish too. I shouldn’t have been happy you dumped her. Did you
love her?” I ask, suddenly feeling guilty.

When dad
bursts out laughing, I know that no, he didn’t love her. “You’re
too cute, Summer.”

“Okay, but
we’re good, dad, yeah?” I say, letting my eyes convey what he needs
to know. We’re solid. I’m not gonna push him away, the past is in
the past, and I’m not gonna be throwing any old demons in his
face.

“Okay, baby
girl,” he says.

“I want you to
be happy,” I tell him, smiling at him fondly. “You know I still
have all the money you sent me sitting in a bank account.”

“Really? You
didn’t spend any of it?” he asks, frowning.

“No, I didn’t
want your money back then, dad. I just wanted you. I didn’t know
the whole story, so I thought you were just paying me off for being
absent.”

He closes his
eyes and I curse myself for bringing it up. “Hey, I know it wasn’t
like that now. And now I have money saved away for a rainy day,” I
say.

“You want any
more money you just gotta say the word, baby girl. I’m not hurting
for it,” he says.

“I know, dad,
but I’m okay and I like working for my own money,” I say.

He grins.
“You’re a good girl.”

“I try,” I
say, satisfied.

“You gonna
feed me now?” he asks with a grin.

I laugh. “Of
course, old man. Take a seat.”

After classes
that day, I head to the library to study. With a heavy sigh, I pull
out my text book and highlighter, and get straight to work. After
an hour or so, I look up when I hear someone pull out the chair
opposite me.

“So we meet
again, Silas,” I say, amused.