Chapter Four
Ramsay
I looked at the checklist one more time. Edwin had sent a text that he would meet me at the airport, check. I was packed, check. I was ready way too early and worse, I couldn’t sit still. I could go to the gym but that would mean doing the whole beauty routine again and I wasn’t really in the mood.
My phone beeped signaling an incoming text.
Billie: Wanted to say good-bye before you go. Are you home?
Perfect. Maybe Billie could help me sort out this shit
storm.
Me: You coming or do you want me to stop by yours?
We’d learned the hard way to be clear about who was to travel after I’d taken the stairs and she the elevator and we’d played hide ‘n seek a few too many times.
Billie: You to me
I grabbed my keys and took the stairs to her place. I knocked and heard the dogs start their barking.
“Quiet,” Billie told her mutts as she opened the door.
I walked through and she reset her alarm. It didn’t matter that we lived in a building with numerous security measures, Billie always had the alarm armed. “Hey Pups.” I greeted Amy the golden retriever and Buster the mastiff.
“They were excited to see their Aunt Ramsay,” Billie scooted around me and ushered our train canines and me to their living room. “Want something to eat or drink?”
“A cup of coffee would be nice.” I followed her to the kitchen.
She and Tye used the style of coffeemaker with a pot. She poured me a cup. “How about some lunch?”
“No. You go ahead but I’m not hungry.”
One side of her mouth drew downward. “Hon, I hate to say this but you need to eat more.”
“I’ll grab something before I leave,” I promised.
She rolled her eyes at me. “Oh yeah, because airport food is so tasty. Sit down and I’m going to make you an omelet and you’re going to eat every bite.”
“Where’s your husband?” I figured that Tye would shove his head into the kitchen if he heard the word food.
“He’s going to work five hours today.” She flashed a smile. “Well he’s going to try. Yesterday, he did four but he fell asleep right after dinner. I had to ask Chuck to go out with me to walk the dogs.”
“I’m sure that the excitement of being back in the office got to him.” The man had almost died from two gunshot wounds a few months ago. He’d worked so hard to get back into shape, doubling up on physical therapy sessions when he could.
“I know that it will take some time to get back into the groove and for him to work up to a full day.” She started to crack eggs. “I can’t help it, I worry.”
“Billie, you were right there, you saw it happen and then you never left his side. Of course you are concerned, you love the guy.”
“Layla and I are supposed to figure out what we are going to do with our work schedule now that Ryan is going back to Bloomington for Spring semester.” She added butter to the frying pan. “It was great job sharing when I was preparing for the wedding and the party but now…”
“Now you want to work. I know you, you’ve always worked.”
She poured the egg concoction into the pan. “I guess that I’m a little worried that I’ll get edged out. I mean, it is her husband’s company and since they are taking a break from procreating, if she wants to work every day or only two then she should get first choice.”
“Doesn’t Forde have something that you can do? Clean their guns or count bullets?” I got up and refilled my mug.
“The guys wouldn’t like that. That is their work and my involvement would be unwelcome.”
“So maybe it’s time that you thought about what you want to do? I know you want to start a foundation, maybe now’s the time.” I shrugged.
“That is a far range goal like having kids.” She opened the cabinet door to her left and pulled out two plates. “I think I’m having some kind of letdown melancholy. Tye’s back at work, the wedding and party are over, the day care is open and I don’t really have anything to do.”
“After everything you went through and then the events, maybe having some time off would be good? If things with Forde don’t work out, I know that I will need another set of hands when all of my stock arrives.” I took out forks from the silverware drawer.
Billie carried the plates to the table. “Thanks but to be honest, I don’t think I could work for you.”
I knew that what she was saying was the truth but I still felt defensive. “Why because I’m demanding?”
“I was going to say exacting. Plus, I would be a nervous wreck touching some of those pieces. I mean they cost more than my last car.”
That was true. “You could make calls and track packages. I have plenty of administrative work that you could help with.”
“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind, Ramses.” She then looked pointedly at my plate where I had not touched my food. “Eat.”
I did as ordered. “It’s good. How do you get the cheese so melty?”
“It’s hit or miss, honestly.” She giggled.
“So Ollie and Bean finally called me back.”
“Are they doing okay?”
“They seemed to be fine. It’s hard to remember that time doesn’t mean the same thing to them as it does to us regular people.” I cut another small bite of food.
“Because you are so regular.” Billie snorted.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do…” The words fell from my lips. “I mean it would be kind of nice but what if we fight or he hates them?”
“Back up cause babe, I’m lost.” Billie laid her fork down next to her now empty plate.
“Sorry. I’ve been a wreck all morning.” I ate another bite and didn’t realize it until I swallowed. “Osi was still in bed when the call came through this morning and Bean heard or maybe saw a glimpse of him in the background so she made a big deal about getting introduced.”
“Nothing like putting you on the spot.” Billie smiled conspiratorially. “Was Osi naked?”
“Stop thinking about him that way.” I snapped without thinking. Whoa what was I doing? “I mean, you’re still a newlywed and you have your own hot guy.” I tried to correct but shit it was worse.
Her superior smile told me that she caught it all. “So big sister caught you with your hand in the cookie jar.”
I sighed defeated, “Yeah.”
Billie made her eyes go big. “Aaannnnddd?”
“So I did the polite thing and introduced them. And, and that’s when Bean invited Osi to come to St. Barts with me.”
“Oh honey,” Billie said in between laughs. “Oh man.”
“Now, I don’t know if he wants to go or if he felt like he had to say yes since those two morons were smiling at him like idiots. And what if he changes his mind, will be tell me or will he go and be miserable?’ I spilled all of my worries at my best friend’s feet.
“Slow down. First, we are talking about Osi. I don’t think anybody can make him do something that he doesn’t want to.” Then she stopped abruptly and narrowed her eyes. “No, I’m going to amend that. I think that if you asked him to do something then he would do it no matter what his feelings were.”
WHAT?
She held up her hand in the stop sign position. “I can tell that just blew your mind so stop focusing on that.”
“Gladly,” I breathed.
“If you are worried that he felt pressure then ask him. He won’t lie to you.”
I placed my paper napkin over what was left of my lunch. “I know.”
“Just think about Osi running around in a speedo or naked…”
“Stop thinking about him like that.” I smiled this time.
“Hey, he’s hot and you can relax, walk on the beach, lay in the sun and do whatever it is that Ollie and Bean do all day. It will be fun.”
“I don’t know. It seems…” What? Too romantic, too fun, too much like something that I would really enjoy…
Billie was giving me a measuring look and biting her bottom lip. “I’ve put off this conversation until after things slowed down but I’m not sure that’s ever going to happen for the both of us.”
I placed my hands in my lap and sat up straighter in my chair, bracing for what was going to come.
“Ramsay, Osi cares about you.”
I started to argue. “It’s convenient.”
“We’ve been friends for what almost twenty years. You…you saved my life after the attack. I love you and honey, I’m telling you that you have to let all the shit with your parents go.”
I dug my nails into my linked fingers.
“I know that you have fears. So do I and so does Tye. None of us grew up around people in romantic relationships that were healthy.”
I felt like somebody had sand-papered my throat. I swallowed twice to try to soothe it.
“He’s a good man. I’ve watched him for months and you know what I see?”
“Wha,” I cleared my throat, “what?”
“He’s proud of you. When you were putting in all of those hours on the wedding, he had ample opportunities to complain to me or to Tye when they worked out. He never said a word. At the party when people praised you, he stood in the background but he listened and he almost smiled.”
I leaned forward in surprise. “He did?”
“Ramses, this can’t be a total surprise. I mean, you two have been doing what you do for over a year.” She stared at me as I did the math. “Maybe it started out as just sex, I mean you’re hot and I’m going to assume that Osi’s a fucking stallion in bed but honey, a man like that doesn’t hang around this long even if his dick is happy.”
I let out a long, deep breath. She was totally right. “I…I don’t know what to do.” I admitted.
“What do you want to do?” She asked simply.
“I don’t know.” My heart was pounding. My first impulse was to run before I got hurt or worse before I hurt him.
“Don’t.” Billie’s command broke through my panicked thoughts. “Don’t you dare do your disappearing act.”
I stared at her because she knew me too well.
“You are smart, beautiful and generous. You built your business from nothing and you’ve made it a success. You are here and surrounded by people who love and appreciate you. Don’t even think about leaving, just when you’ve put down roots.”
“I won’t.” I whispered.
“You have so much going for you, I don’t know why you seem surprised that Osi is into you? You’re amazing and honestly, he is pretty awesome too.”
I raked my hand through my hair which I’d worn loose today trying to figure out what to say. “He is pretty terrific.”
“He puts up with your shit and let’s be honest. You can be a bitch.”
I felt myself smile, “True.”
“I’ve never pressed you…but I know there has to be something more than your parents taking off to care for Bean.”
I couldn’t tell her. I never wanted to tell Billie or anyone. They’d hate me.
She switched to the chair closer to mine and took my icy cold hand in hers. “Someday, I hope that you will tell me.”
I felt my head start to shake “no,” before I could stop it.
“Ramsay Madeline Kent, there is nothing in this world that could ever change my feelings for you.” She squeezed my hand hard. “Nothing.”
I had to close my eyes to battle the tears that were threatening.
She loosened her iron grip on my hand. “I mean, you wiped my ass when I could barely manage because I was so doped up. That builds a bond.”
“Don’t remind me.” I tried to smile at her. Jesus, that was a terrible time. I’d flown to Tampa and found Billie with her hand in a cast, her leg in another. Her kidnapper had torn handfuls of hair from her head and one side of her face was so bruised and swollen that she couldn’t open her eye for two weeks. And her bitch of a mother was doing phone interviews trying to hire an agent for Billie so that she could sell her story to the highest news show.
I’d chartered a med-flight and taken her to my condo in Denver. She had to escape that situation. Jesus, she was a mess. Afraid of every sound and the nightmares, she kept me up most nights screaming or crying. I found the best doctors in the area and slowly she started to improve.
What Billie never mentioned was that when she got to the point that she could take care of herself, I took off. I told her it was for business but it was a lie. The constant worrying about what was going to happen to my friend finally became too much for me. I was trying to process how Billie became a victim of an obsessed man. My beautiful friend wouldn’t get out of bed for days at a time. Of course she was over-medicated and I beat myself up about that also.
To this day, Billie credits me with saving her life but I know better, she is helping me atone so that maybe one day, I can find peace.
Ramsay’s phone rang and I can’t say that I wasn’t relieved by the interruption.
“That’s Tye, sorry but I need to answer.”
I waved my hand at her phone.
“Hey.” I heard her answer. “Don’t worry about it, honey. Come home and rest. We’ll have a quiet night and you can hit it again tomorrow.”
Tye must have said something flirty because she smiled. “We’ll see. I’ll see you soon. I love you, too.” She put the phone down. “He’s exhausted.”
“He’ll get better.” I rushed to reassure her.
“I know.” She gave a fake grin. “He has doubts and Tye is not used to having doubts.”
“The Golden Boy.” That was what Osi called him.
“I think his body is way ahead of his psyche as far as healing goes.”
“Is he, uhm, do you think he needs to talk to somebody?”
“I’m going to bring it up tomorrow at my appointment.” She looked resigned. “I don’t want him to think that I’m worried.”
“But it’s a good kind of worry.”
“Tye’s getting impatient. He thinks that he’s healed or almost there.”
“But he still has a lot to deal with. I mean you know, you could have died.” I couldn’t find the right words to communicate what I was feeling.
“I know that we’ll get there.”
I nodded because their bond was incredible.
“I think this is part of what being in a relationship is about. Caring so much about your partner that it hurts, it’s scary but at the same time, I’m not afraid. I love Tye and he loves me. We’ll find a way to make it work.” She gave me a one shoulder shrug.
I wanted to say something snarky, she’d shared too much emotion and it was too close to what I yearned for…before. But it was Billie and I couldn’t be cruel. “So do you really think that Osi will wear a Speedo?”
I cleared out of Billie’s and went back to my place. Osi sent a text telling me that he would drive me to the airport. Today, I didn’t argue. He’d win anyway.
During the fifteen minute ride, he took three calls. “Sorry.” He told me when he finished his last call.
“Another job?” Everybody said that he was really good at his job but I worried. He was tracking really bad men in order to put them in jail. He’d been stabbed and I knew he had three scars from bullets.
“An offer. It’s harder to hide in the winter. Most humans can’t fend for themselves in the wild so he’ll be easier to track.”
“Sounds like you’ve decided to take the job,” I observed as my stomach started to knot.
“He’s in the area and it will be a nice payday.”
“Look if the whole St. Bart’s deal is going to cost you too much, I’ll understand.” I didn’t like the idea that he was taking on jobs in order to cover the time he would miss.
“Babe,” his tone had gone low and it made something in my belly calm. “I like the thought of you in your bikini poolside.” Then he smiled.
I instantly returned the smile. “I’m usually topless. Poolside, you know.”
That made him chuckle.
He pulled to the curb and stopped.
Before he could climb out of his seat, I stopped him by wrapping my hand around the back of his. “Do you think that when I get back and you finish this job that maybe I could see your house?” I felt like I was running out of air as I finished my request.
“I’d like that babe.” He gave me another smile. “I’d like that a lot.”
He got out and then grabbed my suitcase from the back. After he placed it on the curb he opened my door for me. The badass was all about the old fashioned manners and I secretly loved it. He took my hand as I got out. Once I was standing on the curb he pulled me into his arms. “We’re going to talk every day right?”
“If you can,” I didn’t meet his eyes.
His arms tightened a little more around me. “I will.”
Then I looked him square in the eye. “Stay safe, Osiris.”
“Give ‘em hell, Ramsay.” He kissed me and it was hot. Wet with lots of tongue. Oh yeah, I’d be thinking about that kiss for days.
He stayed leaning against the side of his ride watching me until I was inside the terminal.