TODAY IS ONE OF THOSE days where I’ll end up in bed chasing a gallon of ice cream with a bottle of chardonnay. After I burned my arm taking a pizza out of the oven, my daughter, Olivia, woke up crabby from her nap, argued with me about having to wear shoes, and acted like she couldn’t hear a word I said the entire time in the car. This is, of course, after she threw her banana across the kitchen and spread toothpaste all over the bathroom counter. She doesn’t get like this often, but when she does, she’s a spitfire. Just like me.
Instead of playing along with her tantrum, I ignored her right back in the car. She thinks she can play that game with me, but little does she know I was the one who invented the silent treatment. Besides, I’m at the point where I’d rather just have her be quiet than listen to the sass. We’re meeting my sister for lunch today, and even though I contemplated canceling, I’ve been looking forward to it, so I selfishly kept the plans.
After I find a parking spot, we rush to meet my sister since we’re running late. She’s standing on the sidewalk outside the restaurant with her fiancé, Jay. Her pregnant belly is adorable. Every time I see her again, I can’t help but feel so lucky she’s back in my life. I wish she’d been here when I needed her the most, but I’m glad she was safe.
Liv picks Olivia up, and she giggles. “Baby still in your belly?”
“Yes. The baby is still in there.” She rubs her stomach, and I can see just how happy she is. She’s pregnant and planning her wedding with the man of her dreams.
“What am I? Chopped liver? Auntie Livvie has a baby in her belly, so you just ignore me now?” Jay crosses his arms, feigning a pout. “I see how it is, Olivia.”
Liv sets her down, and then she throws herself at Jay and wraps her arm around his leg. “Hi, Uncle Jay. You’re silly.”
“I’m not silly. You’re silly.” He picks her up and turns her upside down. “Why are you upside down?”
She laughs so hard she can barely catch her breath, and I’m reminded of just how awesome he is. He’d been the one who helped me when I was at my worst. He let me cry on his shoulder and steps in as the man in Olivia’s life since her father isn’t in the picture. “Put me down.”
He tickles her before he turns her around and ruffles the hair on the top of her head. “Well, I’m heading back to work now.” His eyes go to Liv’s, always putting her first. “Pick you up from your parents’ or is Opal dropping you off?”
“I’ll drop her off. It’s no prob…” I’m distracted by a man walking with purpose toward us. His dark brown hair is styled perfectly, but not too pretty boy, and his body screams I work out. His face is unreadable, but his cocky swagger says he knows he’s hot. “Uh, who is this guy, and why is he walking this way?”
Jay’s body tenses, and he turns, grabbing for all of us. He’d use his body as a shield in a heartbeat.
“I thought that was you guys,” the hot stranger says with a laugh.
Jay relaxes and the two men shake hands, and then Liv hugs him, which assures me he’s not someone to be afraid of. “Hi.”
“Hi, Olive. How are you, pregnant mama? Congrats.”
She rubs her belly. “I’m great. How are you?”
“I’m doin’ all right.” God, his voice is sexy. Husky and low, like you want to lean in to listen to what he has to say.
“What are you doin’ here?” Jay puts an arm around Liv’s waist in a way that says she’s his. I don’t know who this guy is, but they both know him, yet Jay still lays claim to Liv. I want that. A man as devoted to me as Jay is to my sister. But that’s just not my life. I have my daughter. She’s the only one who has any claim to me.
“Work.”
“Transfer?”
Before he can answer, Olivia walks up to him and tugs on his pants. “Hi.”
He squats down, and it baffles me that he stops talking to Jay to give her his attention. “Hi there, short stuff.”
“I’m Olivia, and I’m three.” Of course, now she’s sweet as pie.
“I’m Ryan.”
“How old are you?”
He starts to answer, but I interrupt with a hand on Olivia’s head. She can sometimes talk too much and say things and ask questions that aren’t appropriate. Much as I like that she’s not crabby anymore, I can’t let her be rude. “Don’t ask that, Olivia. It’s rude.”
He looks up, and when his sky blue eyes stop on my face, he stands and slowly smiles at me. Holy shit. I can feel my face heat.
“Ryan, this is Opal. Olive’s sister and Olivia’s mother.” Jay emphasizes the word, but Ryan doesn’t flinch at Jay’s harsh tone, which shocks me. I haven’t encountered many guys who aren’t intimidated by Jay.
I’m prepared for him to say something sarcastic about our ‘O’ names, but instead, he sticks out his hand. I put mine in his and giggle from the nerves creeping up on me so fast. God, his hand is huge; it engulfs mine. “Ryan Breaker. Nice to meet you.”
“Hi.” I sigh. Oh my God, what is wrong with me?
Jay’s phone buzzes, and he grabs it to check it, then roughly shoves it back in his pocket.
“You’ve gotta go?” Liv guesses.
“Yeah.” He rests his hands on her belly and then kisses her cheek. “Love you.”
“You too.”
Jay squats down and holds his arms out. “Give me a hug before I have to go.”
Olivia runs to him and plants a sloppy kiss on his cheek. He says goodbye to Liv and shakes Ryan’s hand. “You’ve still got my number, man. Hit me up and we’ll go grab a beer sometime.”
“Sounds good.”
Jay takes off, and there’s an awkward silence between us as my sister watches her man walk away. “So, uh, how do you know Liv and Jay?”
“He’s a marshal.”
A marshal. As in US Marshal. “Oh, really. That’s interesting. Is that what you’re doing here?” I ask, hoping my voice doesn’t betray my anxiety.
He winks at me. “If I was, I couldn’t say.” His voice drops even lower, and the way he says it makes my stomach fall right along with it.
Olivia absentmindedly tugs on my arm, and I bend down to pick her up, hitching her on my hip. “I’m hungry, Mama.”
“I’ll let you ladies go. It was good seeing you again, Olive.”
“You, too.”
“Nice meeting you girls.” He addresses Olivia and me, his gaze lingering. But I don’t mind. I could look in his eyes all day. They have this lighter blue on the outside and then the ring around it is black.
“Did you eat lunch?” Liv asks him.
I give Liv the universal face for I can’t believe you just did that, and Ryan shakes his head. “I haven’t.”
“Do you want to join us?”
He smiles and moistens his lips, and oh my… I can imagine those lips doing many other things. “I’d love to.”
“Great.” She turns and reaches for the door, but his beefy hand grabs the handle before her. “Thank you.”
We’re led to a booth right away, and Liv slides in. Ryan starts to follow her, but Olivia squeals. “Me sit wif Auntie.” I set her down since she’s squirming, and she crawls in next to Liv. She really knows how to ham it up and act adorable when it suits her.
“Okay, then,” I say under my breath as I slide in across from my sister, completely unnerved that I’m going to be so close to the hulk of a man.
Ryan plops down next to me and grabs a menu, but Olivia reaches out and takes it from him. He pulls it from her fingers then gently taps the top of her head with it. She laughs and reaches for it again, but he’s too fast for her.
Jesus, he’s amazing with her. I wonder if he has any kids of his own. But then that would probably mean he has a wife. I quickly glance at his finger to find it empty, and an unusual sense of relief floods me. I pick up my menu with shaky hands, then set it back down too afraid he’ll notice my nerves.
The waitress comes back with waters and four silverware packets. “Can I get a booster seat for her, please?” Ryan asks before her aunt or I have the chance, like it’s his right or something. I feel like it should bother me, but the truth is, it’s nice. “You’re too short to even see over the table, little one.”
Olivia is totally loving him. She’s giggling and batting her eyelashes. Liv presses her lips together to suppress her laughter and glances over at me. “Oh, my God,” I mouth to her. Who is this guy, and why is he so perfect?
We order our food and chat amongst ourselves, me mainly taking in the conversation around me. Ryan’s thigh bumps against mine a couple of times throughout the meal. I can tell how muscular it is from just a slight brush. I bounce my leg, and he clamps his hand over my knee while still talking to Liv. I don’t look at him but feel more than heat from his touch. When I stop bouncing, he gently rubs it and then lets it go before he answers Olivia’s question about his favorite kind of pizza. Great. He knows he makes me all twitchy and stuff.
When the bill comes, Ryan grabs it and tosses some cash at the waitress before either of us have a chance to even see the total. “You don’t need to do that. I invited you,” Liv insists.
“It’s my pleasure.” He slides out of the booth and holds his hand out to help me.
More heat floods my face when he wraps his fingers around mine and tugs me out. The force of it combined with my shaky legs causes me to lurch forward, and my other hand lands on his chest. His hard, strong, muscular chest. “Sorry,” I whisper before backing up, mortified.
“Don’t be.” Then he holds his hands out for Olivia, who immediately allows him to lift her. Her sleepy head falls on his shoulder. With one hand, he boosts her up higher and helps Liv out of the booth with the other. I want to be surprised, but I know my daughter. If she likes someone, which doesn’t happen often, but if she really, really likes someone, she clings to them. And apparently, she likes Ryan.
He motions for us to go before him. “I’ll walk you guys to your car. Where are you parked?”
Liv shrugs her shoulders. “You drove, Opal,” she reminds me.
Shit, how embarrassing. “Oh, yeah. Duh.” I smack my forehead. “In the lot over here.” I hurry ahead, keeping my head down and hoping the blush goes away. Ryan, with Olivia still in his arms, and Liv follow.
“Jesus.” Ryan grabs my arm, yanking me back a split second before a car tears out of the lot. Olivia screams, the sudden movement jolting her, and Ryan immediately begins bouncing with her and shushing her even as he continues to steady me.
“Oh, my God. Are you okay?” Liv gasps.
I shrug out of Ryan’s hold. “I’m fine,” I snap unintentionally. I feel so out of sorts, and I hate it. I’ve strived to take control of my life, and in no time at all, a complete stranger has tipped the scales in his favor. “I’m fine.” I take my daughter from his arms.
“Damn, he was flyin’.” Ryan glares at the car that’s now at the light.
“I saw it,” I yell defensively.
“Well, thanks again.” Liv sighs. I’m putting Olivia in her seat, so I can’t see either of them.
“My pleasure. Hopefully, I’ll see you around.”
I turn around and slam the door, my eyes colliding with his. The intensity makes me fall back a step, and I hold on to the door for leverage. “Nice meeting you, Ryan.”
Hurrying to the other side of the car, I get in, and once Liv’s buckled, I take off. As soon as we’re out of the lot and sitting at the stoplight, I groan. “That was so embarrassing.”
“It was not,” Liv tries to assure me.
“I wasn’t even paying attention to where I was going and… holy shit.” I reach over the console and dig my nails into her arm.
“Ouch.”
“Is that him?” I can’t drag my gaze away from the man straddling a motorcycle.
Liv curses under her breath, knowing what that means to me. “Yeah. That’s him.”
The light turns green, and I accelerate, getting the hell away from him. “Well, there goes that,” I mumble. I will never in my life be with someone or allow someone I care about to ride anything with less than four wheels. He revs the loud bike, and when he pulls out into traffic, he winks at me as he passes.