Chapter 23
Emma
I was shocked at my own behavior. Did I just hold his daughter's panda for ransom? Well, I guess I did!
Char told me that when she and Melissa had gone to retrieve her stuff, Melissa had taken Pooka out of her bag and hid him behind the couch. If his daughter went through all that trouble, and she thought it was important Ryan and I talked, then dammit we were going to talk!
Thirty minutes later, Char called.
"Oh my God, Em!"
"What is it? Are you okay? How is Bob?" I asked, my voice rising in alarm.
"Yes, yes, we're fine. Well, he won't be once I figure out what is going on."
"What are you talking about?"
"Ryan, I'm talking about Ryan."
"Dammit, Char! You need to start making some sense!"
"Bob knows him!" she said. "The bastard won't tell me how and he won't say much, but he asked me to tell you to trust him."
"Bob knows Ryan? From before the barbecue at your house?"
"Yes! I have been arguing with him for the last hour, but he won't tell me anything! He knows about Ryan's daughter, and he's met Ryan's wife."
"You mean ex-wife."
"No, I mean wife."
"What?"
Ryan is married and has been since he was seventeen, but they are not living together.
"Why aren't they divorced?" My eyes teared up.
"Bob won't say. Em, I'm sorry, but that is all he would tell me. Whatever else Ryan is hiding, he thinks it is important Ryan tells you himself. I am so mad at Bob for not telling me this sooner! I only got this much out of him when I told him about Ryan's daughter coming to see you."
"I can't believe Bob knows him," I said.
"I know, Em. I'm pissed, but if Bob says you should trust Ryan—I can't believe I'm saying this … you should call Ryan."
"I don't need to."
"Why?"
"Because he is coming here."
"What? When?"
"I'm not sure, but I think tonight."
"The panda?"
"Yup."
"Good luck, Em. Stay calm, try to figure out what's real."
"Thanks, Char. I love you. Bob's in big trouble."
"Love you too, and yes he is." We hung up.
Exhausted, I couldn't think. I needed a nap. Ryan can't possibly show up tonight. Hell, if he was in Chicago, I was sure he wouldn't. I stripped my clothes off and for some stupid reason put on Ryan's shirt and crawled into bed.
Four hours later, I heard loud banging on my door. Sierra started barking. Still groggy from my nap, I went to the door. I left the chain on and peeked through the crack. Ryan stood on the other side of the door, looking frustrated and angry.
I let him in. Standing in the hallway, he glared at me like I had done something horrible and unforgivable. I had forgotten that all I had on was his shirt and my panties. "I'm sorry, I just woke up. I didn't expect you to be here so soon."
"I can't believe you're wearing that." His cold gaze ripped right through me as he stared at me. "You said now was a good time, so here I am. I kept my part of the deal. Now please keep yours and give me Pooka so I can get out of here."
His deep voice was distant and his piercing green eyes were full of disdain and distrust. I searched my brain for a way to stall him, some way of opening up dialogue so I could find out what changed … why he was so angry.
There was another loud knock on the door. We both turned toward the door which was still unlocked.
Randy and John came barging in. "Sweetie, are you okay?" John asked in his usual feminine, overly dramatic way. Randy's arm draped protectively around John as he glared at Ryan. They were shirtless; it was obvious we had interrupted them.
"Why are you back?" Randy snarled impatiently. He turned toward me. "We heard some lunatic hammering on your door. Is everything alright?"
"Yes, guys, everything is fine. I appreciate you looking after me though."
Ryan stood there looking dumbfounded.
"Come on, John, we've got some business of our own to finish. Em, you scream if you need me. I'm right next door," Randy said, eyeing Ryan suspiciously as he pulled the door shut behind him.
Ryan still said nothing.
I walked to the refrigerator and opened two beers. "We need to talk."
"Those are your neighbors?"
"Yeah, Randy and John. I tried to introduce you to Randy yesterday, but you were … well … not in the mood."
"Randy is your gay neighbor?" he said, letting each word hang in the air like he was still processing the thought.
"Yes, Ryan. What are you homophobic or something?" My own anger started to build.
"No, no, Em. I'm not homophobic. What I am is an idiot," he said, his eyes now traveling freely over my body.
"Ryan, I don't understand any of this. What is going on?"
"I have a lot to explain." He started walking toward me. "You may never want to see me again when I do." He took the beer from my hand.
Was he serious? Was he seriously going to try to seduce me now? After all this? And was I going to let him?
That was the last rational thought I had before his lips touched mine.