Chapter 5
The house smells of soap and cologne as I step in from work. Ryker strides down the hall and greets me at the kitchen counter, where I place my purse and then tiptoe to kiss his jaw.
“Where’s Candice?” he asks.
Since this weekend is his red carpet event, we decided to invite the family over for dinner tonight to celebrate our engagement.
“She went home to change and will be here in just a bit.” I eye him in a pair of dark-washed jeans and a deep blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. “Are you dressing up for Candice now?”
He exhales and scratches the back of his neck. “Figuring it’s an engagement party, I thought I should look good for you.”
I laugh, stretching back to my toes and wrapping my arms around his neck. “You look good for me all the time.”
“I look better with you naked wearing only that ring beneath me.” He winks.
I pat his chest. “Maybe later if you’re good.”
He kisses me deeply, his silent way of saying he loves me, and then brushes his thumb over my cheek. I melt into his hand, moaning softly.
And then there’s a knock at the door. Ryker groans in frustration.
Candice pushes open the door with a loud thud and holds up two bottles of red wine. “Party has arrived. Also, the food will be here when Kyce gets here.”
Ryker lifts his brow. “You trusted him with the food? He’ll eat it all before getting here.”
“I’ll cut his balls off with a butter knife if he does,” she snickers.
She makes her way to the kitchen and grabs two wine glasses, pouring us both some.
The door shoves open again and Gracie comes bounding through, straight to me. “Let me see!” She grabs my hand admiring my platinum princess cut ring. “It’s so pretty. You did good, Unk Ry.”
She hugs my waist and Ryker squats for his hug. Jackson and Sarah immediately follow, congratulating and hugging us.
“Everyone’s all googly eyes about a ring, but I’m the one with the damn food,” Kyce cracks up, carrying several bags through the door. He sets them on the counter and Candice and I begin laying it all out when Ryker’s parents come through the door.
More hugs, kisses, and praise rain down on Ryker for picking out a beautiful ring all on his own.
Kyce kisses his mom on the cheek and then heads back to the kitchen to help Candice. It doesn’t go unnoticed how properly he’s dressed. Although in his normal faded jeans, he’s also sporting a black shirt with its sleeves tugged to his forearms, his brown hair styled spikey.
As Kyce rounds the counter, Candice eyes him teasingly. “Aren’t you the baby heart throb?” She grins.
He smirks. “You can’t compliment me. You’re the one I’m not allowed to touch.”
She puffs, leaning her hip against the counter and crossing her arms. “You’re the one I don’t want to touch.”
“Funny you’d say that to the man of your dreams,” he says.
She scratches the side of her head. “That’s odd. The man of my dreams isn’t so short and is much better looking.”
Since meeting the first time the other day, their banter is so wildly flirty that it shifts the air and you can almost see the sexual desire pulsing around them. But Ryker has warned Kyce to stay away from her considering when Kyce runs off and hurts her—which we all know he’ll do—it’ll put Ryker in a messy situation being between the best friend and brother.
Kyce doesn’t do relationships even though he’s known to treat his “flings” well. He doesn’t want to settle for just one. Ryker claims it has something to do with a girl who broke his heart in ninth grade, but I have a hard time believing that since he was bummed over his last girlfriend, Crystal, leaving. Ryker couldn’t have been happier, though. He despised her.
“You can’t get any better looking than me and you sure as fuck wouldn’t call me short when you’re moaning my name from—”
“Kyce,” Ryker warns.
Candice starts past him but pauses with a shit-eating grin. “It’s adorable how you come with a babysitter.”
After she saunters away, Kyce glares at Ryker. “You’re a shithead.”
“She’ll eat you up and spit you out.” Ryker grins.
“I’d let her ride the—”
He’s interrupted by his dad clearing his throat. “That’s not the way we talk.”
Kyce straightens. “We were talking about riding roller coasters.”
Ryker stifles his laugh, his shoulders shaking but his face remaining stoic.
Harold’s eyes warn Kyce in a dark, fatherly glance. “Behave.”
After he walks away, Ryker whispers to him. “You’ve always been a shit liar.”
Kyce rolls his eyes and heads out to the living room.
Ryker dips his head, placing his lips beside my ear. “You realize Candice is a challenge for Kyce and you know what challenges do for the Hayes, right?”
I smile holding my hand up, wiggling my fingers to bring my ring attention. “Adamant. Diligent. Absolutely no middle ground. Remind me again how I could forget.”
He beams. “You can’t. You’re stuck with me.”
“I haven’t said ‘I do’ yet,” I quip, batting my eyes and sashaying away.
I win, right?
Yeah. I didn’t think so either.
Candice ordered baked Ziti with salad and garlic bread from one of the best Italian restaurants in town. And after we make our plates, we sit around the dining room table, barely big enough for us all, and eat while we chat. The spotlight is on Ryker and me, more him and how his mother never thought he’d settle down.
“Do you have a date picked out?” his mom asks just before taking a bite of her salad.
Ryker drops his head. “Mom, I just asked her.” He groans his response.
She shrugs. “Doesn’t mean the details didn’t come the same night.”
“Something came the same night,” Kyce spews facetiously.
The table jumps with a thud and Kyce’s mouth forms around the word “ouch.” There’s no indication of who kicked him under the table because everyone continues to eat casually, except for his parents, who are regarding him like confused filth.
“This is delicious,” Sarah pipes up.
“It’s from one of the restaurants we use regularly for weddings,” Candice informs her.
“What kind of food do you want at your wedding, son?” Audrey asks.
“Tomato soup, Mom,” Ryker jests with a ton of sarcasm that lands him in silent hell from his dad. Ryker shakes his head. “You know, Whitney is an event planner. As is Candice. I think the planning department is taken care of.”
My heart aches for his mom. “But if you’d like to help us plan, you can.”
I’m met by a warm motherly grin. “If you need any help, you’ll come to me, right?”
The corner of my lips tug. “Yes.”
That pacifies her and she continues eating.
“I’m glad you asked her on my birthday, Unk Ry. Makes it more special,” Gracie tells him.
I look around my table. This is becoming my family. The three goofiest brothers, two of the sweetest parents anyone could ask for, and Sarah and Gracie to help balance out the crazy. I was a single kid with one set of parents growing up. And now that I’m an adult, I’ve got two brothers and another set of parents I adore.
Life is good.