by A. m Madden
It was also stupid to ignore Riana was in a relationship. But I’d rather be friends than be nothing, and maybe things weren’t serious between them.
Although I had planned on parting ways with Maggie before seeing Riana anyway, saying what sat on the tip of my tongue now would seem cold and calculating. It would have to wait until tomorrow.
“Fine,” she huffed and shot out of my car without a backward glance. This harpy jealous thing wasn’t like her. We may not have had a lot in common, but Maggie had been fun to be with. Was it something she’d seen in my reaction toward seeing Riana? Regardless, I knew before, and I knew now, that things with Maggie weren’t going to work out.
I also knew I’d be calling Riana sooner than later.
She appeared in my dream that night.
And then again in my fantasy during a shower.
I tried to go about my day, but nothing seemed to dislodge her from my thoughts.
Not the conversation with Wes, not even when I tapped on Maggie’s contact in my phone to say what I should’ve before now.
Her curt hello didn’t surprise me. Neither did the snarky response she threw my way when I suggested we continue as friends. “I have plenty of friends,” she snapped. “Take care, Ryder.”
My reciprocating well wishes went unheard, because she hung up before I uttered them.
Whatever… my soul mate she was not.
The next call I made was to a number I had refused to delete.
“Hello?”
Not wanting to assume she had also saved my number, I said, “Ree, it’s Ryder.”
“I know.” A thrill shot through me that she had. “Is something wrong?”
Wondering why she would think that, I responded, “No. Not at all. It was so nice seeing you, and I want to know if you’d like to grab dinner.” Remembering the guy that she was with, I quickly tacked on, “As friends wanting to catch up.”
“That sounds nice.” Her words relayed one thing, but her tone said something entirely different. “Are you visiting for long?” I chuckled because she had assumed the same as I had the night before. “What?”
“I live here too… in Miami.”
“Oh. When did you move?”
“About six months ago. I got promoted again.”
“Congratulations on your success. I’m happy for you, Ryder.” The sincerity was obvious in her voice. Yes, I was proud to be where I was in my career, but it suddenly seemed so unimportant.
“Thank you. What brought you to Florida?”
A long pause came before she said, “Life took a detour.” Her choice of words pinched painfully in my chest… they were words I had once used on her. Unfortunately, my detour hadn’t brought me back to the starting point like it was supposed to.
Even though she had a boyfriend, I desperately wanted to know all she’d been up to lately, to know what had really brought her to Florida. One way or another, I would spend time with Riana.
“Isn’t it funny we’re both in the same state at the same time?” I asked lightheartedly, but another pause made me anxious she wasn’t as excited about that tidbit as I was. Maybe assuming she’d be the same Riana was wrong of me. A lot could’ve happened in three years… I was a testament to that.
“Yeah, that is funny,” she finally said. “Where did you want to meet?”
“I can come pick you up. I know of a great place on the beach in Fort Lauderdale. How’s Saturday?”
“If it’s not too much trouble.”
“Not at all.”
“Okay, I’m at the Chateau until I can find an apartment. Will… um… Maggie, was it? Will she be joining us?”
“No, just me.” I didn’t want to get into how Maggie wasn’t in the picture any longer over the phone. I’d rather explain things to her in person. But then a twinge of disappointment hit from the possibility that she wanted to double-date. “Hey, feel free to bring your boyfriend, though.” It would kill me to have a front-row seat in their romance, but if she were happy…
“I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Oh. I thought that guy last night—”
“He’s a good friend.” I smiled at how quickly she voiced that, and then fist-pumped like an idiot she wasn’t attached. Could this be happening? Could I be in the same state as the love of my life while we were both single?
While excitement swelled within me everywhere, I kept it cool and announced, “I’ll pick you up Saturday at seven. I’m looking forward to it, Ree.”
“Me too. Bye, Ryder.”
I stared into my cell well after the line went dead, vividly picturing her in my mind. Just as our lives had collided six years earlier, maybe this was the universe bringing us back together. For the first time in six months, I felt being in Florida wasn’t a curse.
Chapter Five
Riana
It’d been days since I saw him, and I couldn’t get him off my mind.
That night, Cooper had waited for me just inside the front doors, suspecting something was up. He could always read me like a book. And after coming back inside and looking as though I’d seen a ghost, he put two and two together when I told him it was Ryder who I’d been talking to.
While Cooper and I were together, he’d known Ryder had been a past love. He knew how we’d ended. He even knew if Ryder hadn’t left Jersey, we probably would’ve still been together.
It wasn’t hard for Cooper to piece my dazed reaction to the man behind it. Because of that, I kept my dinner date with Ryder to myself. Not that it meant anything. The man was taken and that was that.
Regardless, even if Ryder were single, it didn’t matter that he’d appeared back in my life out of nowhere. I’d made a commitment and come hell or high water I’d be keeping it… no turning back. So I decided to keep any interactions I may have going forward with Ryder a secret from Ricky and Cooper.
I’d also be keeping my surrogacy news a secret from Ryder. Except for a few people, I wouldn’t be sharing that information with anyone until I became pregnant. When that day came, and hopefully it would be soon, I’d then be focusing on staying healthy until the baby arrived.
Of course, that meant I’d be lying to all three men by omission. But the way I saw it, my reason to lie outweighed my need to.
Meanwhile, I had that date with Ryder looming, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop my heart from pounding whenever I thought about it. That proved to be an inconvenient reaction.
It had surprised me that he wanted to meet alone. During the five minutes I had been in Maggie’s company, she had seemed the jealous type. Again, something I couldn’t imagine Ryder being okay with. When I ran into one of Ryder’s friends last year and heard he was engaged, I envisioned someone different… someone more down to earth, warmer, less glam.
Hey, who was I to judge? Love was love.
Now wasn’t the time to worry about Ryder or his beautiful fiancée, wife… whatever she was.
Checking my appearance one last time, I grabbed the key card and left my hotel room to meet Ricky’s cousin Damon. He had arranged for me to see that condo in his building, and I was excited. Although hotel living was a decadence that I’d never experienced before and enjoyed, I looked forward to settling into my new life.
I also couldn’t wait to begin working on the nonprofit division Ricky wanted to add to his company. Last year, Rebecca had taken a step back from their business to raise her kids, and she had offered to help as much as I needed. That was what really excited me. I planned to run things similarly to Angels on Earth and couldn’t wait to develop relationships and help women take control of their lives.
Fifteen minutes later, I completed the short walk to the condo building. During it, I swallowed up the spectacular weather. Being a runner meant harsh winter elements were one thing I wouldn’t miss. Now, I could run along the beach without risking hypothermia.
I saw Damon standing in front. Cooper had shared that Damon’s and Ricky’s moms were twins, which explained why the man
looked so much like his cousin. From their sandy blond hair, light-blue eyes, and cocky smirk, they could pass for brothers.
“Hi,” he said as I reached him.
“Thank you so much for helping me.”
He waved a dismissing hand. “No thanks needed.”
I glanced up at the eight stories looming above us. “I like that it’s not one of those,” I admitted, pointing to the modern skyscraper closer to the beach.
“It’s one of the older buildings, but newly renovated.” He pulled open the outer glass door, waved a key card in front of the electronic reader, and opened the second door for me to walk through. “Very safe area… but no one can get in without this card key.” Pointing to the intercom panel attached to the reader beside it, he added, “Or you can buzz them in yourself.”
My eyes roved over the tasteful lobby. “Wow, I didn’t expect it to be so pretty.”
“The owners live here as well, which I love. They take pride in the place. You’ll get one underground parking spot. With the beach two blocks away, these streets get crowded on weekends.” He was so excited I didn’t have the heart to tell him I didn’t have a car. Damon then led me toward the elevators while pointing to our left. “There’s a gym, pool, and outdoor patio all the residents are entitled to use. And then there’s a rooftop space that you can rent out for parties.” Once we stepped into a waiting car, he punched the fifth floor. “I’m on the seventh floor, same side as this unit. The balcony each unit comes with is tiny, but our views are amazing.”
Knowing the price was a bit higher than I had planned to spend, I didn’t care. Location to Cooper and Ricky, to the beach, and even to the RMR corporate office where I’d be working eventually made it worth every penny. Hell, we had yet to see the place, and I could already imagine myself living there.
Just as the elevator dinged and the doors opened, I asked, “Is it too soon to say I’ll take it?”
He matched my grin before leading me out into the hall. “Nope. I had the exact same reaction.”
“How long have you lived here?”
“A few years. I moved out from Indiana to start my bar. Ricky found this place for me.”
When we stopped before unit 606, I gasped. “It’s an omen. My birthday is June sixth.”
“There you go. It’s destiny.” Damon unlocked the door for us. “The building manager is away and was nice enough to give me the key.”
I followed him in and just about died. “Sold.”
Damon chuckled with a nod. “I know. It’s really a nice condo. My unit is exact to this one.” He led me into a large open-concept kitchen living space. Natural light spilled in from the windows, and the view wasn’t just amazing; it was breathtaking. “Go on and explore.” He leaned against the island. “If you have questions, let me know.”
“Okay.” Like a kid in a candy store, I excitedly opened doors and cabinets along the way. That balcony Damon mentioned was off the living room and had enough space for a small table and two chairs. Perfect for having my morning coffee on.
The unit had its own laundry closet in the hall, and it also held a tiny guest room and bathroom. The main bedroom had the same view, an en suite bathroom, and plenty of closet space. The walls looked freshly painted and contrasted with the stunning dark hardwood.
Oh yes, I needed to live there.
Damon was scrolling on his phone when I reappeared. “So?” he asked. “Nice, right?”
“When can I move in?”
Another grin spread over his handsome face. “I’ll tell Reggie today so he can start the process. If all goes well, you can be here in a week or so.”
Impulsively, I hugged Damon before stepping back, worried that I’d overstepped. “I’m a little excited. Sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’ll be fun having you here.” The way he met my gaze and held it made it seem Damon wanted to be more than neighbors. Especially when he asked, “Can I take you to dinner once you move in… to celebrate?” Sensing my hesitancy, he shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged. “I like you, Riana. It would be great to spend time with you.”
“Oh… thank you. That’s sweet. But I’m sorry, Damon. I have so much on my plate right now.”
His disappointment was obvious. “Okay, no worries. I’m here for you… as a friend. If you need anything.”
Even though I didn’t have a doubt any man would find the situation awkward once they knew of my situation, I’d worry about that later. For now, Damon was kind and easy to be with. As long as I didn’t send him the wrong message, it would be nice to develop a friendship with him.
“Thank you, Damon. I appreciate that.”
Today marked one week in Florida… and God I loved being there.
It had nothing to do with the luxury hotel the guys had me staying at, or even the way they both made sure I was included in everything they did. It was the lifestyle, the weather, the way every day felt like a summer vacation.
Not all was perfect, though. I lost it on the guys when they presented me with a brand-new car with a big-ass red bow on top. That was not part of our terms. They claimed it was a welcoming gift, and a practical one because I needed a car to get to and from my appointments. They also reminded me that since my rent during the pregnancy was supposed to be on them, and I bought a condo instead, the money saved went toward the car. And if that wasn’t enough, they said my security deposit and the difference in price from what I had budgeted was also on them.
Needless to say, another argument ensued.
It was all too much, but Cooper sat me down and explained that to Ricky it was nothing in comparison to what I was giving them. Rebecca had also intervened, advising the more I fought with Ricky the more difficult he would get… and by difficult she meant the spending would become frivolous, reminding me of the giant pink stuffed animals he’d bought when her daughter was born. Not one giant robotic monstrosity, but two… a giraffe and an elephant that could be controlled through an app on Ricky’s phone. Imagining what horrible things he would send to me had me quickly backing off.
Regarding “operation surrogacy,” as Ricky liked to call it, the wheels were in motion. Dr. White, my new ob-gyn, had received my medical records from home, and my first consult with her was next week.
In the meantime, I waited to move into my new condo while enjoying being in Fort Lauderdale. Since the apartment was empty, once I’d been financially approved, I could move in anytime I wished. The arrival from Jersey of the truck holding all my stuff dictated my move-in date in one week.
Damon got me back into the place so I could take measurements and pictures. My furniture would suffice, but my apartment up north was much smaller, and I’d need to pick up some other pieces to fill the space.
“I can’t believe you’ve been here a week already,” Cooper said, before taking a bite of his salad. When Ricky had to meet Bella Viaggi as it docked at the port, Cooper and I decided to spend Saturday together. He joined me on a long run along the beach and was now feeding me the most delicious Asian salad I had ever tasted.
“I know. I feel like I’ve been here for months with all I got done.”
“What are your plans this weekend?” he asked innocently, yet my heartbeat spiked nonetheless.
Later that evening was my dinner with Ryder, and my benign response was an automatic “Nothing much.” I really hated lying to him.
“You want to come to Beck’s with us tomorrow? Nothing fancy, just a barbecue and relaxing by the pool.”
“Yeah, that sounds great.” The little voice in my head began chastising me. Hiding my plans with Ryder would make it appear more than it was. But telling him would start a discussion about my love life. I hadn’t realized I’d been staring at Cooper until he asked, “What?”
Deciding to come clean, I poked around my salad, avoiding eye contact and admitted, “Okay, I am doing something tonight. I’m meeting Ryder for a casual dinner.” The silence that followed forced my attention toward him. “I know what you’re goin
g to say. He has a fiancée,” I blurted out, making myself look guiltier than I was. “Or she may be his wife by now.” That seemed to relax him a bit. “It’ll just be two friends catching up.”
Cooper placed his fork down and took my hand. “Sweetie, you don’t have to justify seeing Ryder to me. Or anyone else, for that matter. You’re gorgeous, and it’s inevitable you’ll catch a lot of attention… and you should revel in it.” The frown meant he had something else on his mind, and I had a feeling it had to do with me being his surrogate.
Needing to steer him off course, I teased, “I don’t exactly have men pounding on the door.”
“Not true… we know of one,” he muttered, but I heard him.
“What are you talking about?”
“Damon likes you. He told us. Ricky and I were going to talk to you about it.”
“He’s sweet but—”
“Not to convince you to see him,” Cooper interrupted. “More so to make sure you don’t remain closed off to men because of what you’re about to do for us.” And there it was. He was so predictable, and I couldn’t help but laugh, to which he raised his brows. “I’m serious.”
“I know you are. That’s why this is funny. There isn’t a man on earth who would willingly walk into a relationship with a woman about to become pregnant… even if it’s just as a surrogate.”
“You don’t know that for sure,” he argued. “A lot can happen between two people in three or four months. By the time you need to tell him, you could be in love.”
“That time being when I begin to look like I swallowed a basketball? Things could get awkward at that point.” I squeezed his hand. “I’ll be fine. People put their love lives on hold for a hell of a lot less important things. You need to stop worrying about that.”
“Okay, but promise me something.” He waited for me to meet his gaze. “Don’t close a door just because you think a man won’t understand. If he’s the right man, he’ll want to be with you regardless of your situation.”
