“Why don’t you tell your mother and sister dinner is here? I’m gonna take the rest of the beer downstairs to the basement.”
“Sure.” Nick flipped open one of the pizza box lids and grabbed a piece of pepperoni. Before jamming it in his mouth, he yelled, “Mom! Sam! Food’s here!”
Ryder heard Nickel’s hollers as he leapt down the basement stairs. By the time he came back up, Amanda and Sam were in the kitchen. They were giggling and arguing.
Women.
“Puleeze, Mom!” Sammie was saying.
“Ah, no.” Amanda grabbed her wine goblet and took a sip. “You are way too young. I don’t even have one! Well, I mean I do now, but they’re not comfortable at all.”
“Mom!” She pleaded to her mother. “Zoe has a few!”
“No. No. And just no!” Amanda finished up the pinot grigio in her glass. “Anyway, they are just icky.”
“What are icky?” Ryder asked.
Both the girls looked over at him and pursed their lips together. His eyebrows jumped up, wondering what he stumbled on to.
“Ryder,” Amanda stepped closer to him, quickly changing the subject. “Thank you for getting the food. What do I owe you?”
He scowled at her. “No problem.” Ryder scoped out the kitchen then asked, “Where’d Nick go?” The kid already booked on him? He needed some back up with these two.
“After cramming a few slices down his throat, he ran upstairs,” Amanda said then turned to Sammie. “Do you want some milk with your pizza?”
“No.” Sammie jutted out her lip. “I want lemonade with some fruit, still.”
“Okay.” Amanda turned back to the refrigerator and pulled open the door. “Go sit down, sweetie and I’ll bring over your drink. I’m going to have a glass of milk.”
Ryder had already filled his plate up with a few slices of pizza and a nice helping of the Greek salad. Sammie helped herself and sat down next to Ryder at the table.
“For my next birthday, I’m gonna get one.” She clenched her jaw defiantly.
He watched her glare at her mother. So what was going on?
“Okay, dear,” Amanda said soothingly to her. “We’ll discuss it later.”
“What is going on?” Ryder asked Amanda after Sammie walked her plate over to the sink and loaded it in the dishwasher.
“Oh, never mind.” Amanda murmured, “It’s just a girl thing.”
Sammie eventually wandered back upstairs to study as well, leaving just Amanda and Ryder sitting at the kitchen table.
“Are you staying, again?” She picked up both of their dirty plates. “Ryder, you don’t have too, I’m sure everything is fine now.”
“Hey, it’s my duty to clean.” He hopped up and took the plates out of her hand. “Go sit back down. Do you want anything else?”
Amanda sank back down in her chair. “Yeah, I want my life back to normal.” She leaned her elbows on the table and covered her face with her hands. “I want Wayne alive. I don’t want to have this stupid problem with walking.” Taking her hands away from her face, she said quietly, “Why? Why did all of this have to happen?”
Ryder could feel her nerves snapping. After loading the dishes into the dishwasher, he walked over to her. “Because, darlin’, that’s life. And there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it.” He rubbed her shoulders and neck to loosen her up.
She tilted her chin up to look at him. “You don’t need to stick around anymore, I’m sure you have plenty of other, more important things to do.”
“Hey, none are as important as this.” He kept kneading her neck with his hands. “Amanda, there is something going on and you know as well as I do that someone at the Institute of Physics is involved. Hell, I saw the mean-ass looking hombres lurking around the offices just a few hours ago, remember?”
She nodded woodenly and her lids lowered fractionally.
“You want to go watch a romance movie or something?” Ryder was pretty sure he’d missed the Diamondback’s game. And since he couldn’t get his baseball fix today, he may as well watch a movie with her. If nothing else, she’d relax and he’d even be able to get some shut-eye.
“Yeah, maybe.” She jerked her head back up as if she was dozing and just woke up. “I’ll see what’s on the tube.”
“You want anything to drink? I’m going to grab another beer.”
“Would you mind getting me a glass of water?”
“Sure. While I’m gone find a nice, mushy movie.”
“Ah, yeah,” she said underneath her breath, but just loud enough for him to hear her. “I’m no fool, I’m gonna take advantage of this.”
After running downstairs to bring up two more beers, he walked back into the family room to catch her furiously going through the channels.
“What? Can’t find any of your movies?” He set her water down on the table and sat next to her. “Oh that’s just so sad, because I’m sure I can find a game on, somewhere.” He deftly snatched the television channel changer out of her hand.
“Hey!” She reached over him trying to get the remote control back. “You can’t do that. I’ve only checked two hundred stations so far!” She laughed. “I have three hundred more to go!”
Ryder extended his right hand all the way up, holding the channel changer with his fingers.
Oh, this is just too sweet. At first only her chest was smashed up against his, but then she angled higher to reach for his hand and her whole body was flush against him. He let himself enjoy it a few more moments, sick dog that he was, but then he figured he should stop being so mean. “You can have it back after you pay your dues, woman.”
She instantly stopped reaching for the black controller and narrowed her eyes. “Pay. My. What?” She clipped out as she tapped him on his chest three times.
Ryder glanced toward the stairs that led up to the bedrooms; where her two teenagers were. It was pretty quiet up there. Should he chance it? Bringing his arm around her that held the television remote control, he pulled her even closer. Those emerald eyes widened as he brought his mouth down on hers. At first her hands clutched onto the front of his shirt, then as they deepened the kiss, her arms edged higher up to twine around his neck. Amanda softly moaned and he smiled. They necked a few minutes more until he heard an upstairs door open. His brain directed him to do a diversion maneuver and he swung Amanda to the side of him, so whoever was coming down wouldn’t see her on top of him. A soft sigh escaped her as he pressed her down, and his lips skimmed over her throat, before he gave her one last nibble on her chin.
Out of nowhere, Amanda swung around and plucked the television controller out of his hands.
“Ah ha!” Smiling widely she clutched the remote tightly in her fist. “I got it!”
“What are you guys doing?” Sammie asked as she came down the stairs.
“Your mother had to defend her right to use her television in her own house as she saw fit, Sammie!”
Sammie snorted as she walked by them. “You sure never acted this goofy with Dad before.”
“Well your father wasn’t as mean as Ryder Stevenson, Sammie.” Amanda shot him a small smile. “Remember, Ryder was in the Army Rangers. One of the baddest around.” Holding up the television remote control in the air with her right hand she squealed, “And I got the channel changer from the big, bad, Army Ranger!” She wiggled the black controller around a few times. “Na-na-na-na-nah!” She hopped off the couch and did a little dance.
Ryder couldn’t help but chuckle. Until she stumbled, then he shot up out of his seat.
Clutching on to the remote as if it were gold, she dug her fingers into the club chair next to the couch to stop her fall. “I’m all right.”
“I just came down for a glass of water and to plead with my beautiful, rad, mother,” Sammie chimed out as s
he headed for the kitchen.
Still holding tightly to the television channel changer, Amanda said, “The answer is still a big resounding no, young lady. You are wayyy too young.”
“Mom!” With a glass of ice water in her right hand and her left hand fisted at her side, Sammie walked to him and Amanda. “Okay in that case. No thong? Then I can drink wine!”
“What?” Amanda’s eyebrows spiked up. “I do believe that what I say is non-negotiable.”
“Hmph,” Sammie grunted and walked past them. “I’m going upstairs. Good night.”
“What was she talking about?” Ryder scratched his head, racking his brain why Sammie was upset.
“Oh, it’s nothing you did, believe me.” Amanda set her palm on his arm. “This is about growing up.” She smirked. “Girls can be such stinkers. And boys . . .” She laughed. “Well, they can be a little more transparent about some things. Nickel is anyway.” Shaking her head, she explained, “Or maybe it’s just my son. I really have no idea, because I was an only child.”
“Well, in my experience, Amanda, I have two brothers and two sisters.” Remembering how his sisters definitely bared their teeth way more than his brothers ever did, he chuckled. “And you are right. Girls are more . . .” He smirked. “. . . Emotional.”
Her eyes danced with laughter at his last remark. “Nice way of putting it.”
“So, what was Sammie going on about?”
“Oh,” Amanda shook her head. “These silly thongs.”
Ryder froze. “Thongs?”
“Yes, it seems that her friend, Zoe has a few pairs already.” Amanda nodded. “Sophia’s daughter. And I won’t let her buy any right now.”
“Good call.” Ryder took another swig off his Budweiser. “So, why did she go all ballistic about it tonight?”
“Oh, my friend, Kelsey, told me I have to wear one for the dress she lent me.”
“What?” Ryder’s eyes gazed down the length of her before he took another swig of his drink. “So that was why she was here tonight?” He closed his eyes and let his imagination go wild.
“Well, no not just for the thong,” she mumbled, “It was to bring over the dresses. She goes to all these social things, more than me anyway. I didn’t want to spend the money on a crazy dress I’d only wear once.”
Ryder’s blood pressure rose. “Yeah, I was going to ask you about that.” He angled his face around to meet hers. “So just when did Smeth ask you to the dance?”
“He called me last night, right before you left. Remember the phone call I got? Well, it was him.” She jabbed her index finger into his belly “And look who’s talking!” Amanda furrowed her brows. “Jeffrey told me you had already planned on taking Sophia Edgington.”
He rubbed his chin. “Well, that is interesting because Sophia told me that you were already going with Smeth when she called me after I left your place last night.”
She turned back around and laid her head back on the couch. “Hey, the only reason I’m going with him is because Jeffrey told me you’d already asked Sophia.” She softly groaned and then bent her forehead down so it rested on her palms.
She was jealous? His chest puffed out slightly at the thought and then he ran through the sequence of events and phone calls. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think they were being played. Like a fricken’ violin. Was something deeper going on here or was it just women baring their claws?
Women were hassles. Women were drama. Hell, women were just total pain in the asses. But . . .
He liked women. And this little blonde haired green-eyed woman . . . Well, he liked her a lot. So much that it mottled his brain. That he didn’t like.
“And Sophia told me Jeffrey had already asked you to go.”
She ignored his last comment and said, “Oh that reminds me, if you are insisting on playing my bodyguard, then I suppose we should go over my schedule on Monday.
“Go for it.”
“Well, the kids are going to school for the last day. Finishing up with finals. And I have my therapy appointment at the gym at ten-thirty.” Amanda bit her lip. “I just thought of something.”
“I’ll drive you wherever you need to be tomorrow.”
“Hmmm, this could work out good. I usually do drive them in the morning, but since Nick has his driving permit, he is allowed to drive both himself and Sammie to school. Can I borrow your car for therapy tomorrow? Then, I can let Nickel take my car.”
“Sure, but I would rather take them myself to school and back.”
“Oh, I’m sure Nick will just be thrilled beyond belief to have you drive him to school.”
“Yeah, you may be right; it may not sit well with him.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Maybe I’ll just follow him. He’ll never know I’m there. I just want to make sure they get there and back without incident.” He took another sip of beer. “Are you going to find anything to watch on the tube? Because I could find a baseball game on somewhere, I’m sure.”
“Oh, right.” Amanda handed him back the television remote control. “I just wanted to feel the power rush, but it’s over now.”
He lifted his eyebrows. “Power rush?”
“Yeah, you know, that thrilling moment where the science nerd gets the coveted controller over the big, bad, Army Ranger.”
“So now the thrill is gone?” He plucked the control out of her hand and pushed on the menu. “What do you know, there’s a game on right here.” Ryder depressed the channel and smiled.
The familiar sounds of people cheering in the stands and the announcer talking about the batter’s statistics all blared out from her television. Ah, he loved those sounds. That giddiness that had swiped through his body at finding a game made him reach for his beer, again.
Did falling in love with a woman even come close to that feeling? Ryder couldn’t hold back the chuckle that erupted out of him. He looked over at Amanda and saw her picking lint off her shirt and pushed the mute button. “You want to watch something else?”
“Nah, the wine I had earlier is making me sleepy anyway.”
Footsteps thudded down the stairs and they both looked up. Sammie appeared with a conciliatory smile.
“Ah, Mom, “Sammie looked hopefully at her mother. “Zoe wants to know if I can spend the night tomorrow after school.”
Amanda’s eyebrows shot up. “Grandma and Grandpa will be here.”
“I know, but I’ll be with them for two whole weeks and I won’t see my friends until after that!”
“Let me think on it.”
“So, that means no.” Sammie’s jaw hardened. Gone was hopeful puppy dog look. “Then I’m going to ask Grandma for some thongs!” She stuck out her tongue and ran up the stairs.
“Man, you are two little peas in a pod. She gets that from you, you know.”
Amanda pressed her mouth together and narrowed her eyes at him. “Does not.”
He smoothed a finger over her clenched jaw. “You are a terrific mother, you know.”
She pulled her brows together as she watched him from the corner of her eye.
“Yeah, must be hard to do this all by yourself. I don’t know how you do it.”
“It’s the only thing in life that doesn’t come with a manual or instructions. And sometimes you need . . . Actually I’m talking about me here. I need all the help I can get,” she finally huffed out.
Ryder just nodded to let her know he was listening.
Amanda grunted and leaned her head on the back of the sofa. “I should probably let her be with her friends. She always pushes me when I say no to something. Nick isn’t like that at all. What works with one, doesn’t with another. And being a parent is a thankless job, but I just love them so much. It’s important to me that they grow up to be good people, you know?”
�
��They are good kids. I can tell. So what’s it going to be? The sleepover or the . . .” He shook his head. “Or the thong? And why is she so hell bent on getting one of those anyway?”
“Oh, my friend, Kelsey brought one over for me to wear with the dress.”
“What?” Ryder’s pulse picked up. “You were wearing a thong earlier and that’s why Sammie wants one too?”
“Yeah.” She wrinkled her forehead. “They’re just awful. I don’t like them, but according to Kelsey, everyone wears them now.”
“You still got it on?” Thunder pounded in his ears and he scooted closer to her.
“Yes, I’m trying to get used to it.” Amanda scrunched up her nose. “I guess this only proves that I am not ‘with it’. Not like Sophia Edgington, that’s for sure.”
Putting his arm around her he pulled her close. “You don’t want to be like her, Amanda.”
She lowered her lids. “I wouldn’t mind being glamorous and beautiful like her, though.”
“You are beautiful.”
She snuggled into him more. Even though he would’ve liked to have her sleep next to him again on the couch, she needed a good night’s rest.
“Go on up to bed, Amanda.” He rubbed his chin into the top of her head. “Need any help?”
“No, I’m fine. She pushed off the sofa and wobbled to the stairs. “Good night, Ryder. See you in the morning.”
She moved methodically up the stairs. He watched the baseball game on the tube for a while until he heard a door open and close. She was getting settled in for sleep and he was wide-awake. Every part of him was standing at alert. Jumping up from the couch, he ran down to the basement for another beer. May as well, he had a feeling it was going to take him a while before he got any shut-eye.
Invisibility Cloak Page 18
