Skipped a Beat

by Salsbury, JB

  I circle around her wheelchair so she can see me, and the second she does, her eyes round and her lips part in surprise. A warm smile spreads on my face. “Hey, beautiful.”

  30

  Jade

  So this is Ryder’s Rosie.

  The Rosie who has an entire world of fans speculating.

  Ryder bends forward to hug her, then covers her forehead in kisses before crouching next to her chair with her hand in his. “I missed you.”

  The world was wrong about Ryder’s tattoo.

  Rosie isn’t a past lover.

  She’s so much more.

  “I brought someone to meet you. She’s really special to me so be nice to her, okay?” He winks at her, then motions for me to come over.

  I hobble close, and when I get a glimpse of the girl’s face, everything falls into place. Rosie is much daintier than Ryder, but there’s no mistaking the bone structure, her lips, and her eyes being the exact same shade of blue.

  “Rosie, this is Jade.” He turns to look up at me with so much vulnerability in his eyes, it’s hard to hold his gaze. “Jade, this is my twin sister. Rosie.”

  “Twins,” I say through a breath.

  “Yeah.” He smiles at his sister who is looking at me with wonder, her jaw working but no words coming out.

  “It’s nice to finally meet you, Rosie.”

  Ryder kisses her hand, and the love between them aches my chest.

  “She hasn’t smiled this much since The Greatest Showman came out on DVD,” Melanie says. “I think she likes you.”

  My eyes fill with tears as I watch life and animation rise in Rosie’s expression with every word Ryder speaks. “I think she’s happy to see him.”

  The way he talks to her, the softness in his voice, his tender touch as he pushes hair off her face and tucks it behind her ear, I’ve never witnessed a more heartwarming interaction in all my life.

  “Zac’s your new man, huh?” Ryder looks back at the large-screen television, then shakes his head before looking back at his sister. “Whatever happened to Harry Styles?” He crinkles his nose. “You’re right, his hair does always look greasy.” He smiles when she smiles. “But you know, all boys have cooties anyway.” He kisses her hand again and acts like he’s listening to whatever she’s trying to say. “It doesn’t matter, no one will ever be good enough for you.”

  The smile that stretches across her face is so big and bright that I find myself grinning and tearing in response.

  “Nope.” He shakes his head. “Not even Zac.”

  There’s a soft knock on the door, and we all turn and find Cam wearing the closest to a smile I’ve ever seen on his usually intimidating face. He looks between Ryder and Rosie and lifts his chin. “You giving him shit, baby girl?”

  Ryder sighs. “She’s set on this Efron guy.”

  Cam crosses to her chair and circles around the other side, squatting just like Ryder to look up at his daughter. The visual of these two beautiful men, their faces soft with love as they bow at the feet of this lovely girl, cracks something inside me.

  “You happy to see your brother, sweetheart?” Cam asks, then reaches and gently wipes a tear rolling down her cheek. “Yeah, I know. He misses you too.”

  Ryder hops up and wraps his sister in a hug. “I’ll come visit more now that I’m not on tour. Want to hear some stories about my adventures?” He kisses the top of her head. “Let me tell you about the morning I woke up to find a crazed fan hiding in my bus.”

  I laugh and wipe tears from my cheeks.

  Ryder winks at me, then goes back to Rosie. “Yes, she was crazed. She tried to steal my clothes and told me over and over that I was the best drummer in the history of drummers and that she was madly in love with me.” He leans forward and cups his ear. “What was that? Do I love her too?” He sobers, and his gaze tangles with mine. “Yeah, beautiful. I do.”

  Ryder

  I said it.

  In front of my dad and my sister, I looked Jade in the eyes and confessed.

  I love her.

  She has some huge decisions to make, and I needed to know she had all the information before she made her choice about us. Now she knows.

  I’m in love with her.

  I choose her.

  My dad clears his throat, bursting the awkward silence. “Dinner’s ready.” He pats Rosie’s knee, then stands, gets behind her chair, and pushes her past Jade who’s standing as still as a statue. Melanie’s eyes are as wide as saucers, and she scurries out of the room in front of my dad. “There’s plenty for you two when you’re ready.” He closes the door behind them, and silence falls around us like a bubble.

  She’s not looking at my face, but her eyes are fixed on my chest, and she sways a bit on her crutches.

  “I’m sorry if that made you uncomfortable.”

  At the sound of my voice, she focuses on my face. “You don’t mean it,” she says so quietly I hardly hear her.

  I chuckle, rub the back of my neck, and shrug. “I actually do. I wanted to tell you last night, but I knew you wouldn’t believe me. I figured by bringing you here and letting you into the most private part of my life, I’d be showing you how much you mean to me. Everything else is just words.”

  She swallows, licks her lips, and lists to one side.

  I lunge and grip her shoulders to hold her up, then walk her to the nearest chair and help lower her to it. “Are you dizzy? We need to get you some food. We don’t have to eat here. What sounds good? I can run out or—”

  “Ryder.”

  I slam my mouth shut.

  “I’m okay.”

  I step back to avoid doing what I so desperately want to do, to fall at her feet, bury my head in her lap, and beg her to keep me around.

  She blows out a long breath. “Love?”

  “Yeah.”

  She shakes her head, and my stomach ties in knots. “I’m not sure I even know what that is anymore.”

  “It’s easy. Love is no secrets. Love is exposing every aspect of yourself to another person and trusting they aren’t gonna run at what they see or use what they learn to crush you. Above all else, love is honesty, loyalty, and a commitment to weather all the storms together.”

  Her eyes are glassy, and her lip quivers. “What are you saying?”

  I shove my hands in my pockets to keep from wiping her tears. “You’ve got enough money to go anywhere you want to go and start over. You don’t need me anymore. We’re on an equal footing now. Not a secret between us. I’m saying I want you to choose me, Jade. With all the options that lie before you, I want you to know that staying here in LA with me is one of them, and I want you to pick me.”

  “But… the baby, and I don’t know what I’m going to do about Steven or if I should—”

  “None of that matters to me. I love you. Let me walk through all this with you, I want to.”

  “You don’t realize what you’re asking.”

  I narrow my gaze on her. “I know you think I’m some spoiled rich white guy who grew up without obstacles, but you’re wrong. I watched my mom nearly drink herself to death for my entire life while my dad struggled with a brain injury that left him nearly catatonic. I may have only been three years old when Rosie got hurt, but I had to live my entire life knowing I hid under a table crying while my sister sank to the bottom of a pool, fighting for life.” I ignore her gasp. “So don’t assume just because you see money that there weren’t problems and I haven’t been through shit. One thing I learned is that love is the only thing, and I mean the only thing, that gets you through.”

  “I don’t want to give up the baby,” she whispers.

  I drop to my knees at her feet. “I would never expect you to.”

  She glares, but tears continue to stream from her eyes. “How can you say that?”

  “I already told you, but I’ll say it as many times as you need to hear it. I am in love with you. It’s that simple.”

  “You’d stand by and watch me raise another man’s ch
ild—”

  “No. I’d stand by and help you raise your child.”

  “But, what if—”

  “We’ll figure it out.”

  She shakes her head. “There’s a chance we could—”

  “We’ll figure that out too.” Unable to keep my hands to myself a second longer, I run my palms up her thighs. “There’s only one thing I need to know, right here and now, and that is… Do you love me?”

  “Of course I do. I’ve been in love with you since—”

  I crash my lips to hers in a bruising kiss. A kiss that seals, binds. A kiss that claims. I suck on her tongue and nip at her lips while her fingers rake through my hair, sting my scalp, and claim me right back.

  31

  Three months later…

  Jade

  “Is all this really necessary?” I hiss close to Ryder’s ear as we walk hand in hand through the sliding-glass doors of Massachusetts General Hospital. I turn back toward the three gigantic men following behind us. Well, two of them are gigantic. One of them is just really big. “They look so intimidating, like they’re here to start a war.”

  Ryder shrugs. “That’s the point, babe. If we don’t walk out of here with those papers signed, they will start a war.” He pulls me close and kisses my temple. “You know how much this means to my dad, and Blake went through something similar with his daughter, Axelle. Killian’s just here because he’s my best friend and there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for each other.”

  I look back at Cam and Blake. The scowls on their faces would make anyone on the receiving end piss themselves. Imagining Steven losing his bladder all over his Ralph Lauren pants is an entertaining thought.

  Killian winks at me. “Chill, Jade. We got this.”

  Ryder smirks. “See? We got this.”

  “Thank you for talking my brother out of coming. I don’t think Kingston would’ve been as diplomatic.” I chuckle, but I’m not joking.

  My brother came and stayed with us for a week, and after filling him in on Steven’s lack of response, he said he’d be more than happy to “hog tie his ass and relocate him to an undisclosed location.” Ryder entertained the idea before insisting we take a less felonious route.

  We hit the elevators, and I punch the button that’ll take us to the fifth floor, room five ten, the office of Attending Physician Doctor Steven Fine.

  “I haven’t ruled out Kingston’s plan.” Ryder shrugs. “It’s a solid plan B.”

  We squeeze into the elevator with two other people.

  “You cannot be serious—”

  “Jade?”

  I whip my head around and find a nurse I used to work with. “Hey, Brenda.” I knew there was a good chance I’d see people I know, but I hoped by some stroke of luck I’d avoid familiar faces altogether. Of course, luck has never been on my side, but since Ryder, my life has become a whole lot brighter.

  The small brunette hugs me and then her eyes drop to the hard bump under my shirt. “You’re pregnant?”

  Wow. A little slow for a medical professional. “Yep.”

  She looks at Ryder who has his hand still fully wrapped around mine. Her eyes widen. “You look so familiar.”

  “Brenda, this is my boyfriend, Ryder.”

  Her mouth falls open as he offers his free hand to shake hers, but she doesn’t seem to notice as she gapes like a fish in his direction. “I know you! Ryder, as in drummer for Jesse Lee, Ryder? I’m a RydeRDie Chick!”

  Cam scowls at the woman, shakes his head, and mumbles, “Jesus.”

  “That’s great,” Ryder says. He’s usually so much sweeter to his fans. Poor Brenda got him at a bad time.

  The elevator dings, but she doesn’t move.

  “Brenda, is this your floor?” I ask.

  She still doesn’t move. “Can I get your autograph?”

  Ryder squeezes my hand. “I’m kind of in a hurry—”

  “Come on, Brenda.” Blake takes her by her shoulders and gently turns her around and walks her out. “There you go, sweetheart.” He slips back in just as the doors slide closed. “Hope she’s not responsible for saving anyone’s life today,” Blake mumbles under his breath.

  “No shit,” Cam says.

  The elevator pings at the fifth floor, and everyone files out. Everyone except me. I can’t seem to get my feet to move.

  Ryder hands Cam the manila folder filled with paperwork. “Give us a sec.”

  “I’m scared,” I say when Ryder stands mere inches from me, his hands firmly on my shoulders. “What if he says—”

  “He won’t.”

  “If he refuses—”

  “Impossible.”

  I swallow hard. “What if he insists on custody?”

  “Then we’ll threaten his life.”

  I laugh at his joke, but sober quickly when he doesn’t laugh along with me. “You’re not kidding.”

  “Come on, let’s get this over with.”

  I allow him to drag me out of the elevator, and I duck my head as we move past doctors, nurses, and interns. All eyes are on the wall of muscle moving behind me as the men create the perfect diversion. Steven’s door looms in the distance, cracked open, indicating he’s there and available.

  Shit, shit, shit.

  Ryder squeezes my hand reassuringly, then whispers, “Think about the baby.”

  He’s right. I’m doing this for my daughter.

  I suck in a deep breath and turn the corner, walking into his office like I own the building. His eyes come up from whatever he was doing on his computer screen, probably watching porn, and zero in on me. The door clicks closed behind me, and the air in the room strings tight with tension. Steven gives the men at my back a casual once-over, then settles back on me. “Jade.”

  “Dr. Fine.” Hard to believe I ever found him attractive. His blue eyes are muddier than I remember, not nearly as bright as Ryder’s. His frown pulls at the skin around his cheeks, making them appear saggy, and his nose is too small for his face.

  He leans back in his chair, feigning confidence, but I don’t miss the slight jump in his jaw when Cam moves closer to me. “What do you want?”

  “You know why I’m here. I want you to sign the paperwork to terminate your parental rights.”

  His gaze drops to my belly on full display in a tight black shirt. “I will when I have time.”

  Cam reaches over my shoulder and slaps the paperwork on the desk. “You got time now.”

  “Really, Jade?” Steven scoffs. “You think you can intimidate me into doing this for you?”

  Blake walks around the office, his massive arms tensed at his sides, his eyes peering at the ceiling. He waves a finger around, then glares at Steven. “No cameras in here.”

  Steven tenses.

  “Look,” Ryder says, his arm coming around my back to pull me into the support of his tall body. “Just sign them, and we’ll be out of your hair.”

  “Wish I could, but I’ll need my lawyer to take a peek—”

  “You’ve had over a month, Steven. Six weeks to have your lawyer look at them, and I’m sick of waiting.”

  “Yeah, time’s up, motherfucker.” The fierce growl in Killian’s voice has the hair on the back of my neck standing up. “Sign it.”

  “Or what?” Steven says with the arrogance of man who’s had his ass kissed his entire life. “You’ll beat me up?” He glares at me. “Typical Jade. You can take the girl out of the ghetto, but—”

  “You piece of shit,” Ryder says and hate drips off every word.

  “You want me out of your life, and you don’t want this baby. Why won’t you release yourself of the responsibility?” I don’t understand why he won’t just sign.

  “If you don’t turn around and walk out of here,” he says. “I’ll take you to court for writing illegal prescriptions.”

  I figured he’d come back to this, dangle it over my head to control me. Again. “Go ahead.”

  For the first time since we walked in, he seems shaken as his face grows pale. />
  I shrug. “I mean, your signature is on every prescription. You’ll have to prove I wrote them without your permission, and if memory serves, I remember you writing those scrips. You know, when my head was between your legs and your fist was in my hair.”

  Ryder tenses at my side, but he remains right there. By my side, at my back, a pillar of support.

  “I wonder how your wife and daughters will feel about me sharing all the intimate details of our little arrangement in court? Better yet, how will the medical board feel about you sleeping with a nurse for ten months while you were married? You think the hospital will keep you on after that? Sure, it’ll come down to your word against mine. Who do you think they’ll believe, huh? Me or you?” I chew my lip, thinking. “You don’t have the best record for honesty. It’s a risk, but I’m all in if you want to take it.”

  When he doesn’t immediately answer, Cam pushes close to the desk. His thick thighs press against the wood as he leans over, bracing his weight on his knuckles. “We know where you live, where you park your car in the parking garage, and what time you leave every night. Sign the papers or live the rest of your pathetic life looking over your shoulder. Your choice.”

  A thin sheen of sweat breaks across Steven’s forehead. Blake comes around the desk, plucks a pen from Steven’s breast pocket, clicks it, and holds it out to him. “You’ve got sixty seconds to get your name in ink.”

  Steven pulls the pages out, finds the places marked in yellow where he has to sign, and scribbles his name. Blake pulls each page, checking to make sure it’s all there, and after the final page is signed, he nods.

  Killian pops open the door, and as we’re filing out, Steven jumps up, rounds his desk, and just has to get the last word by saying, “The pussy wasn’t worth it anyway.”

  Ryder freezes, his eyes forward. Cam, Blake, and Killian all stand around gauging Ryder’s body language as if trying to determine how involved they should be in the inevitable beatdown.