She's really serious about this.
Snatching my small bag off the floor with force, I throw open the door and go back to my car. This is ridiculous. Who the hell does she think she is?
Sitting in the driver's seat, I'm so pissed. None of this is going the way I planned. I was going to come in, get the papers signed, and be back home by tomorrow.
Ryder's being stubborn, his sister is just being straight nasty, and now it looks like I'm stuck sleeping in my damn car.
Pulling out my phone, I search to see where the nearest hotel or bed and breakfast is. Turns out the closest one is an hour and half away. That isn't going to work for me.
Laying my head back, I close my eyes and try to think if there's anyone else I can call. An old friend, a long lost family member, anyone who might be willing to take me in for a night.
There's no one. Not a soul. All my family is moved away. Moving to New York erased everything. I have no long lost friends to call. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks. There is one person I can try.
I know what to do. . .
There's only one solution that my mind keeps harping on. It's hard to say no to a girl in distress, especially when she's looking you straight in the eyes. Saying no over the phone is so much easier. But if I'm right there, if they can see the stress on my face, I know I won't be turned away.
Being stubborn is one thing. Having a spine is another.
And I've got both.
4
Ryder
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The pounding on the door surprises me. Pulling my hands out of the dish water, I dry them on a towel.
It's probably just Melody. I bet she lost her damn key again.
“Hold on, I'm coming!” I call out. Pulling on the knob, I chuckle loudly. “What's the matter? Lost your—” I cut myself off as I realize it's not my sister at all. “Jenna?”
“Hey,” she says, darting eyes around my face.
I knew she'd be back soon, I just didn't expect it would only be a few hours later. She's shifting on her feet, rocking on her heels and then tipping up on her toes. She isn't looking me directly in the eyes, her eyes pop over and then flick away.
There's a sheepishness to her, as if she's had a pin stuck in her and she's deflated. I'm not sure what's going on or why she's even here right now.
“Nothing has changed in the past few hours. The answer is still no. I haven't suddenly changed my mind.”
She forces a smile, her eyes finally locking on mine. “I know, that's not why I'm here.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Well, I went to get a room up at the Pitt Motel, and your sister decided I didn't deserve one.”
“She did?” I ask, barely suppressing a laugh.
“Yup. She said it's because of who I am and the reason I'm here.” Her lips pop as she says yup, and I'm instantly thinking about those lips around my cock again.
Running a hand across my mouth, I hide the smirk. It's funny, even though I wish she hadn't done it. I know Melody doesn't like Jenna because of me, but she really didn't have to turn her away.
“Huh,” I say, “I'm surprised.” I lie.
“Well, she did.” Her voice falters, and her eyes glisten as if she's holding back tears.
What's going on with her?
The spit fire I had seen earlier is gone. She's lost whatever power she's been running on. Maybe it's because she's not in New York anymore. This place doesn't work the way she wants it to. She can't snap her fingers and get what she wants.
I'm peering down at her, wondering what the hell she expects from me. Her body shivers slightly with the cool evening breeze.
“You want to come in for coffee or something?”
She shakes her head yes, so I step out of the way and let her inside. She follows me into the kitchen, taking off her light jacket and hanging it over the back of the chair.
“It looks the same in here as I remember. This entire town basically looks the same.”
“Some of it is, but a lot of it has changed too.” Putting on a pot of coffee, I take out the creamer and sugar, setting it on the table.
She nods, pulling out a chair and sitting down. “Yeah, but you live here. For me, every little thing I see is bringing back so many memories I’d forgotten.”
“It must be hard on you,” I say. I know my words are a little tough, but I really don't care about the nostalgia she's dealing with. “Lord knows actually living here makes everything just disappear.”
I wasn't granted a new life, miles away, where I could pretend to be someone else. For me, I have to see it and live it every damn day. Not all of us get a fresh start in life.
Her eyes shoot up to mine. There are so many words, but she keeps them in. Dropping her gaze back to her hands, she fiddles with her nails.
My gut tightens as I watch her. I'm not trying to hurt her feelings, but I don't have a single bone in my body that's going to pity the little rich girl.
Pouring us each a cup of coffee, I pass her one and take the seat across from her. She sips hers slowly. “Thanks, this is good.”
“Yup.”
Why did she come here?
I feel on edge. I'm waiting for her to just spill it and tell me why she showed up here like this.
“So, you know of any other hotels close by? Or do you think maybe you could call your sister and get her to rent me a room for the night?”
“You want me to fix your problem? Is that why you're here?”
Jenna's gaze freezes as her brows furrow. “I'm asking for a small favor, that's it.”
“Why don't you just hop on your private jet and fly home? I mean, I'm not going to sell the farm to you, so there's no point in you even being here.”
The words come out too fast for me to stop, and I regret them instantly. Her face softens as she flinches with my harsh tone, her eyes turning glassy as tears bubble up over the surface. I'm not usually this mean, but she's acting like this is somehow my problem to fix for her.
Jenna inhales a deep breath and swallows hard. Clearing her throat, she shakes the tears away, pulling up her armor. “I'm not leaving, Ryder. I'm staying until I can convince you to see reason. This is the right thing to do. You know it and I know it.”
She wants to convince me. All right, I can play a long for a little bit.
I have an idea. One that causes an immediate grin on my face. She won't go for it, but it'll be fun to see the look on her face.
“Okay, how about this? You stay here.”
“What?” she asks.
“Stay here. You can sleep in one of the guest rooms and stay here as long as you're in town.”
Her jaw drops as her chin crooks to one side. “You're not serious. You're screwing with me, right?”
“I'm serious, but there is one catch.” Leaning forward, I hold my mug in both hands, a slick smile on my face. “You have to earn your keep, just like when we were kids. You help around the farm, and in exchange, I'll hear whatever pitches you have for me.”
“This has to be a joke. You're not serious.”
“No it's not, I mean it,” I answer. “But,” I quickly say, holding up a finger, “I'm not making any promises, I'm only agreeing to listen. You have my ears, but it doesn't mean I'm selling. I'll hear you out, though.”