“Well,” the bartender said, leaning forward. “She really doesn’t like this woman named Kenzie.” The bartender relayed the conversation and Kenzie saw Bo’s jaw tighten and his face flush with anger. She didn’t like to do this to him, but she was tired of being pushed around. Bo had done it, Hailey-Jean had done it, and she was done.
“I suppose this makes you happy?” Bo sneered.
“No, Bo. It doesn’t. It actually makes me really sad that after all these years she hasn’t been able to move on from high school. I’m proud of you, though. Assistant manager is great. I remember you wanted to become a manager even back in high school. I’m sure you’ll not only make it but excel at it.”
Bo let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. It was his tell for when he was upset. “I should have married you and gone to Charleston.”
Kenzie gave him a sad smile and shook her head. “No, you did the right thing. It took years for me to realize it, but your life is here, Bo. You’re following your dreams and I’m following mine. We weren’t meant to be, but we can still be friends.”
“You’d be my friend after all I put you through?” Bo asked with disbelief.
“I would. I told you, Bo. I’ve moved on. The past is the past. The future hasn’t been written yet, so let’s write a good one.”
Bo surprised her by wrapping her up in a hug. There was no awkward longing for him. Instead, it was like hugging anyone else. “Friends. Now, I better take Hailey-Jean home before your boyfriend beats the shit out of me for hugging you. He has one heck of a glare on his face right now. I’m man enough to know when I would be on the losing end of a fight. It was good to see you, Kenz.”
“You too, Bo. Goodnight,” she said before he turned and collected his wife to leave.
“Kenzie! Come join us!” Seraphina called out with a laugh.
Kenzie turned and smiled at her friends dancing with her boyfriend. The bitterness of the past was gone. She should and would do better with staying in touch with her past. Because while they were her past, that didn’t mean they couldn’t be in her present, too. “I don’t know if I can keep up!”
“Picture! Everyone, my husband is going to take a picture!” Katie-Jane called out as Ryker pulled Kenzie to his side.
“Everything okay?” he whispered as everyone got together.
“It’s great. This has been the best night,” she told him and saw him smile mischievously.
“I bet I can make it better.” Ryker bent and whispered in her ear right as the first camera flash went off. She knew that was going to be an interesting picture because the things he said he wanted to do to her had made her mouth drop open in a mix of shock and lust. “Smile, angel.”
“You are a devil, aren’t you?” Kenzie whispered, trying to get her breathing under control.
“Wrong way, angel. I’m pretty sure you’ll be calling for God and that you’ll feel so good you’ll think you’re in Heaven.”
Kenzie smiled when the second flash went off and knew that would be a great picture.
“Hey, Katie-Jane,” Ryker called out. Send me both of those photos, will you?”
“I’ll tag them on social,” she said with a smile.
“I’m not on social media, but tag Kenzie. I can pull them from her page. Thanks,” he said, giving Katie-Jane a wink that left her giggling.
“Now,” Ryker said, dropping his voice for only her. “Do you want to dance the night away or should I do what I just whispered to you?”
Kenzie knew she flushed red. “I can’t do that here. Everyone will know. The B&B is not known for their privacy.”
“Hmm, I can fix that. Two hours, Kenzie, and then you’re all mine.”
21
Ryker sent a text and set everything in motion. He danced a slow dance with Kenzie and held her close enough that she felt his erection against her. He knew because she blushed and pressed closer. His little angel also had a naughty side and he couldn’t wait to explore every part of her.
He’d seen her with Bo a little while ago, but she’d come back seeming lighter and happier. It was strange. He’d felt jealous when Bo hugged her, but it wasn’t the same as when he’d been younger. He didn’t feel the need to rush over there and pound his chest because he trusted Kenzie. Instead, he just made sure she didn’t need him as he’d continued dancing with her friends.
His phone vibrated and he looked down at it. “Our ride is here,” he told Kenzie, stopping the slow seductive dance that would have gotten them kicked out of prom in high school.
“Our ride?” Kenzie asked.
“You’ll see. Two hours, angel. Then you’re all mine.”
Ryker clasped his hand around hers and walked off the dance floor. “Seraphina,” Ryker said, stopping where she sat alone during the slow dance. “Here’s my card. I’m interested in what we talked about. If you want to pursue that as a career, I have a place for you at a biotech company I own.”
“Seriously?” Seraphina asked, looking up from his business card. “I mean, using algae for medicines was research I’ve done over the years because I was interested in it.”
“You got your degree in biochemistry from North Carolina. I had my assistant look you up. If you’re really interested in continuing this research at a state-of-the-art lab, I can help. I can’t start you off at the top since you haven’t worked in the field, but I can get you on the research team. Just know the facility is in Florida.”
Seraphina leapt up and hugged him. “Florida sounds great. I’ll call on Monday. Thank you.”
“I look forward to it.” Ryker turned to Katie-Jane and the rest of Kenzie’s friends. “Ladies, thank you for the most fun I’ve had in ages. I hope you look us up anytime you come to Charleston. I have a guesthouse you all can stay in if you want to do a girls’ weekend.”
Even as he said the words, he knew his life had changed. Ryker was never the type to offer up his home to anyone except family or their loved ones. But they were loved ones—Kenzie’s loved ones—and that made them welcome in his book.
“O.M. Geeee!” Katie-Jane cried, flinging herself into his arms. “Would we be able to meet Skye?”
Ryker chuckled and threw his cousin-in-law under the bus without a second thought to make Kenzie and her friends happy. “I’m sure I can arrange that.”
“You are so cool! Kenzie,” Katie-Jane said, wrapping her in a hug, “you look so happy and that makes me happy. We’ll talk real soon.”
Ryker took her hand and together they waved goodbye. “Aren’t we taking the car?” she asked him as they walked out the back doors toward the football field.
“Too slow,” Ryker said with a grin as the helicopter landed. “Less than two hours now, unless the idea of joining the mile-high club excites you?”
“You called in your helicopter so we could have sex?” Kenzie both gasped and then laughed when she saw the helicopter landing on the football field.
“Is that okay with you? If not, we can go to the bed and breakfast and, um, cuddle.” Ryker didn’t cuddle, but he’d do it for her.