“If you give me your permission, I’ll take your mom to a superhero movie that just came out.”
“Why?” Avery asked suspiciously.
“To show her that even old people can like them.”
Avery clapped her hands. “YES! Then maybe she’ll watch Winnie with me.”
Ryker laughed. Avery beamed widely. I loved putting that smile on my daughter’s face, but Ryker deserved all the credit for this. My heart wasn’t just increasing in size, it felt as if it was about to leap out of my chest. I’d spent two years with a man who hadn’t once put that smile on Avery’s face, and yet Ryker did so effortlessly. Did he know how charming that was to me? How much it meant to me?
It just came naturally for him. Bonding with those around him, making them feel at ease. After all, I’d felt at ease around him the moment I’d met him, and I’d been fighting with my ex.
“What do you say, Heather? Go to a movie with me? Now that we have permission and all?”
Smiling, I nodded. Avery jumped up and down, and the three of us headed out. I was acutely aware of his hand on my arm as he led us both outside. His grip was possessive, as if I belonged to him. As if we both did.
“I know who you are,” Avery said suddenly before we climbed into one of the cars waiting outside.
“Who?” Ryker prompted, raising both eyebrows.
“You’re Prince Charming.”
Ryker’s eyes bulged. The two of them talked the entire ride home. I kept glancing between them, barely managing to get a word in. It was the first time Avery was so chatty in front of a person she’d just met.
When we arrived in front of my building, I was surprised when Ryker climbed out of the car too. “What are you doing?” I asked.
“What kind of prince charming would I be if I didn’t walk you to your door?”
Avery squealed. Her happiness was contagious. I couldn’t hide my smile as I opened the door of the car. Avery led the way. She had so much energy that it would take her a while to fall asleep.
Then again, it would take me a while too. Ryker went up with us.
As I unlocked the front door, I told Avery, “Say goodbye to Ryker and go straight to the bathroom and brush your teeth.”
Avery sighed. “Do I have to?”
“Yes, it’s late.”
She held her tiny hand out to Ryker again. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Ryker.”
“Likewise, Ms. Avery.”
Avery formed an O with her mouth, looking up at me, then back at Ryker. “I thought only old ladies are Ms. I can be a Ms.?”
“Of course. If you want to.”
“I want to.”
“Avery. Teeth,” I repeated, fighting laughter.
“Goodnight, Mr. Ryker,” Avery said, nodding eagerly before disappearing into the apartment.
I lingered in the doorway, even less ready to say goodnight than I’d been at the party.
“Tonight was... incredible,” I murmured.
“Yeah, it was.”
He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. My entire body was on edge from that one touch.
“Do you have time for that movie tomorrow?”
“I have a deadline for an article on Sunday. Next week?”
“We have a big project coming in on Monday... it will keep me at work until late in the evening. Next Friday?”
“Yes, that works.”
He trained his eyes on me, and I was overwhelmed by the mix of heat and determination in them.
I had to be honest with him. “Avery asked me if it’ll be just the two of us for a while, and I said yes. I don’t think she wants us to have someone else in our life.”
He cupped my face in both hands. “I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that little girl feels safe around me. Make sure she’s happy. And then we’ll take it from there.”
Oh, wow. What could I say to that? All I wanted to do was wrap my arms around him and pull him into a kiss.
“Between you and me, I think my chances aren’t half bad. She gave me her permission to take you out to a movie pretty quickly.”
“That’s because you tricked her. You essentially made her believe I might watch cartoons with her if you take me to the movies.”
Ryker grinned unapologetically. “Hey, I saw my chance, and I seized it.”
“You most definitely did.”
“And I’m not done doing that yet.”
I laughed, and this time I did pull him into a kiss. One thing I knew about Ryker. If he didn’t see a chance, he created one.
Chapter Fourteen
Ryker
The next morning, I was at my sisters’ store at ten o’clock. To my surprise, only Tess and Skye were here. Tess was perched on a ladder, pushing merchandise boxes around on the last shelf. Skye was handing her boxes.
“Where are the rest of your helpers?” I asked, referring to Cole, Hunter, and Josie. Since the store officially opened on Monday, we had a lot of last-minute details to take care of.
“Cole’s bringing breakfast, so he’ll be a bit late. But Josie and Hunter should be here any second.”
“Okay. Can’t believe they’re coming. Didn’t they land last night?”
“I told them they can sleep in or just skip today, but they insisted,” Skye said.
After they finished the boxes, Tess climbed down from the ladder. My sisters looked absolutely exhausted. They both had dark rings under their eyes, and Skye was paler than usual.
“What time did you two go to bed?” I asked them.
Tess waved her hand. “Don’t make me think about it. I think I slept two hours in total. But I haven’t slept much the past week either.”
“Yeah, I only got in one hour Thursday evening. Got stuck here sorting through inventory, and we had more deliveries coming in at six o’clock.”
“You slept here?” I asked.
“Hey, don’t judge. The couch is comfy,” Skye said on a frown. I’d been naive enough to think that after they quit their day jobs, they’d be taking it easier.
“You two will burn out if you go at this rate.”
Tess pointed a finger at me. “I’ll make you a deal. You stop nagging us about that, and we won’t ask about your plans for the date.”
Skye jerked her head back. “Ummm... don’t make deals in my name, sister.”
I burst out laughing. This morning was off to a brilliant start.
“Besides, you’re one to talk. Who was working a hundred hours a week to make director just a few years ago?” Skye asked.
“I was twenty-five, and it was only for a short time.”
Tess gasped. “Oh my God, he just called us old.”
“I didn’t. Fuck, I did. I need coffee,” I said on a groan.
Skye shook her head energetically. “No, no. It’s easier to spill secrets when you’re half awake.”
The front door opened, and Hunter and Josie came in, as well as Cole carrying bags.
“You’re saving my life,” I told him. He placed the food on the counter.
“Dig in. I was hungry, so I bought half the store.”
“Atta boy,” Skye exclaimed, rubbing her stomach.
We all reached for the food so fast, one would think we hadn’t eaten in three days. I wolfed down a ham and cheese sandwich before downing a coffee.