“Did you punch him or shove him?”
He grins. “Punched.”
“Good.”
After one quick knock on the door, Maggie comes waltzing back in. “Ryder, your brother keeps calling me. Wants to know if he’s going to be an uncle.”
Ryder rolls his eyes. “Guess I shouldn’t have let him find out online.” He gets up, pulling out his phone and dialing. When he steps into the other room, Maggie walks closer to me.
She’s looking down at me. I hate that I’m laying down. I want to stand eye level with her. I don’t want to feel like she’s standing over me all the time.
“Ryder just told me about the shooting,” I say. She releases a deep breath. “Were you with him then?”
“I’ve worked for Ryder since before there was a Ryder Merrick,” she says. “I’ve known him since he was about sixteen.”
“So you’re from his hometown?”
“Yes.”
“How’d you meet?”
“If Ryder wants you to know, he’ll tell you.”
“So I’m not going to pry any information out of you about Ryder,” I say with a smile. “He’s kind of a hard man to get a read on.”
“I’ll tell you everything you need to know about Ryder Merrick,” she says.
“Okay.”
“After the shooting,” she begins then stops.
“Yeah?”
“He paid for every funeral. All the hospital expenses for every victim. In fact, I’m still sending checks to some families for counseling expenses. No one knows about any of that. He didn’t want a big deal made of it.”
“He wasn’t even there,” I say. “And he’s doing all that?”
“Now imagine what lengths he’d go to in order to take care of you,” she says, motioning to my belly.
CHAPTER TEN
We jump in the lake off that old rope
Swinging, swinging
Ryder
I don’t do the whole meet-the-parents thing. The women in my life aren’t around long enough. But I know how important Kailey’s family is to her. It’s obvious by the way she talks about them, how supportive they are of each other. I could make myself scarce while they visit, but I’m not a pussy who’s going to hide, and I’m not going to give Kailey any reason to overthink her staying with me. I think I finally made some headway with her about that, although she never confirmed. It’s just a hunch I have.
“My mom just texted that they are here in the lobby and being asked for identification. She’s wondering if the full body pat down is coming next,” Kailey says, raising an eyebrow at me. She’s in her usual position on the sofa, looking cute as hell with her blonde hair pulled up in a high ponytail.
“Not the best way to start, I guess,” I say, stepping closer to her. “Any pointers?”
“My mom is the key,” Kailey says. “Daddy is a softy. It’s my mom you have to worry about. Addison’s and my dates were always more scared of our mom than our dad.”
“Maybe I should have flowers or something for your mom,” I say.
“Mom would hate that. She’d see it as a bribe.”
“How pissed are they?” I ask. “First, I knock you up, then I disappear. Then the press is all over you. If you were my daughter, I would kill the guy.”
The door swings open, and a middle-aged woman wearing wide-leg yoga pants and a black cardigan comes flying at Kailey. This has to be the mother. She certainly doesn’t look like the typical professor—no glasses, tight bun, pant suit.
“Mom!” Kailey says, almost forgetting she needs to stay put on the sofa. Her mom bends down, hugging her daughter tightly.
“Daddy’s still being fingerprinted,” she says, her hard, cold eyes locked on me. She leans back, holding Kailey’s hands in hers. “Honey, you look so beautiful. New clothes?”
Kailey’s eyes find mine. “Yeah.” She reaches out her hand, encouraging me forward. “Ryder, this is my mom, Clara Walker.”
I extend my hand, and she glares at it. This is not what usually happens when I meet someone new. Seriously doubt Clara Walker wants a selfie or an autograph. “Mom, be nice,” Kailey begs.
She gives her daughter a smile. “Nice? My pregnant baby girl goes following his tour for weeks. I barely hear from you. Don’t see you at all. I find out some burly guy has taken you to live with this singer,” she says with disgust in her voice, then adds, “because paparazzi have invaded your life, and you want me to be nice?”
“Yeah, Mom, I do.”
I take a small step forward. “I can explain . . .”
“Do yourself a favor and be quiet.” Clara puts a finger in my face. “She’s my baby, and she’s tenderhearted, forgives easily, and loves with every fiber of her soul.”
“Mom,” Kailey groans, her cheeks pinkening a little.
“No, it’s okay,” I say. “I deserve every bit of your mom’s anger.”
Kailey reaches for her mother’s hand. “Where’s Daddy?”
“Right here, pumpkin.” Her father walks in from the hallway, carrying several bags. He’s not a particularly tall man, just average. His black hair is spotted with gray, and the way he looks at his daughter is the way all parents should look at their children—like she’s his whole world. Unlike his wife, I could picture him as a professor, a friendly one who has students fighting to take his class—probably giving extra credit and open book tests.
After he kisses his daughter on the forehead, he turns to me. “I’m Kailey’s dad, Henry, nice to meet ya.”
Clara rolls her eyes. Kailey might have her dad’s personality, but she looks just like her mother—both petite, with honey blonde hair, sun-kissed skin, and the same blue-gray eyes.
“Henry, have you forgotten this is the man that impregnated and abandoned our daughter?” Clara asks. “And then kidnapped her?”
Kailey’s hand slaps her forehead. “We all know what happened. How many times do you need to say it?”
Addison walks in with a man that I assume is her husband—tall, lean fella who gives us all a grin. Kailey mentioned a niece, but she’s not here. I guess they left her with a babysitter or something. Probably a good call. Who knows how this is going to go? “Everyone making nice?” Addison asks.
“No, I don’t feel like making nice. Not when my baby’s about to become an unwed mother,” Clara says.
Addison jumps in. “Oh, please, Mother, you don’t even believe in traditional marriage. You and Daddy aren’t even married.”
Interesting bit of information. I look at Kailey for confirmation. She never told me that. She simply gives me a shrug, and they all chuckle. Clara says, “That’s me, Addison. Your sister is more traditional. You know that.”
Traditional, huh? She fucked me like there was no tomorrow the first day I met her. I remember how she rode me like a pro. Reverse cowgirl isn’t an easy position to master, but Kailey had no problem, and fuck, her ass was . . . Jesus, I shouldn’t be thinking about this right now.