Love will come between us.
I press my lips to the back of her hand, trying to convey what words cannot. Words muddle things. Words lie. Words have different meanings, sub-contexts. They can be twisted, misunderstood, have double meanings.
Take the word bolt. It has two totally opposite meanings. You could be talking about running away from something, or referring to securing something down. Confusing!
A dick—that can be a penis or a dude’s name.
There are dozens of examples. But the most confusing and abused word of all is love. It holds different meanings depending on who you say it to, how you say it. It’s given huge significance, but the bottom line is that it’s a four-letter word for a reason.
“I love your ring,” Kailey says, pointing to the massive diamond on Mae’s finger, and Mae thanks her.
My brother broke the bank on that sucker. Well, considering he’s the highest paid actor in Hollywood right now, and he gets twenty million per movie, he probably didn’t break the bank, but still, that diamond is huge.
It’s funny to think that two kids from small town Colorado grew up to be two of the most recognizable men in the entertainment world. I know Mom would be proud of us. I know Dad would be, too, even though he and I didn’t have the perfect father/son relationship.
“When’s the wedding?”
“Six weeks,” Mae says, looking up at Knox.
“So close,” Kailey says, sounding happy for them. “You must be busy planning.”
“It’s going to be small,” Knox says. “No big production.”
“And private,” Mae says, determination in her voice. “We’re actually doing it in my backyard in Haven’s Point. The paparazzi will never guess that.”
“That sounds lovely,” Kailey says.
“We hope you can both make it, but we understand that might not happen,” Mae says.
Shit! Kailey locks eyes with me. I haven’t mentioned any of this to her. Of all the things I was afraid to come up today, this one slipped my mind.
“Ryder’s my best man,” Knox says, giving me a nod. “Even if it’s just in spirit.”
“If I’m still on bed rest, Ryder, you should definitely go,” Kailey says.
Knox mouths he’s sorry to me. “I’m not leaving you alone,” I say to Kailey.
“You have to go to your only brother’s wedding,” she says like I’m crazy for even thinking otherwise.
“Let’s just hope you’re better,” I say.
“Otherwise, you’ll go alone,” she says with a grin. Before I have the chance to argue, she holds her hand up and announces to us all, “He’ll be there.”
“You and the baby come first,” I say.
“I can have Addison come stay, or my parents. It’s what, two days?”
I look over at Knox and Mae, knowing how much they want me there, then look back at Kailey, who’s insisting I go. “Only if everything is perfect with you and the little guy,” I say, pointing to her stomach.
“Guy?” Mae cries. “Are you having a boy?”
“We aren’t finding out,” I say. It’s always best to turn the tables on my little brother to get the heat off my own ass, so I say to Knox, “Better watch out. Looks like Mae might be getting some ideas in her head about babies.”
Mae doesn’t deny it, simply smiling. “Wedding first,” Knox says, and Mae elbows him hard, and he realizes what he’s done, that what he said could be a sore spot for Kailey. He mumbles a few curse words then says, “Sorry, Kailey. I didn’t mean anything.”
“No worries. I’m not offended,” Kailey says. “My parents aren’t married. They’ve been together over thirty years now.”
Mae and Knox exchange a glance, and Kailey and I share a similar one. Her parents’ relationship isn’t the norm. Then it hits me—and I don’t know why I didn’t think to ask her this before, but it’s not something that can wait. “Do you not want to ever get married?” I ask her, causing all eyes to turn on us.
Her eyes huge, she glances at my brother and Mae, then back to me. “What?”
“Well, you called off an engagement. Your own parents never married. I’m wondering if it’s not something you want for yourself.” I ask.
“Do we have to discuss this now?” she asks, her blue eyes begging for an answer that I’m not going to give her.
“Yeah, I told you that I want you to marry me.”
“Yes, you told me,” she says through a tense smile. “You didn’t ask me.”
“Well, I’m asking now!” I snap.
“You’re asking me now?” she says, her voice quieting. “By yelling at me?”
“Ryder,” Knox says, getting to his feet. “Show me the balcony.”
Yanking my arm, Knox forces me outside, then shuts the door behind us and asks, “What the hell was that?”
I look back through the window at Kailey, and Mae closing in on her. Kailey’s arms are flying around in the air, and if she were allowed on her feet, it looks like she’d have one foot out the door.
“You just yelled a proposal at her without even saying the words!” Knox points out.
Thinking back to what just happened, I guess he’s right. Fuck! “She didn’t say no,” I say, trying to make light of the situation.
Knox laughs, sneaking a peek inside. “I like her. She doesn’t take your crap.” He’s right about that. For a little thing, she’s strong as shit. “And you seem different with her. Happy.”
I try not to, but I grin. My little brother is right. I feel better than I have in a long time. I may not always show it, but being with Kailey has shut down a lot of the negative shit in my head. Her light is drowning out my darkness. I hope it lasts.
“Guess I should apologize,” I say.
“Quick,” Knox says.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Kailey
“Tired?” Ryder asks, coming into my bedroom. He has on baggy sweatpants and a t-shirt, but still looks sexy. He can even make sweatpants look hot. If this is his ready-for-bed look, I’m in trouble.
A while ago, he apologized for sort of yelling a wedding proposal at me, but the tension is still lingering between us. I didn’t mind him asking my thoughts on marriage. I just didn’t think in front of company was the best time.
“I’m beat,” I say, letting out a little yawn. “Why am I so tired?”
“Because you’re growing a person,” Ryder says, placing a fresh bottle of water on the nightstand for me.
His sweetness causes the floodgates to open. “I don’t know why I’m crying,” I say, half-laughing, half-crying, but full-on crazy.
Ryder just smiles at my hormonal confusion. “Come here.” He lays down beside me, pulling me to his chest. “Better?”
“Much.”
Softly, he whispers, “You liked Mae’s ring.”
Rather than barking marriage proposals at me, now he’s going to tiptoe around it. “I liked it for her.”
“But you wouldn’t want . . .”
“I’d like my engagement ring to be different, not just the traditional diamond.”