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I shook my head. Ryder didn’t like to talk about his work when we were together. He said he’d rather be doing other things, including listening to me ramble on about mommas and their babies. I didn’t even know he was thinking about going out on his own. The small company he worked for back in Georgia, which provided cloud-based construction management software, was the perfect fit for him—not too demanding with decent pay and hours.
Bobby Jay narrowed his eyes, surprised that Ryder had kept it from me. I wasn’t surprised at all. He had kept a lot from me. And apparently from his own flesh and blood. How dare he let them think our breakup was all because of me. Because I couldn’t handle the differences in our circumstances. I was willing to walk away from the money to be with him. I had willingly given him all that I had because I loved him and thought he was giving his all to me. But he threw everything away for some exotic looking hussy.
“Well,” Bobby Jay continued, “it’s an app that hooks up people with like-minded interests.”
I rolled my eyes. “He created a dating app. Why am I not surprised?” Maybe that’s how he met his fling.
Bobby Jay laughed. “It’s no dating app. It’s more like a friendship app. It pairs people or groups of people to go on adventures together, like skiing, rock climbing, or even scuba diving, depending on where you live or are vacationing. We have over five hundred resorts and companies so far that advertise with us and give discounts to those who book their adventure with them through the app.” Bobby Jay sat up straight, pleased with himself. “I’ve brought in several of those companies, but it’s Ryder who brought in the initial investment.”
“I didn’t know he had those kinds of connections.”
Bobby Jay shrugged. “Don’t think any of us did, but man alive was his investor happy to throw money at him. Ryder’s done his part and given him a good return so far.”
I held onto the kitchen table chair closest to me and swallowed. “Well, I’m happy for you. I wish you all the best.”
Bobby Jay tilted his head with a thoughtful gaze. “Miss Shelby, don’t you think for one second any of this has made him happy. In fact, I think he’s more miserable than when you left without a trace. More than anything, I think he misses that he can’t share this with you. Hell, he wouldn’t admit it, but I think that’s the real reason he came here.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so. He left me, not the other way around.”
Bobby Jay’s eyes popped. “What are you talking about?”
“Never mind. Just answer me this. How did he know where to find me?”
“That is a good question. It’s one he’s never given me an answer to.”Chapter FiveIt didn’t surprise me to see Momma’s name on my phone the next morning while I finished getting ready for the day. I knew if my second cousin Arlene, who had sent me the article about Prescott Technologies, knew about it, Momma was sure to get an earful. Arlene had a devious streak, so she probably saved it for Sunday brunch this morning. She loved to stir trouble and she’d want to get the maximum effect. Momma called her the black sheep of the family.
I envied Arlene. She never let anyone tell her how to live her life. She had tried her best to teach me her ways. When I was seventeen, she gave me my first and last shot of whiskey and dared me to smoke a cigarette. I threw up all night and never touched either again. Momma had her banned from brunch for an entire year.
Her yearlong banishment only fueled her desire to be shocking, so when she returned, so did her boyfriends—who were all around my age, though Arlene was fifteen years my senior. She loved to bring her college aged flavors of the month to brunch just to hear my momma gasp and her momma, my great aunt Camila, drown herself in champagne. Though I was pretty sure Aunt Camila would drink her weight in champagne anyway.
I always appreciated Arlene’s special friends since it took some of the attention off Ryder’s presence. He was always good to endure Sunday brunch even though my parents ignored him unless they were looking down their noses at him. He didn’t let it bother him. He, like Arlene, made sure he caught their attention by pouring on the physical affection. Kisses that probably should have been private, a brush of my hair, stroking my cheek. We did have a hard time keeping our hands off each other. Who knew he had that issue with other women? I held my stomach, still sick over it.
