“From what you’ve told me, neither did Ryan.”
“I’m scared.What if we get together and it doesn’t work out?Or he decides again that he has to leave?”
“What if he doesn’t and you have your whole lives together?”
*
Between work andtrying to give Aria space, Ryan didn’t see her or Sophie for several days.It about killed him not to see them but Aria knew how he felt.If things were ever going to work out between them, she had to be the one to instigate it.And if she didn’t?
He was screwed.Oh, he knew he’d still see Sophie.Eventually they’d need to come to some kind of custody agreement.He knew Aria didn’t want to share custody, but he also knew her sense of fairness would come into play and they’d work something out.
He had resigned himself to losing Aria except as a co-parent.He’d finally told her about his past.But apparently it hadn’t been enough.Connor invited him and Aria and Sophie over for dinner.He turned him down and told him to call Aria.
“What happened?”Connor asked.“Did you have a fight?”
“No.But we broke up.She’s never going to trust me again and there’s nothing I can do to change it.I tried but it’s pointless.”
“Did you tell her about Casey?”
“Yes.I told her everything.But it didn’t make a difference.She still can’t trust me not to leave her again.To tell you the truth, I don’t think shewantsto trust me.”
“Damn, I’m sorry, Ryan.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“What are you going to do?You’re not giving up, are you?”
“What else can I do?She doesn’t love me.She did once, but I blew it.”He’d bared his soul, but it had been too little too late.And he was too damn tired and depressed to try again.
Someone beeped in on his phone.“Gotta go, Connor.Thanks, though.”He clicked over.“Hello.”
“Ryan, hi,” Aria said.
“What’s up?Is Sophie okay?”
“She misses you.”
“I miss her too.”And you,he thought.
“Can you come over after work?I’ll have something we can eat too.”
“You don’t need to feed me.I’ll get something after I put Sophie to bed.”
“That’s silly.Just let me feed you.”
He really didn’t want to sit around eating dinner with Aria as if nothing had changed.But he also didn’t want to argue.“I’ll be there as soon as I get off work.”As much as he didn’t want to see Aria, knowing they were over, he would take any chance he had to see Sophie.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Even though hehad a key, Ryan rang the doorbell.Aria answered and he nearly swallowed his tongue.She was gorgeous.She wore jeans that looked like they’d been spray-painted on and a white button-down blouse with three of the top buttons undone.Her dark hair fell in glossy waves to her shoulders and down her back.For a change she wore makeup and she’d done something to make her brown eyes look dark and mysterious.Her lips glistened with a soft pink color that invited him to wonder what she tasted like.He knew, but he didn’t think he’d have a refresher course anytime soon.
“Are you going somewhere?”Shit, she was probably going on a date and leaving him to babysit.Her clothes were casual but far nicer than what she usually wore around the house.
“No, why?”
“You look… nice.”Nice didn’t even touch it.How did she make jeans and a blouse look sexy as sin?
“Thanks,” she said with a laugh.“Sophie is in the den.You can bathe her and feed her if you want.I don’t think she’ll be ready for bed for a little while, though.”
