I take the bag, my brows narrow together wondering what he’s brought me. Looking in the back, I quickly give Carter the bag back.
“No.”
“Maya, you’re taking it so save us both the wasted time of arguing over it.” Carter moves closer to me. “You’re my sister, and there is nothing I won’t do to make you happy. Open it, love it, and smile.” He tells me then wipes my tears away which I didn’t even know escaped me.
“Thank you.” Are the only two words that escape me. I smile taking out the camera Carter brought me. I don’t know how he afforded it, but it’s going to be the one item I will treasure forever.
“I want to see all the pictures, which will be amazing.” Carter sits next to me, leaning closer as I look through the features, and the smile just keeps getting bigger. I’m excited to use it for the first time.
Later, after Carter and Lennox disappear into his bedroom and Ryder and I are left in the living room, he says, “I told my father about the injury today.”
“How did he take it?”
“About as well as expected. Lots of disappointment. Some anger. A lecture about Beaumont standards and not being soft.” His voice is tight. “He’s flying in this weekend to ‘assess the situation.’”
“That sounds terrible.”
“It is. He’ll probably spend the entire visit telling me everything I’m doing wrong and how I’m failing the family legacy.”
“Want me there?”
He looks surprised. “Why would you subject yourself to that?”
“Sometimes it’s easier to face terrible things when you’re not alone. You’ve been helping me, so I want to help you too.” I shrug. “We’re friends, I guess. And friends show up.”
“Friends,” Ryder repeats, like he’s testing the word. He turns to face me, and I stare at him for a moment.
Friends?Is it friendship I want from him? Or do I want more? Am I ready for more with someone?
I watch as he licks his lips, and my eyes linger there for a little too long. Why is my head shouting for him to kiss me. I mean I’ve thought about it the moment he took his top of for me. Wondered how his lips would be on mine, how he would take control, and how much it excited me.
He leans a little closer, and my stomach starts fluttering at the thought of his lips on mine. My heart is pounding as his lipsbrush softly over mine, and just before he kisses me, his phone starts ringing.
Ryder pulls away, and stares at me for a moment before answering his phone and walking away from me, and all I feel is gutted I didn’t get the kiss I wanted.
Chapter 10
Ryder
My father arrivesSaturday morning like a storm system, unavoidable and destructive. Just my luck.
Malcolm Beaumont is everything you’d expect from an NHL legend, tall, broad-shouldered, carrying himself with the confidence of someone who’s used to being the best in any room. He played twelve years, won two Stanley Cups, and has never let anyone forget it.
“You look soft,” are his first words to me.
Not“hello.”Not“how are you feeling.”Just immediate criticism.
“Nice to see you too, Dad.”
“Don’t get smart. Show me the shoulder.”
We’re in my apartment, he refused Carter’s offer to host, said he wanted privacy for “family matters.” Maya’s here anyway, sitting quietly in the corner like she promised.
I take off my shirt, let him examine the shoulder with the kind of rough efficiency that makes me flinch.
“Weak,” he pronounces. “You’ve let it get weak. What kind of training program are you following?”
“The kind recommended by doctors for recovery from a grade two AC separation.”
