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Aria takes my hand and gives it a squeeze when I pause for too long.
“And when I was about to graduate high school my stepfather said we were moving away from Kentucky to Nebraska where he could find work. He was in the natural gas business and the industry was dying in Kentucky. But I didn’t want to go, so I said that. And he said I wasn’t invited. That it was time for me to pull my weight, like he did when he was my age, and find a job and be on my own.”
“That’s terrible,” Doris says.
“I didn’t realize it was terrible at first. Because I figured my mom would stay with me. But she didn’t,” I say. Aria squeezes my hand again. “She left with him.”
“She left you?” Aria says.
I nod. “She did. And she never looked back. And I felt kinda betrayed, ya know?”
“Of course you did,” Doris says. “That’s… I just can’t imagine doing that to one of my children.”
“No,” I say, looking at Aria. “No, you guys would never do that to each other.” I look at her father. “The Amhersts are a family,” I say. “A very tight one too. And when I met Aria I had no intention of breaking you apart.” I turn a little to face Aria. “I can’t take this away from you, Aria. Even if you think I’m the greatest guy in the world. Because it’s no fun when your family turns their back on you. And if you stayed with me, sure, I could take care of you. Even if your father didn’t want to pay for your college next year, I could do that. I would do that if it came down to it. But it’s not going to come down to that. I won’t allow it. This is your family and it’s a good one. If having you right now means I come between all this, then I can’t have you.”
“Ryker,” she says.
“Just wait,” I say. “And listen. Because if you stay with me without the blessing of your parents then I’m that guy, ya know? The one who comes in mid-stream and rips everything apart. And you’d be the one walking out, Aria. Not them. And I won’t let you make that mistake. Because after my mom left I got into all sorts of bad things. Drugs, drinking, sex,” I say, glancing up at her father, then avert my eyes. “I was in a garage band and did things wannabe garage band members do when they have no real future. But I had worked hard in my first few years of high school trying to make my mother’s new boyfriend like me and I had a scholarship waiting for me here. So I came here, worked three, sometimes four jobs to pay for that first year, but I wasn’t doing great. I was still on drugs, still messing up, and I was about to be kicked out of school when I met Ozzy. Mr. Herrington,” I clarify for her parents.
“Ozzy straightened me out. He helped me get through the next year. Gave me a loan, which I paid back,” I say, looking at Mr. Amherst. “My word is good. I promise you, it is. Or Ozzy Herrington wouldn’t be partners with me. So I’m here to give you my word. If you could just… give us a chance—that’s it. That’s all I want. Just give Aria and me a chance to see if this is real or not—I’d appreciate it. Because even though I don’t know your daughter the way you do, I’m falling in love with her. I know she’s the right girl for me because she’s sweet, and kind, and honest, and smart. And she’s all those things because you made her that way. But if you say no, then I’ll respect that. I give you my word, I will respect your wishes. Because I want you too,” I say. “I want all of you. I don’t just want her.”
I pause as they all look at me, then throw up my hands and say, “That’s it. That’s my big speech.”
Doris looks at her husband, who sighs. Then she says, “Will you two excuse us for a minute so we can have a discussion?”
“Sure,” I say.
Aria turns to me and says, “I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
I sigh, feeling relieved to get all that off my chest. “I don’t want you to go through what I did when my mom left. And I don’t want your parents to go through that either, Aria. So whatever they decide, we’ll respect it. And if they say no, we’ll take a long break and maybe we can have lunch sometime in the fall and see where we’re at.”
“The fall?” She pouts.
“I told you I wanted to do this right and I meant it. If we’re really in love now we’ll still be in love then.”
