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Rick nods.
“And you graduated with us, right?”
I smile.
“Why, you don’t remember me?” is my coy question.
The twins shake their heads.
“Not in the least, although to be honest, we’ve forgotten a lot about Sheridan. We didn’t recognize half the people at the reunion,” Ryder says ruefully. “I guess age must be taking its toll.”
I giggle.
“You’re not old! Or at least if you are, so am I, seeing that we’re the same class year. Besides, how about you? I take it you don’t live in Wyoming anymore?”
Rick shakes his head.
“We’re New Yorkers now. Moved there after college and haven’t left. It’s the city that never sleeps for us.”
Unable to resist, I ask, “Do you still have family in town?” I literally have no idea because I haven’t seen Fred Walsh in ages now.
It’s Ryder who answers with a nod.
“Our dad is still around, but it’s just him. Oh, and I guess we have a ranch on the outskirts of Sheridan, but it’s run by a management company. That’s why Rick and I are making this trip. We want to check on the ranch and make sure everything’s running smoothly because it’s been ages.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to blurt that I remember that ranch well, but that would give everything away. After all, my mom tried to take it from Fred as a part of the divorce.
“What is it you do, Chrissy?” Ryder asks with a languid smile. He’s utterly masculine sitting on the couch, his huge form relaxed on the plush green velvet.
Blushing slightly, I wonder if I should lie, but then I decide not to.
“I work at Oh-La-La downtown. Have you heard of it?” At their blank expressions, I laugh. “Of course not because it’s a boutique here in Sheridan that specializes in women’s lingerie. We sell all types, but we’re known for our racy outfits.”
Two pairs of eyebrows fly up at this detail.
“That’s quite the job,” Rick comments, his tone low.
I nod and laugh.
“It’s a fun gig and I like it. Plus, it works for me because I’ve actually been working on designing my own line of ladies’ lingerie. I get so tired of the pieces we sell because they’re made to fit thin girls, when most of us have a little more meat on our bones. Nothing has come of my drawings yet, but we’ll see. I’m hopeful!”
Immediately, I blush. I hadn’t meant to talk so much about myself, especially since I’m usually incredibly private about my dreams. But even more, I didn’t meant to draw attention to my full figure in so obvious a manner.
To my surprise, however, both men look at me with appreciation, their eyes trailing my figure.
“Rick and I are in the apparel business ourselves,” Ryder states simply. “And not to be crass, but we have that same conversation about our clientele and products, too. How do we make products that everyone can enjoy, and not just a few?”
I take a sip of my champagne, appreciating its cooling effect on my otherwise flushed body. “What do you mean?”
It’s Rick’s turn to smile, and I feel my insides turn over with unexpected anticipation.
“We design athletic apparel for all types of people, bodies and levels of interest. We just launched a new line of sports bras and leggings for the yoga types. The goal was to have styles that make women feel sexy and strong.”
It’s an interesting concept, and even I have to admit to myself that I’m surprised that Ryder and Rick – two men I’d always thought somewhat shallow about women – would be promoting such a body positive message.
“What’s the brand?” I ask, unable to contain my enthusiasm.
“Ayema,” Ryder states simply while taking another sip of his cocktail.
“Ayema?” I repeat, my own eyes going wide as I realize that the Walsh brothers are the geniuses behind a multi-billion dollar business. “You guys work at Ayema?”
Rick laughs easily, and my heart skips a beat. “Sort of.” He glances at his brother before he continues to speak. “We own it, actually. We founded it straight out of college, and it’s done good business so far.”
Good business? I think to myself. Ayema dominates the athleisure wear space with its leggings, sports bras, and hoodies. My former stepbrothers must be billionaires, and one look at their confident forms drives this point home.
Why am I even surprised? I nearly groan aloud.
After all, the Walsh brothers have always been tough and ambitious. They were relentless on the football field, and it makes sense that they would bring that drive and energy to the boardroom as well. Of course they’re the heads of a multi-national apparel line.
But then, the twins surprise me.
“You know,” Rick drawls. “We brought a few samples of our newest line with us because there’s a factory nearby. We were going to swing by and talk about prototypes with the GM while we were here for the reunion.”
