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“Oh, I don’t know,” he teased, not paying heed to her look of warning. “I’ve always believed that when you meet the right person time doesn’t really matter so much.”
Several gazes zeroed in on him. “Is McKenzie the right person?”
There was a chemistry between them he’d immediately felt, but she wasn’t the woman for him. He knew better. But he’d promised to impress her family with pretending to be crazy about her, so pretend he would.
“Only thing I can find wrong with her is her predilection for coffee more than me, but other than that, she feels right.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
“SORRY ABOUT THAT,” McKenzie apologized the moment she was alone with Ryder. Awkward didn’t begin to cover how she’d felt about her family putting him on the spot, or herself for that matter. “My family can’t fathom that I’m happy without being married.”
Not that she didn’t want to marry someday, but she really was happy.
“I take it your brother is still single, too?”
“Not for lack of trying. He’s been married twice. His job is hard on relationships.”
“I still can’t believe he’s a pilot.”
She nodded. “I can’t stand the thought of him going up in those planes, but he loves it. As much as Dad did or maybe even more. Mama doesn’t say much, but it has to bother her, too.”
“But not as much as it bothers you?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because that’s why you don’t live here. Because you can’t stand knowing when he’s in the air.”
McKenzie didn’t answer. She hadn’t really thought about Mark’s flying playing into her reasons for not living in Nashville.
“I shouldn’t have said that.” Ryder reached for her hand and gave a gentle squeeze. “What do I know? I’ve not even met your brother.”
“You’re right. You haven’t.” But he’d seen through her better than she’d seen through herself, because she acknowledged that he was partially right. She hadn’t liked being home and knowing when Mark was in the air. Her brother swore he only felt alive in the air. McKenzie felt terrified at just the thought.
But foremost, medicine had led her to Seattle. Clay had just dumped her to head to Boston. She hadn’t wanted to stay in Nashville, had seen the residency in Seattle as an opportunity to discover who she was.
She’d met Paul and been dumped again.
She pulled her hand free and walked across the room, stared at the random items on her dresser top prior to turning back to face Ryder.
“His first wife swore if he’d loved her half as much as he’d loved flying they wouldn’t have fallen apart.”
“Interesting at how you both dealt with your father’s death so differently.”
“Isn’t it, though? Mark was older, had more time flying with Dad. Whereas I had nightmares for years where I was in that plane with him when it crashed.” Sweat prickled her skin at the memory. Forcing it away, she sighed. “Look, I hate to abandon you to a few hours of hanging out with Jeff and his kids, but we ladies are supposed to meet the others at the bridal shop this morning to pick up my dress. Let’s hope it fits.”
His gaze skimmed over her figure. “Here’s hoping. You sure you don’t want me to go with you?”
“To a bridal shop?”
“Might be better hanging with you than whatever I’ll end up doing with Jeff.”
“Possibly.” There was no telling what Reva’s older brother would have Ryder doing. “I really do appreciate you coming with me this weekend.”
* * *
“No problem.” Ryder watched McKenzie reach for her purse off the dresser. “And, McKenzie?”
She turned toward him.
