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Chapter 14
Accept a gift with grace. In other words, no bitching to go halfsies. ~ Phoebe’s rules for becoming a better person
When Ryker’s truck approaches my boarding house on Sunday, I’m standing outside on the sidewalk waiting for him. I’m not ashamed of how I live. Lie. I’m a little ashamed. Okay, fine. I was a lot ashamed when he looked around at my place in disgust.
“Princess,” he calls as he approaches, and a shiver runs down my spine as butterflies take note and wake up in my stomach. I love it when he calls me Princess in his growly voice. “Why are you standing out here?”
“I was waiting for you.”
“It’s twenty-five degrees out.”
Tell me something I don’t know. “I’m all bundled up for the game.”
Since Ryker invited me to the game, I’ve done some research on the Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field. It’s an outdoor stadium. Brrr… And there’s me without thermal underwear. My previous life did not lend itself to situations where I would need thermal underwear. And it turns out thermal underwear isn’t cheap. So, instead, I’ve dressed in as many layers of clothes as I can and still be able to zip my coat.
Ryker chuckles before taking my hand and leading me to the truck. “It’s a two-hour drive. Unless you want to melt in the car, take a layer or two off.”
I try to keep my eyes open as we drive out of the city and get onto the highway. I do. But it’s toasty warm in the truck and I didn’t sleep well last night, which is a bit of an understatement. Since the cold weather arrived in the city, I discovered the wind whips right through the window into my room. I sleep under several blankets, but I never get warm enough to relax and sleep. I fear I’m starting to develop a hunchback from hunching over in bed all night long.
“Princess,” someone whispers into my ear. I groan and turn over. My head smacks against something hard.
“Ow!” I open my eyes to see we’ve arrived. My eyes widen as I take in the scene in front of me. Is this a parking lot? It’s a huge party is what it is. People are milling about drinking beer and eating hotdogs. There are barbeques in the backs of trucks and people have set up tables and chairs to eat.
“This must be tailgating.”
Ryker grins. “You’ve never been tailgating before?”
I didn’t even know what tailgating was until a few days ago. Which reminds me. “Suzie and Hailey are out here somewhere. How do we find them?”
His grin widens. “Call them.”
Once I’ve placed the call and Hailey has given Ryker directions to find where they are, we climb out of the truck. I shiver. Watching everyone walking around and partying, I forgot how cold it is outside. Ryker wraps his arm around me and pulls me close.
“I’ve got blankets and hand-warmers.” He lifts a see-through bag he’s carrying to show me.
“What are hand-warmers?”
“Babe,” he grunts and kisses my forehead.
“Babe isn’t an answer.”
“Hotdogs! Get your hotdogs here!” I hear Suzie shout before we walk through another lane of cars and I can see her. “You made it!”
She runs toward us. A group of guys are throwing a ball around in the lane. They don’t anticipate her running straight through their game area. Why would they? One of the guys throws the ball and it smacks Suzie in the head. She wobbles but somehow manages to catch the ball before it falls to the ground.
“Who threw this?” She glares at the guy who is now holding up his hands and backing away. “You call that a throw? Dude. You throw like a girl. This is how you do it.” She holds up the ball and lets loose.
“Shit. Suzie can throw a ball.” Ryker practically gawks at her.
I get a strange feeling in my stomach as I watch him admire her. It starts to burn as the stare goes on and on. Oh my god. Am I jealous? I shake my head. I can’t be jealous. Ryker isn’t mine to be jealous of.
Then, why is his arm wrapped around you keeping you close to his side? asks a little voice in my head. Stupid little voice is nothing but trouble. I ignore it.
Ryker leans over and kisses my hair before smiling down at me. “Your girl is a nut.”
I roll my eyes as if I haven’t a care in the world while my stomach goes from churning acid to hosting a forest of butterflies. Ryker is always a good-looking guy, but when he smiles and his green eyes sparkle, he’s downright gorgeous.
My stomach rumbles and his smile dies. “I need to feed you.”
