AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 34
Don’t let yourself be steamrolled. Unless you want to be steamrolled. ~ Phoebe’s rules for becoming a better person
Iroll over and frown when I encounter an empty bed. Darn it. I forgot Ryker moved into his new house. You can’t buy a house and then not live there. I’m an idiot for thinking he’d still sleep beside me, although he did stay with me last night until I fell asleep.
I force myself to my feet and paste a smile on my face. Today is Saturday, which means Pops will be roaming around the apartment and I have no work to escape to. I can’t let him see how bummed I am Ryker isn’t staying with me any longer. His idea for cheering me up involves copious amounts of food. I’m not going to fit into my clothes much longer considering all the ‘loving’ he’s thrown at me since I moved in a couple of weeks ago.
I shuffle into the kitchen and freeze when I see Pops and Ryker glaring at each other.
“What’s going on?”
Pops crosses his arms over his chest and leans back against the kitchen counter. “Go ahead. Tell her. Tell her what you planned without consulting her.”
Ryker’s nose flares. “It’s a surprise. How can I consult her when I’m trying to surprise her?”
The apartment door bangs open and Lenny, Barney, Sid, and Wally stroll in. I groan. It’s entirely too early for six alpha males.
“Hey, Phoebe, what do you call—”
I hold up my hand to stop Barney from continuing with his corny joke. “It’s too early for you.”
“That’s what she said!” Sid says and holds up his hand for a high-five.
I shake my head. “I haven’t had coffee yet.” And I’m in my pajamas. At least I remembered to put on a robe.
Ryker hands me a cup of coffee and kisses my forehead. “Good morning, Princess.”
I melt into him and he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me close. I get a warm feeling in my belly like this is where I belong. Among a bunch of potty-mouthed men who take being protective to the nth degree. The family I was born into was a mistake of fate. Those are not my people. I look around at the smiling faces of the uncles. These are my peeps.
Wally rubs his hands together. “You ready to move?”
Ready to move? Maybe I was wrong. Maybe this isn’t where I belong.
Ryker growls. “I haven’t told her yet.”
Pops growls right back to him. “And I told you it’s too soon.”
I raise my hand like I’m in a classroom. “Can someone tell me what’s going on?”
Ryker spins me around. His eyes go warm as he looks down at me. He places a hand on my cheek. “You’re moving into our home today.”
“Our home? Today?” My words make no sense because nothing makes any sense.
“Yeah. The house I showed you yesterday. Where you told me you loved me.”
“Pay up, fuckers,” Sid announces. “I told you she loved him.”
Lenny snorts. “Dude. Everyone with eyes can see they love each other. Why do you think we tolerate him?”
“Can the crazy train pull into the station for a second, so I can hop on?” Wait a second. I’m not making sense. I don’t want to get on the crazy train.
Ryker grabs my hand and pulls me down the hallway into my bedroom. He shuts the door, locks it for good measure, and then pushes me onto the bed. He kneels in front of me before taking my hands again.
“I know this is fast. I know this is crazy. But I don’t want to sleep at night without you. I want to wake up in the morning to your beautiful face. I want to be waiting each evening for you to come home and tell me about whatever crazy shenanigans you and Hailey and Suzie got up to. I want to share my life with you.”
Those wings battering around my stomach aren’t butterflies. No, a mother freaking albatross has taken over my stomach. Dare I believe his words?
He releases my hand and places his palms against my cheeks and leans in close. “I love you, Phoebe. This is what love is. Wanting to share every moment with a person.”
