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Christie
Darlene’s face fell before it softened again. I turned to see where she was looking, and my heart leaped at the sight of Ryan heading toward us. He’d seen us, which meant he was probably drawing his own conclusions. His—what was I, a lover? Friend with benefits? — sitting at the bar, drinking beer with his ex-wife. How would that look? Howdidthat look? My heart hammered inside my chest, and I shoved our empty glasses away just in time for the bartender to take them from us.
Great timing, I thought sarcastically.
“Good evening, ladies.” Ryan’s voice was calm and warm. He carried a comfortable air about him that looked unfamiliar. I hadn’t known him long at all, but still, he seemed different.
“I’m not even surprised you found us here,” Darlene said, drawing my confusion, to which she just winked.
“This is where I live, so I’m starting to wonder if you were trying to findme.” Ryan shed the brown jacket he wore to reveal a soft-gray T-shirt underneath. A couple of pens peeked out of the chest pocket, and I stared at them while I wondered what I should feel about this and whether it meant I needed to leave.
“Where have you been?” Darlene patted the space beside her, and when he eagerly followed her cue, I understood exactly what needed to happen.
“I need to get some sleep,” I said, waving for the bartender to close me out. “You can take my chair, Ryan.” I started to offer him a weak smile, but Darlene jerked me back down in my seat, and I yelped in surprise.
“No, stay.”
“But—”
Ryan slid between us but shot me a hopeful look that made my chest tighten. “Stay, Christie. I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”
“To me? But I’ve—I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about.” My gaze fell to my feet.
“Nothing you don’t already know, girl!” Darlene laughed and swatted at me, but Ryan’s body kept her from reaching all the way. “Don’t go. I mean, if you have to, fine. But if you don’t, you’ll only make it awkward if you leave.”
“What?” Ryan’s fake look of hurt drew a smile to my face, and I cupped my hand over my mouth as Ryan held his chest. “I’m not here to make things awkward, but Iamhere for a beer.” He waved down the bartender, who seemed to know exactly what he wanted.
I folded over the counter, already dreading the next however long we’d be here. Ryan motioned toward a newly empty table with tall stools near the bar, so we moved there so we could all sit.
“So?”
Ryan splayed his hands, and his eyes bugged out in confusion. “So?”
Darlene leaned against the counter and crossed her arms over her chest. “Where have you been?”
“Trying to get some stuff ironed out.”
“I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.”
Ryan jabbed his thumb into his chest. “Me?”
“And you didn’t think to call?” she pressed.
“Honestly, I’ve been ignoring my phone entirely.” He blinked. “I am trying to keep myself from running off to fix whatever happens in Waco every time it rings. It’s a work in progress.”
Darlene seemed satisfied with that answer, but her stare remained locked on Ryan for a few more moments before she relinquished her hold. When she returned to her beer and took a long drink, I glanced between the two, my mind going blank with things to talk about. With Ryan here, the comfort I felt around Darlene faded to a squirming tangle of worms tying knots around my gut and heart. I wanted to tell Ryan so many things and ask so much more, but I still hadn’t figured out how he felt about any of this—about us.
“I saw Duke today.”
Darlene and I both shot him wide-eyed looks, and Darlene’s mouth fell open slightly.
“And?” she asked.
I knew Ryan didn’t like Duke but was it enough that she was scared of what Ryan would do alone with him?
“And I think you’ll be okay,” Ryan said.
“What did you say to him?”
