“True. We’re more fun sober anyway.” Tate gives a quick glance over his shoulder to where Bridger and Alexis Cole are laughing with Griffin, Wren, and Dax.
Ryder already filled me in that Bridger is a recovering addict, so we kept drinks light, but it warms my little heart to see the utter concern Tate has for his bandmate. Reminds me of the Kings and how they back each other for better or worse.
“So, Ava has an idea she wants to run by you to see if you’re interested,” Ryder says.
Nerves gather in my stomach when Tate points his attention my way.
I don’t know why I’m nervous, it’s something he could help brainstorm through, and truth be told, he’ll probably like the idea. I start to cringe at the notion of something I see as personal passion being rejected. The exact reason I stuck with cougar Carina for so long, believing my ideas would be mocked or dismissed. I promised myself when I left Haven, I’d be bolder. I’d truly try to create the passions living deep in my bones.
This one tops the list.
“Well, you have experience with charities for after school programs, right?” I ask.
“I do.” Tate shoves a cracker in his mouth and starts to explain the government tax filings they went through to fund the Hawkins Youth and Family Center.
“Since working on the field house and seeing how your center is highly focused on music and the arts, it got me thinking.”
“Oh, I’m already liking this.” Another cracker goes into his mouth, his unblinking gaze on me.
I laugh. I’ve said literally nothing, and he already seems on board. With Ryder’s hand on my back in silent support, I vomit out my ideas, the connections I want to make, a potential partnership with the Vegas Kings and Enigma Records. I tell him a vision I’ve only shared with my design notebooks and Ryder Huntington.
Tate listens intently, asking a few questions, offering a few points of view I hadn’t thought of before. He adds his wife halfway through, and Ellie gives me a breakdown of statistics with their center, staffing needs they didn’t think of before they built their place, and a few hiccups they needed to resolve.
By the end, Tate has a new plate of crackers in his hand and he’s hurriedly texting the owner of Enigma Records.
“I think this could be incredible,” Ellie tells me.
“That’s what I told her,” Ryder adds. His smile sends a rush of heat through my middle. I nearly forgot how much Ryder’s proud grin matters to me. I try not to be a people pleaser at the expense of my own happiness and all that, but there is something about knowing I’ve added a notch of pride to the man that leaves my head in a delightful fog.
“I mean, imagine the widespread influence,” Ellie goes on. Her bright pink hair is pulled up into a cone on top of her head, decorated in mini-ornaments, and her sweater matches the hair Christmas tree. Every time she speaks, she gets more animated, so the tiny bells keep tinkling on her head.
Tate tucks his phone away and grins as he tugs Ellie against his side. “Pops wants to meet with Ava.” His gaze flicks to Ryder. “Think you can get Dallas on board?”
“Parker can.”
“Pays to be the son-in-law of a billionaire.”
Ellie smacks his chest. “Excuse me, you are the son-in-law of a thespian.”
Tate laughs, kissing her temple. “Even better, princess.”
A thousand tiny sparks float in my veins as excitement builds. This could be a real possibility. To think, if I’d kept my mouth shut, if I’d stuck with Carina and let her bark orders at me. I can hardly keep it all in.
I look at Ryder as he starts talking about future tours for the band. I wouldn’t have had this opportunity without him.
My head falls to his shoulder. I slip my fingers in with his, simply wanting to be closer.
He gives my palm a few squeezes.
This man changed my life all those years ago, but he’s still here, changing everything for the better like he never left.
* * *
“Oh, wow.” I drop my purse and look around the lower-level game room. “It looks amazing.”
There are sofas with thick throw pillows. Foosball, ping pong, air hockey, even a vintage pin ball machine fill the space. Dax insisted there be intellectual games, so I arranged for chess corners and a small virtual reality corner where kids can do virtual escape rooms and active digital games.
I’d expected to help arrange most of the room, but my dad, Josh, and Ryder nearly have it finished.
