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So many times throughout my life, I haven't been good enough for people because I'm just a beta.
I rise onto the tips of my toes to press a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Ryder. Really. Your home is lovely and I'm really looking forward to staying here all weekend. You've done an amazing job here."
Jareth nods. “She's right. It's amazing."
Ryder’s shoulders release some of their tension. “I guess I can show you the other surprise now then. Lexie, are you ready to see the other surprise?"
"Is it as good as this?" Lexie asks.
Ryder chuckles. “I think it's better."
Her eyes widen. “How?"
"Come along and see for yourself." Ryder leads her from the room with Lexie casting a last reluctant glance at her room, but the lure of another surprise draws her away from a space I doubt we'll be able to get her out of much this weekend.
Something that may end up being useful if I want any privacy with the guys at all.
Back down the hall, Ryder stops at a bookcase. A new one he didn't use to have. Is that the surprise?
With a tiny grin hovering on his mouth, Ryder glances back at us before he presses on the bookcase, causing it to swing open.
Lexie squeals and races inside while the rest of us gasp and stumble forward to follow. The entrance leads to what is probably supposed to be a bedroom or an office. Maybe two of them, based on the size.
Ryder has built an actual library. A hidden one.
He even installed stained glass into the windows, the sun streaming colorful streams of light into the room.
I spin slowly in a circle, trying to take it all in. “What in the world is this? How?"
He tips his chin proudly. “I was inspired by the library at Enzo and his pack's house. You and Lexie fell so in love with it, I thought I'd start setting one up like theirs. I still have a lot of work to do on it, but I wanted you to see what I've done so far."
I grab his hand and squeeze it. “It's amazing, Ryder. Utterly amazing. Unnecessary, just like the bedroom you made for her, but amazing nonetheless."
Hendrix nods, his expression almost worshipful. “This is definitely where we're having our future book club meetings. I'll grab coffees from Jen to bring here if need be because this is awesome."
"What do you think, darling?" I ask Lexie.
She is already stacking books into her arms from one of the shelves, her body all but quivering in excitement. "There are so many good books here. I won't be able to finish them all this weekend."
Ryder smiles. “You can take any of them with you that you want. Or come back anytime."
"You can borrow them, not keep them forever,” I correct. “Treat it the same as you would the regular library. So don't freak out and try to stay up all night reading to finish them all in three days."
"Don't forget the books on the shelves in your new room too,” Hendrix reminds her.
Her eyes widen. "Oh!"
She clutches the pile of books and races back out of the library, presumably to go back to the bedroom.
"Should I follow her?" Ryder asks.
I shake my head. “She'll be fine for a bit. She's just going to look over all the books and start making piles in order of importance."
Ryder grins. “She's an impressive reader for such a young age. I rarely have children in my class who come in already reading at all, much less so well. She can already handle chapter books."
I shrug. “Ever since she was a baby, she's been drawn to books and I've never been one to spend money on TVs, so books have always been our main source of entertainment. Libraries have a ton of free programs, so we've always spent a lot of time in them. Poor kid never had a chance but to like books with the way I surrounded her with them either, I suppose."
Jareth nudges my hip with his. “It's still impressive. You have to know what an amazing mother you are. You've done such a good job, all without a pack or a partner and she is thriving."
