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Addison’s face lit up. “Only I like to know what the surprise is. So I can get excited.”
Bryce held Ryker’s hand as she ushered Addison from the kitchen to tell the other two the same bribe—clean up, get on jammies, and when you’re done, treats will abound.
All three perked up at this, and even Cecily, carrying a small empty garbage can with her, trooped up the steps to the apartment as Bryce turned off the lights and locked up the restaurant. Standing on the sidewalk in the mild, spring sunshine with Ryker, who was still carrying his bunny head, she gave him an apologetic smile.
“I’d invite you upstairs, but it’s going to be mayhem, and I’m pretty sure Cecily isn’t done vomiting—she usually pukes in multiples of four. Plus, I was in the last splash zone, so I’ve got to wash up once the girls are done. But I don’t want you to think that I don’t want to spend time with you, or—”
“Shhh,” he said, and kissed her. His lips were soft, and he tasted like peppermint. She was suddenly conscious of how wrinkled and terrible she looked and probably smelled and tasted at this point. But he didn’t seem to mind, kissing her so deeply a passing car beeped before they ended it with a laugh. “I had a great weekend with you, puking kids and all. Every day with you is a good one in my book, Bryce.”
The words hit her directly in the feels, and she threw her arms around his broad and furry pink shoulders. “How do you always know what to say to make me feel better? It’s one of the things I love about you.”
He froze, and Bryce quickly realized what had plopped out of her mouth. Had she really said the l-word to Ryker…when he was dressed in a freaking bunny suit?
He pulled away, his face in that Marine-serious expression, his voice devoid of emotion. “Bryce, we need to talk. About us. Our relationship. I’ve been avoiding this conversation, but I have to tell you I’m not—”
Cutting him off, she quickly backpedaled. She absolutely couldnothear him say he wasn’t feeling the same way she was. Not here. Not now. There was only so much she could take in one day, and hearing those words might break her. “I meant to say it’s one of the things Ilikeabout you. How you make things better. How you’re so freaking solid, and present, and how you…” Bryce paused, editing her words mid-sentence. She’d been about to say “you complete me,” but realized that was a rom-com movie line, and, even though it was true, it was too much to say on a sidewalk. To a man in a bunny outfit who was clearly trying to tell her he wasn’t at the same emotional place she was. She chose another phrase. “…you make me feel like I’m not a total loser in life.”
His face—the one he’d coined his RBF for good reason—lost some of its rigidity. “You’re not a loser. You are amazing, and I enjoy spending time with you. And your nieces. You all have been the highlight of these past few weeks.”
Bryce sensed a “but” in his tone. Of course there was a “but”—they’d only known each other for what? A month? Nobody fell in love that quickly.
She braced herself for his words, but just then June came thudding down the apartment stairs to the sidewalk.
“Cecily puked in my room!” she screeched. “It’s smooshed into my carpet, and I amnotcleaning it up.”
Bryce had never been so thankful for vomit in her whole life. Stepping away from Ryker, she squeezed his hand.
“Gotta go. Text me. I’ll see you for lunch this week? And…are we’re still on to run during the girls’ dance class Thursday?”
He nodded and waved.
Bryce fled upstairs before he could reveal the “but” in their conversation, before he could say that he wasn’t ready, or that they were better off as friends. She didn’t want their bubble of happiness to pop, but how long could it last?
Bryce shook her head. She’d had enough of feelings for the day. Grabbing the scrub brush, carpet cleaner, and some rubber gloves, she got to work.
Busy was the antidote to feeling, and if there was one thing her life was full of, it was being busy.
She’d deal with his potential breakup talk.
Later.
Chapter 16
For Bryce, it was as if Easter Sunday kicked off a week of awful for the Weatherford females. It began on Monday, when her nieces were home for the last day of Easter break. Unlike having them in the restaurant Friday, the girls were no longer excited to work at PattyCakes and squabbled the entire time. Even Willow, who wasn’t easily rattled, finally took Bryce aside.
“I know we’re shorthanded, with Patty being off,” she said, “but maybe you can start a movie in the back office for the girls? It might be…easier if it’s just you and me today.”
Willow was tactful but accurate. Addison and Cecily had come to blows twice in the last half hour, arguing first over who got to use the broom to sweep the dining area, then about who got to hold the dustpan and brush. June, no longer enthralled with working the register, had short-changed one customer and mistakenly forgotten to ring up two drinks for another. Operating a restaurant—even a small one like PattyCakes—was tough with only two people, but Willow was right. It was less chaotic to have them out of the customer area. Besides, June wanted only to curl up in a corner and finish reading the Drake Matthews manuscript Ryker had gotten for her.
Ryker. He was another reason things were off lately—she kept reliving that moment when she’d accidentally blurted the l-word on Easter and then had to retract it. His expression—and his unspoken “but”—was on repeat in her mind. She didn’t know which was worse: his face when she’d basically said she loved him, or his face when she took it back.
She’d been so distraught she’d called Imani. After asking if Zander’s eye was okay, Bryce spilled everything about Sunday’s events.
“Well, have you seen or talked to him since then?” Imani had asked after listening to Bryce’s story.
“Sort of. He stopped in for lunch. But I had six deep in line, and another five customers waiting for me to assemble their orders, while I was busy pulling Addison and Cecily apart from a spat over who got to use the spray bottle on the table.” Bryce huffed out a breath, remembering how hectic it was.
“Well, did you talk to him? What did he say?”
