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She laughed. "More than a handful. Though, Ryder, he was a good boy. He was the oldest and was the super protector. He was always so kind and cheerful with everyone."
I choked a bit on my drink. "Ryder?"
Martha smiled, watching them play. "Oh, yes. I know. It's hard to believe with his grumpy attitude most days. But I think that's just a front. He was never quite the same after his high school sweetheart died."
My heart ached in my chest almost immediately. "Oh…"
She glanced over at me. "Ryder probably hasn't said anything. He doesn't talk about her anymore at all, to anyone. But I am glad to see he has finally opened his heart again to someone."
She patted me on the knee and smiled.
"Has it been a while?"
Her eyes studied me for a moment, and she chuckled. "Honey, he hasn't ever brought a girl home before. You would be the first one, so I know it must be serious. If he's dated anyone before you, he hasn't been serious enough about her to introduce her to this wild bunch. He definitely must see something very special in you. And if he loves you, so do we."
She reached back over and squeezed my hand, contently watching the match. I stared out at him, feeling a bit of guilt for putting Ryder in the situation I did. He had brought me to his family's house, and I hadn't even thought that he may never do that. In fact, with the reputation he had of being a playboy, it never crossed my mind. I figured I'd just be another face to them.
Then again, I never realized they would be so…normal. Loving. Caring.
We sat in comfortable silence, with the cool ocean breeze washing over us as they played. There was laughter, joking, and all things good. I had never been around family and not been anxious and uncomfortable before. Ryder’s family didn't talk about business or futures, they didn't discuss unpleasant things, and there was no nagging or bitterness. It was so foreign to me, yet so comforting because they brought me directly into the fold. They didn't care about my background, money, or career. They didn't care about my family or where I was going in life. They just accepted me for me.
Ryder came back onto the porch, laughing when they were done playing. He leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. "You wanna take a walk on the beach? I need to cool down."
I nodded and smiled at his mom before taking his sand-covered hand and heading down. When we got to the bottom of the steps, he turned and bent down, taking my shoes and setting them to the side. He then rolled up my pant legs and ran his finger over my calf, sending shivers down my spine.
We walked along quietly for several moments, the water undulating in and out under our feet. "Ryder, can I ask you a question?"
He glanced over at me. "Sure."
"What happened to your high school girlfriend?"
His shoulders tensed, and he looked out at the ocean as we walked. "We were kids. I was supposed to take her home, but she insisted on driving. The guys and I were behind her and her friends. They lost control of the car and went over a cliff into the water. I dove in and pulled her out but couldn't revive her. She had drowned. The accident had knocked her unconscious. It was right before graduation."
I covered my mouth. "I'm so sorry."
He took a breath, throwing a seashell out into the water. He stopped and looked out. I stepped up next to him and slid my hand into his.
"She was supposed to go to the same college as me," he said. "Her family was hurt, obviously. They never wanted us dating anyway and blamed me. It took me a long time to realize I didn't cause the accident."
"You also did everything you could to save her," I whispered. "You were a kid."
He nodded. "Yeah."
After a few moments, he took a deep breath. "But that's my tragic little story. Everyone has one, I suppose. So, how did you like my family?"
I pressed my lips together, trying to find the words. "They are…they…."
He turned to me with concern on his face. "Did someone say something mean to you? Was it Tristan? I'll kick his ass."
I shook my head, putting my hand on his chest. "No. No, not at all. They were the opposite. They were amazing."
He nodded, furrowing his brow. "Then what's wrong?"
I shook my head and laughed, tears forming in the corners of my eyes. "No one has ever been so kind to me before. No one has ever just accepted me for me and not cared about all the rest."
He pulled me into him and kissed the top of my head. Then, a loud bang rang out from the back where the house was, and we both jumped, turning back to see fireworks whizzing into the sky. My heart was racing, and I could feel him do the same. He laughed under his breath. "Let's go watch my father's fireworks. He loves them."
He took my hand as we walked back to the house, sitting next to each other on the porch. We kept our hands clasped through the fireworks, and I laid my head on his shoulder as his father set off his finale. Afterward, we said goodbye to everyone, gave hugs, and I promised to come back soon before heading off on the bike toward home. This time, I wrapped my arms around him tightly, not because I was scared but because I wanted to.
