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Tears well once more in my eyes, and this time there’s no hiding them. “I want that. So much.”
“Good. Now, tell me all the things. Did you go through what you have on your mother as far as the threats go? Are you ready for Deacon to write something up legally?”
“I have, and I am. I have them with me to give to you. Remind me, and I’ll email them to you before you leave.”
As we talk, I get dinner going in the Crock-Pot. I tell her everything I have and even pull the documents up on my computer to show her. She grins, and we start to talk about the timeframe, and what Ryder and I are going to say.
“My mother, she’s trying to marry me off,” I tell her. “We had a family dinner last weekend that consisted of me, my parents, and two lawyers from my father’s firm. My mother told me to pick one, or she would pick one for me. Thankfully, she’s been busy with a charity ball at the country club, so I’ve been able to evade her and the topic all together.”
“Ugh, okay, well, we’re going to have to consider that and build that into our timeline. We don’t want her to have the time to do something crazy like announce an engagement before we have a chance to out her.”
“Shit,” I mutter. “I didn’t think about her just picking and announcing. However, I know my mother. She’s all about attention, so she’ll want to plan a party and announce it. I think we have a little time.”
“We’d better not risk it. Besides, Ryder will blow a gasket if it gets that far.” She winks, and I feel the corner of my mouth lift into a smile.
Everything is going to be okay.
I can feel it.
Ramsey’s phone rings, and as she answers it, I take out the trash and unload the dishwasher. I try not to listen, but when she mentions what I’m making for dinner, my ears perk up. I can’t hear the other side of the conversation. Maybe she’s just telling whoever it is that I’m taking care of Ryder. My chest swells. I want to take care of him, and our home—our kids. The life I’ve always dreamed of is within reach, but I’m still too afraid to be excited.
Soon.
We’ll expose my mother soon, and then we can live not only for the present but also for the future.
“See you then.” She ends the call, and when I turn to face her, she’s grinning. “That was Palmer.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes.” She nods as she says the word. It’s almost as if she needs to convince herself. “She’s on her way over. Well, in about an hour or so.”
“Oh. Okay.” I know that Ryder and his family all have keys to each other’s places. I assume he’ll be okay with two of his sisters-in-law being here.
“With Kennedy and Alyssa,” Ramsey adds.
I nod. “I made plenty.” I nod toward the Crock-Pot.
“Crosby is picking up Jade and Scarlett.” She flashes me a toothy grin.
“That probably means that husbands and kids will be here as well?”
“Yep.”
“So, I don’t have enough food.”
She waves me off. “The ladies are on it. They’re all bringing something.”
“Ryder?”
“This is how we roll, Jordyn. You’re a part of this family now. You’ll get used to it.”
Overwhelmed with appreciation for Ramsey, and this entire family, I walk around the island and wrap my arms around her in a hug. She hugs me back with a fierce grip that once again brings tears to my eyes. Not from the pain, but from the comfort.
I feel like I belong.
All my life I’ve wanted this. I’ve wished for a family, and thanks to Ryder sharing his with me, I have that. Not a day will pass that I don’t thank whoever will listen for bringing Ryder and his family into my life.
“What can I do?” Ramsey asks when I release her.
“Nothing. I was going to clean up for him and do some laundry.”
Ramsey looks around the open floor plan of the house. “It’s not bad—something you can thank Carol for. She taught the boys to cook and clean.”
“It’s so weird to hear you call them boys.”
“They’re man-children.” She winks. “I’m just teasing. I like to give them a hard time, but they’re all great guys.”
“I know.”
She nods. “You do. Come on. Let’s go take a load off while we wait for everyone else to get here.”
I follow her into the living room, where we sit on the couch facing each other with our legs tucked beneath us. We talk like we’ve been friends for years, and it’s the same companionship I felt with them before I left. Before my mother dropped a bomb on my life.
Hope fills my chest. This is going to work. Everything is going to be just fine.
