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“I …” I stammer. I don’t know what to say. What the hell am I thankful for? My mom narrows her eyes at me as well as my aunts and cousins. I don’t look at my uncle, knowing that if I do, I’ll be sick.
“You don’t have to say anything,” Ridge tells me before looking at the rest of the table. “She has her reasons to be thankful.” With that, everyone goes back to eating and ignores me again. I internally smile at what Ridge said. I’m thankful he’s here. As strange as that seems for a person I barely know anything about. I’m thankful he’s here with me.
We finish dinner, and then everyone moves to the living room with drinks. Ridge stands in the corner, his eyes scanning the room as he takes everyone in. I don’t know why, but thelook he gets when he looks at my uncle is deadly. One I’d never want to be directed at me. I watch him as they talk and laugh. I’m not a part of this family. Not in the way you’d think. I’m the breadwinner.
When the night is finally over, and I’m a little tipsy, they leave, and I’m thanking god for that. Once the last of them has gone, a knock on the door sounds. Ridge is there before I even have the chance to make it that far.
“Who the hell are you?” I hear him say. I walk over, swaying on my feet, when I see him in the doorway.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I ask when I see it’s Gabe.
“I wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving,” he says as he smiles at me.
“You shouldn’t be here. How do you know where I live?”
“I know everything about you, Olson.” Ridge moves now, stepping in front of me to block Gabe’s view of me.
“She said to leave,” Ridge tells him.
“She didn’t say that,” Gabe argues with him. I see Ridge’s hands ball into fists at his sides before Gabe speaks once more.
“I just need to see her. She’s not going to be back in Hollywood for a while.”
“You came all the way from Hollywood?” Ridge asks him.
“Of course. I’d do anything for Olson.” Ridge raises his hands and shoves him back so he stumbles off the steps and down the sidewalk.
“I’m tellin’ you, if you ever come back over here again, I’m gonna smash your goddamn face in,” Ridge roars. I’ve not seen him angry since he’s been here, but this? This is something else. He shoves Gabe a few more times before he finally takes the hint, turns around, and walks off. I sigh in relief, knowing he’s gone.
Ridge stands outside for longer than needed to make sure Gabe actually left before coming back inside.
“Who is he? An ex?”
“A fan. He’s everywhere. I can’t believe he followed me home. I mean, I can, but I don’t think he’s ever done that before. If he has, he hasn’t made it known,” I tell him. Ridge shifts and then turns around, looking back outside before closing the door and locking it.
“I’ll answer the door from now on.” I nod my head. There’s no use in arguing with him. He walks past me and drops onto the couch before looking over at me strangely. I can’t place the look, but as quickly as he does it, it’s gone. He’s back to looking at his phone.
“My boy will be here tomorrow. That okay with you?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. Just let me know how much it’ll be,” I tell him.
“I got it.”
“I can pay for it,” I remind him. He shifts, looks up at me, and nods his head.
“I know you can, but I said I got it. He owes me one anyway,” he tells me. I wonder what he did for him? Did he hurt someone? He seems like the type who likes to hurt people.
“I think I’m going to bed after I clean up.”
“I’ll help you.” He shoves off the couch and walks into the dining room, stacking plates.
“I can do it.”
“I said I’d help.”
“You don’t have to sound like such an ass,” I tell him. Damn, what did I do to piss him off?
“I’m not bein’ an ass, Olson. Trust me, you’ll know when I am. Come on,” he says, nodding toward the table.
