Accustomed to traveling for business, he didn’t bother with cozy sweats like so many of the others they passed in the terminal. Dressed in designer jeans, button-up top and leather shoes, he would look out of place if they were to fly coach. Not that he would ever stoop so low. “No. I booked a rental so we can have our own car.”
“Oh. Ok. Are they planning anything special tonight to welcome you home?” For all his hesitation, she knew he wasn’testrangedfrom his family. He called his mother every Monday after work. As a renowned neurosurgeon, his mother must be interesting, and his stepfather owned a logging company which dominated half the Cascades. The conversation shouldn’t be dull at least.
Needless to say, Claire was more than a little nervous about meeting his wealthy family. They came from such different backgrounds. Different presents, really. Her parents and brothers lived in the Phoenix area and saw each other often, at least once a month, for family dinners.
“We’ll be there for their annual winter gala, but otherwise, no.”
“First-class passengers to Seattle are welcome to begin boarding at this time,” a soothing voice announced over the loudspeaker as they approached the gate. She followed Ryder down the ramp and settled into their front-row seats.
Maybe she ought to travel with him more often. This first-class thing was pretty great. Free drinks served before they even took off—although her stomach was too nervous to consider imbibing—easy access to the bathroom, and plenty of legroom. Cuddled up in the plush leather seat, she watched the flight attendants gossiping as they secured for takeoff.
As the plane taxied down the runway, Ryder linked his hand with hers. Land whizzed by outside, the engine stirring a deep rumbling as they accelerated. Looking past Ryder, she watched as they overcame gravity and rose above the city.
“You know, if you like the Seattle area, we could look for houses on the water. My mother would be able to find us the best private schools, for when the day comes. What do you think?” He kissed the back of her hand with their fingers still joined.
“Sure, let’s look into it.” Things were already looking up. No work, no school, only quality time together, and maybe indulge in that sex thing they used to enjoy. Neither had even been interested in eons, with how hectic things had been. “Think we could find something with a large enough lot so we can have dogs, and maybe even chickens? We could board horses. I don’t need a cow.”
Ryder downed the last of his whiskey with a gulp, grimacing as the large swallow worked its way down. “A cow? Chickens? Did you grow up with farm animals in Phoenix?”
Easing her hand away, Claire snagged the crossword puzzle out of the seatback pocket. “No.”
“We could get a dog. There are excellent breeders in the area.”
“Sure.” She moved her attention to the crossword.Full of oneself, eight letters, starts with A. Ha, got that one. A-R-R-O-G-A-N-T.
“You’re catching on.” Grady grinned at Sophie, skating backward in front of her as she slid along the ice.
When Foothills’ annual rink had been set up, Tattling Pippa had let it slip that Grady had played hockey since he was old enough to put on skates. Having played regularly until moving home to Foothills two years ago, Grady spent as many winter lunch breaks as he could manage on the ice.
Sophie’s arms flailed, but Grady gently reminded her to look ahead rather than at her feet. Her fiancé was working nights as the newest member of the Foothills Police Department and hadn’t gotten around to taking her out. Thus, Sophie had strong-armed Grady into being her skating instructor. Not that he minded.
Despite his heart shattering when Sophie chose Asher over him, Grady and Sophie had become good friends. Not that he hadn’t been a dick about it in the beginning. And, okay, shattered was probably too strong of a word.
Sophie was gorgeous, intelligent, and funny, but the spark she shared with Asher told Grady everything he needed to know. If it hadn’t been for Asher showing up when he did, she probably would have settled for him. Time and again, he’d been the guy women had considered settling for, yet he never seemed to make that final cut.
Asher and he had been roommates, until a few weeks ago, and had quickly learned the joy of messing with each other. Just for fun. Grady reached for Sophie’s hand and slid to a stop. He pulled his phone from his pocket and plastered a friendly peck on her cheek, the mountains gleaming in the freezing sun behind them. Smiling for the camera, her nose scrunched at his obvious Asher-focused-taunt. He snapped the selfie and sent it to Asher, who was sleeping off last night’s shift at home.
Freya waved from the side as she removed her skates, done for the day. “Give him a break. At least skip the kiss.”
His phone buzzed with a response from Asher. A flip-off emoji. Huh, he hadn’t seen that one before. Smirking, he hollered to Freya, “You didn’t tell him you were coming with us, did you? I’m trying to make him jealous so he’ll dream about me necking with his woman.”
Sophie rolled her eyes. “I don’t think he has any jealousy issues, but Freya has been trying to drag me out all winter, and he knows she wouldn’t miss my wobbly ankles and inevitable wipeouts.”
A familiar sensation fluttered in his chest as Sophie read the text that buzzed in on her phone. No doubt about who sent the text and the gist of it, based on the heat flaming over her cheeks. Asher may not have jealousy issues, but Grady did. At least, not about Sophie anymore, but... yeah, he was so far off-track from where he had envisioned himself at this point in life.
He’d accepted that Sophie wasn’t the one for him. All his friends were deliriously happily in love, and happily-ever-after hadn’t been on any of their radars. Well, Pippa had been planning to marry Lincoln since kindergarten, but Asher had been the epitome of irresponsible bachelor, until Sophie had entered his life. Zane and Freya had been set on keeping things casual, until they accidentally eloped last summer.
Not that he wanted to avoid his friends. They were awesome. Seriously, they’d changed his life in such a good way. A year ago? He was a festering jackass. Since he’d been roped into the crew, having an almost foreign, unyielding support? Incredible. His infamous temper was almost nonexistent these days.
Dammit. He was handsome, articulate, financially stable, and, pretentious as it may sound, he was good ateverything. Further supporting the egomaniac he’d been raised to be, he knew he had poetic, ocean blue eyes, untamable surfer blond hair that people paid a fortune for—that he came by naturally—and a great body, if he said so himself.
Still, it wasn’t enough. In an effort to build flawless human beings out of her offspring, his mother had enrolled her children in every extracurricular activity under the sun. Hockey, football, baseball, riding, martial arts, piano, debate. He’d hated debate, so why had he gone with lawyer?
Sophie dropped his hand and motioned to the exit. “I need to head out. You coming over Saturday?”
“Yeah, sounds great.” Grady blinked away the pity-party-for-one that was hammering in his thick skull. “That reminds me. My parent’s annual gala is on the twentieth. Patricia said I could invite a few guests. Apparently, now that I am thirty and a successful attorney, I’m allowed to have an opinion. I wasn’t planning to torture you guys with it, but now that it’s approaching, I think I’d enjoy seeing Asher and Zane suffering with me in penguin suits. You guys in?” He skated to the side and told Freya and Sophie the details of the annual bore-fest, in which his mother and stepfather got dolled up in their fanciest attire and invited their snootiest friends for a fancy-ass party so she could show off her accomplishments.
Freya grinned, her eyes twinkling. “Love it. We’ll be there. Zane will hate it, but I’ll wear something slinky and he’ll give in. Asher won’t be pleased, but he’ll go. Pippa will be on board, of course.”
