Her eyes light up with interest. “Good for you, girl.”
It’s my turn to chuckle.
“Too much?” she asks.
“Maybe tone it down a little.”
“I’ve got my eye on a few of the guys at the MC.”
“Define a few…”
“A girl should never kiss and tell.” Her grin is downright devious and I love it.
From what I know about Aunt Cassie’s life in Colton, she sacrificed a lot to protect Zach. So the fact she’s here, starting over and refusing to let her past dictate her future, only makes me admire her more.
“But on a serious note, have you made either of them promises?”
I shake my head. “One of them insists we can’t be together. The timing is all wrong and I think he’s worried about hurting me down the line if it doesn’t work out.”
“And guy number two?”
“Was unexpected… but we have fun together and I like his company. He, uh, he understands my situation with Mom.”
“You’re still young, sweetie. You don’t have to make any big decisions yet. So long as you’re not leading them on and everyone knows where you stand, just enjoy it. There’s plenty of time for all the serious stuff in the future. And honestly, given how things are with Evelyn, I think it’s important you surround yourself with people who make you happy.”
I wonder if she would feel the same if she knew just exactly what Ryder and I had been up to earlier. But something tells me she might. Aunt Cassie seems cool like that.
“Besides, if your story goes anything like Sadie Ray’s and River’s, maybe you won’t have to choose.” She waggles her eyebrows suggestively.
“I’m not sure that’s in the cards, Aunt C.”
Although my mind flashes back to that night and how good it had felt to be pinned between two big tatted guys.
Styx still refuses to tell me who our masked companion was though, and in the end, I stopped asking. Because I got it—he was jealous.
Then he went and broke my heart and it became a moot point. Styx won’t share me again. He won’t even pull his head out of his ass enough to claim me as his.
Coward.
“Well, a girl can dream, right?”
I snort. This woman is something else. But maybe she’s right, maybe I need to stop overthinking and go with the flow.
Because one thing’s for certain…
If Styx won’t give me what I need, Ryder seems more than willing to.
* * *
Irinse my mouth and spit before drying my hands on a towel.
After sitting with Aunt Cassie for a bit, I went upstairs and had a shower. The hot water felt good, running over my body, easing the tension from my muscles. But it also made it difficult not to think about both of their hands on me.
Ryder and Styx.
By the time I was done, I was hot and bothered again and in desperate need of a cold shower.
But it’s late and I’m exhausted. So I climb into bed and turn off the bedside lamp. My cell phone taunts me. Neither Ryder or Styx have texted me again and although part of me wants to hold off, I also keep coming back to Aunt Cassie’s words.