The hostess arrives to seat us, and the delicious treats we were mentally ordering get put on the back burner, replaced with burgers and fries.
“Can I have some money for the music box?”
Ryder lets out a little chuckle. “You mean the jukebox?”
She nods her head eagerly as he digs out some money from his pocket. Amelia happily skips off to the jukebox.
“I appreciate you including me for lunch. I know you have a full day planned, so I’ll get out of your hair.”
“No. Don’t. Stay. Spend the day with us.”
“I don’t want to impose.”
“You are not an imposition.” Ryder’s hand reaches for mine and laces our fingers together. “You’re… you’re part of our family.”
The things his words do to me, the thoughts they provoke. As if things weren’t tough enough, telling me I’m a part of their family? It’s like a dream come true. Only, it’s a dream I’ll never be able to hold on to. He doesn’t want a relationship—not with me, not with anyone.
“Ryder, I…” Words escape me.
Luckily, Amelia returns to the table, then a moment later, lunch is served. She chats happily as she eats, stuffing her face with fries.
The next stop on the birthday extravaganza list is the zoo.
As we stroll through the grounds, Amelia skips ahead, leaving Ryder and me alone. I resist the urge to run and catch up with her, fearing it will only make my need more apparent to put space between Ryder and me. Turning my body slightly away from his, I make sure to leave plenty of space between us. Not that it deters him. He nudges me with his body, and when I turn to look at him, there’s an easy smile on his face.
“Everything okay? You seem a little quiet since lunch.”
“I’m fine. Just enjoying the animals.”
“I may not know a lot about women, but I know ‘I’m fine’ most certainly means you’re not.”
“I am… really. I just don’t feel like I belong here.”
“At the zoo?” He looks at me incredulously, and I can’t help but laugh.
“No, you goof.” I swat his arm. “Here, with you and Amelia. This is a family day, and while I appreciate the sentiment, I’m not family.”
Ryder comes to a halt and turns to face me, forcing me to look him directly in his eyes.
“You, Amelia, and Mark—you’re the only family I have. Whatever is going on between us.”
“That would be sex.”
“Knock it off,” he warns. “I don’t know what the hell we’re doing or where this is going, but we both know this has gone way beyond just sex. Even if you take that out of the equation, one thing still remains true—you’re a part of our family. Understand?”
Speechless, I nod. If I thought I was stunned by his words, what he does next completely turns my world upside down.
His hand cups my face, his head dips down to me, and his lips press against mine. He kisses me. Out here in public, with Amelia nearby, and he doesn’t seem to care. Unsure what to think or do, when the kiss ends, I let him take my hand and hold it as we make our way through the zoo.
Amelia runs happily around us, not a care in the world. The fact Ryder and I are holding hands means nothing to her. Or, in the least, she doesn’t notice.
We’re like that the entire day and in the car as we head home. In the kitchen, we sing happy birthday to an ecstatic but exhausted Amelia.
Even after we tuck her in and close the door quietly behind him.
“Goodnight, Ryder.”
His fingers reach for mine, lacing with them and pulling me to his chest.