Her smile grew.
“Brad seems like a nice guy, and totally stoked about the baby.”
“He saved me.”
Those three simple words had a lump forming in his throat.
“From what I’ve heard, you saved each other.”
She hugged him hard, and he hugged her back. He wasn’t overly demonstrative in the normal course of his life, but he’d learned. A lot of the people in the world he now inhabited like to touch, kiss, and hug, but it wasn’t something he was comfortable with. Here, however, he had to say this genuine affection was different. It warmed him from the inside.
Mrs. C led him to Buster’s stall. Chairs were set up, and as he arrived, Mikey’s brother handed him a plate.
“What’s this?”
“Buster said you didn’t eat meat, so I cooked it first,” Connor said.
“Thanks for that. Really, I appreciate it.”
Connor flushed and went back to the grill.
Ryan took a bite out of the excellent tofu burger and then saluted Buster with it. “Thanks, bud.”
“Unsure how you keep body and soul together not eating meat, but I’ll try not to hold it against you,” Buster said.
“Appreciate it,” Ryan said.
“Will you sing for us later, Ryan?” Mikey asked.
“I don’t think so, bud, but you come to the cabin one day and we’ll have a jam session. Maybe I can help you with your talent show entry.”
“Really?” Even though he was in that “I’m a cool teenager” phase, he was still as excited as a small child at Christmas.
“Really.”
“I’m going to tell Deano. He’s entered with me.”
“You made him happy,” Faith said. She then took a large bite of her burger. Sauce dripped down her chin. Taking his serviette, he wiped it.
Their eyes caught and held for long drawn-out seconds. “This has to stop,” she said.
“Why?”
“It can’t go anywhere.”
“Ryan, can we have a photo with you for our collection?”
Frustrated, he turned to face the groupies who had rushed to his side during the game.
“You’re a long way from home,” Ryan said, turning his back on Faith, shielding her from them. He didn’t need her firing up again. Didn’t want these two having her in their sights. No telling how hostile they could get, and he knew what Faith was capable of. She was a firecracker when provoked. Which he loved about her, if he was being honest.
Chapter 12
Ryan managed to avoid the press after shaking off the groupies by walking away fast and hiding in the back of the fudge tent. Then the locals took over, stepping in if they drew near and boring them with conversations about random things which had him laughing when someone relayed the details to him. He then spent the next few hours eating food and hanging out with friends.
“Dad is giving the press accounting tips, a subject dear to his heart,” Jake said. “‘It’s important to look after your money’ was a nightly mantra in the McBride household.”
“You guys should hire yourselves out. You’d make a killing in LA doing this. Avoiding the paparazzi is not easy.”