“Newman is a special guy. When Hope came back to town, she convinced him to tell us all he was adopted. He’s been happier since then. Not that I knew he wasn’t, but the change is noticeable.”
“No way. We never knew that.”
“He hid it well, and I’m sure he’ll tell you the why, but it has to do with his asshole father.” She frowned, clearly annoyed on Newman’s behalf.
“I thought his father was a good guy?”
“No, he’s not.”
A heavy silence settled between them.
“You ready to head back? I’ll drop you at The Howler.” Ryan grabbed the keys to his SUV.
“Sure, thanks.” She placed her mug in the sink, avoiding his eyes, and then walked around him to say goodbye to Syd before making for the door.
“Faith.”
“Don’t say anything, please,” she begged. “We did what we did; now let’s move on.”
She was right, and yet it didn’t feel right letting her go. Normally when he slept with a woman, it was a mutual slaking of lust, then they said goodbye mostly amicably. But this felt different.
“No wild parties,” he said to Syd before closing the door after switching on the TV to the classical musical station. Syd, Ryan had found out, loved it.
They climbed silently into the SUV, and he backed down the drive.
“You have a parcel,” Faith said, pointing to the letterbox.
“Probably baking of some sort. I’ve received a few casseroles so far. Mrs. C made me cookies with sparkles and little silver balls that nearly broke my teeth.”
“Nice. Sorry I’m not much of a baker.”
“I forgive you because you are very skilled with your mouth and hands.”
She scowled at him. “Stop and I’ll get it, because if it’s cookies I want one.”
As if on cue, Ryan’s stomach rumbled, so he stopped.
Once she was back in the car, she handed it to him.
“Mac probably delivered it after the game.”
Ryan opened the brown box, then looked inside.
“What the hell?” Faith peered inside too. “It’s chocolates, a sweatshirt, and a card.”
He looked at the box, and something slithered down his spine. Once before, he had received gifts like this.
Ryan opened the card, careful to stick to the edges in case he needed the police to fingerprint it.
He relaxed when he noticed the writing. It was different, not dark angry slashes like the stalker who had spent months following him and trying to invade his life. The woman who had sent him pictures of herself naked with his name written all over her body.
“You’re my world, Ryan. We’re meant to be together always,” Faith read, leaning closer to read the words.
It couldn’t be her, surely?She’d been silent for a year now.
“Who would send you something like this, Ryan? How did they know you were here?”
“People only have to look me up to know this is where I was born, Faith. Plus, there was all that press with your ex.”