Broken Love (Broken #4)(18)

My head snapped back down to his as I pulled him into my room and shut the door. “No, I don't have a girl in here. What the f*ck was that move you tried to put on Ava earlier today?”

Nate laughed. “Well, you weren’t making a move, so I figured you weren’t interested. I went in for the hit.”

Anger filled my veins as I balled my fists. “What did you just say?”

Nate brushed me off with his hands. “Calm down, I get you have a thing for her and she has one for you. I won’t make any moves on her again. Can we move on to the bigger problem you have right now?”

I stared at him for a good minute before I spoke. “So you won’t try to make any plays on her, am I right?”

“Yes, you’re right! Dude, I said I wouldn’t hit on Ava again. Even a blind person couldn’t have missed how the two of you were eye f*cking each other all night.”

Feeling satisfied, I smiled. “Fine. What’s the bigger problem?”

“Destiny.”

I pulled my head back and laughed. “Destiny? Why is she a problem?”

Nate sat down on my bed. “I overheard her telling Dad her father has been pressuring her to marry so he could retire from ranching.”

With a shrug of my shoulders, I said, “So. How is that my problem?”

“She told Dad she wasn’t over you and started talking to him about combining the ranches if you two were to get married.”

I let out a gruff laugh. “Please, I’m not in high school any more, Nate. Dad is not going to try and pressure me into marrying Destiny.”

Nate stood up and looked at me with a concerned look on his face. “Listen, when you walked back into the house at dinner holding Ava’s hand, it was obvious to everyone the two of you are an item. Tell me you didn’t see the look Dad gave you when you sat down.”

I had seen it and I knew he was going to want to talk to me about Ava, but never in my wildest dreams did I believe he would be upset by me having a relationship with her.

“I think you’re reading too much into this, Nate.”

“Fine, then riddle me this, Ryder. How is this relationship going to work between you and Ava?”

“If I need to explain the birds and the bees to you, dude, you’re the one with the bigger problem here.”

Nate rolled his eyes and sighed in frustration. “I’m talking about when you move back to Montana and she’s living in Texas. You and I both know the long distance shit doesn’t work out. No matter how much you said you weren’t into Destiny, it was the distance which ultimately caused you to break if off with her.”

“No, it was me realizing I didn’t love her or want a future with her.”

“Whatever it was, it didn’t work. Dad is going to remind you of that and we both know he wants Parker’s ranch, and if that means you marrying his daughter for him to get it, I promise you he’s going to push you in that direction.”

Taking Nate by the arm, I pushed him toward my door. “I know what I’m doing and I seriously doubt Dad wants anything bad enough to push his kid into doing something he doesn’t want to do.”

Nate stopped and looked at me with his mouth gaped open. “Do we not share the same father? The same man who made us both miss the state football championship because he wanted our help on the ranch that day.”

“I’m done with this conversation. Night, Nate.”

I pulled open the door to see Ava standing in the hallway.

“Ava,” Nate and I both said at once and a little too loudly.

Closing her eyes, she shook her head as the door across the hall opened. Reed came walking out and asked, “What’s going on?”

Ava glared at Nate and then me. “Nothing, Daddy. I was headed down to the kitchen to get something to eat. Ryder and Nate here ran into me as I was walking down the hall.”

Reed glanced between all three of us. “Huh. Okay, well don’t stay up late, sweetheart.”

I couldn’t read Ava’s eyes. She looked mad, disappointed even. “Don’t worry, Dad. I won’t be.”

Spinning on her heels, she headed downstairs. I wanted nothing more than to follow her, but Reed was burning holes into me with his death stare.

“Well, good meeting, Ryder. Talk to you tomorrow.”

With a smile, I nodded my head and smiled. “Yep. Later.”

Reed stood there for a few minutes waiting for me to go back into my room. “All right then, night, Reed.”

With a grunt, he said goodnight and went back into his room. I stood in the hallway unsure of what to do. When Reed opened his door again and looked out at me, I knew I had to go back into my room.

I shut the door and cursed under my breath. Ava was headed to the kitchen and I was trapped in my own room.

“Fuck.”

My phone buzzed on the dresser as I walked over and saw I had a text from Nate.

Nate: High school. Late night meetings in the barn. You catching my drift?

With a smile, I fist bumped and sent my brother a text back.

Me: Thanks dude.

After slipping on a pair of boots, I made my way over to the window and threw it open. I couldn’t even count on my hands how many times I climbed out of my window to sneak out.

Leaning out, I looked over to the trees Nate and I used to make our escapes.