Love Online(28)

“What caused his injury?”

I braced as I recalled it. “I’d fallen asleep on the couch. He didn’t want to wake me. He knows I keep some of our food that I buy in bulk down in the basement. He tried to get his own snack and fell down the stairs. I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

“I’m just glad you’re both okay. My mind was all over the place thinking someone hurt you or you’d gone missing. All kinds of crazy shit went through my head.”

“I’m a mess, but I’m alive and okay.” I squeezed his hand, yearning for more. “God, I can’t believe you’re here. You’re real.”

As we stared at each other, I kept thinking he was going to kiss me, but he held back. Then he asked the strangest question.

“Do you like chicken pot pie?”

What? I chuckled. “I haven’t had it in years, but yeah. I do. Why?”

“Because it’s what I know how to cook, and I’m making it for you tonight while you relax with a glass of wine.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to. Please let me cook for you and Ollie.”

“I didn’t know you could cook.”

“I really can’t.”

“Then why make chicken pot pie?”

“My mother. It was all she ever knew how to cook. We always had a chef, so she rarely spent time in the kitchen. But when she did, she’d make that. One day when I was a little kid, I asked her to let me help her. And to this day, it’s all I know how to make.”

“That’s so sweet.”

“Do you think Ollie will like it?”

“He’ll eat anything. Literally. He loves food.”

“Okay. Good. So…you can freak out about all the stresses of life tomorrow. You can also freak out about what my being here means tomorrow. Tonight, it’s chicken pot pie.”





CHAPTER ELEVEN




* * *





RYDER




Eden gave me directions to the nearest supermarket. It felt completely surreal to be here, picking out the ingredients to make her the only thing I could cook. My mind wasn’t even focusing on what I needed to buy; it was too busy trying to absorb everything.

I looked out through the sliding glass doors of the market to the mountains in the distance. I was in freaking Utah, about to cook for Eden and her brother. I am here with Eden. What a difference a day makes.

My feelings could best be described as a mix of anxiety and relief. Relief that there was no sinister reason she was hiding her life from me. And anxiety because in a sense, she was right about everything. Eden had a ton of responsibility—too much for one twenty-four-year-old girl. And that was something I had to consider. There was no room for games. I had to tread lightly.

I pushed the cart around in a daze. This was the first time in a long time that I’d had no clue what the next hours would bring. But I wasn’t ready to get back on a plane to California. My father was gonna have my head for taking time off from work when things were busy. But I just didn’t care.

I took my phone out of my pocket and dialed my dad’s cell.

He picked up after a few rings. “Son, where have you been? They told me you were taking a couple of days off, but no one seems to know where the hell you are.”

I was glad to see Lorena had kept my secret. Not that I’d doubted she would. I didn’t want anyone to know what I was up to. I decided to tell my father a version of the truth.

Leaning into my cart, I moved it along slowly while I talked. “Yeah. I know. I didn’t exactly tell anyone.”

“So, where are you? I need you here.”

“Uh…I’m gonna be gone for probably about a week.”

“A week? Are you in some kind of trouble?”

“No, no, nothing like that. I’m in Utah, actually.”

“Utah? What the hell is in Utah?”

“I’m in St. George visiting a friend.”

“A friend?”

“Yes.”

“Who?”

I hesitated. “Her name is Eden.”

My father blew a breath into the phone. “With the secretive way you’ve been acting, I thought you were going to tell me his name was Ed.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “No. Still hetero as far as I know—not that there’s anything wrong with the opposite. But I like women…a lot.”

Especially this woman.

“Where did you meet this person that you’re all the way in Utah?”

How exactly do I explain?

“Online,” I said.

Well, that’s technically true.

“I don’t need to tell you to be careful. You’re a smart guy. I’m sure you know there are a lot of opportunistic people out there who would love a piece of—”

“Dad, I know. She didn’t even know what I did for a living when we first met. It’s not about that, okay? When I told her your name once, she had never heard of you. I’m just enjoying her company right now. I’ll let you know when I’m coming back.”

“It better not be more than a week. I need you here.”

I couldn’t commit to anything because I had no clue how I was going to feel one moment to the next. “I’ll keep you posted.”