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“Then there’s your answer.”
“So, no stuffed animals… got it.”
Wren sighs heavily. “It’s not about the stuffed animal. It’s the intent behind it that’s the problem. You said it wasn’t a date but winning me a stuffed animal is definitely something a date would do.”
When I don’t answer her, she shakes her head with a frown. “It’s not something we can do, Ryker.”
I knew this was likely the problem, but it still stings to hear it aloud and know that I wasn’t overthinking everything. “I’m going to call my parents.”
She nods slowly. “And what brought you to that decision?”
“What you said. Maybe you’re right, and I want to find out.”
“Well, that’s definitely a step in the right direction. I’m proud of you, and I’m sure it’s taking a lot for you to make that decision.”
“What if you’re wrong, though, and they’re happier without me bothering them?”
Wren gives me a sad smile from the driver’s seat and shrugs her shoulders. “Then we’ll work on it together and make sure you can cope with the fallout better. You won’t be alone, though.”
I sit straighter when she pulls into a long driveway and eye the vast fields on either side of us, where cows are lounging under large oak trees to escape the blaring sun. “Where are we?”
She chuckles beside me. “You’ll see.”
As soon as we pull to a stop in front of a large ranch-style home, an older woman comes barreling through the front door with a bright smile on her face. It’s like looking at an older version of Wren, and I narrow my eyes at her from the front seat. “We’re at your parents' house?”
“You’re the one who wanted to tag along, Rockstar. Don’t get angry with me about it.”
She doesn’t give me a chance to say anything else before climbing out of the car and happily making her way toward her mother. They spend a few moments talking back and forth, and then the older woman glances at me with a friendly smile, and I take a deep breath.
Please let them like me.
I shake my head at my inward thoughts and frown. Why should I care if they like me or not? It’s her family, not mine. Before I get too caught up in my head, I slowly ease out of the car and make my way over to the two lovely women.
Wren glances at me and waves a hand in front of me. “Mom, this is Ryker. Ryker, this is my mom, Melanie.”
“Mrs. Grace,” I say softly. “Nice to meet you.”
She’s got the same red hair that Wren does, but instead of the same blue eyes that Wren’s got, Melanie has a dark green pair that reminds me of evergreen trees.
Melanie chuckles and waves a hand at me. “You can call me Melanie. It makes me feel younger.”
The front door flies open again, and this time, an older man struts onto the porch with a frown on his face as he studies me.
Wren’s body stiffens as he comes closer, and she clears her throat. “Dad, Ryker wanted to join us today. Isn’t that great?”
Us? That’s definitely not what I agreed to, but it seems as though this man has a different opinion about me than most others, and I’d rather not get on his bad side.
“Oh, is he?” Her dad wraps an arm around her and pulls her frame against his side, eyes still focused on me as he narrows them. “Guess we’ll have to teach him the ropes then, huh?”
Wren pushes away from her dad and sighs happily, then looks at me. “Ryker, this is my dad, Walter.”
I extend a hand out to him and nod. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Grace. You’ve got a great property. How long have you guys owned it?”
Unlike Melanie, Walter doesn’t tell me to call him anything different and glances up at the sky in thought. “It’s been in the family for generations. I’d say about a hundred years or so.”
“What the hell is he doing here?” Another voice booms from the doorway, and I glance over Walter’s shoulder with an eyebrow raised.
Wren groans loudly and shakes her head. “Don’t do this right now, Elias.”
