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Just as I suspected, she’s not worried about the things she sees on the internet about Ryker. She’s more understanding of the fact that the media will spin anything into something worse than it actually is, and I’ve got a feeling that’s exactly how most of Ryker’s life has been portrayed.
“He is, and I’m really getting through with him. I thought he’d be closed off, hard to understand, but it’s been fairly easy.”
“Well, it usually is when you like someone, sweetie,” she says with a soft chuckle before turning away and handing my brother plates for everyone.
If she can tell I like him, who else will be able to?
13
Ryker
Throughout dinner all I can feel is the daggers being pointed my way from Wren’s dad and brother, while Melanie tries her best to steer the conversation in a good direction. I’d thought when Walter started asking me questions that we were getting somewhere, but clearly, I was wrong, considering the death stare he is giving me from across the table.
Wren clears her throat and reaches over to give the hand at my side a gentle squeeze. “How about a game night before Ryker and I head out?”
Elias smiles wickedly and chuckles. “What, desperate to lose, sis?”
She rolls her eyes at him, then looks at me with a hopeful expression. “Stay for another hour?”
I shrug. “Don’t see why not. What do game nights entail exactly?”
Melanie snorts next to me and shakes her head. “I’m not sure you want to find out.” She rises from the table and smiles. “Especially when I wipe the floor with all of you by the end of the night.” Her giggle as she hurries into their large living room surprises me. The rest of the table starts rising right along with her, and I hesitantly follow their lead.
Wren leans into me as we head into the room, a bright smile on her face. “Don’t worry, when it comes to game nights, all animosity is out the window. Dad and Elias will barely look at you.”
Is that why she suggested we play games?
When we get into the living room, Melanie’s already got a plethora of games held in her arms that she drops onto the coffee and she looks directly at me with a wicked grin. “It’s only fair that our guest picks the first game for the night.”
I’ve never sat down and played games like this before. I’m not even sure which one to go with. Do Walter and Elias have a favorite? This is clearly something they do as a family often, and I’m willing to bet each person in this room has a game they favor over the rest. I glance at Wren, who’s watching me patiently with a smile on her face and study her for a moment.
I follow her gaze as she looks at the games, notice how it immediately lands in the middle of the pile, and I point to it. “I’ll go with that one.”
Everyone groans, except Wren – who jumps up and down excitedly – and Melanie places the other games on the floor to make room for the one I picked. She winks at me. “Looks like we’re going with Clue.”
Elias scoffs. “I’m not surprised.”
Walter slaps his son on the back and chuckles. “Don’t worry, son, we’ll get them with the next game.” While they all gather around the table and pick their players, I stand in the middle of the living room and study them for a moment.
Elias playfully glares at Wren as she takes her seat. Melanie shoves her husband lightly with a smile, and I realize this moment is something I never got to experience with my own parents. They were always too busy to do things as mundane as sit around a table and play board games. This is what I’ve been missing, a connection with the people who gave me life, and I wonder briefly how I can change that.
“Well, Rockstar, you gonna join us or just watch?” Wren asks from the floor.
I clear my throat and sink onto the floor, right next to Wren, then grab the first piece I see. Since I’ve never played this game, Wren has to lean over and help me figure it out every so often – which does nothing to put a kink in my desire for her because all I can smell is the coconut scent wafting away from her. If I close my eyes, I could almost picture being on a tropical island.
Wren claps beside me as Walter makes a guess, then he groans when Elias shows him a card, and the dice get handed over to Wren. She takes them happily, rolls, and chooses to stay in the room she’s in. Her eyes dart around, amusement shining in her eyes, as she says, “I’m going to guess what’s in the envelope.”
“Dammit, I was so close!”
“You always are, big bro,” Wren says with a wink before she clears her throat. “It was Professor Plum, in the Billiard Room, with the Wrench.” I’d love nothing more than to quickly tell her that’s wrong, that I’ve got the Wrench, but I’ve got a feeling that would be frowned upon for the game. She leans forward, grabs the envelope from the center of the board, and takes out all three cards with a victorious smile.
Within seconds, it slips, and she scrunches her eyebrows together in confusion. “What? That’s not possible.”
Elias chuckles beside me and rubs his hands together. “Now, this is a wonderful surprise. What’s wrong, Wren, lose this time?”
She glares at him and slams the cards face down onto the table, then points a finger accusingly at him. “You cheated!”
“Can you prove it?”
