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I’ll never be more thankful for these two than I am right now. Even though I’m officially out of the band, now that we’ve found my replacement, they’ll do anything to help me, and that means more than anything else in the world.
Unfortunately, my parents are an entirely different story. The moment I told them about quitting the band, their immediate response was to tell me which schools were best for a medical degree. They were ecstatic, but that quickly changed into disappointment when I told them that’s not where my dreams lie.
Right now, they lie with the woman standing before me, and it’s time for me to make things right.
Wren looks between my two best friends curiously, then at me, and I nod toward my friends with a small smile. “Can we go somewhere and talk after?”
She nods, then reluctantly pulls my friends alongside her and mumbles a few basics when it comes to horses – but I know for a fact neither of them is listening to her because that’s not what they’re stealing her for.
When I talk to her family, I want it to be alone.
Melanie is still standing in the middle of the driveway, looking just as confused as Wren, and I confidently walk up to her with a friendly smile. “Mind if we take this inside, Mrs. Grace?”
She blinks, then shakes her head as if remembering her manners. “Oh, of course not, honey.” While we step through the front door and I take my shoes off, she turns around with an eyebrow raised. “I assume there’s a reason for your visit?”
“There is,” I say softly.
Walter is the next one to step into the room, but he doesn’t look as happy to have me here as Melanie does. Hopefully this next conversation will change that.
“Ryker,” he mutters. “Didn’t expect to see you here. What’s the meaning of this?”
I’m not surprised he has a protective mask over his face.
I run a hand through my hair and sigh. “Could we go sit somewhere? I think this is a conversation that should be had sitting down.”
Melanie nods immediately while Walter glares at me and tries to decide if he should kick me out instead. Obviously, Melanie wins the silent argument as she turns and nudges his shoulder gently.
“Of course,” Walter grumbles.
When we get into the large dining room, Melanie waves me to a seat across from her and Walter. It’s silent for a moment, and then I take my first big breath and smile. “This is unexpected, I know, but I didn’t want to scare Wren away before I made my case.”
Walter raises a brow, but otherwise he stays silent as he leans back into the chair as a way to intimidate me.
“Things got twisted when mine and Wren’s relationship got plastered all over the internet. It took some time, but I’ve got everything situated now and decided to take a break from the band until further notice.”
That seems to surprise Wren’s father, but he still chooses to stay silent.
Melanie, on the other gasps and leans forward, her cool fingers wrapping and warming around my large hand. “Oh, Ryker, why did you do that?”
I shrug and give her my best smile. “It was the right thing to do for me right now.”
“The point of my visit,” I say. “It is because I wanted to let you know that I fell in love with your daughter while I was here, and I don’t want to let what we have get away from me. My manager made a mistake in how he treated her, which was told to him almost immediately, and I want you to know that I’ve since righted the situation.”
Walter clears his throat, not looking convinced, and uncrosses his arms. “You say you love Wren, yeah?” I nod, and he shakes his head with narrowed eyes. “Then why hasn’t she heard a single word from you?”
“My manager threatened her career before I left, told me that if I got in contact with her, he would report her to the ethics board and have her license taken away. I was only doing what I thought was best for her.”
“And now?”
“Now, there’s not going to be any backlash from my manager. He’s been taken care of, along with the evidence of our relationship. We’ve taken it upon ourselves to respond to any article about me and Wren.”
Walter doesn’t say anything, and I sigh. “I’ve been trying to get everything in order, make sure Wren’s life wouldn’t be ruined, and get things situated here in Arizona.”
“In Arizona?” Melanie asks.
I give them a big smile and nod. “I plan to move here full-time to focus on bettering myself and being who Wren deserves.”
They both look at me, and Walter looks like he’s seeing me for the first time – he probably is. Just like everyone else, he’s had this notion about me that’s not true. Maybe now he’ll take the time to get to know that other side of me, the side that Wren caught feelings for all those weeks ago.
