Page 93 of The Jealous Girl

‘Leave?’ Ryan stared at me. ‘My dad’s only been out of hospital a few days, Kirsty. He’s going to be off his feet for a few weeks yet. Now isn’t the time to start thinking about ourselves.’

‘Yeah, but he’s doing really well, and⁠—’

‘We almost lost him.’

‘I know that. But that doesn’t mean our lives have to completely stop.’

‘He’s my dad,’ Ryan said. ‘I know you’re not close to yours, but mine matters to me.’

I opened my mouth to object, but the words wouldn’t come. How could he dismiss my feelings so easily? My relationship with my family was complicated and painful. But that didn’t mean they didn’t matter. At least to me.

Ryan turned his back to me, his attention focused on tightening the saddle. I turned away and almost walked straight into Charlotte as she approached us.

I swallowed. How much had she heard?

I gave her a quick nod of acknowledgement as I stepped around her and hurried towards the stables, trying to keep my composure.

‘Why is she even here?’

I froze as Charlotte’s voice carried from behind me.

‘My parents needed me home. You know that,’ Ryan said.

I hugged the liveries book to my chest as I looked back, hoping they didn’t turn and see me spying on them.

‘Yeah, they needed you. Not some clueless city girl who’s afraid of horses.’

Heat rushed to my face.

‘She came with me,’ Ryan replied, as though it was obvious. He gave a short firm nod, like that settled it. He said it with such certainty, as though it was obvious. Natural.

After all, it was. Wasn’t it?

‘Denise isn’t exactly thrilled you’ve let her loose on Blackwater business,’ Charlotte said.

‘She’s helping,’ Ryan replied.

‘Is she?’ The tone of her voice made her own opinion on it very clear.

I waited for Ryan to say yes, say something.

There was just silence.

My skin bristled. But, still, I couldn’t deny she had a point.

Ryan shifted awkwardly. He looked uncomfortable. Almost guilty.

I frowned. Guilty of what? That didn’t make sense.

‘Or is there more to it than that?’ I asked, my eyes narrowing slightly. ‘Is something going on?’ I wasn’t entirely sure what I was asking. There was nothing concrete. Just an instinct. An unnerving one.

‘I keep telling you, I just have a lot on.’

I shook my head. ‘No, it’s more than that. You seem… different. Distant.’

Ryan exhaled sharply. ‘Why do you always do this? Try and make something of nothing?’

His accusation stung.