Letting Go of You (Anchored Hearts #2) (29 page)

Ryker

By: Joanne Schwehm

Copyright © 2014 by Joanne
Schwehm

**All Rights Reserved**

Cover Designer: Perfect Pear Creative Covers, ppccovers.com

Interior Designer: Jovana Shirley,
Unforeseen Editing, www.unforeseenediting.com

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, including photocopying, recording or by information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any full resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locations is entirely coincidental; unless author has received permission to do so which will be reflected in the acknowledgment section of this novel.

Prologue

Faith

I had never seen anyone like him in my life. I was on my way to my neighbor Max’s house when an older boy walked toward me. He must be here to audition. Max had told me he was finalizing the band members and just needed a drummer. He’d invited me to watch the auditions, which I couldn’t wait to do.

I observed the strange guy look at the house, then at a piece of paper in his hand, and then at me. My legs kept moving toward him even though I couldn’t feel my feet touching the ground. His eyes caught mine, and my heart fluttered. I prayed that when I spoke, my voice wouldn’t crack.

“Hi, are you trying out for the band today?”

“Yeah, are you Max’s little sister?” His voice was deeper than I’d expected.

I laughed. “No, we’re just good friends. I don’t have a brother.”

His expression changed as he looked at me. He nodded.

“But you can come with me,” I said. “I was going there too. Max invited me. I usually hang out with him even
though he’s older.” I didn’t know why, but I was rambling. By the look on this guy’s face, he didn’t know why either. It dawned on me that I didn’t know his name. “By the way, I’m Faith.”

He smiled and held out his hand. “Ryker.”

As I placed my hand in his, an indescribable feeling went through me. Maybe it was just nerves. “It’s nice to meet you, Ryker.” Just saying his name made me smile. He was so cute! Much cuter than Mark Nichols, the cutest boy in my school. “We can go around back.”

We walked around the back of the house, and my hands shook as I reached for the door knob. I opened it and was greeted by Max.

He smiled. “Hey, Faith, I see you brought a friend.”

Max winked, and I felt blood rush up my cheeks. I stood there and glared at my so-called friend.

Ryker walked around me and extended his hand. “Hey, I’m Ryker, the drummer.”

Max shook his hand. “Good to meet
ya, man. Come on in. The other guys should be here soon.”

“Sounds great. How many others are there?”

“Just two. Jake plays the keyboard, and Tim plays bass guitar. I play lead guitar and sing. I went to high school with them, and we always toyed with the idea of a band, but now we’re going to do it.”

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Ryker as he walked toward the drum set. He sat down, and I noticed a tattoo on his arm. I didn’t get a great look at it though. My head tilted, and I stared at him. All I could think of was his hand holding mine. I was beginning to daydream when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

“Faith, did you hear me?” Max was right next to me, grinning.

“I’m sorry, what?”

He chuckled. “I said, why don’t you have a seat while we warm up?”

Tim and Jake stood next to Max with their instruments; I never even saw them walk in.

“Yeah, okay.”
What the heck is wrong with me?

Max turned to me. “You good with Zeppelin?”

Am I good with Zeppelin? Are you kidding me?
I smiled, nodded, and tapped my sticks together. The guys fell in rhythm with the tempo I set. The guys were good, but I had to say that Max was a great guitar player. I looked at Faith. Her eyes were closed as she bobbed to the music. I grabbed the cymbal as the song came to an end.

Max turned to Tim and then to Jake and then to me. “Boys, I think we have a band.”

My smile grew as I stood to acknowledge what Max said, but my eyes caught Faith’s. There was something about her, I just couldn’t put my finger on it.

Max came up to me. “Good thing you answered the ad, man. You’re really good.”

I nodded. “Thanks.”

Faith came up to us. “You guys sounded great!”

“Come on, let’s have a seat and talk about where we go from here,” Max said.

She kissed Max’s cheek and said she needed to get going. Then she looked at me, and her blue eyes sparkled. I didn’t know what it was about the girl, but she was something special.

“I should get going too. I need to catch the bus,” I said. Max offered to take me home, but I didn’t want him to do that.

Jake and Tim shook my hand and told me that I’d killed it. Max walked me out, and Faith trailed behind him. Once we were outside I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

Max clapped me on the back. “You did great, and because of you, we’re going to rock. I’ll catch ya later.”

Max turned and went into his house, but Faith still stood next to me fiddling with her long brown hair.

“It was good meeting you, Faith. I’ll catch ya ‘round.”

Before I could leave, she called, “Ryker?”

I looked at her. “Yeah.”

“It was good meeting you too.”

1

Faith

The day I had been waiting for was finally here. My reflection in my full-length mirror winked at me as I ran my hands down my denim-clad hips. I turned left, right, and back to center to take in how I looked. Did I look different? I shook my head and laughed at myself. Nothing on the outside had changed, but I felt different inside.

Twenty-one, the age I had vowed to make changes in my life. Everything else had fallen into place: I was graduating college a year early and in the top ten percent of my class; I was starting a new job soon; and I was finally going to tell Ryker Jeffries how I felt about him. When he spoke, I melted like ice on a hot day. Thinking about finally running my fingers through his long blond tresses and my hands down his taut abs made me shiver. I could feel his muscular arms wrapped around me, and see that tattoo move as he flexed his arm. I needed to clear my head and focus on the task at hand: getting Ryker Jeffries. Thinking about telling him made my insides twist and turn like a rollercoaster, but I was looking forward to the ride. The anticipation of the climb, without knowing how steep the drop on the other side would be, was terrifying and exciting. The only problem was Ryker’s attitude toward me. No
matter how hard I tried, he didn’t want to get close to me. It was as if he purposely tried to push me away.

I looked at the picture stuck in the frame of my mirror, and I couldn’t help but smile at the cute boy with a hula hoop hanging off his waist. My best friend and next-door neighbor, Max Morrison, was my rock. He was also the lead singer of the band Raging Urge. Ryker was the drummer and Max’s other best friend. I had asked Max about Ryker’s attitude once, and he didn’t have an answer for me. All Max had said was he didn’t want to get in the middle of us, but he’d be cool with it if we got together. I knew Max would never say anything to hurt my feelings, but he wouldn’t let my heart get crushed either. I took his words as a green light to move forward with my plan.

In a few hours, Raging Urge was playing at a club in town called The Ruins, and I’d told Max I would come out to be their number-one fan. They had enough groupies who thought they were Raging Urge’s top fan, but I’d been listening to these guys for years, so I called dibs on that title. My plan was to go to the club with Paige, a former classmate I’d tutored. We weren’t close, but she’d offered to take me out for my first “legal” drink. Paige wasn’t in on my plan to tell Ryker I had feelings for him because I knew that if I told her, she’d screw something up for me. Paige and I had hung out at a party once, and when I told her I thought a guy was hot, she devoted her attention to him for the rest of the night and probably into the next morning.

I sat at my makeup table and applied finishing touches to my eyes and lips. Once my baby blues were lined in black and my lips were shiny, I was ready to go. My phone chimed with a message from Paige that she was outside. With my purse in hand and my confidence coated with a bit of nerves, I headed out, determined to make it a night I wouldn’t forget.

She waved at me through the window, and I prayed the night went off without a hitch. The weather was perfect for a May night in Rochester. It wasn’t too cold, and the gentle breeze was calming. I took in a deep breath before I got in her car.
Here we go.

Paige was wearing a black mini-skirt, high-heeled pumps, and a white top that left little to the imagination. She beamed at me. “Happy birthday! Are you ready to have fun and have your first legal drink?”

“Thank you. Yeah, let’s get the show on the road.”

Her zippy little red car careened through the neighborhood, turning the street lights into a blur. She pressed a button on her steering wheel and cranked the music. The band booming through her speakers was Blanco Diablo, the guys’ favorite group. Raging Urge aspired to be like them one day.

“I didn’t know you liked BD,” I said.

Her thumb pressed the button to lower the sound. “I remembered you telling me that your friend and the other guys in the band liked them, so I figured I should listen. You know, so I had something to talk about with
them. Not that I plan on doing much talking tonight.” She winked, and my nerves spiked.

Even though we were zipping by other cars, I felt as if we were moving in slow motion as my heart sank into my stomach. “What do you mean?”

“Are you kidding?” She glanced at me before putting her eyes back on the road. “You have to realize how hot these guys are. We are going to have a blast tonight. I call dibs on the drummer. Who do you want?”

Did she just say her plan was to go after Ryker?
No way, this isn’t happening to me.
Shit, what do I do?
I took a deep breath and twisted my hands in my lap. “Paige, I need to tell you something.”

“Yeah, okay, what?” She turned the car into the club’s parking lot.

I needed to make it fast. “Please don’t go after the drummer.”

She tossed the gear shift into park and pushed a button that turned off her car. “Why?”

“Because, I… um… I…” My voice hitched, and my breaths were short.

Her eyes widened. “Oh! I get it. You like him. Does he know? He doesn’t seem like your type, and you definitely don’t seem like his. What about your friend? Why don’t you go for him?”

“Max? He’s like a brother to me! No, I like Ryker, and I have for years. Just leave him alone for me. Consider it a birthday present.”

“Fine, but if he comes on to me, all bets are off.” She opened her door and got out.

If he came on to her, she could bet her ass all bets were off; why would I want him if he wanted her? My hand was on the handle of my door, and after taking three deep breaths, I opened it and followed Paige inside.

I was ready to pull out my license, but the bouncer just took one look at Paige and waved us in. Paige walked straight to the bar, passing some guys at a table lined with pitchers of beer.

One of the frat boys called, “Hey, ginger!”

Paige turned around and threw her hand on her now cocked hip. “Yes?” She really was stunning, and she had confidence in spades. Her five foot eight body sauntered up to their table.

Some guy with a backward baseball hat stood and flashed an award-winning smile. “Why don’t you and your friend join us?”

Paige looked at me with a pleading expression, but I just shook my head.

She strode back to me. “Come on, these guys are hot! It’s free drinks, and it’s your birthday! Come on!” She looked back at the guys and put up her index finger. “Live a little, let your hair down, and have fun. Your friends aren’t even here yet.”

Maybe drinking with them wasn’t a bad idea. If she liked those guys, then I would have the chance I needed with Ryker. “Okay, fine.” I gave her my best smile and started walking with her toward the table of frat boys.

She stopped in her tracks and whispered to me, “Once the band gets here, we’ll ditch these guys. If I wanted to sleep with a college man, I would go to parties on campus.” She giggled and continued on.

She was using me to get to Max and the guys. Great. I was an idiot for thinking she wouldn’t go after Ryker. I sat down at the table next to Paige.

Mr. Backward Baseball Cap introduced us to everyone. I didn’t really pay attention because I couldn’t care less what their names were. One guy poured us each a glass of beer and handed us shots. The beer I was fine with, the shots not so much.

As the small glass of foggy liquid was passed to me, I held up my hand. “No, thanks.”

Paige slammed hers back and batted her eyes. “Yum! I love lemon drops!”

It didn’t take them long to offer her another and then another. She was getting giddy, and I was getting nervous. I lifted my glass and took a sip of my beer; actually, it was more of
a guzzle. As soon as I placed the half-full glass on the table, it was filled again. Paige was laughing, and the guys were all over her. She thrived on the attention. When some guy—I think his name was Mike—sat next to me, I felt as though I needed air, so I excused myself to go to the ladies’ room.

I spun around and smacked right into a hard mass of muscle. “Excuse me.” With my head still lowered, I tried to walk around the man.

“No worries, Dude.”

I stopped moving. I’d dreamt about that voice. I looked up to see the hazel eyes that haunted my dreams. “Oh, it’s you. Sorry, and don’t call me dude.”

“Whatever. Where’s the fire?” Ryker asked.

My eyes went to the table of guys. Paige was sitting on one of their laps. I felt alone. “I… um… I’m just going to the ladies’ room.” Should I tell him now? The clicks of the chains pulling the rollercoaster up the hill sounded in my head. I swallowed hard. “Ryker?”

He looked at me, over my shoulder at the table I’d just left, and back at me. I thought I saw something in his eyes, something different. His eyes were soft, almost kind. Did he care about me? A smile grew on my face as he looked at me.

“Yeah, what’s up?” He motioned his chin toward Paige. “She a friend of yours?”

“Yeah, I went to school with her.” My body relaxed until I noticed his lip curl up as he looked at her. Like a dope, I turned and saw her crook her finger for him to come to her.

I shook my head, took a deep breath, and walked away. Apparently I hadn’t seen softness in Ryker’s eyes. What I had seen was Paige running her hands down Ryker’s torso as I left. How I longed to do that. But she’d never stop until she had exactly what she wanted from him, and he definitely wouldn’t say no.

Rather than going to the bathroom, I sat at the bar. I ordered another beer and reached into my purse for money. My stool swiveled just in time to see Paige and Ryker getting cozy. She whispered in his ear and then looked over his shoulder to shrug and smirk at me. It was my twenty-first birthday; I should have been the one getting cozy with him. I’d had such high hopes for the night, and as usual, it wasn’t going as planned. My roller-coaster ride had ended before I’d made it to the top of the hill. Hell, I hadn’t even buckled in for the ride.

The bartender placed what I had learned was a lemon drop shot in front of me.

“I didn’t order this,” I said.

A gruff voice caught me off guard. “I did.”

Mike from the frat boy’s table sat next to me. “Your friend said it was your birthday. I thought we’d do a shot together since you left us.”

I smiled. “Thank you.”

He picked his up and raised it. “To you. May your birthday be everything you hoped it would be, and may all your wishes come true.”

All I could do was say, “Cheers.” I tossed the liquid back, and it actually tasted really good.

“So what’s your name?”

“I’m Faith.” Did I want to get to know the guy? I watched Paige sitting on Ryker’s lap as they drank beer together. Unbelievable. “You’re Mike, right?”

He grinned. “You got it, babe.”

“Well, Mike, I appreciate the shot, but I’m going to be heading out. I was just stopping in tonight. I didn’t intend on staying.” I’d just lied through my teeth to what could be a fun guy.

He made some idle conversation, but I wasn’t paying attention. I’d just wasted time on this guy, and I wasn’t going to get it back. I picked up my purse and slid off the stool, but not before draining my beer.

Mike looked shocked. “Are you seriously leaving?”

“Yup. Thanks again, and it was good meeting you.” I gave him a flippant wave and walked to the back of the club, where I knew the band would be. My head spun a little, but not enough to deter me from seeing Max; I needed him.