Rydin' the Storm Out (21 page)

“Here’s a good one. It’s in Mom and Dad’s neighborhood and not far from JT and Gunnar.”

Ryder was sitting at the kitchen table looking at his laptop. He and Molly had decided they no longer wanted to stay in this house. It didn’t matter that they could get a great deal on it; it just seemed tainted now.

“That does look good. Let’s scroll through the pictures.”

They clicked through and looked at the pictures and decided to call a realtor and take a look. They’d only been looking for about a week now, but they were both anxious to move on from here.

They had decorated the tree and installed a security system so they would know if anyone was in the house. They changed the blinds in the living room and kitchen so no one could see in the house. They didn’t really have to give any notice. Jepson wasn’t in jail, but there was a restraining order on him, and they didn’t owe that bastard anything.

“Before we go looking at houses, I want to show you something. I’ll be right back.” Ryder got up and walked to the bedroom. Molly continued clicking through pictures on the internet and decided to look at a couple more houses she’d found. Ryder walked back into the kitchen and laid a notebook on the table.

Molly looked at the notebook and then back up at Ryder.

She grinned. “You want to show me your notebook?”

Ryder nodded. “When I first met you, I was shy and couldn’t bring myself to ask you out. My mom told me to write things down that maybe I would feel like we had already had a conversation and it wouldn’t be so scary talking to you. I did, I started writing things down. I want you to read them. My thoughts. No secrets, remember?”

He pushed the notebook forward and winked at her. Molly pulled the notebook toward her and paused, unsure if she should read Ryder’s thoughts. She looked back up at him and he nodded and smiled.

Molly opened the cover of the notebook and started reading.

September 28
– I met a woman today. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Besides my mom of course. Her name is Molly Bates. She has the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. Dark brown hair, so shiny it gleams. She has full kissable lips, and when she smiles she takes my breath away. Of course, I couldn’t ask her out. Why would she go out with me anyway? She’s hot. I know I’m not bad, but someone like her, well, she probably has men begging her to go out with them.

Molly looked up at Ryder and he nodded to the notebook, wanting her to continue.

October 5 a.m.
– I haven’t had the courage to ask Molly out. I want to so bad. I’ve thought of her all week. Every day I wake up thinking about her. Every night I go to sleep thinking about her. I want to know all about her. What does she like? What does she think? Is she interested in me?

October 5 p.m.
– I brought her home with me tonight. She was drunk and some asshole tried molesting her. I knocked him on his ass and brought Molly home so no one else would hurt her. I’ve been sitting in this chair for hours watching her sleep. She’s so beautiful. She looks peaceful sleeping in my bed. Her face is soft and relaxed and it makes my cock hard and my stomach flip-flop to look at her lying in my bed. She’s in MY bed. The only thing that could make this better would be me lying next to her with my arms around her. I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. It scares me a little, but it also excites me to think about being in love. Not sure if that’s what it is, but it sure is nice.

October 6
– Molly came on a bike ride with my family and me today. It was bittersweet having her on my bike. She felt so good behind me with her arms wrapped around me. I could feel her breasts pushing into my back and her legs wrapped around me and it felt…right. It was also hard but, well, I was hard. All fucking day I had a cock so hard I could hammer nails with it. Every time I heard her laugh, every time she climbed on my bike and wrapped her arms around me. Every time she said something in my ear, my cock twitched and throbbed. Bittersweet is a great way to describe today.

October 13
– Yesterday I made love for the first time in my life. I know I made love to Molly, because, I’ve never, ever felt like that with anyone before. I never will again. Dad was right, you know it when it hits you. That’s what he told me when I asked him how he knew Joci was the one for him. He said, “I just knew. You will too, you’ll know it when it hits you.” I got hit today with the love bug or whatever. It doesn’t feel scary like I thought it would. It feels good actually. The only thing that feels bad is the uncertainty. That feels bad. I have no idea how Molly feels. It’s too soon to have that conversation. But I do know I can’t wait to see her later today. We have to work at the build again today. Tonight, Mom and Dad want us all to come over for dinner and enjoy each other since we’ve been working so hard. Mom seems to like Sunday dinners. It seems like it might be the start of a nice family tradition. I’m asking Molly to join us for family dinner. She fits with all of us and I really want to spend the time with her.

November 7
– Molly and I have spent almost every day together since the first time we made love. I never knew life could be like this. So amazing. I look forward to waking up every morning so I can see her and spend time with her. She’s funny. She has a great personality. She’s smart, beautiful, actually, she’s perfect. I’m in love, madly in love with Molly Bates.

November 12
– I told Molly that I loved her today and she told me she loved me as well. We’re moving in together and I can’t wait. I’m going to marry that girl as soon as I can. Is there a time frame you have to wait to ask the woman you love to marry you? My dad asked Joci within a few months, maybe three or four, of them actually dating. He didn’t want to wait anymore for her to be his wife. I don’t want to wait either, but I’m not sure how Molly feels about that.

November 13
– Molly’s landlord died and his son came to the house today to discuss Molly purchasing the house. He’s a creepy fuck and he had Molly cornered in the kitchen when I walked in. I’m so damn glad I got there in time. I hate to think what would have happened if I didn’t come home. I would have to kill that son of a bitch if he had touched her. She’s mine. She’s the love of my life and I’ll kill anyone that hurts her.

November 15
– Molly and Gunnar are brother and sister. No shit. We were celebrating Gunnar’s adoption at Mom and Dad’s house. Gunnar had a box from his biological dad’s wife with pictures in it. He asked Mom to look at it with him and Molly saw a picture of her mom. One thing led to another and now Mom thinks Keith is also Molly’s dad. Friggin unreal. We’re going to see Molly’s mom and find out. She’s nervous. I’m excited for her and Gunnar. They’ll each have each other as well as all of us. Now that I look at both of them, I see it. It seems weird that we never thought they looked like each other before. But, now, it’s almost impossible not to see it.

November 17
– I met Molly’s mom today. Actually, she didn’t even realize Molly and I were in the room, she was focused on Gunnar. Gunnar looks a lot like Keith and Tori zoned in on that immediately. I’m so proud of Molly though. She sat there while her mom gushed over Gunnar and never shed a tear. I can’t imagine sitting next to my mom, either of them, and have them not know who I am. My Molly is a strong woman. I love her more every day, as impossible as that seems.

November 19
– We’re celebrating my grandparents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary tonight. Mom has been spending a lot of time helping my aunts plan this party. Molly’s nervous, but I can’t wait to introduce her to my whole family as my girlfriend. She’s the most beautiful woman in the world and, every day, I fall in love more and more. We still haven’t told everyone I’m moving in and buying the house with her. We will after all of this stuff blows over with Gunnar and Molly and them being brother and sister. That will probably be the talk of the evening and I know she’s nervous about that. We have time. I’m trying to be patient, but, sometimes it’s hard. I want to shout it from the rooftops, “I’m in love with Molly Bates and she loves me.” Maybe I’ll do that one day.

November 24
- Jepson came to the house again today and scared the shit out of Molly. That bastard better not ever lay a hand on her. She’s so special to me and I don’t want anything to happen to her. Ever. I’m going to talk to my Uncle Tommy to see what we can do.

December 4
– We got our first Christmas tree today. It was fun to go out to the tree farm and cut down our first tree. Danny and Tammy got their first tree together today as well. Molly told me that since she was eleven, she hasn’t had a tree. Something terrible happened to this woman, and I need to find out what it is so I can help her move past it. But, from this point forward, we are going to have big Christmas trees every year. We made love under the tree after Tammy and Danny left. It was amazing, hearing Molly moan as I made love to her, smelling the pine of the tree and feeling her body love me back. I don’t have the words to explain how it feels when I’m with her, in her.

December 5 a.m.
– Today is the deadline for Jeffrey Jepson to agree to the purchase price of the house. We haven’t seen him since the day he was here and scared the crap out of Molly. He better not ever show up again. I didn’t like the way he was looking at her and he gave Molly the creeps, big time. Of course, who could blame him for being attracted to her? She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Have I said I love her? If not, I’m crazy in love with Molly Bates.

December 5 p.m.
– My heart was broken today. I’ve heard people talk about a broken heart before and thought it was a bunch of crap. But now I know. My heart is broken into so many pieces, I don’t know if it can ever be put back together. Molly left me a note today, telling me she was breaking up with me. I need to find her to make her tell me what happened. Everything was perfect yesterday and I was planning in my mind how to ask her to marry me. Today, my world is black and gray.

December 8 a.m.
– I’ve spent the past few days in the most agonizing turmoil any person could ever imagine. My heart is broken. I’m afraid I will never see my heart again. I’m afraid something horrible has happened to Molly. I’m scared that being afraid is how the rest of my life will be. I don’t want to be scared, I want Molly back. I’ll do anything to fix what I did wrong. I don’t even know what that is, but I’ll fix it. I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, I can’t think. I feel stuck in a vortex that keeps spinning, never moving forward, never moving back, just spinning.

December 8 p.m.
– I got Molly back today. She came home and told us all what had happened. Molly hasn’t had a very easy life. But, I walked away. She hurt me and now that I know she is safe, I want some time to try and puzzle out why she wouldn’t be honest with me. She didn’t trust me enough to tell me about her stepfather and the abuse he put her through. She didn’t trust me to love her completely. She didn’t trust me.

December 10
– I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I don’t want to talk to anyone to see anyone. Molly has left dozens of messages on my phone, but dammit, my feelings are hurt. My heart hurts. I don’t know how to make it stop hurting.

December 12
– Molly came to see me today. I was mean to her and she left. Then I realized I was being stupid and petty and small. She came to see me and I shunned her. Shame on me. Our future is in my hands now.

December 12 p.m
. - My heart miraculously mended in the very first moment I hugged Molly to me. Her touch healed me and made my black and gray days turn into the most vivid color. I love Molly, so much, I want to shout it to the world. We came to the hotel because the house felt creepy. We’re going to spend a couple of days here, making up.

December 21
– Molly and I have decided to move and buy a different house. This one just has too much bad mojo. I love the thought of finding a house with Molly and making it ours together. I hope we find something very soon. Mostly, I want Molly to be my wife. Molly, when you read this, I want you to know that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life. You met a shy man, frustrated with himself and you now live with a man that feels bold, strong, confident, but mostly in love. Your love, Molly, has made me the man I am today, the man I always wanted to be. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Sharing each day with you, loving you, making love to you and hopefully, raising a family with you. Molly, will you marry me?

Molly was bawling, reading Ryder’s thoughts. She had no idea he’d felt this way. It was humbling knowing how deeply he loved her. It was horrible knowing how much she’d hurt him. She loved him beyond words as well. She turned to see Ryder kneeling on one knee beside her. He smiled his beautiful, bright smile and grabbed her hands in his.