He’d rejected me.
I’d never forget his words.
Sweet and tender and so horrifyingly painful that I still carried them like a scar.
I love you, Dakota. So fucking much. But not like that.
Which was why it was time I moved on, but God, it was hard when his expression softened as he pulled my son closer to him and sent me this smile that trembled through me.
“Good mornin’， Cookie.”
I cleared the memories that had manifested as jagged rocks from my throat. “Good morning.”
Kayden pointed his little index finger at me. “Mommy, I see you!”
Affection rushed, so acute it pulsed in every cell. “I see you, too, sweet boy.”
Ryder hooked Kayden to his hip. “Guess who I heard calling for you while you were in the bathroom?”
“Me!” Kayden smacked his chubby hand against his chest. “We go Uncle Rye-Rye’s house?”
He dipped his head in one of those cute nods.
He definitely approved.
“We did.”
My son snuggled deeper into Ryder, pressing his head on one of those pecs. “I stay wight here.”
You could say my son was obsessed with Ryder. I didn’t blame him for the affliction.
Ryder kept hugging him, though his attention was on me. “Why don’t you get dressed while I take him downstairs to get him something to eat?”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“You say it like spending time with my little K-Bear is putting me out.”
“Don’t you need to get to work?”
Something grim sobered his expression. “Going to take the morning off. Was hoping you’d do the same.”
I fidgeted through the sudden disquiet. “Did you hear something?”
Ryder’s thick throat bobbed when he swallowed. “Let’s get this guy fed then we’ll talk. Ezra called and said he’s going to swing by and give us better details.”
“Oh.” It wheezed out. Surprise riddled with a shot of dread. I didn’t like the feeling of whatever he was implying.
He came my way, and he paused where I stood, angling in close as he grazed his fingertips along the edge of my hand. “It’s going to be okay, Dakota.”
Then he wound around me, and I shifted to watch them as they headed down the hall.
Kayden peered at me from over his shoulder, waving his little hand, his brown hair a total mess, his chubby cheeks red and oh so sweet. “I go my Rye-Rye. Bye, Mommy!”
I choked out a rough laugh, waving, too, before I rushed into the room. Nerves rattled through my senses, and I went for my phone on the nightstand. I stared at it in contemplation for one second before I sent a text to Beth.
Me
Hey, something came up this morning and I’m going to be a couple hours late. Can you handle the morning rush?
My cooks and baker would have arrived super early this morning to get everything prepped for opening, and I always planned the menu and prepared the next day’s desserts as best as I could the previous afternoon so they could go right into the oven first thing, so I didn’t have to worry about that.
It was when things got crazy with the customers that made me feel like I was leaving my employees hanging.
It took Beth a minute to respond.
Beth
Have you even met me?
Amusement shook my head, and another text came in quickly behind it.
Beth
Please tell me what came up was a delicious man who kept you up all night and you’re so sore this morning you can’t get out of bed.
Rolling my eyes, I tossed her words right back at her.
Me
Have you even met me?
Beth
Ugh, so boring. You’re breaking my heart over here. So, what happened then?
Me
I’ll explain it when I get in.
I hated to worry her, even though I knew she would since it was unlike me not to show up when I said I would be there, but I also didn’t want to say anything until I knew for sure what was going on and what the plan was.
Beth
Okay. Don’t worry about things here. I’ve got it covered.
Me
I know you do. Thank you so much.
Beth
Always.
I changed into a pair of jeans and a cropped tee, one of the two outfits I’d stuffed into my bag last night, then threw my hair into a ponytail and took a few steadying breaths before I headed downstairs.
Ryder’s home was decorated in leathers, steel, and stone. The walls a grayed, flat white and the original wooden floors stained the deepest black. His cabinets were ebony, and the countertops were stainless steel.
He’d fabricated them himself, and they stood out, a gorgeous piece of art.