Ryder furrowed his brows. “Really? I’m just asking that you don’t try to find anything until I get back.”
“What am I supposed to do until you get back?”
He shrugged. “See if Jennifer wants to meet for lunch. Or Dani and the baby.”
Dani had a little girl a few days after Christmas she named Lindsay. She was adorable and the moment I held her in my arms, something weird happened. I wanted a baby. Not that I would ever admit that to anyone.
“I guess I could do that,” I somberly said.
Pulling me closer to him, Ryder held my eyes with his. “I want to be here if you find something.”
His eyes looked so sad. There was no way I would ever go against his wishes. “I’ll call Jennifer and Dani. Maybe they can both sneak away for lunch.”
His hand came up to my face where I leaned into it. “Thank you.”
Smiling, I closed my eyes and let the moment between us settle in my heart.
“One more thing.”
Opening my eyes, I looked at him skeptically. “What?”
“I called Jackson.”
Gasping, I replied, “When?”
“This morning. I asked him if he would join us for dinner. I didn’t ask him to come to the house. Not really knowing what happened here between them, I wasn’t sure how he would feel.”
“That was sweet of you to think that way. What are you planning on saying to him?”
I couldn’t imagine how Ryder was feeling or what he was even thinking. Even more so, I couldn’t imagine what information he thought he would get from Jackson.
“I’m not sure. I guess I want to ask him about the baby. Was Kate scared? Was she happy? What in the hell were they thinkin
g?”
With a slight frown, I placed my hands on his chest. “Will you do me one favor?”
His face softened. “Of course.”
“Remember he suffered a loss as well and he had to hide part of that loss. Put yourself in his shoes, Ryder. He lost the girl he loved and his child.”
His eyes fought back the tears that were welling up. “I know. I promise I’ll remember that.”
Reaching up on my toes, I gently kissed him. “You better go before you’re late.”
With a nod, he replied, “I’ll call you when the meetings over.”
Following him back out to his truck, I watched him drive off. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Vanessa. Peeking over, I watched her wave and smile as Ryder drove off.
Ugh.
Before she could see me, I quickly turned and headed back into the house.
“Ava? Ava wait!”
Shit. Put on your happy face, Ava.
Plastering on a fake ass smile, I turned to face her.