Once we reach the vehicle, I turn and pull Cece into a hug again. “I’m going to miss you, but know you can come visit anytime you want.”
She squeezes me back tightly. “I will be coming to visit, and soon.”
“Good.”
She steps back. “And who knows, maybe I’ll love Florida and want to move there too.” She glances briefly at Ryder as she says this and I know she’s only messing with him, but the thought of her living there too has excitement rushing through me.
“I’d love that. You could even live with us until you found a place.”
She turns to Ryder. “You hear that, Jameson? She says I can come live with you guys, do you have a closet big enough to store all of my purses?”
He grunts. “I have a feeling your luggage wouldn’t even fit in my entire apartment, let alone a closet.”
She looks to me with a smile. “I’m so buying him a man purse, I’ll make sure there’s even a little compartment for his badge.” We both burst into a fit of laughter. The thought of Ryder with a purse is absolutely comical. By his glare he clearly doesn’t find it as funny. “Oh calm down, Secret Agent Cody Banks, I’m just screwing with you.” I’m laughing so hard now there are tears running down my face.
“Ha, ha, so fucking funny,” he mumbles, clearly unimpressed. “And it’s Special Agent, not Secret Agent.” His grumbling only has us laughing harder.
After we get control of ourselves, Cece pulls me in for one last hug. “All right, I better get going. Call me when you get there.”
“I will, I promise.”
Letting go, she starts walking backwards out of the parking lot. “Take care of my best friend, Jameson, and if you’re lucky you’ll see me soon.”
“I can’t wait,” Ryder mumbles unenthusiastically.
With a sassy wink she turns around and disappears around the corner. I look up at Ryder, trying to bite back a smile. “You have to admit she is funny.”
He grunts. “She’s not even a little bit funny. Now get your sexy ass in the vehicle and let’s hit the road.” Giggling, I give Summer a kiss on her nose through the opened window then get in.
On our way out, Ryder drove into Allendale. He stopped at the garage where he used to work and made arrangements to have his bike shipped down to Florida. I got to meet his old boss, Hector. He was a very nice Hispanic man, and it was easy to see how proud he was of Ryder and all he has accomplished.
From there, Ryder took me by our old high school to show me what it looked like. Since it was lunch break for the students, he took me inside and showed me around. The halls were packed with students and I didn’t miss all the teenage girls giggling and eyeing Ryder. I have a feeling that’s how it always was back when we went there too.
First he took me to the classroom where we had trigonometry together, and even showed me which desks we sat in. Mr. Wesson was doing paperwork and was pleasantly surprised to see us. After exploring most of the school we stopped in at the counselor’s office to see Mrs. Johnson. She was thrilled to see us, especially Ryder. It seemed she knew he became an FBI Agent, but she hadn’t known he was back. She didn’t bring up the case on my father but I’m sure she guessed that’s what he was here for. She had tears in her eyes when he told her I was moving with him to Florida, and she seemed genuinely happy for us.
Even though my time at the school was short-lived, it’s a place that holds some of my most treasured memories. It was there I met the boy who was forbidden to me; the one I gave my whole heart to.
When we got back in the car Ryder asked if it was okay if we made one more stop. He seemed anxious, but I nodded and didn’t ask questions.
I become more curious the further we drive, but once we turn into a run-down neighborhood I have a pretty good guess where we’re going. Ryder parks across the road from one of the worst houses on the street. The tiny, beat-up home has cardboard taped over its broken windows and the unkempt lawn is littered with garbage. “This is where you lived?” I ask softly.
“Yeah.”
I swing my attention over to him at his quiet response. My heart swells painfully at his vulnerable expression as he stares at the house. It’s easy to tell this place holds a lot of painful memories for him.
Not being able to stay away a moment longer, I take my seatbelt off then crawl over the console and into his lap. He never takes his gaze off the house, but welcomes me with open arms and I’m thankful he accepts my comfort. I link my own arms around his neck and rest my forehead on the side of his. “Tell me what you’re thinking?” I ask, hoping I’m not overstepping.
He releases a heavy sigh. “I don’t know, Em. When I’m far away from this place it’s easy to forget I come from this, and now that I’m here I’m reminded of what I am.”
His quiet admission breaks my heart. “This isn’t who you are, Ryder, and it never was. It’s just where you lived. When you look at this house you shouldn’t feel ashamed, you should feel proud, because it’s everything you’re not. You rose above it.” I reach down and touch the place on his ribs where I know his tattoo is. “You beat the odds,” I whisper.
He stares at the house for another long moment before looking at me. Reaching up, he cups the side of my face. “We’re going to make our own family, Em. One where our kids will never grow up feeling scared or not loved. They will never know pain, or what it’s like to go hungry.”
His words cause a storm of sadness to well up inside of me. It kills me to know he suffered so much. Laying my hand softly over his, I turn my face and kiss his palm. “Are you saying you want to have babies with me, Jameson,” I whisper, trying to lighten the mood.
He doesn’t smile like I hoped for him to. “I want to do everything with you.” My breath catches at his sincere words. “I want you forever, Emily.”
“You have me, always,” I reply thickly, finding it hard to get words past the emotion clogging my throat.
“I swear I’m going to take really good care of you.”
“I know, and I’m going to take care of you, too.”
Leaning in, I press my mouth to his. He cups the other side of my face to hold me in place as we seal our words with a kiss. It’s a soul touching kiss with nothing rushed or desperate about it, just slow and deliberate. It’s a kiss that’s full of promise for what our future holds.
Our perfect moment gets broken at the sound of a loud crash and a muffled curse. We look out the window to see a worn man who looks like he hasn’t showered in weeks. He stumbles down the steps in his housecoat, kicking empty beer cans around as he reaches for the paper. I know by Ryder’s tense body and hard expression that this man is his father.
“Did you want to go talk to him?” I ask, even though I already know his answer.
“No. I just want to get the fuck out of here.”
I nod then kiss his cheek before crawling back over to my spot. Before I even have my seatbelt back on he guns the vehicle and peels away. Seeing how upset he is, I reach over and grab his hand, hoping to offer as much comfort as I can. I don’t say anything. I decide to keep quiet and leave him with his thoughts. The further away we get from Allendale the more at ease he becomes.
That town holds a lot of painful memories for the both of us, but it also holds some of the best. We were kids who were told we would never make it because we came from two different worlds, but in the end we proved everyone wrong. Ryder and I created our own world. One where wealth and politics don’t matter. It’s a world where we both equally belong, and one I am happy to live in for the rest of my life.
Epilogue
Emily
One Year Later
I walk into the FBI headquarters with Summer next to me and head straight into the elevator. I let her hit the button that will take us to the tenth floor since my hands are filled with a giant box of doughnuts. I’m starting to regret the purchase, my pregnancy cravings have me wanting to devour the entire box, but thankfully I managed to control myself and only indulge in two. At the ping of our arrival, we walk out and I’m immediately greeted with friendly smiles then mauled when all the guys catch sight of the box in my hands.