“I figured with you dating Liberty and all, it might have seemed weird to have me here.” She stopped talking and sucked in a shaky breath. “It’s just . . . I adore your parents and . . .”
“And you just thought you’d come and hang with them? What game were you playing at, Ryn?”
Ryn’s mouth parted open slightly as I watched the tears roll down her face again. She quickly wiped them away, stood taller and cleared her throat.
“Games are your specialty, Tristan, not mine. You weren’t even supposed to know I was here. Had I known you would come early, I would have left already.” Turning her attention to my mother, she smiled weakly. “Thank you, Joyce, for always making me feel like I was welcomed here. I’m afraid I have to be heading out.”
My mother walked past me, stopped at the bottom of the stairs and pulled Ryn into her arms. “This is my house and you are a guest in it. You march right back up and put your things away. I have you for two more days, young lady.”
None of this made any sense. A part of me wanted to grab Ryn and pull her out to her car, the other part wanted me to grab her and fuck the living hell out of her.
“Joyce, thank you, but I just can’t stay any longer.” Ryn’s voice trailed off. Her eyes caught mine. “I better get going.”
Ryn leaned down and kissed my mother on the cheek before turning and walking over to my father. “Peter, thank you for the archery lesson.”
“We’re not done, young lady. Go put your things away.”
Clearing my throat, I said, “If she wants to go, let her.”
Azurdee let out a gasp. She walked up to Ryn and grabbed her arms. “Ryn, it’s dark out and you’re exhausted. Please don’t leave.”
Ryn smiled. “I have to go, Azurdee.”
“No! No you don’t. This is not Tristan’s house.” Turning to me, Azurdee looked at me with pleading eyes. “Tristan, don’t do this.”
Ryn quickly began walking to the door. She opened it and headed outside. Glancing over to Lark, he gave me a dirty look as he mouthed asshole to me.
Coming to my senses, I followed Ryn out the door. She had opened up the back door of her car and threw her bag in. She went to open the driver’s side door and I stopped her. “I got the hint, Tristan. You didn’t have to show me the way out.”
Closing my eyes, I slowly inhaled a breath and blew it out before opening them again and capturing her eyes. “Don’t go.”
Her lower lip trembled. “I didn’t mean to make you mad by coming here. I just really . . . love . . . your parents.”
I knew Ryn had a terrible relationship with her parents and I felt like a total dick for the way I had just acted.
“Please don’t go, Ryn. I’m sorry I acted like such an asshole. I was just shocked to see you here and then pulling up and Dad said you were missing for five hours. I wasn’t sure if I was more scared that something happened to you or pissed off that everyone but me knew you were here.”
Looking down, she sniffled. Reaching up, I wiped a tear away from her cheek. “Please don’t leave, Ryn. My mother really wants you here for Christmas.”
Looking at me with a confused look, Ryn said, “I was only staying for another two days.”
Shaking my head, I smiled. “Mom wants you here for Christmas, please don’t leave because of me.”
Wiping her nose on her shirt in a very unladylike fashion, Ryn asked, “Will it make you uncomfortable? This is your home and your family.”
Giving her my smile that I prayed eased her mind, I shook my head. “No, Ryn, I want you here too.”
“Really?”
Nodding, I said, “Yeah. Really.”
The smile that spread across her face caused something deep inside me to wake up. “I’m sorry I punched you.”
Laughing, I rubbed my chin. “Damn girl, have you been taking classes or something? You got me good.”
Giggling, she shook her head. “I um, guess I need to get my bag.”
Jumping back, I opened the back door, grabbed her bag and led her back up the porch stairs and back into the house. My mother greeted us at the door and gave me a sweet smile. “Thank you, Tristan. Now come on, Ryn, sweetheart. You need some sleep.”
I watched as the two women I loved more than the air I breathed walked up the stairs, arm in arm. Pushing my hand through my hair I walked into the living room only to find Lark and my father both staring at me. Lark started laughing. “Damn dude, I’m sure glad you snapped the hell out of it. You were really looking like a big douche there for a few minutes.”