Resisting Ryder(54)
“Okay, okay,” Ryder laughed.
“What about you?” Zander asked. “What do you do?”
“I manage a call center,” she said with a proud smile. “It’s not glamorous, but I enjoy it. I like to be in charge.”
“I can tell,” Zander said with a smile.
Their eyes were locked and something magical was happening, Stormy was sure of it.
“Do you want to get some air?” Zander asked her. “It’s sort of stuffy in here. And the peanut gallery over there is starting to get on my nerves.”
He looked over at Stormy and Ryder who pretended to quickly look away, as if they weren’t watching them the entire time.
“Sounds like a plan,” Brooklyn said as she scooted her chair out from the table and grabbed her clutch.
Zander followed her with his hand on her lower back as they went out front.
Ryder’s face twisted as he watched them. “Hm.”
“What?” Stormy asked with a smirk.
“You just might be right about those two,” he said.
“Told you.” She nudged her elbow into his rib cage.
“Oof,” he said. “Looks like someone might be getting her Pretty Woman moment on Monday after all.”
“What do you think of Brooklyn so far?” Stormy asked. She was yearning to know.
“I mean, we’ve just met, but so far she seems exactly like how you described her,” he said. “She seems very opinionated and independent.”
“That she is,” Stormy said as she took a sip of her sangria.
“Zander isn’t so much opinionated as he is independent,” Ryder said. “It’ll be interesting seeing how that plays out between them. Why do you feel the need to hook them up anyway? They live in two different states for crying out loud. She’d never be more than a one night stand to him. A fling.”
“I’m trying to convince Brooklyn to move out here with me,” Stormy replied. “I don’t care what happens between her and Zander, I just want to show her that there are people out here to hang out with and have fun with. I want to show her life beyond Coleville, just like you showed me.”
“Stormy, Stormy, Stormy,” he said as he rubbed her back and sighed. “You can do things on your own you know. You don’t always need a security blanket. When will you realize that?”
Stormy leaned away from him, offended. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to embark on this new chapter in my life with a familiar face around.”
“Okay, okay, geez,” he said with his hands in the air. “I’m just trying to help you that’s all.”
“You’re probably helping me too much,” Stormy said.
“Well, well, well, look who it is,” a drunk, middle aged man with a matching black, leather jacket said as he approached the table. “What’s up Ryder, sir?”
“Bruiser,” Ryder said. “Meet my old lady, Stormy.”
“Nice job, boss,” he said as he tried his hardest not to check her out in front of Ryder. “Welcome, welcome.”
“Thanks,” Stormy said.
“I just need a moment of your time at some point tonight,” Bruiser said.
“Yep,” Ryder replied. “I’ll find you in a bit.”
It kind of turned Stormy on seeing how much respect Ryder got. He was a young VP, but he had obviously earned the title and power somehow.
Brooklyn and Zander came in from outside with exhilarated looks on their faces, and Brooklyn adjusted her dress, pulling it down.
“What did you do?” Stormy leaned over and mumbled to Brooklyn.
“Nothing,” Brooklyn said with a smile. She was totally lying.
“Mm, hm,” Stormy responded. “We’ll talk later.”
The men left the girls at the table and headed over to the bar to talk to some of the other club members. They had concerned looks on their faces and Zander kept glancing back over at the table.
“Why are they acting so weird?” Stormy asked.
“Are you sure you want to get back into this life?” Brooklyn asked.
“You know if Zander wanted you to be his old lady, you’d say yes in a heartbeat,” Stormy quipped.
Brooklyn bit her lip and said nothing.
“What?” Stormy asked.
“You’re probably right,” she said.
The guys came back with fresh drinks for them and sat back down. Zander couldn’t keep his eyes or his hands off of Brooklyn, which was attracting jealous, lustful looks from some of the other guys.
“Who is this guy, right?” Ryder joked. “Why don’t you come outside with me?”
Stormy followed him outside, where it was a little quieter and they could have an actual conversation.