Resisting Ryder(9)

“How often did he call you?”

“Not that much. Maybe once or twice in the last few years,” he said. “He always had my number. I guess he thought I probably wouldn’t answer if he called too much.”

“I just think it’s so weird that he never told me about you,” Stormy mused. “I can’t wrap my head around it. There’s got to be a reason.”

Ryder looked worried for a split second, like Stormy was second-guessing her decision to let him into her life.

“Jett was a peculiar boy,” he said. “I think we can both agree on that.”

“Peculiar, no,” she said. “Mysterious, absolutely.”

“Yeah, that’s probably a nicer word for it,” he agreed.

“Hey, what was that letter you had in your hand the other night?” Stormy asked.

Ryder hesitated. “What letter?”

Stormy knew he was lying. “I don’t buy that for one second. You had one in your hand last night, didn’t you?”

“That was your address,” he said, though he appeared to be lying. His nose twitched a bit. “I had written down your address and directions to your place.”

Stormy was still unsure. “Well, why can’t you show me then?”

“Look, I won’t say no, but I can’t say yes quite yet,” he said with a pained expression on your face. “You have to wait. It’ll all make sense later. I promise.”

Stormy crossed her arms and sulked as she turned away from him.

“You’ve got to just trust me,” he said.





CHAPTER 4




Friday morning came without warning and Stormy woke with the relief of knowing Ryder was still there. She wasn’t ready to be alone yet. She wasn’t ready to face the brutal, harsh reality of life without Jett.

Had Jett still been there, she would’ve pounced on him that morning and awoken him with a good-morning kiss. She then would’ve made him breakfast and gone on a nice ride around the neighborhood with him. They might have gone to a coffee shop or they might have just taken a long ride out in the country through the scenic hills and valleys of Coleville. She had no one to do those things with anymore. She had no one she wanted to do those things with anymore either. Those things would never be the same without him.

She climbed out of her warm bed, one foot at a time, and headed towards the bathroom which was occupied by Ryder. She waited in the hall for a few minutes, back against the wall, before deciding to wait in the kitchen. She poured herself a bowl of cold cereal and sat at the table alone with her thoughts and the occasional clanking of the spoon against the ceramic bowl.

Several minutes later, Ryder emerged from down the hall. His chocolate brown hair was shiny and still wet as it glistened in the daylight that shined through the window. The smell of fresh aftershave and coconut body wash followed him and filled the air. His t-shirt clung to his still damp body, embracing the cambers of his shoulders, and his muscles flexed as he hoisted his duffle bag in one hand.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “Were you waiting on me to get out of the bathroom?”

“It’s okay,” Stormy said as she took the last bite of her cereal. She couldn’t help but stare at him a bit more.

She took her bowl to the sink and headed to the bathroom to get ready. She’d been neglecting herself lately, and she knew it was starting to show. She slathered on a cucumber-mint face mask, drew a hot, steamy bubble bath, and laid in the tub until the water turned cool. It felt good just to soak away her stress, to calm her nerves, and to empty her head. The steam filled her pores and helped sooth her tired, swollen eyes. She was slowly beginning to feel human again.

When she emerged from the hour-old, lukewarm bath water, she wrapped a towel around her long, dark hair and threw on a robe. She smoothed some foundation over her face with her finger tips, brushed on some pink blush, and swiped on a few coats of lengthening mascara.

We’re getting there, she thought to herself as she slicked on some rose-tinted lip balm.

She was starting to catch a glimpse of her old self looking back at her in the mirror. She knew Jett wouldn’t want her to spend her days crying in bed. He would want her to get back out there and live life, if not for her, then for him. Jett didn’t have the luxury of being alive anymore. Stormy did. She would be doing a huge disservice to Jett’s memory if all she did was wish her life away.

She finished up in the bathroom then headed to her room to change. She decided against her normal yoga pants and sweatshirt uniform and slipped on a pair of her favorite jeans and a navy blue polka dot blouse. The jeans hung off her hips and barely stayed up. Almost a week of not eating much had worn her a bit thin.