Page 105 of Easy Reunion

“What’s this about the kitchen? What was wrong with it before?” He sounds bewildered and lost.

Twirling a thick strand of hair around my finger, I turn away from Lisa. “Well, I decided to put all my energy from missing you to good use.”

I hear him sink back into the chair he said on an earlier call was in his room. “Really? How’s that?”

Only slightly anxious, I bite my lip. “Maybe I misunderstood…”

“You didn’t,” Lisa calls out. I wave my hand to hush her.

“But, you did say you wanted me in your home when you got home.”

There’s silence on the other end of the line. “I meant to be waiting for me,” he starts.

“Oh.” Crap. “I can…”

“Because I was going to do something more than act like a complete jackass before I asked you to move in. Now, how am I supposed to top you reading my mind?” His voice is filled with tenderness as he continues to talk right over me.

“I’m sure you’ll figure out a way,” I blurt out.

“I’m going to have to. Kels?”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t give a crap what the house looks like as long as you’re in it. But tell me you’re not lifting any heavy furniture, or I will get pissed.”

After I reassure him that no backs were injured in the course of moving me in, Ry turns into his new quiet while I prattle on about where things are in the kitchen. It isn’t until I mention my desk being upstairs that he asks, “What about Lisa?”

That’s when I take great delight in sharing, “Well, the movers were great about moving her to Cade’s.”

Ry spews whatever he’s drinking on the other end of the line. “Jesus.”

“I only heard about it the other day. I would have thought he would have told you.” The dirty look I shoot Lisa is positively worthless.

“That might explain the eight or so voicemails I haven’t listened to yet. I suppose I should call him back if only to warn him about her cooking.”

“Somehow, I don’t think he asked her to move in for her cooking ability.”

Lisa concurs, “Or lack thereof. I have other things he cares about.”

Ry groans in my ear. “I did not need to hear about that.”

I let out a throaty laugh. He sighs. “Prettiest sound in the world, sweetheart.”

Trying to be as circumspect as possible, I turn my back and lower my voice. “How are things there?”

“Slow, Kels. Logan isn’t mature enough to get past the insecurity of going to a psychologist—which he desperately needs. The things he’s shared? Let’s say what I told you was nothing in comparison to what this boy went through.”

A soundless whistle escapes through my clenched teeth. “Do you feel like being there is helping?”

“It’s helping John,” he tells me honestly.

“Then that has to be easing the hurt some,” I say diplomatically.

There’s a long pause before Ry whispers, “The only thing that’s going to ease the pain is having you next to me again, my love.”

I inhale deeply. “Ry.”

“No one warned me it would be like this,” he says almost conversationally.