Loving Enough (The Enough Series Book 2) Page 10

  Austin has not been at all forthcoming about his family issues and it concerns me that there is something he doesn’t want me to know. He reassures me that we will talk about it, but my curiosity is killing me. J tells me to give him time and that if Austin loves me, he will spill it eventually. I hope he is right. I love Austin, but secrets and deception are not something I can tolerate. Ryan ensured I would never be that naïve again.

  I have an hour before I need to leave for the hotel where I am meeting Gabe and Ruzek. I have gone through my clothes twenty times and cannot pick an outfit. I want to look good, but remain professional. I finally settle on my cream-colored dress. It hits just above my knees and has an intricate lace overlay. The three-quarter length sleeves make it a perfect dress to pair with a fun black blazer, because the dress sleeves peek out from under the blazer when I roll up the sleeves.

  I went with a messy bun approach to my hair tonight, making it look casual yet sophisticated. After putting on my black pumps and a little lip-gloss, I consider myself presentable. I throw my keys, phones, and a few other essentials into a black clutch and go in search of J.

  J is sprawled out on the couch watching ESPN. Not surprising.

  “Hey, do you need anything before I head out?”

  He turns to look at me and does a double take at the outfit. “Dang, Ry, you clean up well.”

  “Well, thank you,” I say as I do a fashionable spin and then I nearly fall over when my heel catches on his plush living room rug. The move sends us both into a fit of laughter.

  With a sparkle in his eye that has been missing since the accident, J mumbles, “Good to see your gracefulness has not disappeared. You better hold on to Ruzek; we don’t want you ending up on TMZ with your ass in the air.”

  I roll my eyes at him before grabbing one of the overstuffed white throw pillows and heaving it towards him. He fakes an injury and gives me a pointed glare. I almost wish I could stay here and hang out with J while he is in such a good mood, but I have to get going.

  “Okay, seriously, J. Do you need anything before I leave? Something to drink? Something to eat? I won’t be back until late so I want to make sure you’re covered.”

  It’s his turn to roll his eyes. “Ry, I will be fine. Dani is here and I can manage a few hours without you. You know I will have to when you go home in a few days anyway.”

  He makes a good point and one I am still trying to ignore. I am not happy about leaving him here when I go back to Boston, but I have no other options at this point. The thought of leaving him here to recover alone sends a stab of pain through my chest.

  I walk over behind the couch he is sitting on and hug him the best I can without causing any pain.

  “All right, I’m leaving. I have my phones if you need anything, or you can call Ruzek.”

  He squeezes my arms. “I know, Ry. Now go have fun, please, and leave me here with my hot nurse.”

  I cannot see his face, but I am sure there is a shit-eating grin on it after that last comment. Poor Dani. I sure hope that girl can stand her ground. When J puts his mind to something he rarely fails, and it seems he has his sights set on Dani.

  Chapter 22

  Rylee

  On the way to the hotel, my phone rings. I am hesitant to answer once I see Austin’s beautiful face pop up on the screen. Torn between my love for him and irritation at his lack of disclosure on his Texas drama, I debate whether I should answer. I want to talk to him. I miss him. But tonight is an important night and I don’t want to hamper it with his lack of honesty. After a few rings, love overrides the rest of my emotions and I accept the call.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi,” he returns with a relieved sigh. “How are you, Ry? Are you ready for tonight?”

  He sounds upset.

  “Yeah, I’m ready. I am actually in the car heading over to meet Gabe and Ruzek now. How are you doing, Aus? You don’t sound good.”

  I am concerned that his trip home is doing more harm than good. I know it is making me question him more than I ever have before.

  After a brief pause, he finally responds. “I’m better now that I hear your voice, that’s for sure. Things here are complicated to put it mildly, but I don’t want to talk about that right now. I want to talk about you. Did you say you were meeting Ruzek?”

  No surprise that he doesn’t want to talk about it. The way he said Ruzek’s name tells me he isn’t overjoyed at the idea of him being my date for the evening.

  “Yeah, Ruzek is my bodyguard for the night. He thought it would be best if I had someone watching my back in the large crowds. He said it would be too easy for someone to approach me with anonymity tonight.”

  I give him the full explanation, hoping it will settle whatever jealous issue he has. Although I think he should be the one doing the explaining. In the interests of time and a fun evening, I push that issue to the recesses of my mind when he responds.

  “I see. Are you sure there isn’t more to it than that?” he says with obvious suspicion in his voice.

  “Austin, don’t be ridiculous. You know why he is here. Sure, Ruzek and I have become friends. He is a good guy, and I’m grateful he has my back.”

  I try to mask my anger even though this conversation is absurd. How can he question my every move when he won’t be upfront about his own?

  After a brief pause and no response, I add, “Austin, what is really going on? Why are you trying to pick a fight with me? Baby, I am here for you, just tell me what you need. Tell me what is happening.”

  He takes a few measured breaths. “I need you, Ry. Promise me that nothing will make you run from me again. I need to know you will love me, no matter what.”

  His plea both worries and confuses me. “Austin, you know I love you. I told you I am done running anywhere but to you. You are scaring me though; please tell me what’s going on. Do you want me to come down there?”

  My heart is beating wildly as I wait for him to answer me. I have no idea how I would swing going to Texas right now, but if he needs me to, I will. I am running every conceivable scenario through my head when he clears his throat and responds.

  “No, baby, I don’t need you to come down here. You have more than enough going on right now. I only wanted to hear that we are OK. I know you want all the details and I promise I will give them to you soon. Right now, why don’t you tell me how amazing you look all dressed up for the night?”

  I laugh and pull the phone back from my ear to launch the camera. I take a quick selfie and text it to him.

  “You can see for yourself, I sent you a picture.”

  I am thankful for the change of topic, but I still can’t help worrying about him. The strain in his voice tells me something is wrong; I just wish I knew what. Taps against his phone tell me he has received my picture.

  “Damn, I miss you. You are stunning. Be sure you tell Ruzek to keep his hands off my girl,” he says with a serious chuckle.

  The town car pulls up to the hotel and I have to get going, but I don’t want to. I miss him so much and the last half of this conversation is making it harder to leave him.

  “Aus, I gotta go, baby. We are pulling up to the hotel.”

  A heavy sigh blankets the end of the line. “OK. I miss you so much, Ry. Call me tonight and let me know how the party goes.”

  I smile to myself. “I will, baby. I will take any excuse to talk to you. I love you. Talk to you later.”

  “I love you too, Ry. Have fun tonight and stay safe. Bye, baby.”

  With that, the line disconnects and I step out of the town car in a decent mood. It is amazing what just talking to him does for me. I am still worried about him, but at least I know we are solid.

  I walk into the bar to an unexpected sight: Ruzek in a suit. He and Gabe are standing at the bar having a drink when I approach them. I lay a hand on Ruzek’s shoulder.

  “Look at you in a suit. You look great.”

  The dark blue suit fits him like a glove. He has a crisp white shirt on beneat
h it with the collar unbuttoned. He looks a little embarrassed on the heels of my compliment, but takes it like a gentleman.

  “Thank you, Rylee. You also look amazing.”

  I smile at him. Gabe disrupts the suddenly awkward situation.

  “Isn’t anyone going to tell me how fabulous I look?”

  Gabe is so forward that I cannot help laughing. “Of course, Gabe. You are dashing.”

  He really is regal in his classic black and white suit. The only flair to him tonight is the bright purple tie and pocket square. Looking forward to the night, Gabe, Ruzek and I make our way out to the waiting car and head across town to the iconic Radio City Music Hall.

  Chapter 23

  Rylee

  The first round of the draft went perfectly. Seven of our players were drafted tonight. This is by far my best year yet. If my other six clients are drafted over the next three days, it will be a perfect weekend.

  Now we are in the middle of a roaring party. There are at least three hundred people packed into the ballroom and more pouring in every minute. There are trays of hors d’oeuvres circling the room and an increasingly long line at the bar. The dance floor is crowded and the DJ is keeping it funky with a mix of old school dance themes and newer techno mixes.

  I lost Gabe shortly after we arrived when he went to check on a few things. Ruzek and I found a table near the center of the room. Ruzek looks like he would rather be anywhere else, but he is managing. My constant movement is not making it easy on him. Socializing at large parties has never been my favorite thing, but once a year I make this worthwhile exception. Tonight is about young athletes and the realization of their dreams, something I am proud to be a part of.

  After talking to each one of my clients and enjoying their enthusiasm, I give Ruzek a break by returning to the table for a minute. Looking over at Ruzek, I can see a mixture of relief and intensity in his eyes. He continues to scan the room, for potential threats I assume, and hasn’t said more than a few words since our arrival. Somebody would have to be bold to pull a stunt here; there are too many potential witnesses, in my opinion.

  “Ruzek, take a break. Go get a drink or some fresh air. You look like you are ready to climb out of your skin,” I say with friendly concern.

  He shakes his head at me while focusing on something over my shoulder. His eyes narrow and his posture stiffens.

  “No, Rylee, I’m here to make sure you stay safe. Don’t worry about me, I’m good.”

  His words do nothing to convince me, but it’s no use arguing with him.

  “OK, but if you change your mind just let me know. There are several large, beefy guys here tonight who I could hang with for a minute while you take a much-needed break,” I say with a hint of sarcasm.

  He doesn’t acknowledge my last statement and is preoccupied with something over my left shoulder.

  “Ruzek, what are you staring at?”

  Again he does not answer me, so I turn to see for myself. What I find comes as a shock on two fronts. About twenty feet away Ryan is in what appears to be a heated discussion with Micah Jones. Ryan appears to be yelling at Micah, who is practically bowing at his feet. The exchange is beyond strange.

  I admit I don’t know much about Ryan’s life anymore, but I cannot fit together how the two of them would be well acquainted. Ryan has lived in Houston for the past several years and Micah was in Alabama before being drafted to the east coast. Add to that, I can’t figure out why either one of them is here, at a party for this year’s draft class.

  Ruzek is still studying their exchange as I turn back to him and summon his attention.

  “I assume you’re watching Ryan and Micah?”

  He nods, still intent on observing the odd pair. “Yes. Can you think of any reason they would be here? Or be together, for that matter?”

  I shake my head no and, considering I have already combed through all the possible scenarios in my head, I am confident in my answer.

  “No. I actually find it very strange.”

  Ruzek’s scrutiny comes back to me, prompting me to glance back over my shoulder. Micah and Ryan have disappeared. My stomach tightens with uncertainty. New possibilities begin running through my head, pausing at every worst-case scenario. The worst thought is that Micah and Ryan are working together.

  Is it possible that Ryan is my stalker? Surely not. We parted on good terms in Colorado. Although he did say he wanted another chance … and Ryan saying ‘you can’t replace me’ would make sense. Twisted sense, but more so than it would coming from Micah. No, there is no way that is what’s going on. My imagination is getting the best of me. It has to be.

  Gabe saunters up on cloud nine before he takes stock of the somber mood at our table. He looks between us.

  “Why do you two look like you have seen a ghost?” Humor laces his words and I try to smile to mask the insecurity coursing through me.

  Not wanting to alarm Gabe, or put a damper on his evening, I lie.

  “It’s nothing. The inappropriate behavior in here threw us for a loop. It is amazing how brazen people can be.”

  Well, that is a near description of what we really witnessed. We’ll call it a white lie. Gabe seems to take my explanation at face value.

  “No kidding, there is some serious partying going on in here. We may need to keep an eye on our boys before they get into any trouble.”

  With a wink, Gabe descends back into the masses to get his groove on. As I watch Gabe disappear onto the dance floor, I scan the crowd looking for Ryan or Micah. They seem to have disappeared without a trace. I turn back to Ruzek.

  “Wel,l what do you think? I don’t see either of them.”

  Ruzek is in full protection mode. He stands taller with his broad shoulders tight and a look on his face that says he could be deadly if pushed too far. His focus never deviates from the room and his continual search for the troublesome duo.

  “I’m not sure what to think, Rylee. I don’t know either of them beyond what you guys have told me. It seems strange though.”

  The worry etched into his face lets me know that he is far more concerned than he is telling me. This night has taken a sudden nosedive into scary.

  Chapter 24

  Rylee

  Determined to enjoy the rest of my successful night, I push the past few minutes out of my mind and head for the bar. Ruzek follows right behind. Sliding up to the far end of the bar, I turn to give Ruzek room. Instead of Rusek, I find Ryan’s tall frame hovering over me. His piercing green eyes stare into my own. Startled, I jump back as he reaches out and grabs my arm to steady me.

  “Christ, Ryan! You scared me. You can’t sneak up on a girl like that,” I say, giving him a mock slap to the chest. I don’t want to show my discontent with his presence. First, I want to know why he is here.

  He gives me his best panty-dropping smile, but it does nothing for me. It only tells me he wants something. I try to see around him to find Ruzek, but it’s no use; Ryan has me caged in against the bar. He flags the bartender down and orders two shots. He is out of his mind if he thinks I will be staying.

  “So, Rylee Ash,” he draws my name out. “We meet again and you look good enough to eat.”

  His attempt at a compliment irritates me and causes my skin to crawl.

  “What do you want, Ryan? And why are you here? Don’t you have anything better to do than crash my party?”

  Each question comes out angrier than the last and his face falls slightly. So much for hiding my displeasure with his presence.

  He reaches out to place his hand on mine. I block the gesture by crossing my arms over my chest. I figure a defensive posture is one way to show my irritation with his comments and unwanted touch.

  “Well, Ry, I stopped by to see you. After running into Austin a few days ago and seeing how worried he is, I thought it would be nice to check up on you for him. The stories surrounding you all made me concerned for your well-being. Oh, and how is J doing, by the way?”

  The way he asks a
bout J seems off. The question had a different tone than the rest of his statement and he smirked as he said it. It almost felt like a taunt, and the rest is likely bullshit. Even if he ran into Austin, there is no way Austin would have asked him to check up on me. Austin would not want Ryan anywhere near me.

  Stepping back, I answer his question. “J is doing great. His recovery is progressing ahead of schedule. Thank you for asking. Now I have to get back to my date, if you don’t mind.”

  I take a step to the side, removing myself from his confines and see Ruzek nearing me, thank God. As I turn to set my empty drink glass down, Ryan grabs my hand and pulls me toward him.

  “Look, Ryles, I am not trying to piss you off, but I was serious when I said I wanted us to be friends. I don’t know why you have to make that so hard. We were good once, you know. Why can’t we be friends?”

  Looking into his eyes, I can see a flash of what was once there, and even a little sincerity, but I still haven’t forgotten the pain he put me through.

  “I’m not trying to make it anything at all, Ryan. I told you in Aspen that it would take time and I meant it.”

  Once I am away from Ryan, I meet a troubled Ruzek a few steps away.

  “What happened to you? I thought you were right behind me,” I say, trying to quell my annoyance with his disappearance.

  “Shit, Rylee, I’m sorry. My phone buzzed. I stopped to pull it from my pocket and got caught in the crowd. It was my ultimate pleasure telling J that I lost sight of you in a room with Ryan and Micah present,” he says, upset with himself.

  I can’t help laughing at his self-imposed punishment. “Yeah, I don’t think I would have given J all the details. Especially any particulars about Ryan - he is not a fan of that man. Is everything all right with J?”