The Good Ones Read online

  “I don’t care what people say about me,” Ryder said. “I care about you. Why didn’t you tell me about Cooper? We have a pact to tell each other everything. When did that change?”

  Perry shoved her phone in her pocket and faced her dad. “Really, Dad? And when exactly were you going to tell me about you and Maisy?”

  Maisy could tell from his expression that he hadn’t been planning to tell her anytime soon. Because of course he hadn’t. He’d already admitted that he’d planned to take her out tonight and talk her out of a relationship with him. Ryder’s jaw clenched and Maisy knew he wasn’t going to say a word.

  Perry knew it, too. She stormed to the door, saying over her shoulder, “You can’t have it both ways. You can’t keep things from me but expect me to tell you everything. I’m not a little kid anymore.”

  She opened the door to the apartment, stomped through it, and then gently shut it behind her. Maisy suspected she would have slammed it except for George, who was sound asleep on the couch. Perry wouldn’t want to startle the little guy.

  Ryder stared at the door as if she had slipped through a portal to another dimension. He glanced at all of them and then back at the door. He raised his hands in the air as if asking for some kind of divine intervention. Jeri patted him on the back.

  “Come hold George,” she said. “He’ll remind you why babies are cute.”

  “I’ll go after her,” Maisy said, “and make sure she’s okay.”

  “Thanks,” Ryder said. He picked up the kitten and King George snuggled into him as if he’d just been waiting for Ryder to hold him. The frown on Ryder’s face eased as the kitten worked his magic.

  Maisy jogged down the stairs. Thankfully, the piles of books had been removed, otherwise she’d never have been able to catch up. She banged through the front door and found Perry sitting on the steps.

  She had pulled her braid over her shoulder and was fidgeting with the end, and her posture was slumped as if in defeat.

  Maisy sat down beside her. She didn’t speak, mostly because she didn’t know what to say. The evening had grown cool and Maisy shivered in her tank top. She rubbed her arms and rocked back and forth in an effort to warm up.

  “You don’t have to sit here with me,” Perry said. “I can wait for Dad by myself.”

  “I know.”

  “You probably think I’m a jerk.”

  “No.”

  “I’m not that mad about you two,” she said. She dropped her braid and twisted her fingers together, pausing to study her nails. She picked at a cuticle and then at her green polish.

  “I’m glad,” Maisy said. “Travis Wainwright is my older brother’s best friend. I am going to suffer enough when he hears about it.”

  Perry turned to look at her. Her mouth formed an O. She understood completely. “In that case, I’m sorry.”

  Maisy shrugged. “It’s fine. My brother will tease me, I’ll get mad, he’ll apologize, and we’ll be fine. That’s the thing about family. They make you crazy but you can always count on them. Even though you’re at odds now, your dad loves you, Perry.”

  “Does he?” Perry met her stare. Her eyes looked forlorn. “Because he never says it.”

  Perry pushed off the steps and trudged to the truck, pulling the door open and climbing inside without another word.

  Maisy watched her go. She had no idea what to say. Ryder didn’t tell his daughter that he loved her. Really? In the time she’d known him, she’d learned that talking about his feelings was not his thing, but there had been a few moments, like when he told her about his childhood and when he talked about Perry, that he laid it all bare. Maybe Perry was being overly dramatic or perhaps Ryder needed a gentle reminder that his daughter needed to hear how he felt now more than ever. Maisy felt singularly unqualified for any of this.

  But the summer was slipping by and if Perry and Ryder didn’t talk soon, Perry would be hundreds of miles away in a school she didn’t want to go to and Ryder would leave to take a job he might not even want just to pay for it. It was maddening watching the communication break down between two people who cared about each other so much.

  Then, there were her own feelings to consider. She knew she had a decision to make. Was she in for as long as she had them here? Or should she protect herself and end things before she got crushed by their impending departure? She glanced up at the stars, looking for an answer, but saw nothing in their twinkling lights to indicate a path. She rose to her feet and turned to go into the house. On a small table by the front door was a book.

  It was the paperback One Last Chance, featuring Jake Sinclair. It was the same book she’d been reading the day Ryder knocked on her door. The same book he had borrowed a week or so ago and returned. What was it doing out here? She was sure she’d put it on her favorites shelf in the main room. Maisy felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle.

  “Auntie El?” she whispered. There was no answer, but she felt a cool breeze ripple across her skin almost like a caress. Whoa.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  “MAISY.”

  “Ah!” She jumped, dropping the book.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Ryder said. He opened the door and stepped outside, pausing to pick up her book for her on the way. “Are you all right? You look pale.”

  “Um, yeah, I’m good,” Maisy said. Her voice sounded unnaturally high so she cleared her throat and forced a smile while she took the book from him and clutched it to her chest.

  “George is set for the night,” he said. He glanced at the truck. “I guess I’d better go have a father-daughter talk.”

  He stepped close and kissed Maisy’s temple. She tried not to think about how platonic that felt. He was almost at the steps when she grabbed his hand, stopping him. Ryder turned toward her and Maisy let his fingers slip through hers, knowing that they were likely being observed.

  “Ryder, I think if you give Perry a chance to explain, you’ll see—” Maisy began, but he interrupted.

  “Oh, I see,” he said. “She lied to me. About a boy. For months.”

  Maisy noted the stubborn set to his chin. This was what she’d come to think of as Ryder’s control freak face. When his vision about the restoration of the house—say, the exact shade of paint he wanted in the main room of the shop—was not what came out of the paint can, he spent the afternoon at the paint store modifying their process until the paint came out the exact shade he had envisioned. Oh, boy.

  She wanted to tell him that Perry was not a can of paint, but she didn’t think that would go over very well. Still, she had to try and help him see his daughter’s side for both their sakes.

  “Maybe she didn’t tell you because she knew you wouldn’t be happy about it and she values your opinion above all others,” Maisy said.

  “A lie is a lie is a lie,” he said. “Speaking of which, why didn’t you tell me you’d seen her with a boy?”

  Maisy knew she could have ducked and weaved a direct answer but if what they had started tonight was going to be worth anything, even if it lasted only until he left, it demanded nothing less than the truth.

  “Because she asked me not to,” she said.

  He gave her a sharp nod as if he had expected as much. “Don’t do that again.”

  Maisy tilted her head to the side. His tone was bossy and it made her bristle. “In my defense, I didn’t know they were dating or I would have said something. Also, just so we’re clear, you’re not the boss of me.”

  Ryder’s gaze snapped to hers and narrowed. He didn’t look away but let his gaze move over her, every inch of her from her head to her feet and back. Then, to her surprise, he smiled and he said, “Well, that was sassy.”

  Relief that he wasn’t put off or miffed by her standing her ground made Maisy a bit weak in the knees. Well, it was that and the way he was staring at her mouth as if thinking up
new and wicked things to do with her. Maisy resisted the urge to fan herself.

  She put her hand on his forearm and said, “Just let her talk to you. I remember being fourteen and feeling like no one listened to me. Listen to her. You might be surprised by what she has to say.”

  She thought about telling him what she suspected Perry wouldn’t tell him, that she didn’t want to go away to private school, but she didn’t. This was something for the two of them to figure out.

  “I’ll try,” he said. This time when he kissed her it was right on the mouth and he lingered, making Maisy’s insides liquefy. When he stepped away, she caught herself on the porch railing so she didn’t slide onto the floor into a puddle of want at his feet.

  “Good night, Maisy.”

  Ryder strode off toward his truck. Maisy glanced down at the book in her hands, remembering how Clare, the heroine of the novel, had gotten through to her man. As she recalled, Clare threatened Jake with a shotgun in chapter five. Yeah, being a pacifist, that didn’t really translate for Maisy except it made for a heck of a scene to read. She turned and headed back into the house, relieved that a shotgun had not been required to make her point.

  * * *

  • • •

  “ALL right, drum roll please,” Savy said. She gave Maisy a pointed look and Maisy immediately began to tap her fingers on her desk, making what sounded sort of like a drum roll.

  “Okay, why?” Maisy asked over the low rumbling beat of her fingers.

  “We are live!” Savy announced. “Our website is up and running!”

  “What?” Maisy jumped up from her seat at the desk opposite Savannah’s and hurried around to look at her computer.

  Their office space had been relieved of its horrid paneling and was now a sunny, airy room with plants hanging in the windows and King George playing in an empty box in the corner. The hardwood floor had been polished to a high sheen and the walls had been replastered and were now painted a lovely duck-egg blue, with the window and door frames, baseboards, and crown molding painted in Swiss coffee, which was a delicious creamy white color.

  Ryder usually worked at a drafting table and desk in the corner, while another desk had been set up for Jeri, who came in every few days to go over the books.

  Maisy watched as Savannah opened the webpage. Classical music played in the background as the screen filled with a video of the house. It was shot from an angle that hid the construction of the turret but focused on the steps, which were lined with pots of flowers. The video paused on the porch, where Seth had installed a porch swing, and moved past a tea set on a cart that also had a heaping plate of raspberry thumbprint cookies on it. And then the video centered on the front door, which slowly opened, revealing the shelves of books inside, while the words Happily Ever After Bookstore scrolled across the screen.

  “That is awesome!” Maisy yelled. She leaned down and hugged Savannah, shaking her because she was still jumping up and down.

  “So glad you like it—ulk—can’t breathe,” Savannah choked.

  “Sorry!” Maisy jumped back and let her go. She clapped her hands. “It’s just so perfect.”

  “It still needs fine-tuning, but it’ll do for our opening,” Savannah said. “I’ve dedicated pages to Shop, Contact Us, Events, and then I put in a page about Auntie El, with her wedding picture and a little bio about how her love of romance novels helped her through losing the love of her life.”

  “Savy, you have outdone yourself,” Maisy said. She reached over and clicked on the Auntie El page and felt a lump form in her throat as a slide show of Auntie El through the years began, coupled with a brief history of her and her life. “This is so great. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “Don’t thank me until I get the rest of your social media tied in and we begin driving customers into the shop,” Savy said.

  “Do you think that will take very long?” Maisy asked.

  “I hope not,” Savannah said. “If we want this place to be successful, we’ve got to get the buzz going. In that regard, I have some ideas.”

  “Ideas or Ideas!? You know, with the capital I and an exclamation point,” Maisy said.

  “And here I thought it was going to be a quiet day at the office.” Ryder entered the room. He looked tired and Maisy suspected things hadn’t gone smoothly with Perry.

  She shared a glance with Savannah and said, “I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll go get more coffee. Want some?” Savy said.

  “Yes, please.”

  “Yo, Ryder, you want some coffee?” Savannah asked.

  “I’ll be your best friend,” he said.

  “Not necessary,” she answered. Then she walked out of the room, leaving Maisy and Ryder alone.

  Ryder was unpacking his laptop and checking his phone. Maisy wasn’t sure if she should say anything about last night or not. There were so many things she wanted to talk about, not the least of which was the fact that Perry had called her his girlfriend. And she desperately wanted to know if it was true that he’d never told Perry he loved her or whether it was just the overwrought complaint of an angry teen.

  “So, how did it go last night?” Maisy asked.

  Ryder glanced up from his phone. His lips tipped up in the corner as if pleased to see her. Then her question registered and he frowned.

  “Perry isn’t speaking to me,” he said. “Apparently, I have humiliated her to death and she doesn’t know how she’ll face Cooper or any of her friends since her dad was caught hooking up. Apparently, we caused quite the scandal in her world.”

  “I’m pretty sure the only person who saw us is Travis, and I don’t see him telling anyone who would care, at least anyone local,” she said.

  “I said the same thing, but she was so angry,” he said. “It was positively glacial at our house. I’m surprised I don’t have frostbite.”

  Maisy smiled. She appreciated that he was trying to make light of a situation that he obviously found hurtful and bewildering. She wondered if she should mention what she suspected was happening. She decided to go for it.

  “Do you think maybe she’s angry not about us and the ‘scandal’ but because of something else?”

  “What else?” he asked. “She seemed pretty clear that it was humiliation making her hate me with every fiber of her being.”

  “She doesn’t hate you,” Maisy said. “But maybe she’s angry because she feels powerless.”

  “About my dating?” he asked. He gestured between them and then looked down at his desk. “This is temporary; why would she be upset about it?”

  Maisy felt her mouth drop open. The breath stalled in her lungs and she had to force herself to remember how to breathe before she could suck in some oxygen.

  “Right,” she said. Her voice sounded faint, but Ryder was still looking down, not at her. Clearly, he had no idea he had just knocked her to her knees. Maisy shook her head. Well, he had certainly answered her question about her status. Temporary. This shouldn’t have been such a surprise. She’d been clear that she didn’t do long-distance relationships and he’d been honest about not wanting to get involved with anyone. She supposed she should see it as a victory to get even temporary out of him and, yet, she felt a bit nauseous.

  “You all right?” He glanced up.

  “Me? Yeah, sure, I’m fine,” she lied. He must have been preoccupied, because he didn’t notice how terrible she was at fibbing. “About Perry, I was thinking maybe she’s angry because she doesn’t want to leave Fairdale now that she has a boyfriend and all. Perhaps she’s angry about that but blaming it on the . . . er . . . incident.”

  “Incident? Is that what we’re calling it?” he asked.

  “For lack of a better word,” she said.

  “No boyfriend, or whatever this Cooper guy is, is going to change Perry’s mind about going to Saint Mary’s,” he said. “She�
�s wanted this all her life. It’s been the plan since before she was born. Her mother went there, her grandmother went there. You know, when I first met the family, Whitney’s father told me I wasn’t good enough for his daughter, that I clearly couldn’t provide for her and our child the way he had for his wife and daughter. I swore on that day that Perry would never want for anything.”

  “What if all she wants is to be with her father?” Maisy said.

  Ryder reared back as if she’d slapped him. Maisy hadn’t meant to be that blunt, but she remembered being fourteen, and she knew for a fact that she would have hated being separated from her family, even her pain-in-the-butt older brothers, and Perry didn’t even have that. She had only Ryder. The prospect of leaving him must feel devastating for her, no matter how amazing the school was.

  “You don’t know what you’re saying,” he said. Maisy lifted her eyebrows at his tone and he raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Listen, I’m sorry, but I’ve had this plan in motion since before she was born and it isn’t going to change because she has a crush on some boy.”

  “Did you hear what you said?” Maisy asked. “You said ‘I’ve had this plan.’ What about Perry? What about what she wants?”

  “She wants to go to the new school,” Ryder insisted. “That’s why I’m leaving for Charleston to take an administrative position that’s going to suck the soul right out of me. So I can pay for what isn’t covered by the scholarship she’s received.”

  “What if she’s changed her mind?” Maisy persisted.

  “She hasn’t,” he said. “She’s just temporarily distracted.” He gave her a meaningful look. “We both are. Now, I appreciate your input, really, I do, but none of this concerns you.”

  It was Maisy’s turn to fall back a step. She had never heard Ryder speak in such a dismissive tone, not even when one of the crew installed one of the many built-in bookcases upside down. She had clearly hit a nerve. She supposed she could mind her own business and go back to where they’d been last night. She could just grab whatever joy she could find with him for the next few weeks. But now she wasn’t so sure if that’s what she wanted, mostly because she was so furious that he wouldn’t listen to her or Perry. It was time for some self-preservation.