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“Did you guys find everything?” she asks right as the butcher starts handing me the individually wrapped patties. “Oh, Rhett umm, we just usually get our burgers over…” she points over to the wall of discounted meat.
“My treat,” I offer.
She gives me a tight lip expression then nods, not saying anything. When I’m given the last of the wrapped steaks, we make our way to the front of the store to check out.
“Did you want to go first and pay for the steaks,” Remi asks with a nervous tone.
“Let me get everything—”
“That’s not necessary, I’ve got all this,” she says pointing down at the items in her cart.
I place my hand on hers and feel my blood buzzing and my body coming alive.
I lower my voice and look down into her beautiful hazel eyes that still mesmerize me. “Let me do this.”
“Hey Jackson!” I hear Ryder call out and tear my eyes from Remi. A boy around Ryder’s age and an older man come up and get in the line behind us.
“Yo, Ryder!” the boy, Jackson, says and they do some kind of handshake and start talking a mile a minute.
“Hi, Remi,” the man says with a smile.
“Hello Mr. Lane,” Remi greets very politely.
“It’s Mick, Remi,” he corrects in a joking manner, but I don’t like it. “You getting ready for the family game tomorrow?” He points at the conveyer belt where our food is stacked.
“We’re ready,” Remi replies, clearly being fake as fuck with this guy.
“Well listen, if you’re needing a man to fill in for Ryder’s dad tomorrow, I’ve got a younger brother or neighbor who’d be willing to jump at the chance.” His offer has me standing up straighter and stepping closer to Remi. Doesn’t this joker see me standing here?
“Oh, that’s so nice of you but—” she starts to decline his offer but I can’t let this pass.
I shove my hand out into his personal space. “Hey there, I’m Rhett,” I say looking him dead in the eyes. “Ryder’s dad.”
Mick looks up at me, assessing my tall muscular build and then down at where my hand is outreached. He clears his throat after taking a half step back.
“Mick,” he offers with a tight smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.
“Thought your dad was in prison for killing a man,” Jackson says to Ryder.
A boulder drops to the bottom of my stomach. I’ve never cared that people knew that I killed someone until now. At this moment I realize that my kid will always be plagued or judged with my record or the crimes I commit. It’ll follow him everywhere.
“He did, but it was to save my mom and me,” Ryder says, defending me.
“That’s wild,” the boy says. “Are you playing in the game tomorrow?” he asks looking up at me.
I look over at Ryder, so proud of this kid for sticking up for me even though I didn’t need it. His eyes are looking over my face and I can see the hesitation of him asking me.
“If that’s what Ryder wants, then I will,” I answer. I’m not gonna force him to do anything until he’s ready for it. The last thing I want is to push a relationship and have it backfire on me. We’ll go at his pace.
“Your total is $189.23,” a voice sounds out, breaking up our conversation.
I move around the kids, pulling out my wallet and a wad of cash.
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Remi says as she takes the cart and starts to push it. Ryder says his goodbyes and I watch Mick leer at Remi a little too long. I step in his line of vision and he quickly looks away. Fucker.
Once we get loaded up in Remi’s Bronco we head back to her place. The cab of the vehicle is quiet until Ryder speaks up.
“Do you have a glove?” he asks out of the blue. His voice wavers like he’s unsure if he should be asking. My heart breaks that he’s not comfortable yet talking with me but I know over time he’ll get there.
