"Alright, but put on a mask, just to be safe."
We rode in Ryan’s car to the nearby hospital. The moment we pulled out of the villa, two cars tailed us–at this point, having an escort seemed like Ryan’s trademark move.
Once we got there, we headed straight to where they do IV drips for my shot.
This time, I kept my head down, dealing with work emails on my phone. Ryan just sat there, bored, sometimes peeking at my screen, other times watching the little kid bawling nearby and his exhausted parents.
I glanced up and spotted this preschooler, maybe three years old, bawling his eyes out the whole time. They weren’t even putting in an IV, but his little hand was already swollen. His parents were urgently flagging down a nurse.
Ryan looked genuinely floored. He leaned over and whispered, “Are kids really this much work? He’s not even that young, and still won’t cooperate for a simple shot?”
I glanced at this guy and couldn’t help but grin. “Trust me, it gets way wilder than this. This is nothing–at least he’s only crying, not trying to yank out the needle himself.”
Ryan’s dark eyes lingered on my face. “Was your daughter tough to handle when she was small?”
His question made scenes from those years flash through my mind–snippets of taking care of my daughter when she was just a toddler. All those vaccines, the constant colds and fevers before she turned three, and of course, they always hit at night. I didn’t have a nanny, so I was on my own, handling everything like a pro. I lost count of how many nights I spent in the hospital’s IV ward.
“I don’t remember,” I said with a smile. “Kids get sick all the time when they’re little.”
Ryan noticed I’d zoned out for a second before answering him, and he looked a bit annoyed. “Not always. I was a good kid. My grandparents always said so.”
I looked at his gorgeous eyes, framed by those strong eyebrows–they were both captivating and a little dangerous. Some people, even with a mask on, just radiated this vibe that made you know they were drop-dead gorgeous underneath.
Right then, I caught a bunch of girls in the waiting area totally checking Ryan out. He was clueless, but I saw every side-eye and giggle.
“You were the perfect kid–guess your wild streak didn’t show up ‘til you hit adulthood, huh?” I teased.
Ryan’s gaze faltered for a beat, then he chuckled awkwardly. “Guess every guy’s gotta go rogue at least once.”
“Once is plenty. Let’s just hope you don’t make it a habit,” I shot him a look.
Ryan got exactly what I meant and scratched his head, a little sheepish. “Hey, it’s like a kid who never gets candy. Once they finally taste it, suddenly they’re all proper and sweet.”
My cheeks grew warm under his gaze, so I quickly dropped my eyes to my phone and stopped talking to him.
Once the hour-and-a-half drip was finally over, Ryan and I went straight back to the villa.
“Ryan, you should get back to work. I need to head back to Shaville too–there’s so much waiting for me at the office,” I brought it up right away as soon as we got out of the car.
“You’re leaving already?” Ryan’s eyes lost their shine. “Can’t you stay a few more days?”
“There’s really no point in hanging around,” I said.
“Just one more day, okay? Don’t leave now,” Ryan pleaded.
I looked at him, and his feelings were written all over his face. Tomorrow was Edward’s birthday, and Ryan was trying so hard to make me stay, just so I wouldn’t go give Edward birthday wishes. He was so stubborn about it, you couldn’t help but feel for him.
“Ryan, this place is nice, but it’s not where I’m meant to stay,” I said, keeping my voice cool. “Relax. Edward and I ended things quietly–I won’t ever intrude on his life again. I wish you all the best, may your future be smooth and full of success.”
With that, I walked into the living room and grabbed my purse.
Ryan stood out in the yard, his tall frame resting against the car door, with his new puppy circling his shoes, refusing to leave his side.
Ryan lifted his gaze suddenly, locking eyes with me. “Do you really believe leaving will break our fate? No matter what you do, you and I–we’re still bound together.”
I paused and glanced back at him.
There was a restless gleam in Ryan’s eyes as he slid one hand into the pocket of his slacks. “Go ahead and get back to work. When I get the chance, I’ll come find you.”