Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I nodded. “Yeah. Hurry before he hangs up.”
Ryder grabbed the phone and answered, hitting the speaker button instead of bringing it to his ear. Our eyes met, and I smiled. Of course, he’d let me hear the entire conversation. I loved how he wanted complete transparency and would never give me cause for concern.
“Corvin?” he said by way of greeting.
“Ryder, uh, hey. I… I didn’t think you’d answer. How… uh how are you?”
“I’m well. Yourself?”
So stiff and unlike my boyfriend, well, certain parts of him were frequently stiff, but not his personality or conversation skills. He’d spent too many years making small talk with dignitaries and hobnobbing with the wealthy and powerful to have a stilted conversation, but this one felt heavy as hell.
“I’ve been better. I, uh, I can’t talk long. There are some… things going on, but I owe you a massive apology and didn’t want to put it off any longer.”
Ryder frowned at the phone. Corvin sounded off in more ways than mere embarrassment over his behavior or the awkwardness of apologizing. I could tell Ryder wanted to ask, but he held himself back. I rubbed a hand up and down his shirtless back, and he lifted his gaze to mine. “You owe Alex one too,” he said while staring at me with love.
“I know.” Corvin spoke in a soft, regretful tone. “I will give him one.”
I hadn’t planned to speak but found myself saying, “I’m here, too, Corvin.”
“Oh.”
We all fell into a thick silence. I needed to get over to my house to meet Kenny but wouldn’t leave Ryder’s side until this call concluded.
“I’m so sorry,” Corvin said after a few more seconds of uncomfortable silence. “It’s hard to put into words how sorry I am. Looking back, I can’t believe how I acted. It was disgusting. There is no excuse for it. Ryder, I took our friendship and crossed every line there is. Nothing happened that night, Alex. Ryder loves you and would never do anything to jeopardize what you have. It was all me, and I’ve hated myself ever since.”
“I know that, Corvin. I was upset that night, but as soon as I calmed down, I knew.”
“Yeah.” Sadness radiated from the word.
Ryder frowned again.
Something was going on with Corvin. Something deeper.
“I want you both to know that if Ryder decides to continue a friendship with me, in whatever form, nothing like that will ever happen again. I swear it on my life.”
This was Ryder’s decision. I continued to stroke his back in soothing circles as he thought about what Corvin said.
“You were a good friend, Corvin,” he said, measuring his words.
“Until I wasn’t.”
“Yeah. I’m hopeful we can continue to be friends on some level, but I need some time. And I’m not sure we’ll ever get back to where we were. That will take a lot of trust on my part, and I don’t know if I’ll get there.”
“I… I understand.”
Oh, fuck, was he going to cry?
“You don’t sound so good, Corvin,” Ryder said. “Are you okay?”
He sighed, and that one sound carried the weight of the world. “I’m… I’m kinda messed up right now. It’s not any kind of excuse for what I did, but, well, maybe someday I’ll tell you about it.”
For the first time, my heart went out to the guy. I understood struggle and how it could make someone act out of character or do something idiotic.
“I’m going to go. Thank you for taking my call. And again… I’m so sorry.”
Ryder met my gaze again.
Is it okay? He seemed to ask with his eyes.
I nodded.
“Thank you for calling.”
“Bye.”
“Corvin, wait.”
“Yes?”
“Look, I don’t know what’s going on with you right now, and it’s going to take me some time to be ready for our friendship again, but I’m not interested in making you suffer for a mistake, horrible as it was. I forgive you, Corvin.”
“T-thank you.” This time, there was no mistaking the choked sob that came through the phone.
“I have to go. Be well, Corvin.” Ryder disconnected before Corvin had a chance to respond. “Is that okay? Are you okay with what I said? I’m certainly not ready to have him over for beers but…” He shrugged.
I wrapped my arms around his bare torso, spreading my hands wide on his warm, smooth back. “But you’re an amazing man with an incredible capacity for forgiveness who can’t stand the idea of someone hurting, even if they wronged you.”
He nuzzled my nose as he said, “Maybe that makes me a fool.”
“Nah.” I brushed my lips against his. “It makes you wonderful.”
Sighing, Ryder kissed me then stepped out of my embrace. “You’d better go. The quicker you get there, the quicker you can come home.”
Home. It’d been weeks since I moved into Ryder’s penthouse, and the thrill of hearing it called home had yet to wear off. I hope it never did. “Okay, I’ll call you before I leave.”