I was taken aback that Ryan was delving into my personal life. Even though I knew he liked me, I didn’t appreciate him asking so straight-up about my relationships. I pushed him away and said flatly, “That’s between me and him. Don’t ask.”
“Victoria, do you think I don’t deserve to be your man?” Ryan suddenly got emotional and spoke with intensity.
I turned to him with a small smile. “You’re just like a little brother to me. There’s no way anything inappropriate could happen. Ryan, I hope you understand.”
“I don’t.” Ryan leaned against the window, frustration in his eyes. “I saw you and him cooking together today. It made me feel weird, like the next thing I’d hear would be a wedding invite or news of your baby’s one-month party.”
I froze for a second and then laughed at him. “You’ve got quite the imagination,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“If it was just my imagination, fine. But I’m scared it’s real.” Ryan’s eyes were red as he looked at me with a sad expression. “You just got divorced. You’re not thinking about getting married again, are you?”
I shook my head. “Don’t worry. I’m not that reckless. And you should focus on your studies. Stop worrying so much.”
Ryan looked at me, then lowered his head and said, “I tried getting close to you by pretending to be just a harmless little brother. I thought you’d be less guarded with me, and that’d help us get to know each other better.”
Hearing that, my expression shifted a bit. “I can tell you’ve been trying hard. But no matter how real a lie feels, it’s still a lie.”
“Sorry.” Ryan looked back up at me. “I know I was wrong, I won’t lie to you again.”
“That’s fine.” I forgave him easily. “You cared enough to try, and that counts.” As I said that, some memories popped into my head and I couldn’t help but smile.
Ryan was quiet for a moment and then laughed bitterly. “I lied because I was scared.”
“Scared of what?” I asked, curious since we hadn’t known each other long.
“Scared you’d shut me down right away.” Ryan’s eyes got intense. “Scared you’d think I’m too young and irresponsible and not see me as a man.”
“You are young. Honestly, I have a mental block about younger guys. They always seem to be missing something.” I was being honest.
Ryan looked hurt and annoyed. “I can’t choose where I was born, but I can choose who I like.”
“Alright, Ryan, enough.” I cut him off. “I’m not in the mood for romance. I’m glad you like me, but let’s be friends.”
Ryan shook his head suddenly. “No way. I’m leaving Hachester soon. I don’t know when we’ll meet again.”
I laughed. “It’s not the old days with slow horses and carriages. We can just text if something’s up.”
“Some things have more meaning when said face to face.” Ryan sounded serious.
Right then, Silas’s voice called from nearby. “Mr. Jennings, the cake’s ready. You and Ms. Murphy may come eat.”
I turned and headed to the living room. Ryan followed. The smell of fresh bread filled the air in the dining room. “Ms. Murphy, this is Mr. Jennings’s favorite. Try some,” Silas said with a smile.
I took a piece, bit into it, and nodded. “It’s creamy. Good.”
Ryan’s face flushed a bit, probably hearing my compliment. He grabbed a piece and started eating too. Whatever wasn’t said earlier seemed to vanish.
After a few bites, Ryan suddenly brought over a photo album and said, “I want to show you my family.”
I walked over with curiosity. Ryan flipped to a family portrait. “This was taken when my dad was still alive. That’s him, and that’s my grandpa. Over there… those are all my enemies now.”
His face stiffened as he pointed to another group in the photo. My heart clenched. Ryan looked up at me with sadness in his eyes. “You probably never expected it, but my family and I are enemies.”
Looking at this handsome guy in front of me, I couldn’t imagine the kind of life he grew up in. He kept his secrets tight. Otherwise, there was no way he could have held his ground in the family.
Ryan pulled out another photo–a woman in a suit skirt set, sitting confidently on a couch with her hands resting on the arms. “That’s my mom,” he said.