Read Online Forever (This #5) by J. B. McGee - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: J. B. McGee
Ads: Link
staying single?”
“Sam.”
“Answer the question, Ryan.”
He shifts in his seat. The air in the car is thick, and I push the button on my door to lower the window a smidge. The setting sun glares into my eyes, and I flip the visor down to blind it. “I have nothing against marriage. Just not right now.”
It’s not that I want to be married. But Joe’s been warning me of this for months. I’d thought he was just screwing with my head, but maybe he wasn’t. He’s his brother. It’s just I thought I knew him equally well. Apparently, I know nothing about either of them. How is it I spend an entire year of my life with someone and don’t even know whether they want kids or not? How is this just coming up? Why tonight?
I twist my body into the seat, wrapping my arms around my legs. My lids become heavy as I watch the naked trees on the interstate until I’ve finally slipped off to sleep.
It’s funny how I can sleep soundly when we’re on a straight road, but my body knows when we are close to our destination by the sound of blinkers, the slower speed, and the tugging of the car turning.
Ryan glances over at me, a small grin on his face, as if the conversation we had prior to my nap didn’t take place. “There you are. Were you able to get some rest?”
My arms extend toward the roof of the car. My back arches and then pops as I twist from side to side. Maybe I should forget it happened too. “Yeah. Now that we’re here, I’m really excited to make some memories.”
“I’m glad Bradley invited me…us back. At least we don’t have to worry this time about the pressure to hook up from the two of them.” He winks.
My stomach churns. Or is it rumbling? Hunger pangs. Right. “Did Bradley mention what the food plans are? I’m starving.”
“He didn’t mention anything to me. I thought you two had worked all this out.”
“Eh…” I shrug. “I just kept his little secret from Gabby.”
We pull up to the gate of their neighborhood. “Name of the resident you’re visiting, please,” the guard asks, glancing from Ryan to me and back to Ryan again.
“Banks. Bradley and Gabby Banks,” he says.
“And your name?”
“Ryan Adams and Samantha Gerhart.”
I get why Bradley wanted to buy a house in here, but I’ve never understood the appeal of having a guard and gate. Something about it seems snooty and ridiculous. And the fact no one can ever spontaneously surprise you is a major turn off for me. My thoughts return to Gabe. Maybe them being in a gated community isn’t such a bad thing. I do hate the fact I can’t drop in on Gabby for the fun of it without her knowing. They have to call in every single visitor. Gabby doesn’t seem to mind, though. Ultimately, I guess that’s all that matters.
The guard nods while scribbling something on a hanger that goes on our rearview mirror. “Enjoy your visit. Display this at all times while you’re in the community.”
Ryan gives him some kind of bro code hand gesture. “Got it. Have a great night, man.”
“You too.”
“You’re so nice. Polite. Compassionate. Even to the little people.”
He shrugs. “Stop.”
“It’s true. You’re so humble you don’t even see it.” I saw it, still do, and I keep reminding myself. Since the ghost tour, I’ve started to question every single flutter, throb, and zap to my core. In fact, I haven’t just questioned them, I’ve started to analyze them like a strip to an EKG. I’ve started to take notes on what causes certain rhythms…what leads to skipped beats. More frightening than any ghost tour or haunted house is the fact Joe seems to send my pulse racing, not Ryan. And I’m totally stuck in the situation. The easy thing would be to end it with Ryan, but then there are moments like these, when I know that losing him may very well be losing the best man—the one who loves me, nurtures me, and adores the ground I walk on.
A man who doesn’t want kids. At least as of now. That’s a
“Sam.”
“Answer the question, Ryan.”
He shifts in his seat. The air in the car is thick, and I push the button on my door to lower the window a smidge. The setting sun glares into my eyes, and I flip the visor down to blind it. “I have nothing against marriage. Just not right now.”
It’s not that I want to be married. But Joe’s been warning me of this for months. I’d thought he was just screwing with my head, but maybe he wasn’t. He’s his brother. It’s just I thought I knew him equally well. Apparently, I know nothing about either of them. How is it I spend an entire year of my life with someone and don’t even know whether they want kids or not? How is this just coming up? Why tonight?
I twist my body into the seat, wrapping my arms around my legs. My lids become heavy as I watch the naked trees on the interstate until I’ve finally slipped off to sleep.
It’s funny how I can sleep soundly when we’re on a straight road, but my body knows when we are close to our destination by the sound of blinkers, the slower speed, and the tugging of the car turning.
Ryan glances over at me, a small grin on his face, as if the conversation we had prior to my nap didn’t take place. “There you are. Were you able to get some rest?”
My arms extend toward the roof of the car. My back arches and then pops as I twist from side to side. Maybe I should forget it happened too. “Yeah. Now that we’re here, I’m really excited to make some memories.”
“I’m glad Bradley invited me…us back. At least we don’t have to worry this time about the pressure to hook up from the two of them.” He winks.
My stomach churns. Or is it rumbling? Hunger pangs. Right. “Did Bradley mention what the food plans are? I’m starving.”
“He didn’t mention anything to me. I thought you two had worked all this out.”
“Eh…” I shrug. “I just kept his little secret from Gabby.”
We pull up to the gate of their neighborhood. “Name of the resident you’re visiting, please,” the guard asks, glancing from Ryan to me and back to Ryan again.
“Banks. Bradley and Gabby Banks,” he says.
“And your name?”
“Ryan Adams and Samantha Gerhart.”
I get why Bradley wanted to buy a house in here, but I’ve never understood the appeal of having a guard and gate. Something about it seems snooty and ridiculous. And the fact no one can ever spontaneously surprise you is a major turn off for me. My thoughts return to Gabe. Maybe them being in a gated community isn’t such a bad thing. I do hate the fact I can’t drop in on Gabby for the fun of it without her knowing. They have to call in every single visitor. Gabby doesn’t seem to mind, though. Ultimately, I guess that’s all that matters.
The guard nods while scribbling something on a hanger that goes on our rearview mirror. “Enjoy your visit. Display this at all times while you’re in the community.”
Ryan gives him some kind of bro code hand gesture. “Got it. Have a great night, man.”
“You too.”
“You’re so nice. Polite. Compassionate. Even to the little people.”
He shrugs. “Stop.”
“It’s true. You’re so humble you don’t even see it.” I saw it, still do, and I keep reminding myself. Since the ghost tour, I’ve started to question every single flutter, throb, and zap to my core. In fact, I haven’t just questioned them, I’ve started to analyze them like a strip to an EKG. I’ve started to take notes on what causes certain rhythms…what leads to skipped beats. More frightening than any ghost tour or haunted house is the fact Joe seems to send my pulse racing, not Ryan. And I’m totally stuck in the situation. The easy thing would be to end it with Ryan, but then there are moments like these, when I know that losing him may very well be losing the best man—the one who loves me, nurtures me, and adores the ground I walk on.
A man who doesn’t want kids. At least as of now. That’s a
Similar Books
