“I’m having it printed in big letters on a billboard. Ryan Henderson is a romantic. It has a picture of you dressed in a cupid outfit below the words.”
He leans in and whispers over my mouth, “Just shut up and kiss me, you loon.”
And oh boy, do I.
The Chinese food is forgotten, and Ryan and I make out during the whole movie. That couch somehow gets even more uncomfortable, but given these new memories I’ll have to associate with it, it grows on me.
“Wait,” I say, ripping my sore lips away from him.
He groans and drops his head down by my neck. “What?”
“You never told me about that potential job.”
“Huh?” he says and starts kissing my neck again. “It doesn’t matter.”
Au contraire, mon frère.
I push on Ryan’s big chest, but he doesn’t budge until he realizes I’m serious. He sits up and runs his hands through his wild hair. He takes in a deep breath and releases it. “June, please don’t freak out. And before I say what I’m going to say next, I need you to know I’ve given this a lot of thought.”
“You’re scaring me.”
He grimaces lightly. “The job was for a new high-profile restaurant that’s opening in the area, and they wanted me to be the executive chef.”
A mix of feelings tornado through my body until my mind snags on one word. “Wait…was?”
He tilts his head to fix his dark eyes on me. “I turned it down.”
“What?! Why?” I panic even though he asked me not to.
Ryan scoots over by me again and takes my hand in his. “It just wasn’t the right fit for me. Nothing felt right. And my commute will be too long anyway.”
“How far away is it?”
“Several hours after I move to Charleston.”
And now I’m going to faint.
Chapter 29 June
“Moving to Charleston?!” I’m screeching—panic-screeching—and Ryan’s vast apartment amplifies it.
His eyes go wide, and he holds out his hands in front of him like he is trying to soothe me before I bolt. Maybe I will.
“No, don’t do it, June. This is not a sudden impulse I’m acting on.” He pauses, and his brows furrow. “Well, maybe it is slightly impulsive, since I never thought of moving back to Charleston until I saw you again, but…”
“Not helping your case.”
His face softens, and he wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close to him. Now I’m trapped. He’s not going to let me run out of here. “June, I can’t explain it right. But when I went to the restaurant today, it just felt all wrong. Not where I want to be. But back home in Charleston, it did feel right. I’m lonely here. I hate my apartment. I’ve even been hating my job.”
“But you’ve worked so hard to get where you are, Ryan! You can’t just walk away from it.”
“Why not?”
I pull out of his arms. “Because you can’t!”
“Actually, I can. I was serious when I told you I want more than one date. I want us. Or at least a decent shot to see if there is an us. And not a long-distance relationship. If I loved my job and this city and had a good friend group here, it would be different. But I have none of that, June. And I’m ready for a real life outside of a kitchen. I want to live where it’s not so damn cold all the time. I want a comfy couch.”
“I can buy you a new couch.”
His face falls. “What are you saying, June?” Ryan’s eyes leave me for the first time, and he scrapes his hands through his hair. “You don’t want a relationship?”
I should let him go. I should cut him loose. Go on, get! He’s destined for great things, and I will just hold him back.
But as I stare at the man of my dreams, elbows resting on his knees and hands in his hair, I can’t bring myself to deny my heart what it really wants. “I want to be with you more than anything, Ryan.”
His hands fall away, and he turns his face to me. “I don’t want to do long distance.”
“I don’t either.”
“And I think you should buy Stacy’s half of the bakery. And if you do, I want to be nearby to support you through it.”
“I am going to. I told her on the phone last night.”
“You are?” His voice is a mix of pride and hope.
“Yes. And I want you nearby when I take it over, too,” I say, feeling like the most selfish person in the world. He’s willing to give up his dreams so I can have mine.
He nods like we just finished conducting an important business deal. We should shake hands now. “Then I’m moving?”
