‹ Prequel: Never Told You
Sequel: Why Wait? ›
Status: Completed.
All Your Life
Chapter 1.
Rylan
"Knock knock." I called, stepping through the screen door into the main house's open kitchen. Mar turned away from husking corn and beamed as she rushed over to give me a hug.
"I'm so glad you're here!"
"I wouldn't miss this for the world, honey." I assured her as We pulled away and I took the rustic lemon yellow kitchen.
"Isn't this place fantastic?" Mar asked, practically bouncing on her toes.
"I am so happy for the two - three - of you." I smiled, glancing over at my god daughter giggling in her high chair at the end of the counter, "It's about time your mommy and daddy got married, huh Evie?"
"Hey hon, have you heard from - Rylan!" Brad beamed the same bright smile as Mar, walking in from what looked like the living room behind us and wrapping me in a tight hug, "We've missed you, Ry."
"I missed you too."
"Now that everyone's here, should I fire up the barbecue?" He asked and Mar nodded as he slid past her to the door I just came in.
"So how is this going to work?" I asked, following her back to the butcher's block topped with a mountain of corn cobs. I grabbed one and started to peel without being asked as Mar looked over at me confused.
"How's what going to work?"
"Who's staying in what cabin?" I chuckled, shaking my head, "I googled this place, Mar. I know there are three cabins and you have to book the whole property for at least a week. I may be a little late to the party, so where am I bunking?"
She bit her lip and I frowned, she didn't, "Originally we had Brad staying up at Tree Tops with his parents, Kevin and Lynn, and me here in the Captain's House with my parents and brothers, which leaves you up at the Baker House with Segs but..."
"But what, Mariana Lenke Lucic." I asked and she sighed.
"Milan needed the Baker House nursery for Valentina." She cringed and my jaw dropped.
"So you're saying that I'm rooming with Segs and Milan?" I asked hopefully and she shook her head.
"Segs is staying up at Tree Tops." She admitted, smiling weakly as I shook my head, "Come on please don't be mad, Ry. It's not ideal, but it's just for 2 days. He already promised to stay on his best behavior and stay out of your way."
"I lived with him for 6 years, I guess another 2 days won't hurt." I sighed and she squealed, throwing her arms around my neck in a tight hug, "I must say, the amount you've changed since becoming a mom is rather frightening."
"Having Evelyn made me realize I had to grow up," she shrugged, "I don't want my daughter to look at me and see that smart ass B I T C H I used to be and I don't want her looking up to the girl with too many tattoos working at a biker bar. I want her to be so much more than that, so I have to lead by example."
"I'm so proud of you." I smiled, hugging her again, "No doubt Evie is too."
"Mar, where are the steaks?" Milan asked walking in and stopping short when he saw me, " Marshy said the barbecue was ready." He added quieter, not making eye contact as Mar pulled away and headed over to the fridge, pulling out a mountainous platter of steaks and handing it to her brother with a reassuring smile.
"Tell him we'll be right out." He nodded as he took them and rushed out the back door without another word.
"We'll this is going to be fun." I sighed and Mar frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.
"He's trying, Ry. He doesn't know how to act around you any more because one minute you hate him, the next you stop his wedding, then you reject him. Can you blame him for being confused?"
"Mar-" I started, but she shook her head, grabbing a massive soup pot and filling it with water before lifting it onto the stove.
"The least you could do is meet him half way." She shrugged, grabbing a handful of corn cobs and tossing them in, "What's the worst thing that could happen? Evie's godparents are back on speaking terms?"
"We get back together and he cheats on me again." I muttered under my breath and she tossed a glare my way.
"Rylan, your two best friends are getting married, can you stop acting like you're getting your teeth pulled being here?"
"I'm sorry Mar, I just...don't like not knowing where I stand with Milan." I shrugged and she frowned slightly.
"Give him a chance, being a dad has really changed him too. Who knows, you might like new Milan better than you liked old Milan."
"Me not liking Milan was never our problem." I pointed out and she smirked.
"Neither was him not liking you."
"Knock knock." I called, stepping through the screen door into the main house's open kitchen. Mar turned away from husking corn and beamed as she rushed over to give me a hug.
"I'm so glad you're here!"
"I wouldn't miss this for the world, honey." I assured her as We pulled away and I took the rustic lemon yellow kitchen.
"Isn't this place fantastic?" Mar asked, practically bouncing on her toes.
"I am so happy for the two - three - of you." I smiled, glancing over at my god daughter giggling in her high chair at the end of the counter, "It's about time your mommy and daddy got married, huh Evie?"
"Hey hon, have you heard from - Rylan!" Brad beamed the same bright smile as Mar, walking in from what looked like the living room behind us and wrapping me in a tight hug, "We've missed you, Ry."
"I missed you too."
"Now that everyone's here, should I fire up the barbecue?" He asked and Mar nodded as he slid past her to the door I just came in.
"So how is this going to work?" I asked, following her back to the butcher's block topped with a mountain of corn cobs. I grabbed one and started to peel without being asked as Mar looked over at me confused.
"How's what going to work?"
"Who's staying in what cabin?" I chuckled, shaking my head, "I googled this place, Mar. I know there are three cabins and you have to book the whole property for at least a week. I may be a little late to the party, so where am I bunking?"
She bit her lip and I frowned, she didn't, "Originally we had Brad staying up at Tree Tops with his parents, Kevin and Lynn, and me here in the Captain's House with my parents and brothers, which leaves you up at the Baker House with Segs but..."
"But what, Mariana Lenke Lucic." I asked and she sighed.
"Milan needed the Baker House nursery for Valentina." She cringed and my jaw dropped.
"So you're saying that I'm rooming with Segs and Milan?" I asked hopefully and she shook her head.
"Segs is staying up at Tree Tops." She admitted, smiling weakly as I shook my head, "Come on please don't be mad, Ry. It's not ideal, but it's just for 2 days. He already promised to stay on his best behavior and stay out of your way."
"I lived with him for 6 years, I guess another 2 days won't hurt." I sighed and she squealed, throwing her arms around my neck in a tight hug, "I must say, the amount you've changed since becoming a mom is rather frightening."
"Having Evelyn made me realize I had to grow up," she shrugged, "I don't want my daughter to look at me and see that smart ass B I T C H I used to be and I don't want her looking up to the girl with too many tattoos working at a biker bar. I want her to be so much more than that, so I have to lead by example."
"I'm so proud of you." I smiled, hugging her again, "No doubt Evie is too."
"Mar, where are the steaks?" Milan asked walking in and stopping short when he saw me, " Marshy said the barbecue was ready." He added quieter, not making eye contact as Mar pulled away and headed over to the fridge, pulling out a mountainous platter of steaks and handing it to her brother with a reassuring smile.
"Tell him we'll be right out." He nodded as he took them and rushed out the back door without another word.
"We'll this is going to be fun." I sighed and Mar frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.
"He's trying, Ry. He doesn't know how to act around you any more because one minute you hate him, the next you stop his wedding, then you reject him. Can you blame him for being confused?"
"Mar-" I started, but she shook her head, grabbing a massive soup pot and filling it with water before lifting it onto the stove.
"The least you could do is meet him half way." She shrugged, grabbing a handful of corn cobs and tossing them in, "What's the worst thing that could happen? Evie's godparents are back on speaking terms?"
"We get back together and he cheats on me again." I muttered under my breath and she tossed a glare my way.
"Rylan, your two best friends are getting married, can you stop acting like you're getting your teeth pulled being here?"
"I'm sorry Mar, I just...don't like not knowing where I stand with Milan." I shrugged and she frowned slightly.
"Give him a chance, being a dad has really changed him too. Who knows, you might like new Milan better than you liked old Milan."
"Me not liking Milan was never our problem." I pointed out and she smirked.
"Neither was him not liking you."