Chapter 18

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"Are you sure there is nothing you want to do today," I ask Ryder as I run my fingers through his hair

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"Are you sure there is nothing you want to do today," I ask Ryder as I run my fingers through his hair. His head is in my lap while we sit in the living room watching Iron Chef. Neither of us care about the cooking aspect of the show, the competition is what keeps us entertained enough to watch hours of it.

Ryder is in such a sour mood today his hat is laying in the middle of the room, having been tossed away in frustration when the last text from his agent came in. This has been most of our week, when we aren't at the rink. The ice is his only escape as usual.

"No, I just want to be next to you," he sighs sadly, super clingy as he buries his head into my stomach, his arms tightly wrapped around me. It seems he is already in mourning for what is to come.

Though that seems to have been him for days now. All week we've both been waiting for the other shoe to drop. His manager is in town, something that I found out Saturday morning while Ryder laid in bed with a raging hangover. I figured something was up Friday when I saw how drunk he was. He is not usually a big drinker,and the only time I had seen him like he was Friday, was the day his parents made his summer plans for him. I knew something with them had happened instantly and his drunk words confirmed it. He sounded so scared and upset I barely slept that night. Honestly I nearly went through his phone after he knocked out to find out what was wrong; but I stopped myself, reminding myself I have to trust him. If he wants to tell me, he will and he did, thankfully. The last thing we need is secrets between us.

Now we just wait for the shit show, that at this point feels inevitable. His manager keeps trying to see him but Ryder keeps making up excuses why he can't. Tomorrow the dodging ends and he has his meeting with the team but that isn't the shitty part. The shitty part is his manager is going to find out where he lives, which is not the apartment he told his parents he is staying in. His manager, who is loyal to Ryder's father, is not going to hold the secret in. They will know and there ends the dream of never having them know about me.

Ryder isn't worried about me per say. He knows they can't drive us apart, we are far too stubborn for that. But they will be cruel to me in an attempt to not lose control of their son. We both know if they find out about me that the insults will be endless. Ryder at this point in his life is only mildly upset by their insults at him but pointed at me; well they're playing a dangerous game there.

"We can do anything," I suggest to Ryder, hating seeing him so dejected already. Tomorrow could be the day he finally gets his offer. What should be a happy and exciting day is overshadowed by them once again.

"What would you like to do babe? Wednesday is your only day off, we don't have to sit around all day." Ryder sits up trying to shake his bad mood off for my sake.

"We can sit around all day," I say as he opens his arms and I instinctively crawl into his lap. Without hesitation Ryder wraps his arms tightly around me and kisses the top of my head.

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