Two Can Play This Game

Chapter 24: Parties & First Meetings.

[S] It hurts to see Ryan and Rebecca growing up... soon enough I'm going to have to say goodbye to them and I don't want too. I have character attachment. I feel like I'm going to miss them so much I'm seriously debating writing a sequel. Should I??

(I was meaning to make this connected to the last chapter & I have no clue what made me think otherwise but now It just doesn't feel right connecting alongside the original Chapter 24.. so this is a little cut and then the chapters will be organized. Enjoy and try not to kill me.)

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The cab pulled up to a very posh and proper neighborhood and stopped in front of the house in the middle of the street. The dark green house - well more like small mansion if we're being technical- with a roundabout driveway, eight huge windows with navy shutters and in the middle sat a circular garden with a small tree in the middle. Well someone was obsessed with all about bragging about their money, I thought. There were two cars parked in the driveway and a couple waiting at the door for us. I heard Ryan take a deep breath before paying the taxi driver and stepping out with me right behind him. The woman was dressed in a matching pastel blouse, cardigan and pencil skirt with a blond bob cut, everything about the way she stood so properly to her clothing screamed stuck up. Beside her was almost a replica of Ryan, Rick Atwood stood tall and broad with darkened blonde hair that was seemed to be thinning and similar blue eyes to Ryan. Unlike his wife, he was dressed in jeans and a buttoned down shirt.

"Ryan." Greeted his father; once we made our way to the front door.

Ryan nodded in acknowledgement, "Hey dad." Then as an afterthought he added, "You to Connie."

"Hello Ryan, who's your friend?"Asked Connie as her cat like eyes zeroed onto me.

Taking that as my cue to speak, I stretched my hand out and introduced myself," Hello Mr. and Mrs. Atwood, I'm Rebecca Cohen."

"My girlfriend." With that stated, Ryan threw his arm around my shoulders.

Rick Atwood's attention was now also focused on me as a grin broke out onto his face, "Cowgirl?" He asked.

"That's me sir." I gave him a smile back, happy he had remembered the little nickname he made up for me when I was younger.

Connie looked from me to her husband and a look of confusion crossed her face," Darling you know Ryan's girlfriend?"

"Of course, I've known her since she was a little thing in her mama's tummy. She's Jill and Chris's daughter. Remember my best friend Chris." He answered with a sympathetic look toward me, to which I gave him a strained smile at the mention of my father.

Connie nodded slowly, obviously not remembering but Ryan's dad spoke again," How did my son catch a sweetheart like you? Last time I saw ya'll two you couldn't sit in the same room together without a brawl breaking out."

"With his charm and patience of sitting through my sappy chick flicks I gave up." I responded with a fake admiring look at Ryan.

Rick nodded with a grin on his face and then he grabbed Ryan's shoulder and said, "I'm proud of you son. You got yourself a real catch." Connie was still standing with a smile on her face, but I saw a vein twitch in her jaw at Rick's words.

"Thanks dad and I know I do." Was Ryan's reply as he pulled me closer to his side. Was he possibly happy at his father's words? Well I hoped he was.

For a minute we all kind of just stood there starring and smiling awkwardly at each other, well until Ryan took his hand off of my shoulder and clapped them together, "Well you've met Rebecca now and you approve of her so we would like to get ready before the party. We'll see you tomorrow."