My Brother's Best Friend

Chapter 16

(Ruby's POV)

"Bye!" I say before shutting the door behind me. I look down at all the bags from our successful day of shopping. It'll take me ages to get all these upstairs.

"Ryan?" I call. "Matt?"

I step over the bags and wander into the living room, a giggle escapes my lips as I take in the sight that greets me. Ryan is sprawled across the sofa with my favourite blanket over him. His mouth is open as he snores gently.

I silently walk towards him fully planning on waking him up, however, just as I reach him, I realize just how peaceful he looks and I don't have the heart to wake him up.

After carrying all seventeen bags up to my room I decide to make dinner for everyone. Judging by the empty beer cans in the living room, Ryan is staying the night again; not that I'm complaining.

I glance at the clock. It's six, thirty seven. Mom and Dad should be home in about twenty minutes. Dad is the chief of police in our town, meaning that he's on call pretty much most of the time. Mom works in an accounting firm across the street from the station, which works out well for them as most weeks they can commute to work together.

I decide on chicken stir fry and grab the necessary ingredients from the refrigerator. After cutting up all the vegetables and the chicken, I grab a frying pan from the cupboard and put it on the stove. Before I do anything else, I grab my new Taylor Swift CD and slide it into the stereo by the window and press play on my absolutely favourite track on the album; Blank Space.

Arms wrap around my waist just as I'm sprinkling some soy sauce onto the almost cooked meal.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Ryan murmurs, kissing my neck gently.

"Because," I say trying not to get distracted from my cooking. "You looked completely out of it, I doubt that a hurricane would have woken you."

He mutters something incoherent into my shoulder.

I stir the noodles in the pot beside me. Perfect, they're almost done.

"Do you need a hand?"

"Could you set the table, please? Mom and Dad should be-"

"We're home!" Mom sings, cutting me off.

"Sure," Ryan says with a smile. He pecks my cheek lightly before setting the table.

"Mmm, something smells delicious," Dad says as he walks into the kitchen. "Please tell me you're making chicken stir fry."

"Of course," I smile.

"Do you need some help?" He rolls up his sleeves and washes his hands at the sink.

"You could pour some wine for you and Mom. I'm sure you would both like a glass with your dinner. I put some in the refrigerator earlier."

"You're a little darling," he says.

Mom comes into the kitchen just as Dad is opening the wine. She gives Dad a quick kiss before making her way over towards me.

"Hi, sweetie." She pulls me into a hug. "Matt's coming down now. You go sit down and I'll carry this over to the table."

"No you won't, Susan," Ryan says just as he finishes setting the table. "You've been working all day, so go and sit down. I'll lift it over."

"So, Ruby," Dad starts one all five of us are sitting down. "How was your day? Your mother says you went shopping with Jas."

"Yeah, I did. We had a such a great time."