At home, Ryder felt restless and snappy. His heart was missing Anastasia. He wanted to talk to her again. His best friend, Caleb came over for a talk and Ryder sat on the porch with him. They sipped beer and talked about their plans for the weekend.
“No plans yet, dude but I think there’ll be a party here. It’s mom and dad’s 25th wedding anniversary,” said Ryder.
“Great, I’ll be away in San Francisco. Mom wants to visit her parents there. So Hails and I would be accompanying her. I thought you could come along too,” said Caleb. Hailey was Caleb's sister and two years younger than them.
“Maybe next time, Cal. I’ll be helping with the arrangements,” said Ryder. He wouldn’t want to go anywhere with Anastasia around. He wanted to see her again.
Renée noted a change in Ryder the next day. He was very eager to know more about Anastasia than how her day went at college. And what was more interesting was he seemed to have all the time in the world to accompany her to Anastasia's house after college.
"You don't have football practice today?" Asked Renée with surprise. Ryan was still at the grounds. Then how was Ryder free?
Ryder scratched his neck looking a little embarrassed. "I'm sick so I excused myself from coach Harrison, " he informed her. Renée looked at him suspiciously.
"Oh! But you don't look sick. You can drop me and go home to rest," she suggested.
"No!" Shouted Ryder in a panicked tone. Then he looked at her jaw-dropped stare and controlled himself. "I mean I'm feeling a little better. So I'll go with you. I can't let you return home alone. You're my only little sister," he reasoned. Renée rolled her eyes at him.
"Right, you remembered it today?" She teased. Ryder grinned at her. He knew that she had understood how much he wanted to see Anastasia again. Renée wasn’t very pleased with him. Who wanted their big brother to tag along? How would she chat with Anastasia with Ryder hovering around?
“I’m sure you have some other important work to do,” said Renée. Ryder shook his head vehemently.
“None,” he said, driving up to Anastasia’s house and switching off the ignition. His heart skipped a beat or two at the prospect of meeting her again. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her the whole day. He had overheard Renée talking to Anastasia in the morning. They were planning to meet after college. It had made him restless too and his brain cooked up ways to meet Anastasia. He even declined the college heartthrob, Lydia right in front of her friends, reducing her to tears. He didn’t feel even an ounce of guilt afterward and here he was eagerly following Renée to her best friend’s house.
The door opened before they could even reach the doorbell and Anastasia emerged carrying a huge carton, staggering literally under its weight. Ryder rushed forward to take the carton from her hands. Their hands brushed in the process and goose bumps erupted on Anastasia’s arms. She stared wide-eyed at Ryder, not having expected him here at all. Renée cleared her throat feeling shocked that her best friend hadn’t noticed her!
“Hello! Even though I'm here for God’s sake!” she said impatiently. Ryder grinned while Anastasia blushed a little.
“Of course you’re here, Ren. I’ve seen you coming from the window, “ she said not telling her that she hadn’t seen Ryder following her. Renée grunted and gave her brother a disgusted look.
“Well, I can stand with this forever if you want me to,” said Ryder making Renée choke on her spit.
Anastasia looked embarrassed. “Umm, I’m sorry, Blue. Please come with me. This goes to the bakery shop,” she said, walking towards the shop.
“Seriously, Bluey boy? I have to tell this to Ryan and Anna,” she laughed. Ryder glared at her.
“Oh, come on. There’s nothing to tell. I was just kidding!” he said, his ears going a little red. “If you tell a soul, I’ll never give you a lift in my car,” threatened Ryder. Renée chuckled.
“There are others to give me a lift, in case you’ve forgotten,” she said. Ryder rolled his eyes at his sister. They really were such bugging creatures!
Anastasia turned and smiled at him, leading him to the back of the bakery shop while Renée stood admiring the goodies on display in front of the shop. “You can keep them here, Blue,” she said breathlessly.
Ryder was excited to get a fleeting moment alone with her, away from Renée’s prying eyes. He lowered the carton to the place where she pointed. “What’s in there? You shouldn’t be carrying such heavy stuff yourself, Annie,” he said. Anastasia froze, hearing him call her that again. It was the first time someone had called her ‘Annie’ instead of Anna. He had called her that and she had wanted to hear it again ever since.
“Why do you call me Annie?” asked Anastasia.
“It just slips out of my mouth. I think of you as Annie in my mind. Your name's quite a mouthful actually,” said Ryder. Anastasia flushed a little. She wondered what he thought about her!
“You think about me?” she gasped and then covered her mouth with her hand. Her eyes widened when Ryder walked closer to her.
He stood inches away from her, his hot breath on her face, his piercing blue eyes gazing at her. “Don’t you?” he asked with curiosity. Anastasia’s eyes widened further.
“N no, I I don’t. Why should I I t think about you?” she lied, her cheeks coloring more.
Ryder couldn’t help the smile that lit up his face. He lifted his fingers and trailed it down her red flushed cheek.
“I’m sure I’m the only one who thinks about you,” he said, making her mouth hang open. His eyes dropped to her plump mouth. The wish to touch them was playing havoc with his senses. Were they as soft as they looked? Anastasia was acutely aware of where Ryder’s eyes were focused upon. An electric current shot through her body at his tender caress on her cheek.
“Are you two lost?” came Renée’s voice along with her footsteps. Anastasia jumped and staggered backwards with horror. Ryder stood watching her as she blinked and when realization struck her, she ran out of the place. Ryder calmed himself and followed her after a few minutes. He saw that Renée was already sitting in a corner, devouring a slice of cheesecake. Ryder groaned wishing that he was alone with Anastasia again.
He stole a bit from her cake and Renée started muttering curses at him. Anastasia handed him a piece of cake too. “I’ve made it. Tell me how it is,” she said shyly. Ryder’s eyes widened with disbelief and he took a bite. The delicious taste hit him so hard that he wanted nothing more than to eat it for breakfast, lunch as well as dinner.
“It’s good,” he said, finishing his food. Renée stared at him with disbelief.
“Just good? It’s heavenly, Ana. I wish I could make something as delicious as this?” said Renée.
“We could take lessons from Annie,” said Ryder. Renée gaped at him with disbelief.
“We? We who? I’m the one who would get lessons from Ana,” said Renée. Ryder’s face fell and he glanced at Anastasia.
“Why can’t I?” he asked innocently but his sister knew how innocent he actually was.
“You just play your football,” said Renée with a glare. She was getting pissed off with Ryder being stuck to her and her bestie all the time. It seemed as if he had weaved some magic upon her.
“I’ll teach you if you want to learn,” said Anastasia, receiving another glare from Renée as if she wanted to warn her against her brother.
“Don’t worry, he’s not serious about learning. If he was, he could have learnt at home,” said Renée. They all met Anastasia’s grandfather, Eddie Hampton, who came to look after the bakery shop.
“Your granny has made a lot of fresh tarts, muffins and croissants, Ana. Could you get them please?” asked her grandpa. Customers started flocking to the shop and Anastasia got up to go home.
“We’ll help you,” offered Ryder, making Anastasia smile. Her grandpa appreciated Ryder’s offer of help.
“Thank you, Ryder. Do you know any capable and hardworking boy who could help me around with the bakery shop?” asked her grandpa.
“I’ll ask dad and get back to you, grandpa. We have a lot of workers around. I’m sure we can find someone for you,” said Ryder.
“Thanks, my boy,” said Eddie Hampton.
“You’re welcome, grandpa,” said Ryder, making the old man smile.
They went back to the house. Anastasia introduced Ryder to her since she already knew Renée. They carried the food items back to the shop. Renée was getting pissed off since she had assignments to complete and Ryder wasn’t at all interested in going home. It seemed he wanted to help them with the bakery the whole day and whole night! After an hour she pushed Ryder to his car.
“Let’s go home. I have assignments to complete, unlike you,” said Renée. Ryder switched on the ignition, his glance going towards Anastasia who stood at the door watching them. Her eyes looked sad as if she didn’t want him to go. He smiled at her with a wave.
“See you tomorrow,” he said, with a salute, making her grin. Renée pinched him as he drove off home with a grin on his face.