Free Unstoppable by Christina Marie

at college.  Love you, here’s your mom.”
    We talked for a little bit about getting my class schedule and familiarizing myself with the different buildings on campus.  She told me they had two new high school cheer squads that had joined the fitness center.  “So are you ever going to tell me what went on with you and Ryder?  He’s been MIA from family dinners.”
    “Mom!” I screeched into the phone. 
    “Calm down, I’m outside, your dad is inside.  Just tell me.” She sighed.
    “We—had sex.” I said quickly.
    “I figured.  Just promise me you’ll be careful Harley, if you want me to I’ll make you an appointment to get on birth control.”
    “I can do that myself.  I’ll ask Sarah to go with me.”
    “ALWAYS, no matter what, even on the pill…use protection!”
    “Okay, this conversation is over.” I laughed. 
    “Love you baby, be careful.”
    “Love you too.”
    After we hung up I decided to try calling Ryder, it only rang twice then went to voicemail.  His deep baritone voice, “You know what to do.” Sent my heart racing.  The beep for me to leave a message snapped me back to task. 
    “Hey, I just thought I’d call and see how you are doing.  Give me a call soon.  I miss you Ryder.” My voice cracked.  I swallowed the lump in my throat, and hung up. 
    When I went into the living room Sarah was in the kitchen making a salad. 
    “You look like somebody kicked your puppy.” She gave me a weak smile.
    “I talked to mom and she wants me to go to the doctor and get put on birth control, so, I told her I’d ask you if you’d go with me.  Then I tried to call Ryder but he didn’t answer.  God—I miss him.” I sat down on the bar stool and plucked a piece of lettuce from the bowl. 
    “He might actually be busy, pissed off and maybe a little hurt too.”
    I hated knowing that he was mad, “I know he’s pissed but I wouldn’t ignore him for this long.”

Chapter 8

    “You want to tell me why you just ignored her call?” dad asked with a grin as he leaned against the work bench in my shop.
    “No, not really.” I replied then looked back at the tank I was prepping for paint. 
    “You haven’t been to a family dinner in weeks, you didn’t come see her off before she left and you just ignored her call.  What’s your deal?”
    “Nothing… fuck !” I threw my shop rag down on the work bench and braced my hands on the edge.  I could feel dad staring at me, waiting for me to talk.  “We hooked up the night of graduation.  I wanted to try having a relationship with her, because I swear I’m so in love with that woman it drives me crazy.  She on the other hand said we couldn’t do the whole relationship thing.”
    “So you’re just going to ignore her?  That’s pretty shitty Ryder.”
    “What the fuck am I supposed to do?  I know the very second I hear her voice, it’ll take you and Bryan stopping me from dragging her back here.  She’ll find some punk to fuck around with and forget about me.”  I finally looked at dad.
    “You know you’re acting like a junior high kid that just watched his crush kiss another boy right?  How do you think your mom and I got together?”
    “No clue.” I honestly had no idea how they met.  Dad walked over to the refrigerator and came back with four beers.  “Long story I take it?” I took two of the beers from him. 
    “You could say that but I’ll just make it short and to the point.” The beer bottle hissed when he twisted the cap off.  “I met your mom because she was dating a douche bag while she was at college.”
    “Okay and?”
    “He was a territorial, possessive, abusive piece of shit.” In one long pull dad drank half of his beer.
    “Like he was beating on mom?” I asked and took a long drink of my beer. 
    He nodded his head, “Yep, but the very second I looked into your mothers eyes.  I knew I would do anything I had to, to keep her safe and make her mine.  She tried to hide her bruises