Free Ryder by Amy Davies Page B

shower and a mega power nap, thinking about how I am going to get Letty to give me another chance. It’s going to be hard after the way I have treated her but hey the Phoenix boys are stubborn as hell
     
    After my nap, I get dressed in my blue jeans but sans my boots, I pull on my Chucks instead. I am sifting through my closet when Lucy walks into my room and makes herself at home on my bed.
    “Hey, Ryder. Do you think that Letty will be at Max Point tonight? I know you were bitching about her going on a date, but what makes you think she will come to Max’s?”
    I pull a white t-shirt on over my head and turn to talk to Lucy “I don’t but it’s the main place to go, so I have everything crossed that she turns up tonight.” I shrug and reach into my closet and pull out a denim shirt. I put it on and roll the sleeves up to just below my elbows.  I run my fingers through my hair and decide not to wear my ball cap tonight, so I add a touch of styling paste to my hair and ruffle it up a little, nodding at my reflection in the mirror, I turn back to Lucy who is smiling at me.
    “God, what I wouldn’t give to be dressed to go out in thirty minutes. You rock the "just out of bed" look just like Rafe.” She winks and stands to leave but stops at my bedroom door and turns to me “Go get her, you can do it. You are Ryder Phoenix, for fuck's sake.” She leaves me standing there laughing at her potty mouth.
    Lucy Cooper may look sweet and innocent but she can cuss like the rest of us boys. I check myself in the full length mirror once more, damn I look good. I join Rafe and Lucy in the living room and see that Beck has turned up to join us. He hasn’t been around much the past few weeks he has been working on his internship, which he started during Christmas break.
    “Well look who decided to grace us with his presence. And to what do we owe this pleasure, kind sir?” Rafe and Lucy laughs. I love ribbing these guys. I know deep down that Beck has been working hard. He really wants this internship to turn into a full time job when we graduate.
    “Fuck off, dude. I have been working my ass off. Between school and work, I’m so tired at the end of the week I normally just crash and sleep the weekend away. I haven't gotten laid in like…” He counts on his fingers, trying to work out when the last time he hooked up with a random girl. When I say random I do mean random, he doesn’t even bother finding out a name or even buy them a drink some nights.
    He says ‘Hi’ and then takes them home to their place, never his. He still refuses to admit his feelings for Trinity. They both are fighting it; I could throttle them most days. I would love to just lock them in a padded room with a box of condoms and tell them to sort their shit out. I see the hurt in Trin’s eyes every time she sees Beck with another girl and I see the anger in Beck’s eyes every time Trin brings Alex around.
    “Fair enough, let get the drinks flowing and enjoy our night. I need to correct my trouble” I wink at Lucy again and she nods in understanding.
    We hit Max Point shortly after and head for the bar. I see that Jax and Izzy are working tonight. The place is packed and it’s only eight-thirty.  I walk over to Izzy and order our drinks. While she is making our drinks, I scan the room. Rafe has Lucy on his lap at the booth; nothing new there then. Beck is talking to Izzy behind the bar and I see a pretty blond staring at me. She smiles when our eyes meet and I reciprocate, with a polite smile, not that you have a chance with me smile. She makes her way over to me. Just great, another groupie wanna be. I turn back to the bar to see if Izzy has finished making our drinks. As she places the last drink on the tray the girl reaches me.
    “Hey, I’m Daisy and you're Ryder, right?” I nod and hand money over to Izzy who gives the girl a foul look. I wink at Izzy who just smiles and shakes her head at me.
    “I am. It's nice to meet you, Daisy.”