Free Before Ryan Was Mine (The Remembrance Trilogy - Prequel) by Kahlen Aymes Page B

before handing the coat back with a sardonic grimace. “You’ll look like The Giant Purple People Eater,” he teased, “or, a bloated grape.”
    “Thanks,” I retorted shortly. “Again, it’s your fault, dickhead. I didn’t even look at what I grabbed out of the closet!”
    “Did you wear that when you were five?” His shoulder nudged into mine and I couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t think I can take you downtown in that. I may have to buy you a new one.”
    “It’s fine.”
    “No, it’s not. It’s hideous!”
    “Some of us aren’t as vain as others,” I shot back as we started to walk toward the large revolving doors that would take us out to the curb, silently dreading wearing the horrible thing. “You said it was going to be a blizzard here. I didn’t think we’d do much beyond making a snowman in your backyard.”
    “Well, I certainly wouldn’t lose you in that, even in a whiteout. Here comes my mom.”
    A sleek silver Lexus stopped and Ryan went around the back to deposit my bag in the trunk as a slender woman in a long black cashmere coat and black leather gloves emerged from behind the wheel. I didn’t find similarities in their features, but her blue eyes and sandy hair were identical to her son’s. She was impeccably groomed, which only made my unkempt appearance more annoying.
    “Julia, it’s so nice to meet you! I’m Ryan’s mother, Elyse.” She embraced me warmly as the cold Chicago wind whipped around us and blew my long hair across my face. It felt like I was being stabbed with icicles. I began to shiver and my teeth started chattering. I tried to smile through it all, hesitating to put on the ugly coat.
    “Thank you, Mrs. Matthews. Sorry for the short notice.”
    She whisked my objection away with a casual wave of her hand. “It’s no trouble at all, and you must call me Elyse. Ryan, you drive, darling. I want to get acquainted with your friend.” She tossed Ryan the keys before he handed me my coat then held open the back passenger-side door and ushered me inside.
    The drive and shopping trip proved to be a lot of fun, and I found an easy camaraderie with Ryan’s mom. She was warm, easygoing, and very welcoming. She chatted on about Ryan and Aaron, the tree house they built in the backyard with their dad when they were ten, and how Ryan broke his arm when he fell out of it the following spring. Overall, there weren’t many embarrassing things I’d be able to tease Ryan with when the need arose to blackmail him, but things changed that night at dinner.
    “Ryan, have you bought any whores yet?” his father asked with a laugh.
    I gasped and some of the roast beef I’d been eating got sucked into my lungs. I began coughing uncontrollably, covering my mouth with the fine linen napkin that had been resting in my lap. My eyes began to tear as my chest convulsed painfully.
    “Jesus, Dad!” Ryan admonished, pushing back his chair and pounding on my back. “Sorry, Jules, it’s a joke.”
    Elyse rose from her chair and rounded the table toward the two of us, the tears in my eyes increasing as I struggled to regain my breath between coughing spurts. She picked up the glass of ice water next to my plate and offered it to me. I coughed again, wiped my tears and reached for it. I was acutely conscious of Ryan’s hand rubbing back and forth over my back between my shoulder blades.
    “I’m so sorry, Julia. I often tease Ryan about his whores.” The handsome face, so similar to his son’s, flashed a full grin as I finally took my seat again. I raised my eyebrow at Ryan who ran his hand through his hair. His agitation was clear.
    “Gabe, explain to the poor girl,” Elyse insisted.
    Ryan rolled his eyes. “Or not,” he insisted forcefully.
    “No, I’d like to hear this,” I said with a laugh, then flushed when Ryan shot me a warning look. I guess he didn’t think it was funny, but I sure as hell did.
    His father burst out laughing. “I like this girl, son. She’s