Chapter 34

Ryder

It has been two weeks since Scarlet came home from the hospital. She is about to go crazy to get her cast off or at least get it changed. She says that it itches like crazy and she’s afraid it smells. She feels like she can’t take care of herself. Although one of the perks for me is that I have to help her take a bathe since we have to keep her cast wrapped up. Thank God most of her soreness went away after a few days because we have definitely been making up for any lost time that may have occurred in the sex department.

I can’t wait until tomorrow its Christmas Eve. I have invited her mom, Gable, Ivie, Annabelle, Naomi, Nelson and even Dustin. Dustin and I have come to have a new respect for each other. I can’t be angry for the rest of my life with him. He was just a scared little boy deep down inside, just like I’ve been. He wanted acceptance and Brandon was the only person who would give it to him. Even though his acceptance came with a price and some emotional damage.

I can honestly say my dad would always love me no matter what I’ve done to embarrass him. Actually he’s already proven that time and time again. I don’t understand how Dustin’s parents could just turn their back on him. Which his coming out and Brandon’s arrest churned up a huge shit storm of press for their families. I let him hide out for a week or so at the cabin in Waycross. Nelson and I have had to have more than a couple reporters thrown off the property trying to catch a glimpse of Scarlet.

I had my attorney contact SCAD about her turning in her assignments and making sure she got full credit for the semester. Considering if they hadn’t been holding a mandatory lecture in a building that forced students to walk around to a dark side entrance she probably wouldn’t have been as easily caught off guard by Brandon. They gladly accepted her assignments and gave her full credit. I also made sure they got a nice donation for better lighting on all their campuses. I know her and she’s going to want to go back. I can’t handle the thought of her or any other woman getting attacked like that.

My dad called me in his office the other day to inform me that he was going to have to go stay in Atlanta for six to eight months to get the mess straightened out up there. I am going to have to do more of my part with the business side down here. I’m not looking forward to it, but I understand it. Plus in talking to Dustin I found out that Scarlet is really good with financial books and organization. He said when she worked for his dad she did a great job, that was one reason his dad was angry with him when they broke up. He had to find a new assistant. Not that his dad would’ve ever accepted her as more than an assistant.

So that brings up the most exciting part. Tomorrow night when I give Scarlet her promise ring I’m asking her to move in with me. I know she is going to flip out, but I really want her here all the time. I thought maybe I was just getting ahead of myself a few weeks ago, but after her attack and being with her these past two weeks, I can’t live without her.

~*~*~

Waking up this morning it’s like I believe in Santa all over again. I’m so excited to have my first Christmas with Scarlet. I roll over and kiss her behind her ear.

She giggles. “Didn’t you get enough last night? I think you’ve broken my vagina.”

I laugh into her neck causing her to squirm. “Just for the record I can never get enough of you.”

She sits up in bed. “I have to get up. I have to help Nana with the food for tonight. Now come on and help me in the shower and if you’re a good boy I’ll let you check my vagina to see if it really is broken while we are in there.”

I jump up out of bed and meet her in the bathroom. She holds out her arm while I use the small garbage bag to pull up over her cast and tape it to her arm. She laughs. “This is super sexy huh?”

“Babe if I had to wrap your entire body in a garbage bag, it’d still be sexy as hell.”

I smack her on the ass as she steps in the shower. She giggles. “I guess it’s time for you to check my vagina Dr. Abbott.”

I smirk. “I guess so Ms. Johnson.”

After spending a little while in the shower giving each other physicals. We get dressed and make our way down to the kitchen where Nana is baking a cake.

“If you two don’t stop spending so much time undressed in that bedroom I’m going to be a great-grandmother before you know it.”

Scarlet and I glare at each other. She shakes her head. “Nana it’s okay trust me I’m not pregnant I take my pill every morning like clockwork and I’m on the one that you take for three months straight, so I can’t even ovulate but like three times a year.”

Nana shakes her head. “Well y’all just be careful. You have your whole lives ahead of you and you need time to be with each other.”

I hug her. “We know Nana that is the reason we are so careful.”

She chuckles. “Alright. I love you both and I just want y’all to be happy.”

Scarlet hugs her. “Thanks Nana I don’t know what I would’ve done without you guys.”

“No problem baby.” Nana says as she hugs her back.

I open the refrigerator to grab our steaks and shrimp for tonight. I need to get them in the marinade. We don’t do your normal southern Christmas dinner with several meats, a thousand sides, bread and twenty different desserts. We do steak, shrimp, baked potatoes, salad, fresh rolls and my Nana’s famous seven layer chocolate cake.

Scarlet looks over at me as I’m getting all the steaks out. “Jeez Ryder how many damn steaks are you guys gonna eat?”

I’m still trying to keep it hidden how many people are coming. “We just do a bunch at one time babe.”

She smiles. “Oh okay I was wondering.”

~*~*~

A few hours later everyone starts arriving. The doorbell rings and I get Scarlet to answer it. She screams when she opens the door. “Gable!!”

I hear Gable. “Is mom here yet?”

“No. Not yet.”

I step into the foyer to see Gable and Ivie standing there, with Scarlet wrapped around his neck. I step over. “Hey guys how’s it going?”

Gable steps over to shake my hand. “Good man. It has been a long trip.”

“You wanna come out back with me the steaks are about ready to take off the grill? My dad, Nelson and Dustin are out there.”

“Sure man. Ivie you wanna come out with me or do you want to hang out with Scarlet?”

She speaks softly. “I’ll go with Scarlet.”

He smiles. “Okay good.”

Scarlet and I look at each other Ivie seems distant, not like the girl we saw in Hilton Head. You can tell Gable doesn’t want to leave her side, but he trusts Scarlet.

After Gable and I step out back I hand him a beer. “So is Ivie okay?”

“Yeah this is just a bad time of year for her. Her mom took off at Christmas and her dad was locked up right before Christmas. So you know it just sucks.”

“Ah yeah. I don’t eat Chocolate Chip cookies. Ever. My mom used to make them for me. Even when she was so sick from her treatments. After she died I just could never eat them again.”

He nods. “Well I’m glad you’ve been there for Scar. She looks great. Cade told me what she looked like. I was trying my damnedest to get on a plane here even after they told me not to. Ivie kept my ass on lockdown.”

“So what’s up with you and Ivie are you a thing or what?”

“Man it’s complicated. Not a topic for Christmas.”

I laugh. “Okay man lets go get these steaks.”