Hard and Fast (Fast Track #2)(37)
Author: Erin McCarthy

“I don’t imagine Ty is really taking your feelings into account, nor should he. It’s his life.”

“So here’s what we need to do,” Suzanne said as if he hadn’t spoken at all. “I need to see the two of them together and decide for myself if Ty actually likes her or if he’s just playing her, so you and I need to have another dinner party.”

The hell they did. “No. Absolutely not. It’s none of our business and I’m not taking another pie in the face to support your meddling in your friends’ love lives.”

“Oh, I wasn’t going to make a pie. I was going to bake a pineapple upside-down cake.”

Damn her. She knew that was his all-time favorite dessert. He paused, closing his eyes to gather his willpower. “No . . . it’s not a good idea.”

“I’ll bring one to the dinner party, then I’ll follow up with the dessert of your choice on the first of the month for the next three months.”

“Sold.” The woman knew exactly how to manipulate him. He had a killer sweet tooth, and Suzanne had always been able to bring him to his knees with her amazing baked goods. It was something he should probably be ashamed of, but it was only one dinner party, and chances were Suzanne would do it with or without him, so he might as well reap the benefits of cooperation.

“I’d better make sure I leave condoms on the counter in my bathroom. Last time we did this, Tammy and Elec ransacked my medicine cabinet before doing the deed in my bathroom. Maybe we can just eliminate the stress of that for them and the cleanup for me. There was aspirin flung all over the place.”

“Imogen and Ty are not going to be doing it in the bathroom,” Suzanne said, scoffing.

“You said that last time.” Frankly, it seemed the only one not having sex lately was him, bathroom or anywhere else. He didn’t even want to contemplate the last time he had been with a woman, because it was bound to make him cranky.

“Alright, so maybe they’ll have sex in the bathroom. Imogen is blushing every time his name comes up. But I guess that doesn’t matter if he’s treating her well and is serious about her.”

“Easy for you to say since it’s not your bathroom. So when are we doing this little night of forced fun?”

“A week from Monday. This Monday, Ty is taking Imogen camping.”

Ryder tried to picture serious and studious Imogen hiking through the woods in her sweater set and shiny black handbag. “She doesn’t really seem like the camping type.”

“She’s not. Which is why I’m worrying. She’s willing to get dirty for him and that scares me.”

Not wanting to explore Suzanne’s logic with her, given that he still didn’t really think it was any of her business, Ryder just said, “What do you need me to do?”

“Just invite Ty. I’ll invite everyone else.”

“Okay. And I guess there will be one good thing about this.”

“What’s that?”

Ryder grinned. “Nikki won’t be there.”

Suzanne laughed. “No kidding. Lord, that girl tries my patience.”

“You and everyone else.” Ryder honestly hadn’t been able to figure out how Ty could stand five minutes with the girl.

“Alright, I’m going to let you go. Thanks, Ryder.”

That was nice to hear. “You’re welcome, Suz. You have a good heart to care about your friends, ya know that?” Even if it was misguided, he knew Suzanne’s plans came from a place of concern.

“Thanks. I’ll talk to you later. I lo—”

Ryder froze as Suzanne cut her sentence short. It had sounded like she had been about to say “I love you” before she hung up, just like she used to.

“Bye,” she said quickly, and then Ryder heard nothing but a dial tone.

It must have just been habit, conditioning, from when they were married. Suz didn’t have those kinds of feelings for him anymore. Ryder frowned at his cell phone before jamming it back into his pocket. He and Suzanne had been divorced for damn near two years. This was his reality.

So why did he suddenly feel lonely as hell?

“Ryder, what’s up?”

Grateful for the distraction from his unexpected thoughts, Ryder looked up to see the very man he and Suzanne had been discussing striding toward him.

“Hey, Ty, not much. How about yourself?”

Ty looked like he was in a great mood. He was whistling a cheerful tune. He paused and gave a grin. “Same old, same old.”

Because he was mildly curious, Ryder shifted on his feet and said, “Heard you’re not seeing Nikki anymore. You don’t look cut up over it.”

“Nope. I should have ended that a good long while ago.” Ty shrugged. “But it doesn’t matter. I’ve started seeing someone else this week, and it’s looking good.”

“She put that stupid grin on your face?”

Ty laughed. “I imagine so. You remember Imogen Wilson, Tammy’s student? It’s her.”

“No kidding?” Ryder pretended like he didn’t know. “She’s a nice girl. Not your usual type, but she definitely seems like she has her act together.”

“She’s not my usual type, but maybe that just goes to show you I’ve been barking up the wrong tree. Imogen is the whole package, you know what I’m saying? She is beautiful, sexy as hell, and smart. I mean, we have great sex and great conversations. Who knew that was possible?”

Ty looked so bemused at the concept, Ryder grinned. “I think a lot of people knew that was possible. You’re just a slow learner. But I’m glad things are going good for you.”

Suzanne’s fears about Ty playing Imogen seemed totally unfounded to Ryder. Ty looked like a man with a massive crush.

“Things are damn good.”

“Well, bring her around my place next Monday. Suzanne is throwing a dinner party.”

Ty’s eyebrow went up. “How did you get roped into doing that again?”

Ryder realized he’d never been told what excuse to give for the party, so he just shrugged. “I don’t know. You know I have a soft spot for Suz and she likes these things. Please say you’ll be there or she’s going to give me hell.”

Ty clapped him on the shoulder and grinned. “Sure, we’ll be there. But you might want to think about why it is you’re whipped by a woman who’s not even doing the dirty with you.”

He had no intention of thinking about that and hated being reminded of it. “Screw you, McCordle.”