Everything & More (Book 1 in the E.C.N Series)

Chapter 82 - Ryan

"And they lived happily ever after. The End." I said shutting the story book.

"Again! Again!" Paige exclaimed as she was snuggled up under her covers.

I couldn't contain my laughter, "Shorty I've read this book 3 times already."

She pouted a little, "I'll read to you another time, promise." Her toothy smile came through as she wrapped her pinky around mine.

I closed the door slowly behind me making sure not to wake her. As I made my way down stairs I heard Martha humming as she cleaned the kitchen. Instead of joining her I made my way to the living room to set up a movie for us to watch. We had come up with having a movie night for the times I would join her and Paige for dinner. The routine was nice, I would read Paige a bedtime story and after, Martha and I would spend some time together before I went home. We made clear boundaries that we wouldn't do anything with Paige in the house and I especially wouldn't be sleeping over while Paige was here either. The last thing we wanted was Paige having more questions than she already did.

I know what you're thinking. What about my situation? Have I told Martha?

The answer to that is no I haven't but I am tonight. Also I couldn't help but think back to that conversation with Garrett in my office.

"Ryan you have worked so hard for this. There is no one more dedicated to this company or has more passion than you. I saw it, my uncle saw it. So what seems to be the problem?"

"Nothing...you're right I've worked really hard for this."

He was right I had worked hard to be apart of Precision Fixes & Tires... but I wanted to work harder to be with Martha.

She came into the living room with a bottle of wine, two glasses, and a smile on her face. "Did you pick a movie?"

"Almost, I'm still trying to decide between two on the list we made." I said looking at the paper list we wrote up together.

She settled the wine and glasses onto the coffee table before making her way closer to me. "Let's see, which ones?"

I pointed at the options. "The fault in ours stars?! Are you serious? Are you trying to have me ball my eyes out tonight?"

I put my hands up in defense, "Hey I've never seen it how was I suppose to know. It was under the romance section I was trying to pick something different." I clamped my lips together trying to suppress the smile that was threatening to come through.

She snatched the paper and looked again, "What was the second one?" I cautiously moved closer and pointed further down the list. "P.S I LOVE YOU?! Yea no, how do you only pick the tear jerkers yet you've never seen them?"

I pouted slightly embarrassed, she quickly kissed my pout, "They weren't bad picks I just really didn't want to cry tonight." She giggled as she looked at the list one more time.

"Ooo lets do a comedy. I'll watch any of the movies you watched with Garrett or Mason."

"Seriously?!" My eyes widen, she never wants to watch something that might be really dumb. Martha calls them boy movies. She nodded and I hurriedly went to turn a movie on before she changed her mind.

~~~~~~

The hysterical laughing coming from beside me was actually concerning. This entire time I didn't think she was enjoying the movie. It's the first time she made a sound out loud. "You are seriously twisted. This is what's getting to you?"

"What?! He's trying to bury him alive." She laughed some more.

For clarification, we were currently watching Step Brothers with Will Ferrell. Will Ferrell's character was burying his step brother thinking he was dead but in a panic the step brother wakes up screaming he's actually alive. Though Will Ferrell's character just keeps burying him, telling him to be quiet cause he'll wake the neighbors. And this woman beside me can't breathe because she's laughing too hard.