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

Chapter 15-Martha

"Is it just me or does take out taste better when you pay for it?" I said as I stuffed my face full of shrimp lo mein, smiling at Ryan.

A chuckle rumbled from his chest, "It's definitely just you."

We were sitting in my living room with a bottle of wine and take out. This had become a routine of Lori, Ryan and I. Though, this was the first time that Ryan and I were alone.

I was taking a long sip of my wine when he started to speak again. "You know how Mason Reyes is working at your hospital."

"Yeah."

"Well I wanted to tell you something about him. Actually I've been meaning to for a while now. It just never seemed like the right time."

"What is it?"

"You can tell him that I told you. And when you explain why he won't care either way." He took a breath before continuing, "Mason and his ex-wife split up a few years ago and he kind of spiraled. She kind of broke him and left him to pick up the pieces. What I'm getting at is that if anyone is going to understand what you're going through, it's him."

Hearing that made me not feel so alone. Though I hoped Mason wouldn't be too mad with Ryan sharing this information with me. I mean we weren't that close, I haven't done anything to deserve this kind of knowledge. "Why didn't you say anything before?"

"I wanted you to have a clear head knowing. I mean I know you aren't anywhere near healed but you have a good head on your shoulders. You are focused on Paige and your well being, that's all I can ask for." I smiled at him, grateful for his careful analysis. "Plus when I tried to tell you the last time I was here, we got distracted by Lori cursing out the Chinese place for forgetting her egg roll." The wine I was drinking sputtered out a bit as I remembered, Ryan followed suit seeing the wine drip down my chin.

~~~~~~

"Marriage counseling." That's all Ryan said, it was about midnight and we had talked for hours. Eventually he wanted to know how Paige was doing in school. One thing led to another and here we are. He was sitting at one end spread out with his arm casually across the back of it. His muscles showed through the black long sleeve he was wearing the more he stretched out as he listened to my story. I couldn't help but point out to myself how good he looked right now. A big part of me felt guilty, as I was still married and found another man kind of appealing. Not just any man, the one man my husband hated.

Why not? Jonathan fucked someone... All I'm doing is looking.

"Hey you okay?" He asked as I shook my thoughts.

"Uh yea, I'm fine just still going over it in my head."

Ryan took a deep breath in and let it out before relaxing more, "Well I'm impressed."

"What?"

"I wasn't sure how you were going to take seeing him again after 3 months. To be honest it sounded rough."

I nodded understanding what he meant, "It was... believe me the first I wanted to do was drown my sorrows in some bottle but—"

"But instead you're drowning your sorrows in Chinese food and wine with my supervision." He said with a sly grin.

I scoffed, "It's not like. The wine isn't making me feel better. Hanging out with you is." The sly grin turned into a genuine one. "Also, I think I'm the last person I want you to have to supervise considering you've been down that rabbit hole once."

"Yea but I was a kid back then, didn't really know what was going on until it was too late. Either way I know that's not you. You're just trying to find a way to cope with everything and there's no one right way to do it. Lucky for you, you don't have to go through it alone."