Life Over Love Read online

  At dinner Brianna told Dominique all about what happened with Ryker. Dominique asked her “what had happened to change your mind about just dating him for the fun of it without getting emotionally attached.” Brianna started getting a little uncomfortable and answered nonchalantly “he’s looking for more than I can give. Anyways it creeped me out the way he’d known all that stuff about me, I’ve only known the guy a couple of weeks gosh!”

  Dominique clicked her tongue, “He’s about to make detective, and he’s good at what he does.” Brianna was ready to change the subject and she was glad when the waiter brought them their check.

  When the pair walked into The Tavern Brianna felt like Norm from Cheers. Her friends from work all waved excitedly while calling her over to where they sat. There were two girls and two guys from work, and one guy Brianna had never met. The overhead speakers were playing popular dance music while the band got ready for their set.

  After two Long island iced teas, Brianna was good to go, and she just knew she was as good a dancer as baby herself. She decided to get to know the extra guy in the group and took him out on the dance floor. Both girls were having so much fun with their fellows that neither one noticed when Ryker and Aiden entered the busy dance hall.

  Ryker would’ve turned right back around and left had Aiden not been there, and for the touchy feely way Brianna was dancing with some jerk, clearly feeling tipsy. He spotted Dominique at the bar and made a bee line towards her, leaving Aiden to fend for himself. “Hi, Dominique how are the girls?”

  She winced at his icy tone. “They are great Ryker, you really should stop by sometime.” It was his turn to wince, he always felt guilty not visiting that often, but he missed his partner and best friend too much. Instead of going into all that, he looked pointedly towards Brianna. “She’s pretty much drunk isn’t she? How about you, how much have you had to drink tonight?”

  She thought the naked concern in eyes was cute and decided to be nice. “Ryker, please I’m looking out for her, don’t worry your pretty little head about it.” He smiled sarcastically saying “You didn’t answer the question.”

  “Relax officer Danner, I’m drinking cherry coke.” She walked back out to the dance floor leaving him alone. Aiden had gotten bored with Ryker and left in favor of introducing himself to Dominique. Ryker sat at the end of the bar nursing a soda, watching Brianna seduce the poor kid she was dancing with. She had gotten too warm and he lost all sympathy for the guy as he watched him help her shrug out of the black and silver sweater. He’d almost bounded out of his seat when he saw the guy lean against her from behind, whispering something in her ear, as he cupped her breast with his free hand.

  He only calmed down when he saw Brianna brush his hands away. She’d kept on dancing though, and giving himself a break from the torture he went to the bathroom. When he returned Brianna was nowhere in sight and neither was the guy.

  He quickly found Dominique who was dancing closely with Aiden, “Where is she?” She looked back and forth between the brothers, then said “Ryker, calm down she is a big girl you know.” “Don’t tell me to calm down, where is she?” Dominique could tell from the flexing of his jaw that it was time to fess up, but Aiden interjected before she had the chance. “She went with the guy she was dancing with, man, but the guy wasn’t drinking though, I saw him myself.” Dominique thought Ryker was going to hit Aiden then and stood between the two, saying to Ryker “I thought it’d be fine because she works with his sister, anyways, Ryker. There’s nothing you can do, she’s not yours.”

  He didn’t care what she’d said or thought, and he ran out of the dance hall into the gravel parking lot. He was alarmed when he spotted the guys white shirt, and noticed that he was huddled over something, and he saw Brianna’s silver shoes on the ground by his feet.

  In a blind rage he ran to the guy, grabbed him from behind, and threw him up against the car. “Just what is going on here buddy?” He growled between clenched teeth. “Humph? “He asked as he shook him a little, while nudging him with his fore arm on his neck.

  The poor guy wanted to answer, he grabbed Rykers arm with both his hands, trying to get the angry assailant to loosen his grip, so he could. “Dude, you’re chok-ing me!” Even by the dim light of the street lamp Ryker could see the guy’s face turning red. He heard Brianna moan by the bushes. He loosened his grip just enough for the guy to breath. “You better start talking kid.” He answered “She asked me to take her home, but she started puking. I wanted to make sure she was done before I put her into my car, that’s all I swear!”

  He dropped the kid without a warning. “Alright guy, get outta here, I’ll take her home.” The guy rubbed his neck and jumped in the car. Ryker picked up Brianna’s shoes and lifted her up as well. He carried her to his truck. She mumbled something about just dropping her of at the stop sign, and called him Jonathan. He rolled his eyes chuckling to himself, he thought so you chickened out after all, and he knew she probably wouldn’t remember any of this in the morning. She curled up next to him and slept the rest of the way home. He carried her into his house, taking care of her when she got sick on and off for the rest of the night.

  In the morning she awoke on Ryker’s suede couch, she stretched, winced in pain, and proceeded to mentally freak out. She was thinking how she couldn’t even remember the name of the guy whose t shirt she was wearing.

  She stumbled to the hallway peeking into each door until she found the bathroom. When she was finished she washed her face and promised her reflection that she would never ever drink again. She was appalled at herself, wearing a complete stranger’s underwear, and she was further confused because everything smelled like Ryker. She didn’t want the awkwardness of seeing the guy, so rather than waste any time even to look for her dress, she started to leave.

  She noticed a note on the table though and it read I’m taking your dress to the cleaners, hope that’s ok, drink the stuff in the fridge you’ll feel better, I promise. P.S. I’m bringing back breakfast. Taking his advice she went to the fridge, she saw the disgusting looking green concoction, and thought no way, but thanks anyway!

  She gasped when she saw her dish on the bottom shelf, and slammed the door shut. Standing face to smiley face she realized that somehow she had ended up at Ryker’s place. She quickly grabbed her shoes and jogged out of the house.

  “Dadgummit!” Ryker exclaimed while simultaneously hitting the steering wheel, when he saw Brianna jogging barefooted alongside the road. He whipped the truck around and followed her. When he drove up next to her he leaned out the window. “Come on Brianna get in the truck, I’ll take you home.” She didn’t want to see him, thinking how she must have looked to him, she was way too embarrassed to talk to him just then.

  She closed her eyes trying to remember last night, the only thing she remembered was getting so sick by the car. “Go away Ryker, I can take care of myself! People over indulge all the time, I just don’t know my own limits yet, that’s all!”

  He continued to drive next to her slowly, forcing the cars behind him to go around. “Humph, yeah right pretty lady, seems to me you were trying to forget something, or someone!” He wiggled his eyebrows comically saying “get in the truck baby, I’ll give you a ride, I promise we don’t even have to talk. Come on you’re not even wearing any shoes, and you’re bound to cause an accident running around like that without another very important article of clothing, if you know what I’m sayin’.” He wiggled his eyebrows some more. Brianna just crossed her arms and kept walking.

  He switched tactics, “well you sure were all over me last night! What’s the change? Don’t you remember the deal we made? What happened to you wanting to be friends with benefits and all that, anyways?”

  She stopped dead in her tracks, she knew he was lying, at least she thought he was lying. She put her hands on her hips, she wanted to gain the upper hand and she retorted “Only because I was determined to go to spend the night with someone, apparently after a couple of drinks I became muc
h less discriminating.”

  She started walking again. He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Brianna, stop it! Get in, I’m going to follow you home anyways. What are you afraid, that you won’t be able to keep your hands off me long enough to make it to your place?” He said hoping to goad her into getting in and that did the trick.

  “Ugh, fine I’ll get in that will get you to shut up, I’ve a terrible headache and you’re just making it worse!” He was still peeved at what she’d said, but teased anyway. “What?! You practically rode home in my lap last night. Don’t you remember?” She didn’t answer just kept staring out the window.

  When they pulled into the apartment entrance he parked, turning towards her he rested his arm against the back of her seat, and started playing with her hair. “I was just kidding about last night. You were too sick to do any talking, you mostly cried all night ok? I only hope you pace yourself better if you do that again, for a minute I thought you might have alcohol poisoning.”

  She looked at him first then she said “Well you don’t have to worry about me anymore ok? You’re not my dad, or my husband, and I don’t want your help, good grief!” Losing his cool because she’d hurt his feelings Ryker said “Oh, yeah that’s right, you have everything under control, your plan is to go out every night, get wasted, and become the town slut, great idea! Would you have rather I’d left you in those bushes last night, would that have been better?!”

  He’d hated that he’d lost his temper and deliberately tried to hurt her when he saw in her eyes that he’d succeeded. But nothing could’ve prepared him for her response.

  “You know what? Yes, ANYTHING would have been better than being with YOU!” She jumped out and slammed the door in his face, when he came out after her, she took off his boxer shorts and threw them in his face. Once on her porch, she shed his t shirt and threw that at him too, he fumbled trying to quickly get it off his face. She yelled “I don’t want anything from you Ryker, Not one single thing, and don’t you forget it!”

  She presented him with a lovely view of her bare backside as she reached above the door frame to get her spare key, unlocked the door, shut, and locked it right back to prove that she’d meant what she’d said.

  He looked around to see if anyone else had witnessed the show, and then he heard Mrs. Jenkins laughing on her front porch. He mumbled “shut up old lady.” Ryker picked his clothes up off the ground and went back to his truck. He pouted for the rest of the day.

  Although she gave up drinking Brianna did start dating regularly. She wasn’t comfortable inviting anyone to her home, nor was she interested enough in any one to go to theirs, but at least she was improving her social life.

  She was flourishing in other areas of her life as well, she got that promotion she’d been hoping for, and was home every day in time to pick up the kids from school. Her dad had helped her find a roomy blue Nissan Pathfinder, and she used her tax refund to buy it out right.

  Brianna was feeling pretty great about things and was looking forward to picking up the kids from their primary school. She hopped out of the car and into the school. She planned to pick them up a little early and use the gift certificates that Ryker had given the kids to take them to Joes Bouncy House. She smiled excitedly ready to surprise them.

  “Hi Mrs. Garcia how can I help you?” The blonde secretary asked from behind the desk, with a confused expression on her face. Oh, I know I’m early, but it’s sort of a last minute thing, I’ll make sure to send a note next time, ok?” The blonde looked worried and another teacher came to the front, “Mrs. Garcia the kids were picked up around eleven, their grandmother said she was going to take them to lunch.” Brianna thought a loud “That’s weird she didn’t mention it to me, may I use your phone.” She’d left her cell in the car, the teacher handed her the phone, both women behind the counter exchanged worried looks.

  With shaky hands Brianna hung up the phone. “My mom doesn’t have them, oh my God who has them, who are they with?” The blonde lady said “I’m sorry, I thought it was fine, there were no restrictions on their paper work and the lady and man said they were their daddy and grandmother, I’m sorry.”

  Brianna’s mind was racing. “Their daddy is in jail, and when I spoke to his mom not too long ago she said she doubted that he’d get out any time soon.” The secretary started crying. Brianna ran out of the school building. The other teacher was dialing the police. From the moment Ryker pulled into the school parking lot he was in detective mode.

  He took one look at the crying lady and decided to question the more composed of the two, the brunette. “Excuse me ma’am, I’m officer Danner I just got a call about some missing children. Do you mind if I ask a few questions?” The teacher shook her head. “No I don’t mind, here is the sign out sheet.” He thumbed through the pages on the clipboard seeing several days’ worth of parent student activity.

  He took out his note pad “what are the children’s names and ages?” When the teacher answered “Chelsea and Brody” his head snapped up and the both said “Garcia” in unison. “Yes that’s right, how did you know?” He ignored her and asked “where is their mother?” The blonde lady had stopped crying and said “she ran out, we don’t know.”

  He wanted to run after her, but he needed to check a few things first. “There’s no entry here for time you mentioned.” She looked at the paper. “That’s weird” she said “we always have visitors and parents sign here when picking up the students. They said they were the children’s relatives, the grandmother, and the father. Ryker knew better than that because he’d been keeping tabs on Mike and as of yesterday he was still in jail. They also had instruction at county to call him if anything changed.

  Ryker looked up from his notes “The children’s parents are divorced, isn’t there a policy or procedure when the non- custodial parent picks them up, to prevent a mix up like this from happening?” The teacher answered for the blonde who got upset once again by the questions implicating that it had been a failure on her part. “We do have a list of who can and can’t pick up the student’s in each child’s file, Chelsea and Brody don’t have anyone listed on the restricted column, and since the divorce decree that we have doesn’t indicate otherwise, we are legally obligated to turn the child over to parent picking them up, no matter which one it is. Also the kids were happy to them.”

  Ryker was relieved to hear that at least the kids were indeed with Mike’s family. Knowing that the children were with relatives eased his mind enough so that he could concentrate on the task at hand of finding Brianna. He was worried about her running around in a state of panic. “Thank you ladies, I think everything is alright, here’s my card if you need anything, and I’ll be in touch when I have some news.”

  Ryker went to Brianna’s place, saw that she wasn’t home, and went back to the station to make some calls. Brianna had gone directly to his house, finding him not at home, she went to the police station.

  She tried calling Mike’s moms house repeatedly with no luck. She could barely see through her tears in her state of panic. She tried one more time to call Mrs. Garcia, when they didn’t pick up she threw the phone in frustration, and it shattered against the dashboard.

  She bit her lip to stop crying so hard that she tasted blood. She turned sharply into the police station parking lot and parked in the first space she saw. Ryker met her at the door, he put his arms around her. He patted her back and shushed her like a baby, he kissed the top of her head, and held her away from him so that she could look at him.

  “I don’t know where they are Ryker, I don’t know where they are.” He led her to the bench and sat her down. “Brianna, I’m confident that they are alright. We are still calling, but after speaking to the school I know that they are with Mike’s family.” She was confused and she asked “I don’t understand is Mike out?” He shook his head “No, but his family has hired a really good attorney for him and they are releasing him tomorrow.”

  “Ok, but the ladies at the school said
their grandmother and daddy picked them up.” He didn’t understand that part either, but said “You probably shot out of there before they had the chance to tell you that the kids had been happy to them though.”

  She did feel better hearing that, but she because no one asked to pick them up, and she just wouldn’t feel any better until they were back with her.” Then she had a terrible thought “Oh my God Ryker what if they’ve taken them to Texas or Mexico?” Her eyes looked huge. “Brianna you are going to have to calm down and take a deep breath. I don’t think that’s happened, they have established lives here, and that would be too much of a risk, trust me. I have a really good feeling that everything will turn out alright, ok? Can you do that for me, just trust me?”

  He didn’t wait for her to answer, he just told her that he wanted her to wait there while he made some more calls until he got off his shift, which was only in about half an hour. Then together they could go to Mrs. Garcia’s house and get the kids. He buzzed himself back into the office and gave his supervisor the rundown of the situation, after leaving several messages for someone to call him back on Mrs., Garcia’s machine, he grabbed his coat to leave.

  When he reached the lobby he was sad to see Brianna double over crying quietly into her lap. He wrapped her up in his jacket. When he opened the door for her, she looked up at him, and he wiped her cheeks. “You wanna take my car?” He lifted his brows impressed. “Sure we can, which one is yours?” She pointed to the Pathfinder “That blue one, there.” He smiled walking beside her he put his around her shoulder saying “well there’s some good news, now I can stop being jealous of that lucky SOB who’s been staying nights at your place that drives a dark blue Nissan Pathfinder.”

  She laughed at him. “No there’s nobody that’s been staying with me, have you been keeping tabs on me officer Danner?” He winked “You bet.”