Ryder:
I stepped out onto the balcony outside her office, the cold morning air doing nothing to cool the fire still burning in my chest. She said yes. She said yes. The words echoed in my brain like an anthem, a war cry, a prayer finally answered.
She was mine. Officially. Eternally. And I was hers in every damn way.
I tugged my phone from my back pocket, still feeling like I was walking on clouds, and tapped Mom’s name. She answered on the second ring.
“Well, well,” she said, voice warm, already suspicious. “Did you two survive the launch party?”
“Barely,” I chuckled, rubbing a hand over the back of my neck. “Hey, I was wondering if you and Dad would be up for dinner tonight. I wanna get the whole crew together.”
“The whole crew?” she asked, and I could hear the smirk in her voice.
