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to fill it, and most rooms are still as empty as the day we moved in, but like Ryker says, if we take it day by day, we'll conquer the world, but first we'll furnish the house.
    Jaci and I have somehow made it back to where we were before and we nurture that relationship with margaritas every Wednesday at lunch, updating each other on the woes of the daily grind.
    As I'm leaving our weekly taco stand lunch on the beach, I hear someone call name and turn around.
    When I see Ryker leaning against his bike with his big arms folded across his chest, I smile before stepping in his direction.
    "Well, hey there, handsome." When I'm close enough to look up without fear of tripping directly into him, I do with a smirk and a cocked eyebrow. "What brings you to this side of the tracks? Huh?" I stop in front of him when we're toe to toe then wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him before smiling against his lips and awkwardly maintain eye contact. "You were missing me, weren't you?"
    His arms slide around my waist and squeeze.
    "I was missin ya, love. Missing the bloody hell outta ya." He breathes in with his face against the crook of my neck and chill bumps break out across my skin as his whiskers tickle my shoulder.
    I nuzzle my nose against his neck, giggling, "I missed you too. Whatcha got going on this afternoon?"
    His dark blue eyes sparkle with hesitant excitement as he cups my face. "You know me plans, right? With the shop?"
    Hmmm...this is new. "Yeah, baby. I know."
    "Okay, well me and Reesie boy were talking, and while I have the bikes engine and body repair skills down, he's got the money and the business side of it. So, we did it, hon, just like that, we did it. I have a shop!" His arms tightly squeeze around my waist as he lifts me up and spins me. After a full circle he sets me back on my feet and begins buckling his extra helmet on my head. "Wanna see it?"
    Knowing how happy this'll make him, I smile. I smile as big and as fake as I can to hide the fear just beneath, and thank God he's distracted enough to not pay attention and see it.
    "Only if you let me go in!" I straddle the bike before patting the driver seat cushion in front of me. "Well, are you coming?"
    His long denim-clad legs square the bike straight before stomping on the clutch and starting the engine. "Oh, me sweet love, you'll know when I'm coming."
    As he pulls the bike from the sandy parking lot and into traffic, I lie my head between his shoulder blades, and clutching my arms around his waist, I hum with closed eyes while listening to the sound of his heart beat.
    I don't know what it is about Ryker David Killian and success, but everything that man has ever put his mind to, he's more than succeeded. His and Reese's bike shop, Lucky Pipes, had a substantial client list before the ribbon cutting ceremony was even concluded and business is steadily growing. I've never been so proud of him, and I pray he knows even though I don't say so.
    And as crazy as his success is, it causes our lives to be crazy busy, but I prefer it this way so I'm not the focus of his entire attention.
    I'm more comfortable with life now, which thankfully, mainly consists of making sure all of Ryker’s things are in order, to insure HIS life flows easily day to day. I still work instructing painting classes, but it's mostly just a weekend job that I keep to itch when my painting needs need to be scratched.
    Jaci always laughs when I bitch about not being the center of Ryker’s world. Saying that my maternal colors are showing.
    I always laugh and ask her where she's hit her head and what asylum I should admit her to. She says I'm too close to the subject matter. Something about a forest and trees.
    All I know is that I'm finally happy and I hope things will stay this way.
    It's just after dark and the night sky is pouring rain as Ryker’s bike thunders up the driveway and into the garage when I'm just coming out of the front office after a long, tedious day of appointment