Chapter 76

• Jane held her breath as Ryder slowly got up with her. He let her stand on her own, but he held her to him, his forearm resting over the top of her breasts as his free hand held onto hers.
• Her mom, well, she looked torn between bawling and screaming at David.
• David reached for Jane’s left hand, raising it so he could kiss her fingers. “She’s my Jane.” There was a hardness in his tone that she’d never heard before. All she could do was stand there as Ryder leaned down, kissing the top of her head. And David’s reaction to Ryder’s affection? He pressed another kiss to her knuckles and continued, “We said nothing when it came to you and Dad choosing your happiness over ours. I get it, I really do because I know you love my dad, and you were broken over Eric’s death and raising Jane alone, but you don’t get to choose for her. She’s conflicted right now because I fucking broke down and told her how I really feel. So, she’s trying to pick between us.”