Love Me Knot by Shelli Stevens Page B

now.”
    Ellie preened and rubbed a hand over her rounded belly. “Of course I’m the better choice. I’m a chick.”
    Tyson shook his head. “Screw it. I’m grabbing a beer.”
    “Grab me one too,” Ryan hollered and glanced back at Ellie. “How do you know the whole back story on Ciara and I?”
    “Tyson has no secrets from me, and he was less than thrilled to hear you were planning on screwing—quite literally—with Lance ’s sister for revenge.”
    “Ah for God’s sake—”
    “And Wyattville is a small town. Word gets around quick in these parts.”
    “Okay. So everybody knows what an asshole I am,” he grumbled. That pang of guilt he kept getting was like a damn ulcer. “What the hell do I do?”
    “Did you apologize?”
    Fuck, had he? Ryan frowned and struggled to remember. This afternoon had been one big fucking confrontation. First with Lance , and then with Ciara.
    “I honestly can’t remember.”
    “If you can’t remember, then you probably didn’t.”
    “Okay. So I’ll apologize. What next?”
    Ellie’s gaze turned considering. “Well, you need to ask yourself that. Ciara does live in Idaho. Even if you make things right you’re looking at a long-distance relationship. Unless you decided to jump on the train to commitmentland.”
    Commitment. It was a word that used to give him hives. But he had to admit it’d been circling around in his head th e past few days.
    “So you really need to ask yourself what you want, Ryan ,” Ellie continued. “Look, over all you’re a nice guy. Yes, you like your women, but you’re genuinely a nice guy.”
    Ryan grunted. Not exactly sure he liked how he was being broken down.
    “So what are you getting at?”
    “You’re probably feeling a crapload of guilt right now. You need to figure out if this is just a guilt thing over a girl you grew to like and respect, or if you really do care for her. If you want a future with her.”
    Ryan ’s heart thumped harder in his chest as Ellie’s words sunk in.
    Tyson came back in the room and handed him a beer. “Ellie’s right. The bottom line is Ciara is gone. Maybe not on the best terms, but if you look at it, it’s a cut and dry end to whatever you guys had this past week. You could just walk away and not look back. Going after her would be the harder choice.”
    Ryan took a swig of beer, noting his hands weren’t quite as steady.
    “I told myself not to drink the water...”
    “Drink the water? What?” Ellie cast Tyson a quizzical look.
    Tyson coughed. “Inside joke.”
    “I’ve only known Ciara for a week.”
    “Ellie and I weren’t together much longer, cuz.” Tyson dropped a kiss on his wife’s forehead.
    “Exactly. Sometimes you just know when it’s right.” Ellie smiled and then lightly punched her husband in the shoulder. “And that’s for drinking a beer in front of me when you know I can’t indulge.”
    Ryan watched the intimate playful moment and then glanced away. Maybe those two had fallen in love within a short time frame, but was that what he felt for Ciara? And did she love him? Or could she love him after what he’d done to her?
    “Either way, Ryan , it sounds like you’ve got some soul searching to do,” Ellie murmured sympathetically. “But in the mean time, I smell Chow Mein. Do a pregnant woman a favor and dish me up some?”
    Despite the heaviness of his mood, his lips quirked and he moved to obey. Ellie was right, he had a lot to think on. 
    There were basically two choices. Go after Ciara. Or walk away and go back to life as usual.
     
     
    Chapter Ten
     
    Ciara finished adding notes to a patient’s chart and then leaned back in the chair. She glanced around the fluorescent lights of the ICU ward and bit back a sigh.
    Almost a week back at work and she was grateful for the diversion it gave her. Less time to think about Ryan .
    He hadn’t called. Hadn’t texted. Once again there’d been complete silence on his end.
    Though maybe part of that was her