Loving the Ice Queen

Chapter 34

Barbara

"Thank God his mother doesn't live close by. I swear John's going to have an aneurysm one of these days because of her."

Eleanor's voice echoed in my closet. I wished she was here in person, but a video call would have to do for now. It'd been a week since the wedding and I missed her already.

Her eyes were covered in dark shades, her blond hair dark from the water. Golden sand and sunlit waters shimmered in the background. She and John were in their honey moon in Bora Bora.

"Is she stressing you out?" I asked, brushing one last stroke of blush on my cheeks.

"As long as John's fine, I really don't care what she says or does," Eleanor said, grinning. "Oh, by the way. I heard about what happened in the wedding."

"What happened?"

"John's ex and the white dress."

"Oh." I opened my jewelry drawer and scanned the earring collection.

"I can't believe that bitch actually did that. Anyway, thank Ryan for me. I heard he took care of it."

"He sure did." I chuckled and picked up a pair of golden earrings. The smooth metal glistened under the vanity's bright lights.

"When's he picking you up?" Eleanor asked.

"Soon," I replied. Clasping the earrings, I gave my reflection one last look. My hair was in waves down my shoulders, my makeup was there and minimal, and my eyes looked brighter than they usually were.

Tonight was mine and Ryan's first dinner date since the wedding. I'd been busy helping Eleanor take care of her moving, while he and Jeremy helped Miranda settle down.

I'd been worried that once Miranda came back, he would grow distant again. But that hadn't happened. He kept texting me, and we called each other almost every night. We also met on an early Saturday morning for a play date with Pirate and Lady.

Jeremy was over the moon now that his mother lived close by, and his cheerfulness made me resent Miranda's presence a little less. The boy was just so happy.

After ending the call, I put on my coat and gave my reflection in the floor length mirror one last cursory glance. The cashmere dress was alight blue that made my eyes pop. It fell down to my ankles, and a tan belt defined my waist and matched my coat and boots.

Ryan rang the gate right as I took the last step. I rang him in. Pirate trotted over from where he'd been asleep in his bed by the fireplace, his tail wagging.

I felt bad for leaving him alone. I crouched down and gave him as much love as I could. "I'm sorry, baby. But I have to step out for a few hours."

His one eye blinked at me with all the canine desperation his heart could muster. I patted his neck and stood up. "Pirate, stay."

He sat down and looked at me while I stepped outside. Closing the door on his face was always hard.

Ryan waited for me outside the car. He grinned and hugged me tightly, so tightly my ribs ached. I groaned.

"Sorry," he said, pulling back. The garden lights reflected in his eyes. "I just missed you."

Despite the cold night, my heart was warm. He opened the door for me and went around the car to the driver's seat. A minute later, the gate closed after us and we drove away.

"You okay?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"You look... conflicted."