The Stalked Assistant (Chapter-20)

Today's been an eventful day, me and Ryder's fathers ended up doing two games of tennis, he won the first round, and when I told him that I would still get his suit cleaned he told me we would play another game for it, he won that round too and told me if I tried getting anywhere near his suit to fix it, he would hide it from me.

While we were playing, Amanda went to the pool along with her parents and Ryder and Ginger played tennis next to us, the whole time Ginger was acting so damn dramatic that Mr. Alexander actually yelled for her to hush up, saying he couldn't concentrate but it wasn't like I was winning anyway.

The whole time, Mrs. Wanda sat in the chair behind Mr. Alexander and sipped on some ice tea, she was a team player though, she wanted me to beat him saying it would do him some good and I honestly tried my best, I hit it one time and it flew into Ryder and Ginger's net, Ginger complained that I made her miss and Ryder just tossed me the bird or whatever the thing was called back towards us without saying a word, but I could feel his eyes landing on me every so often.

We all partied ways later that afternoon, and Mr. Alexander actually shook his head when Ryder told them Ginger would be going back with them.

I didn't say anything, it's not my place but I tend to agree with his father, Ginger just looks like she wants to sink her hooks into him and not because she loves him.

Amanda and I got dressed for the party and went downstairs visiting with her parents. She showed me around her home a little bit and we enjoyed a few stolen glasses of wine behind their backs.

Unknown hasn't text me again thank god, I even left my phone upstairs just in case, the person may get mad, but I can't do what I can't see right? I can't allow that person to make me do something to ruin Amanda's parent party.

They have all been too good to me, I can't do that to them not to save myself, that's not the type of women I am.

We sat down for supper and enjoyed some fancy food that I can't pronounce and I'm not even going to attempt to try, Ryder, his parents and yes also the bitch joined us for supper.

The party has started, and a few guests are starting to show up, the parents are mingling with their friends and Amanda went off to get a surprise ready for her parents, she didn't share what it was so here I am standing outside in the front yard getting some fresh air and admiring those beautiful trees again.

Not many people were really interested in talking to me and I don't know if it's because they don't know me or if it was because they can tell I'm from a different class than they are. 

"You alright?"Ryder's voice cuts me out of my thoughts, causing me to startle and hold my hand on top of my chest.

"You scared me" I panted, trying to calm down my rapid heart rate.

"Sorry. I seen you through the window and figured I would check on you" he shrugged before placing his hands inside his pockets looking uncomfortable.

"I'm fine. You can go back in" I say once I manage to calm myself down, ugh why does he have to look so freaking good in that black suit.

I mean lord Jesus, his one sexy man, too bad, an asshole and my boss, and in a whatever kind of relationship with that bitch Ginger.

"No. I'm good out here." He says looking ahead of us, checking out the trees with the pretty lights.

"Amanda did a good job" I said, trying to not have things get awkward between us.

"She was always good at throwing parties. When we were younger, our parents would go out of town and we would always have our high school parties here because she said she did better than I did" He scuffs loudly but smiles at the memory.

"Yall seem pretty close" and I hate the nagging feel

Advertisement

ing of jealous clawing inside me, what if he has feelings for her? I remember when she held up her hand at the country club, she silenced him real quick and he let her.

"She is like a sister to me. We are not as close as we used to be though" He sighs before he continues. "She likes to keep things professional at the office, says she doesn't want anyone to think she got and keeps the job just because she is a friend of the family"

"I can understand that. She wants people to know she can do things on her own" I mumbled out.

"Yes, it's no wonder you and her get along so well, yall are exactly the same as that" He says and I actually see him giving me a genuine smile for the first time.

"Yeah. She is awesome. I'm happy she invited me. Her parents are awesome and yours as well" I tell him, wrapping my arms around my self to keep my hand from reaching out to him, I don't know what it is right now but I feel like I want to hug him.

I know weird, right, stupid heart.

"Only you could spill a drink on my father and get him to pay attention to you most of the afternoon" he says, smirking down on me.

"He did not!" It was my turn to scuff, now.

"He likes you, he doesn't usually like people so fast. How did you do that?" He asked.

"Spilling a drink on him, I guess?" I say, it's the only thing I could come up with.

"No, I don't think that was it." He told me softly, finally turning his eyes from the front yard and onto me.

"Well, I don't know. I did enjoy playing tennis with him, even though he beat my ass twice!" I laughed, and joined me.

"I'm going to go ask Amanda if she needs any help" I tell him before taking a step back and turning towards the door before I can take my first step, I feel a hand slipping into mine.

Slowly turning around I see Ryders standing right behind me, is a daze I look down at our linked hands and stare at them for a moment.

What is happening?

"Ryder?" I stammer out, not knowing what to do?

Should I pull my hand away?

"You going to try to pay me back for your pancakes?" He asked and totally blind, sided me with that question.

"Huh?" I mentally shake myself, I need to come up with something besides freaking, huh. "Actually, I'll let you pay this time. You owe me for coffee anyway" I smile, letting him know I'm joking about the coffee part.

"My father shoved it at me when we got outside said to buy you another meal with it instead of the one he was paying for" he says, and I look down at our hands seeing them still holding onto each other.

"Yeah, I shouldn't have done that, it was probably rude of me" I licked my dry lips, trying to force my throat to work as I'm starting to get nervous.

Why hasn't he let go of my hand yet?

"Maybe a bit, but I understand why you are the way you are and to be honest, I think that's the reason my father likes you so much. You showed him money doesn't mean everything" 

"I guess so" I murmur.

We stand there in complete silence but doesn't let my hand go, instead he looks down into my eyes and I have to fight the urge not to kiss him, fuck he is too close to me.

"Ryder?" 

Ginger's voice cuts through me like ice cold water, I quickly jerk my hand out of his and take a step back, I don't know what just happened but it can't happen again. He has a girlfriend and he's my freaking boss.

"Izzy wait-" Ryder started to say before I raise my hand to stop him.

"I'm going to go check on Amanda. Have a good night Ryder" I say in a rush before I head back inside, as soon as I closed the front door I lean against it, fighting with my emotions not to go back outside and see what he wanted, instead I got myself together and set about finding Amanda.