Meeting Ryder's family...

We are standing on the sidewalk outside of his house. It's a medium sized two-story brick house with a wraparound porch. It's adorable and inviting.

"I didn't live here most of my life. My mom and I lived in a basement apartment and the landlord was this old lady who had fifteen cats." He tells me, "that is what I think of when I think of home. Not this place."

Ryder sighs and grabs my hand tighter. I can tell he's nervous but I don't understand why. I promised to be on my best behavior even though Ryder didn't ask me to be.

"Why are you freaking out?" I ask turning so I'm in front of him. I wrap my arms around his waist and lean my head on his shoulder.

He kisses the top of my head and sighs, "I don't know. I don't fit in there. I wish we went to a restaurant or something."

I look up at him and he kisses my lips, "we just have to make it through one night and then we don't have to see them until the wedding."

His eyes widen, "our wedding? Addison, are you proposing?"

"What? No! Your cousin's wedding! God, Ryder. You know the one we're both invited to?" I keep rambling.

He laughs, "I know. I'm kidding. You'll propose to me when you're ready."

He starts walking towards the house without me. I run to catch up with his long strides, "you have to propose to me. I'm not doing it."

"Sure, Addison, sure," Ryder smirks at me and continues up to the front door. I'm glad that our conversation seem to have taken his mind off what we are about to do. It's odd to see Ryder unsure of himself.

We stand at the doorway and wait for someone to answer the door. I just walk right in to my dad's house, unless I forget a key. It's at that moment that I realize how he truly does feel like an outsider. How it went from him and his mom to this new family and he still hasn't figured out where he fits in. It's upsetting to see the way his hands are in tense fits at his side and how he keeps looking at me then back to the door like he his planning our escape route.

I almost grab his hand and haul him out of there but then the door opens. And standing there is a young boy. The same young boy who looked confused and unsure at the hospital.

"Hey, Nick," Ryder says smiling at him. When Nick smiles I can see they have almost the same smile. Ryder relaxes on a little bit when we walk into the front door and his mom his standing waiting for us.

"How are you feeling?" she asks rushing over to Ryder and looking at him from all angles like she could see if he wasn't fully healed. I can tell by the way she hugs him that she loves him and probably wishes things were different.

Ryder smiles, "I'm better. I started back at work a couple weeks ago. Addy this is my mom Sara, Mom this is Addy.

"Hi, Addy, nice to see you again," Ryder's mom says politely, "under better circumstances."

"And this is my step-father Nick," Ryder says. His tone doesn't change much but I can tell he gets a little more guarded when his step-dad walks in.

Ugh. I hate when people name their kids after themselves. It just adds unnecessary confusion to everyone's life. Okay, maybe that's a tad dramatic. But it is pretty dumb. Ryder and I will not be naming our son Ryder.

If we have kids.

We are sitting around a dining room table that has been put together perfectly. A cream colored table cloth with floral plates, wine glasses, water glasses, and a centerpiece of flowers. That bouquet looks like something from the shop. I look at it and tilt my head slightly. Ryder catches it and asks, "what?" quietly.

I shrug and turn my attention to Sara, "this table looks so beautiful. You didn't have to go to all that trouble for us," I am sucking up so badly that I can feel Ryder holding in laughter.

"Thank you. I got the flowers from an adorable shop called Marilyn Thomas'," she says looking at the colorful arrangement. The smile on my face grows and Ryder is now coughing to cover up the laughter that has seeped out.

"That's my shop," I say excitedly. There is no way she can't like me now.

"You work there?" Nick asks taking a long sip of his wine. I'm sure he is counting down the seconds until we leave just like we are.

"I own it," I explain.

"Oh, wow. I had no idea! It's lovely in there," Sara compliments.

"Thank you," I say.

"Want to hear the story of how we met?" Ryder asks. I look at him hoping to relay the message of don't fuck this up. But Ryder seems to be in the mood for entertainment and doesn't care the price.

"Yes, of course," Sara smiles. I can tell she is putting on her own type of show.

I cut in before Ryder can spew, "he was my date to a wedding a few months ago. We met at a bar and hit it off right away."

"I pretended to be her boyfriend," Ryder adds.

"So I repaid the favor by pretending to be his wife at the hospital," I add and now I realize that I'm joining in on his game. Exactly like he wanted me to. Shit.

"And now we live together," Ryder says, "we have a dog."

"A dog?" his little brother asks. "is it big?"

"He's very big. His name is Boomer. You can come play with him sometime," I say.

"Really? Thanks!" He says and then goes back to moving his salad around on his plate. I am doing the same thing and so is Ryder. Whoever created salad should be thrown in jail. The conversation continues to be strained even as the chicken and vegetables is served.

Bleh. We are getting McDonald's after this.

Then all of a sudden it's just Sara, Ryder, and me sitting at the table. It feels like an interrogation.

"You guys haven't been together very long," Sara comments, "and you already live together?"

"We kind of moved fast but we're happy," I say with a big smile.

Ryder takes my hand and runs his thumb across the back, trying to calm me down I'm sure.

"Mom," Ryder says in a warning tone, "don't start this shit. I'm with Addy. I'm in love with Addy."

"In love?" Sara says surprised.

Ryder nods and doesn't say anything else. I'm uncomfortable and confused. I thought I was doing a pretty damn good job at being a normal human being and it was for nothing, I guess. She doesn't like me and she never will. At least my dad loves Ryder. We have one parent on our side. And I'm not sure if Ryder's step-dad really cares.

"Ready to go?" Ryder asks tearing me away from my spiraling thoughts.

I nod and say thank you to both Nick and Sara. Even though I don't want to say anything to them ever again.

"What the hell was that?" I ask.

"I think I forgot to mention that my ex's mom and my mom are best friends. They've been trying to get us back together since we broke up," Ryder explains.

"That was like a fucking set up! She was never going to like me," I am a bit hysterical but trying to calm myself down.

"I wanted her to understand that Michelle and I will never get back together. And she did like you but she's had this image in her mind since I was born that I'd marry her. I'm sorry Addy. I really didn't think she'd bring it up like that."

"It's fine," I say trying to mean it. He can tell I'm lying but we leave the subject alone for now.

"Michelle doesn't want to get back together with you either right? I'm not going to have to fight off your ex at our wedding, right?" I ask as we head towards McDonald's. I didn't even have to ask him to go, he just knew.

"She's been with her boyfriend for a long time. She doesn't want me either. You'd be able to take her though," Ryder smiles.

"You're a jerk," I say.

He shrugs, "so are you."

We laugh and order food and go home.

We are laying on the couch eating when Ryder says, "I think Boomer needs a friend."

"Really?" I ask basically jumping up and down.

"Really. There is an adoption event next weekend, I've been looking at the dogs online. Want to see?"

"Yes!" I scream, "Boomer come here! Come look!"

Boomer squeezes in between us as we look through pictures of puppies and older dogs. I didn't think Ryder could make us any happier.