Game on by Cheryl Douglas Page B

her. You gotta believe
me.”
    Aiden seemed to consider his request as he
tipped his head to one side, scanning his face for some hint that he was being
insincere. “I do believe you.”
    “How do you think Josh is gonna feel about
this?” Brianna’s father and Luc had been close friends for years. Josh knew
Ryan’s reputation with women as well as anyone, and it scared Ryan to think of
how Josh might respond when he found out that he’d set his sights on his baby
girl.
    “That’s between you and my old man.” Aiden
got to his feet, a smirk on his face. “Good luck with that, buddy. You just
might need it.”

Chapter Eight
    Ryan couldn’t get Aiden’s gibe out of his
head all day, so he decided to man up and tell Josh the truth. He knew it could
end for he and Brianna before it even began if her parents didn’t approve, but
if Ryan could convince her father he was sincere, it could go a long way toward
convincing the woman herself that he was playing for keeps.
    He stood on the wrap-around porch and rang
the doorbell. This house had been a home away from home for him growing up. He
thought of the weekends he’d slept over, hanging out with Aiden, or the fishing
trips with Josh and Aiden that he and Evan had enjoyed as kids. These people
were his family and he didn’t want to lose them anymore than he wanted to lose
Brianna.
    Josh opened the door with a smile. “Since when
do you ring the doorbell, kid? You’re family, not company.” He slapped Ryan on
the back as he stepped into the open foyer.
    The house was filled with the warmth of
rich wood and natural stone, so different from the opulent mansion he’d grown
up in. Walking in to the Cooper home always made Ryan feel like he’d stepped
into a welcoming retreat, where some of his best childhood memories resided.
    “Aiden’s playin’ in Chicago tonight,” Josh
said. “Let’s grab a beer and head downstairs to watch it on the tube.”
    “Lexi around?” Ryan asked, following him
into the kitchen.
    “No, she and Sierra went to visit Alisa and
the baby.” He chuckled. “That poor kid doesn’t get five minutes peace with all
the people around smotherin’ him with affection all the time.”
    Ryan rolled his eyes as he accepted the
long neck from Josh. “Yeah, I really feel for him.”
    Josh laughed and slapped him on the back as
they headed down the staircase leading to the family room and games room in the
basement. “It was a nice surprise when you called and said you wanted to stop
by tonight. I know how busy you and Evan are with Titan.”
    “Yeah,” Ryan said, sitting down on the
distressed leather couch across from the big screen TV. “But you know my
brother; he’s taken it way too far. He works crazy hours, and his commitment to
the company has cost him a hell of a lot.”
    “Yeah,” Josh said, sinking into the
loveseat next to Ryan. “I was real sorry to hear about what happened between
him and Erika. She’s a good girl.”
    “That she is,” Ryan said, taking a polite
sip of the beer he didn’t want before setting it down on the coffee table.
    “Think they’ll be able to work things out?”
Josh asked, reaching for the remote control on the coffee table.
    “I’d like to say yes, but I’m a realist.
Evan is who he is, and I don’t see that changin’ anytime soon.” Ryan cringed as
soon as the words left his mouth. They were true, but he didn’t need to remind
Josh how unlikely it was for people to change.
    “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Josh said,
setting the remote down on the cushion beside him once he’d located the right station.
“It’s a damn shame, though. For most of us, a love like that only comes along
once in a lifetime, if we’re lucky.”
    Ryan knew that was his opening. “That’s
kind of what I wanted to talk to you about, Josh.”
    Josh glanced at the screen when he saw his
son being interviewed. “What’s that?”
    He reached for the beer bottle when he
realized his mouth was too dry to get