The color in Paul’s pale cheeks flushed and deepened until his face matched the irritable, painful pink of the shaving rash on his neck. “I was wondering...”
“Yes, Paul?” Riley had just seen Colin step out of the breakroom. She knew his routine as well as she knew the regular thump of her own heartbeat. At 8.25 am, he would leave his office to stride across to the breakroom, where he would make himself a milky cup of coffee before returning to his office at 8.30 am, the official start of the working day at Smith & Gordon. He would place the cup and saucer precisely on the right-hand corner of his desk before turning on his computer, straightening his tie, and walking back out the door to count heads and ensure that everyone within his jurisdiction was present and accounted for.
Paul braced the folders against his chest as if they were a shield and rushed the words out. “I was wondering if you’d like to join me for dinner one night. Or a drink. A drink would be just as good.” He swallowed hard, sending his prominent Adam’s apple into freefall, and looked at her pleadingly.
Lucy reared up from behind her computer, looking like a startled deer as she stared at them, and Riley angled herself in such a way as to create a small amount of privacy for this unlikely conversation. Good grief, not this. Yes, she’d always known that Paul was interested in her, she would need to be blind not to see his besotted glances and notice his fumbling attempts to make conversation, but she’d never expected him to ask her out. What was she supposed to do with an invitation like this? What were the guidelines for a person who wanted to politely rebuff an invite to dinner from the boss’s son? He should never have put her in this position but it was too late now. “Can I think about it? I have a lot going on in my life right now.” She added a quick smile to soften her words.
“Of course.” He stoically straightened his shoulders, although his Adam’s apple continued to erratically rise and fall in his narrow throat. “Let me know when you’re ready.”
“Thanks Paul.” Avoiding Lucy’s wide eyes, she dodged around him and hurried to her desk, managing to fall into her chair and drop her handbag onto the floor just before Colin stepped out of this office and glared furiously around the room.
Chapter Three
Riley nibbled at the crisp hedge of shredded lettuce poking out between the buns before returning her burger to its crumpled paper nest. “I’m just so annoyed that he asked me. He’s put me in an awkward position and I don’t think it’s fair.” She and Megan were sitting at a compact laminated table at Burger Town, the popular fast food restaurant where they’d arranged to meet for a quick meal after work. After dinner, they planned to head over to the mall to shop for an outfit for a wedding that Megan was attending with her boyfriend on the weekend.
“Tell me again – is Paul the son of the loud one or the son of the moody one?” Megan had heard enough stories about Smith & Gordon to have a basic general knowledge of the company and its staff.
“The loud one.” Riley picked gloomily at the soft bread of the bun. “Angus Gordon, otherwise known as foghorn, is his father. Paul is nothing like him and I like him well enough as a person, but I’m not interested in dating him.”
Megan snorted. “Foghorn. So what does that make Paul? Little toot?”
Riley giggled, feeling her bad mood begin to dissipate. “Thanks, Megan. Your skewed view of the world is just what I needed today. I hardly had time to look up from my desk and I missed lunch again.”
“How are you getting on with that dating app? Has anyone spectacular shown up yet?”
“It’s funny that you should ask. I had a message from a guy today who might have some potential.” Riley took out her phone and opened the app. “Steve.”
Megan tipped her head and eyed the photo critically. The harsh tube lighting above the table unfairly highlighted the pockmarks on her face, some of them deep enough to tell their sorry own tale of her once ravaged teenage skin. “He’s ok but his eyes look hard. I wouldn’t trust him. You can’t trust any man who looks like that. He’s too handsome for his own good.”
“He is handsome, isn’t he? I want to give him a chance. Anyway, you can’t make a statement like that based on one blurry photo. I think he has nice eyes.” Riley studied the photo again. The crinkles around his eyes still looked friendly to her. She clicked through to her own profile and showed Megan the photo that Briar had taken. “Briar took that one. What do you think?”
“I liked the other one. You shouldn’t have changed it.” Megan returned her attention to her burger.
“I’m going to reply to Steve’s message. As I said, you can’t judge a person based on just one photo.”
“I guess not.”
Riley dropped her phone back into her bag. She pushed the burger away and hid her yawn behind her hand. “I’m not very hungry. Briar and I had a few drinks last night and it’s taken me most of the day to recover. My stomach hasn’t felt right all day.”
“Briar again. You two seem to be spending a lot of time together.” Megan’s comment was offhand but Riley had seen her eyes narrow before she ducked her head and hid them behind her blonde bangs. Megan liked to wear her hair long and arrange it around her face to disguise her acne scars.
“You don’t like her, do you?”
Megan shrugged. She took another bite of her burger and chewed carefully before responding. “She’s not my friend. It doesn’t matter if I like her or not.”
“She’s fun. Outgoing. She tends to jump feet first into life and I like that. Her confidence intrigues me.” Riley smiled to herself as she remembered the story that Briar had told her last night about her latest conquest, a man who she had diligently reeled in before abruptly dumping because he’d started to bore her after only two dates. Riley had suggested that Briar give the man the chance to prove his worthiness but Briar had firmly shaken her head. She wasn’t interested in a relationship, she’d said, and the thrill of the chase was the part that fascinated her.
“There’s just something about her... She has two sides to her personality and I’ve never been able to trust people like that.”
“Two sides? What do you mean?”
“A split personality.” Megan sighed and stopped to watch two teenagers engaging in a mild squabble over who should have paid on their way out the door. “Do you remember the night of my friend Carrie’s birthday last year? You brought Briar along when we met for drinks at that expensive bar in the city.”
“I remember.” How could she ever forget that evening? She had enjoyed a fun night out with her friends and arrived home tipsy and giggly after sharing an Uber ride back to the apartment complex with Briar. Michael wasn’t there when she walked into the apartment, but she’d no sooner said goodbye to Briar and closed the door when the sobering, anonymous text message that would change her life pinged onto her screen. Do you know who your boyfriend spent the evening with?
“Riley,” Megan said crossly. “You’re not even listening to me.”
“Sorry.” Riley rubbed at her temples. “I was miles away. What did you say?”
“We were talking about Carrie’s birthday party and Briar’s split personality.”
“I honestly don’t think she has a split personality. What you see is what you get with Briar. She has a kind heart.” Riley’s fingers went involuntarily to the pendant that lay against her throat. It was thoughtful of Briar to return it before she’d had the chance to miss it.
“She always acts so sweet around you but I’ve seen another side to her,” Megan said ominously. “Carrie’s seen it too. Briar said some nasty things to us both that night. I wasn’t going to tell you because you are obviously infatuated with her, but you need to know.”
“I’m not infatuated with her! We’re not even that close. What are you talking about?” The small amount of burger that Riley had eaten felt as if it was lodged in her windpipe. Her stomach clenched painfully. She should have cancelled her date with Megan and gone straight home for an early night. The day had felt endless enough as it was,
and she’d been acutely aware of Paul’s frequent hopeful glances in her direction ever since he’d extended his unexpected offer.
Megan popped out her bottom lip, briefly reminding Riley of the girl she’d been during her sullen teenage years. As a young teen, Megan had suffered badly from acne and she’d taken out her anger and frustration over her disfigured appearance on the people around her. The two girls had drifted apart over this time, but they had renewed their friendship and cemented their relationship after Riley invited the freshly blemish-free and newly self-assured Megan to her 21st party. “She’s cunning. She’ll only show you the parts of herself that she wants you to see. She said some very unkind things about Carrie’s hairstyle and when I tried to stand up for her, Briar told me that I was starting to grate on her nerves.”
“Briar said that? That doesn’t sound like her.” Riley’s stomach clenched again and she gripped the edge of the table as she waited for the wave of nausea to pass. She wasn’t up to dealing with Megan’s jealousy tonight. “I don’t feel too good. Do you mind if we take a raincheck? I think it’s best if I go home.”
Megan’s face instantly crumpled with concern. “Are you alright? Do you want me to take you home?”
“No, I’m ok to drive.” Riley pushed herself to her feet and smiled wanly down at her friend. “I’m sorry to ruin the evening like this.”
“It’s no problem. I could probably do with an early night myself. Dan and I have a big weekend ahead.” Megan stood up and began to collect up the leftovers from the table.
“What about finding an outfit for the wedding? Aren’t you still going to go shopping? You can do it without me.”
“I have plenty of outfits in my wardrobe that I’ve never worn and it’s not the same choosing a dress without having your opinion.” Megan strode over to push the burger wrappings into the trashcan before rejoining Riley at the door. “Are you sure you’re ok? You’re very pale.”
“I’ll have a shower as soon as I get home and then I’ll tuck myself into bed with a book.” Riley offered her cheek for Megan’s kiss before they went their separate ways outside the restaurant. “I’ll be in touch. Send me a photo of your outfit once you decide what you’re going to wear.”
Chapter Four
It was Friday night before Riley found the chance to reply to Steve’s message. Her unsettled stomach had calmed after a sound night’s sleep but the remainder of her working week had been crazy busy. Now that she was home, she had gratefully shut the door on the world and she had no plans to leave the apartment again tonight. The opportunity to pour herself a glass of wine, to order in a meal, and put her feet up was exactly what she needed after a mentally taxing few days.
She curled her legs up beneath her on the sofa and sat her wine glass down on the coffee table beside her. She paused to study the photo that Megan had sent her of the deep blue dress she’d chosen to wear to the wedding, a flattering outfit that accentuated her curves and complemented the sandy blonde of her hair. Megan’s relationship with Dan was a comparatively new romance and Riley had her fingers crossed that it would work out for her. Megan’s checkered romantic history was almost as unsuccessful as her own had been, although at least Megan hadn’t suffered through the agonies of a cheating boyfriend. Megan’s relationships tended to reach a natural end rather than blossom into anything long-term or lasting. For most of her life, Megan had suffered from low self-esteem and her lack of confidence more often than not colored her hopes for finding love.
A rap at the door interrupted Riley’s musings. She tipped the delivery boy and carried her carton of Chinese beef with broccoli and noodles back to her perch on the sofa. Perhaps this weekend would be a turning point in Megan and Dan’s relationship, as Megan would be meeting his family for the first time. Riley didn’t think of Dan, with his prematurely thinning hair and droll sense of humor as an altogether inspiring prospect but Megan seemed happy and that was all that mattered.
She opened Steve’s profile and his photo and sat the phone on her knee as she unwrapped the paper tube of chopsticks. Despite what Megan had said about his mean eyes, she still thought he looked like a genial, friendly person. She reread his brief profile, again bemoaning his lack of creativity. Almost every profile she’d read on the site had included a comment about walks on the beach. If every single, un-partnered person truly did spend their recreational time walking along the beach, the seashore would have replaced nightclubs as the ultimate pick-up spot eons ago.
She sat the remainder of the noodle carton down on the table and picked up her wine glass. She spun the glass slowly in her fingers, allowing the pale liquid to catch the light of the setting sun through the living room window. How should she respond to Steve’s message? He’d invited her to ask him some questions and that might be a good place to start. She balanced the glass on her thigh and tapped into the response field with her other hand, ‘Hey Steve. Your profile sounds interesting. What sort of unexpected places do you like to travel to?’ She reread her message and screwed up her nose. She sounded just as dull as he did.
She sipped her wine and waited for inspiration to strike. She had never thought of herself as a particularly creative person, unlike artistic Briar with her lovely paintings, but she wanted to make a good first impression. For all she knew, he might have contacted someone else since sending her his message and lost interest in her due to her tardy response. She determinedly deleted all that she’d written, and tried again. ‘Hey Steve. If you had the choice of rocketing past the starlit galaxies of the Milky Way, cycling through the wonderland of trails that surround Machu Picchu, hiking through an Arabian desert, or kayaking down the silent jungle waterways of the Amazon, which one would you choose and why? I haven’t traveled much but I plan to in the future. Riley.’
There. Despite the dating app warning users not to give personal information away until they were sure of the intentions of the person on the other side of the screen, she’d taken that awful Bambi out of the equation by ending the message with her real name. Satisfied with her answer, she hit Send.
The chime of the dating app pinged just as Riley was rinsing her wine glass at the sink before sitting down in front of a movie. She grinned at the notification on her screen. You have 1 new message from Jester One. Perhaps Steve was enjoying a quiet Friday night at home too. On second thoughts, she refilled her wine glass and returned to the sofa to read the message.
‘Riley. Nice. The name suits the girl in the photo. You’ve asked me an interesting question. I think my answer would be rocketing through the Milky Way, but only if you’d agree to join me in a spaceship made for two. This might sound cheesy, but I’m sure the sparkle in your eyes would be a perfect match for the brightest of star-filled galaxies. Your turn now – which destination would you choose and why?’
Riley groaned at the corniness of his reply but still, he had made her smile and he had admitted that his answer was cheesy without trying to pass it off as anything more. She tapped at the keyboard. ‘I can’t say that I’ve had any experience with canoeing or kayaking, but floating down a tranquil jungle river does hold some appeal. Ok, next question. If you were to cook me dinner, which dishes would be on the menu and why?’
Riley didn’t get to watch much of the movie as the messages between herself and Steve flew backwards and forwards for most of the evening, by which time their banter had taken on a slightly flirtatious tone. Steve’s replies were quick but well considered, and she’d discovered that their sense of humor was similar. She was vaguely disappointed when he said he was signing out for the night but he promised to message her again soon.
Riley held the phone against her chest and laid her head back on the headrest, still grinning about his last message. ‘I’ve enjoyed our virtual Friday night ‘date’ but I’m about to head off to bed. It’s been a busy week and I’m meeting a friend for a bike ride in the morning. Sleep well, and I’m holding you accountable for making me that meal one day. Steve x’
It was the ‘x’
at the end that had made her smile. To her, that simple symbol confirmed that he’d enjoyed their chatter as much as she had done. Our virtual Friday night date. He hadn’t suggested meeting in real life but that was reassuring in itself. She did not intend to rush into anything, especially given her dire track record with men.
She aimed the TV remote at the forgotten movie and got up to switch off the light. Michael’s betrayal had hurt her badly but her wound went far deeper than that. Bill Preston, her father and the first significant man in her life, had once been her hero. She’d adored and idolized him throughout her childhood and she’d never doubted that her devotion was returned. However, following accusations of cheating on both sides of the marital bed and a bitter divorce from Ruth when Riley was just sixteen, Bill had removed himself from Riley’s and her older sister Morgan’s life with barely a backward glance. He’d moved away, installed his much younger lover in his new house, and apparently forgotten that his daughters existed. His rejection had cut Riley to her core and by the time Bill surfaced from beneath the blinding fog of love a year later after ending the relationship with his new young girlfriend, the damage he’d caused was irreversible. Yes, she and Bill were still in touch but no one could call their relationship close these days.
Morgan, nineteen at the time of the divorce and entangled in her first real love affair, hadn’t taken Bill’s abrupt departure from her life as badly as Riley had done. She’d gone on to marry her boyfriend Kevin at the tender age of twenty-two and soon after she’d embarked on the adventure of motherhood with the arrival of first Samantha and then Jessica. She worked part-time as a nurse now, in between juggling Samantha and Jessica’s numerous recreational pursuits and activities, and she seldom had much time for her younger sister.
And then there was their mother Ruth...
Riley sighed and absentmindedly touched her pendant before flipping the light switch, plunging the apartment into darkness. The wind rattled a loose rung outside on the fire escape and the revolving yellow lights of a garbage truck passing on the street below lit up the thin kitchen curtains as she made her way through to her bedroom. Her family dynamics were dysfunctional to say the least, which only made her even more determined to find the right man before settling down and starting a family of her own. A family that no one would ever tear apart through thoughtless acts of selfishness and deceit.
Throw a Double for Spite Page 2
