Time of Day

by Nicole Pyland

  “Something with a lake view is – I’m sure – impossible on my budget, but I do have a trust with money in it from my grandparents. I just came of age to tap into it. I’m planning to use that for half of the down payment.”

  “And the other half is in savings?” Kinsley asked.

  “No, my girlfriend has the other half.”

  “Oh,” Kinsley said.

  “Did I not mention her?” Riley asked. “Shit. Sorry. I’m trying to get my entire life in order, and she’s not here to help. I’m a little behind.”

  “I just didn’t know you had a girlfriend. Kellan never said anything.”

  “I’m not sure I ever told her about Elena,” Riley said. “I wasn’t the best roommate. I was gone a lot. When I first moved in here with Kell, I had to go back and forth between here and Truckee. I moved slowly. When I finally got settled in, she moved in with Reese. Elena never came down when me and Kellan were still roommates, I guess.” She took another long drink of her beer. “But this house is for us.”

  “I see.” Kinsley typed something. “So, three bedrooms? Home office and guest room?” she asked.

  “For now. Nursery probably later.” Riley tore at the label on her beer bottle. “I’m not in a hurry. That’s a good thing.”

  “For the nursery?” Kinsley looked up at her.

  Riley laughed and replied, “To buy a place. I’m not in a hurry for the nursery either, but I meant to buy. I would like to find the right place.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking, where’s your girlfriend?”

  “Elena lives in Dallas. She’s a mayor of a small town just outside of the city.”

  “Mayor?”

  “Elected on her first try. The town is smaller than South Lake without the tourists, but still. She really loves it, but her third term is coming to an end, and we agreed she’d move here when it does.”

  “Is she going to run for office here?” Kinsley asked.

  “I don’t think so. She’s an attorney, too. She’s a bit older than me. She’s ready to go a little slower than she did when she just got out of law school and then got elected. I’m thinking we’ll just start a joint practice.”

  “That sounds nice,” Kinsley said and smiled, but it didn’t meet her eyes.

  “I’ve got another month before she arrives.”

  “Will she come help house-hunt?”

  “Probably not. She trusts me,” Riley replied and knew her own smile didn’t meet her eyes. “She’s pretty busy wrapping things up down there. I probably won’t see her again until she moves finally.”

  “When was the last time you saw her?” Kinsley asked.

  “We don’t see one another all that often, unfortunately. We’re both just too busy to get away. I went there about six weeks ago for the weekend.”

  “Six weeks without seeing your girlfriend?” Kinsley asked and tucked the same strand of hair behind her ear. “That sucks. The last time I had a long-distance girlfriend was right after college. She lived about three hours away. It lasted only a couple of months.”

  “Girlfriend?” Riley asked and then she remembered. “That’s right. I totally forgot.”

  “You forgot I was gay?” Kinsley asked and seemed at least slightly offended. “Riley, we’ve hung out like a hundred times.”

  “I’m sorry. I knew you were gay. I just forgot that I knew that.”

  “How do you forget something like that?” Kinsley closed her laptop.

  “I don’t know. You don’t scream lesbian, Kinsley.”

  “What does that mean?”

  Riley thought for a moment before she replied, “You’re not exactly the stereotype.”

  “Did you really just say that?” Kinsley laughed for the first time since she’d arrived, and Riley wondered if that was the first time she’d ever heard Kinsley laugh. She’d likely heard her laugh before, but that would have been years ago. She didn’t risk bringing it up, considering she’d forgotten a pretty big fact about Kinsley already. “I came out in college. You knew then. I think I even introduced you to a date once or twice.”

  “Freshman year is kind of a blur to me, honestly,” Riley said. “It’s not an excuse, but it’s true. I haven’t really spent a lot of time with you since then, Kinsley.”

  “James is fine,” she said.

  “Huh?”

  “You can call me James. Most people do. My first name is kind of a mouthful,” she said. “I guess you’ve always called me Kinsley, though, haven’t you? You do remember that, don’t you?”

  “Yes.” Riley laughed. “I like your name,” she added. “And, like I said, I knew you were gay. I just forgot that I knew that. I am sorry.”

  “Why was freshman year a blur?” Kinsley asked.

  “What?” Riley had been too busy watching Kinsley’s fingers toy with her own beer bottle label. They were long and elegant, with short nails that had a light sheen of polish on them. She’d likely just had a manicure. “Sorry.”

  “You said your freshman year was a blur.”

  “Oh, right.” She met Kinsley’s eyes. “It was a big adjustment for me, being away from home. And I was pre-law. I had a terrible roommate in the dorm that–”

  “Sylvia, right?”

  “How do you–” Riley shook her head at Kinsley’s remarkable memory. “Yes, her name was Sylvia, and she was only in college because her parents made her go. She was out late nearly every night, never went to class, and always made a huge mess in our tiny room. She and I spent most of the time either not talking at all or in screaming matches, because she’d slam the door at four in the morning and wake me up.”

  “That does suck,” Kinsley replied.

  “I remember hanging out with you guys, sometimes. You were nice to me, too, by the way.” She smiled at her. “It’s just been a long time.”

  “And now, you’re back and starting your new life with Elena,” Kinsley said. “Three bedrooms and at least two bathrooms.”

  “That’s the idea,” Riley said.

  “How long have you two been together?”

  “About three years,” Riley replied. “We met through work. I flew to Dallas for a tricky divorce case. She was in the city at some meeting.”

  “Well, she is an important mayor,” Kinsley said with a playful smile.

  “She is.” Riley laughed and finished her beer. “We struck up a conversation and have been together ever since.”

  “So, you’ve always been long-distance?”

  “We have.”

  “And you’re buying a place together?”

  “We are,” Riley answered with a hint of suspicion in her tone. “Do I detect judgment, Kinsley James?” She lifted her eyebrow at Kinsley.

  “No judgment.” Kinsley held up her hands in supplication. “Just that, in my line of work, I see this happen sometimes: people buy a place together too soon, and then they come back to me a year later, needing to figure out how to sell it.”

  “It makes sense for us to buy.”

  “Maybe. But you do have this place. Does Kellan make you pay rent?”

  “No, but I make her take my rent.” Riley laughed. “She tried to shove it back through the mail slot once. I put it back on her desk downstairs. It’s a thing we do every month.”

  “You have this place rent-free, with no lease. Couldn’t she just move in here with you? That way, there’s no risk.”

  “She doesn’t want to rent.”

  “Why not?” Kinsley asked.

  “Are you trying to work yourself out of a hefty commission there, Kinsley?”

  “I’m not.” Kinsley leaned back in the chair. “I also don’t take commissions from friends.”

  “Oh, no. I’m paying you for this. This is a job.”

  “So, we’re not friends?” Kinsley asked with a lifted eyebrow.

  “We are. That’s not what–” Riley was interrupted by the ringing of her phone. She looked down at the screen. “It’s Elena.”

  “I should probably go,” Kinsley
said.

  “No, it’s fine. Just give me one second,” Riley replied and stood. She took the phone into the kitchen and answered it. “Hey, babe.”

  “I have amazing news,” Elena spoke and sounded a bit slurred.

  “Are you drunk?” Riley asked, concerned.

  “No. I’ve had a few glasses of wine, but I’m not drunk. Listen, I have amazing news.”

  “What is it, Elena?” She turned back to see that Kinsley was packing up her things.

  “They want me to run for governor,” Elena replied. “Babe, they want me to run for governor of Texas.”

  “What?” Riley asked.

  She suddenly realized this was a private conversation, and Kinsley was standing with her laptop bag hanging over her shoulder waving goodbye at her.

  “Just one second, Kinsley.”

  “Who’s Kinsley?”

  “She’s a real estate agent?” Riley told her girlfriend.

  Kinsley’s eyes met her own, and Riley thought she saw something in them: Kinsley looked disappointed. Like, maybe she’d taken offense to what Riley had just said.

  “I’ll leave you alone,” Kinsley said. “I’ll be in touch, okay?”

  “Do you have my–”

  “I have your phone number, Riley.” Kinsley nodded. “Good night.”

  The woman walked toward the front door of the apartment and closed it behind her. Riley returned her attention to Elena, who sounded tipsy and like she wasn’t alone wherever she was.

  “Why are you meeting the real estate agent this late?”

  “Why are you excited about running for governor of Texas when you’re supposed to be moving here with me?” Riley fired back. “I was meeting with Kinsley to start hunting for our house, Elena.”

  “Riley, I didn’t think this would happen. You act like I planned this.”

  “You can’t run for governor and live here with me, Elena.” She sat back down in the chair at the table.

  “Riley, just because I run, doesn’t mean I’m going to win. The party thinks the timing is right for a female candidate.”

  “And a gay candidate?” Riley asked. “In Texas, Elena? Really?”

  “Obviously, that wouldn’t–”

  “You promised me you’d come out.” Riley sighed. “You promised me you’d move here and you’d come out.”

  “Can we talk about all this later? I’m out with a few people. I only called to give you the good news, and this isn’t a conversation I want to have right now.” Elena hung up the phone without waiting for a reply.

  CHAPTER 3

  It had been a week since Kinsley went to Riley’s apartment and learned that Riley not only didn’t remember that she was gay, she also had a girlfriend and was planning on settling down with her. She also, apparently, thought of Kinsley as the real estate agent and nothing more. Kinsley had been wrong to consider Riley Sanders a friend. It was true that they hadn’t spent all that much time together in college, and as adults – even less, but still. Kinsley expected more. She’d been wrong.

  When Riley made the move back to South Lake, Kinsley had been bouncing around to various cities for work. She’d attended conferences on building a business, how to enhance her online marketing presence, and even a few courses to get certified in different business practices. She also had to take tests to expand her business to commercial real estate, and those often took her out of town. Since Riley had returned, Kinsley had probably spent all of a few hours with her, and that was always in a group setting. Sometimes, she’d be leaving just as Riley arrived or vice versa. She’d built their friendship up in her head. And the crush she’d had forever, all but evaporated the moment she realized Riley had basically forgotten she’d existed and that she’d only sought her out because she’d needed a real estate agent. Hell, she hadn’t even remembered Kinsley was a realtor; Morgan had to remind her.

  “She didn’t remember that you’re gay?” Morgan asked as Kinsley helped her stock hiking boots in the store.

  “She said she knew, but she… forgot that she knew?”

  “How does that happen?” Morgan looked over at her and placed two shoe boxes on top of one another.

  “I don’t know. Am I crazy, though? Isn’t that something you’d remember about someone?”

  “I guess, yeah.”

  “We all hang out together. You’re gay; Reese and Kellan are gay, and they’re a couple.”

  “True, but we also hang out with Remy and Ryan. They’re straight. Plus, Stacy and Dave are with us most nights.” Morgan paused as she considered. “And then, there’s–”

  “I get it: we hang out with heterosexuals, too.” Kinsley shrugged one shoulder as she passed another shoe box to Morgan. “It’s just… I don’t know.”

  “It’s just that you’ve liked her for years – decades, at this point, I think. You’ve liked her, and she doesn’t remember you the same way you do her. She doesn’t see you the same way you see her, right?”

  “Right,” Kinsley said. “It’s disappointing.”

  “And she has that girlfriend who’s moving here,” Morgan added.

  “Also, disappointing.”

  “You can’t be disappointed by that when you never exactly tried anything with her. What? Did you expect Riley Sanders to just remain single all these years until you finally walked up to her and asked her out?” Morgan chuckled.

  “No, obviously not.” Kinsley sat on the bench in the middle of the shoe aisle intended for people trying on shoes. “I don’t know. It’s just weird.”

  “I don’t even remember her talking about a girlfriend.” Morgan sat next to her as she leaned forward to organize the shoes.

  “Right? I feel like I would have remembered if she’d said she was with someone.”

  “Because you’re weirdly obsessed with her?” Morgan teased.

  “I am not weirdly obsessed with her.” Kinsley shoved her lightly.

  “How long have they been together?”

  “Three years.”

  “What’s her name?”

  “Elena Rivera. I looked her up when I got home. She’s forty-six years old. She’s the mayor of a little town outside of Dallas.”

  “Forty-six years old?”

  “Riley said she was a bit older than her.”

  “That’s not a bit.” Morgan leaned back. “That’s a May-November kind of thing.”

  “I know.” Kinsley straightened a shoe box for Morgan.

  “The oldest woman I’ve dated was two years older than us.”

  “Mine was three. But Riley’s three years younger than us. So, it’s even more of an age difference.”

  “Well, at least you know she has a thing for older women. If they do ever break up, you might have a chance.” Morgan smirked at her and then patted her shoulder. “Sorry, Kinsley. I don’t think she’s a bad person. It just sounds like she didn’t see you the same way you saw her back then.”

  “I guess so.”

  “What are you going to do?” Morgan asked.

  “Help her find a damn house for her and her girlfriend.”

  Kinsley left Morgan to go back to her office. She stopped for a late afternoon coffee at the café but, this time, she wasn’t there to see Riley. She just wanted the coffee. She grabbed a bagel, too, thinking she’d probably work through dinner, and sat down at her desk. She spread the cream cheese and dove into the bagel just as the bell chimed and the door opened to reveal Riley Sanders.

  “Mother fucker…” Kinsley muttered to herself and dropped the bagel to the napkin to use another to wipe cream cheese off her face.

  “Hi,” Riley said as she walked in farther. “Sorry, did I interrupt? I wasn’t sure if you were still open, but the door was unlocked, and the lights were on.”

  “I’m working through dinner,” Kinsley said as she tried to clean her teeth with her tongue and swallow her bagel fully.

  “That’s your dinner?” Riley asked and pointed at the bagel.

  “That and my coffee, yes,” Kinsley
replied. “Sorry, did you need something? I sent you a few listings yesterday.”

  “Oh, yes. I got those. Thanks.” The woman stood holding her purse in both hands in front of her body. She seemed to be lacking the confidence Kinsley normally associated with her. “I sent them to Elena to take a look at. I’m just waiting to hear back from her before we go take a look.”

  “Okay. No rush on my end.” Kinsley leaned back in the office chair she’d spent way too much money on; but when she saw it in the store, she had to buy it. “I’ll send you more listings as they come up, but can you at least tell me which ones aren’t worth my time? That way I can move onto others.”

  “I’ve done something to upset you, haven’t I?” Riley sat down, placing her purse on the floor.

  “No,” Kinsley lied.

  “Yes, I have. I can tell, Kinsley.”

  “Really? Last week, you couldn’t remember that I was gay. But, suddenly, you know me well enough to know when I’m upset?”

  “So, you are upset about that.”

  “I’m not upset. I just–”

  “What?” Riley asked with concern reading in her eyes. “What, Kinsley?”

  “Okay. I am upset. We were friends, Riley. At least, I thought we were friends.”

  “We were friends, Kinsley. That’s true. We knew each other a little in college, but you and I weren’t close back then. I’ve hardly seen you since. I’m sorry I upset you. It wasn’t my intention. But can I ask you a question?”

  “Sure.” Kinsley took a drink of her coffee.

  “Why is it so important to you that I remember that?”

  “Because I told you, Riley. When I was in school, we were sitting on that futon in Remy and Reese’s place. I’d already told them, and Morgan, but no one else knew. I came out to you. It was a big moment for me, and you don’t even remember it.”

  Riley seemed to think for a moment before she replied, “I do remember it, Kinsley. I remember that you told me. I just forgot in that moment. When we were talking the other night, I just forgot. I’m sorry.”

  “You remember it?”

  “The futon was light blue. It had a stain on it that we both tried not to sit on.”