"They're coming here? When?"
"In a few weeks. They say they're just coming to see me, but I know that's not the reason."
"What do you think it is?"
"Something happened and they don't want to tell me over the phone. I don't want to think about it. Can we talk about something else?"
The table gets quiet and remains quiet until the waiter arrives to take our order. After he leaves, we're still quiet, none of us knowing what to say. The dynamic between us has changed, which I'm assuming is because of me.
Things aren't right between Riley and me, which makes Brad uncomfortable, so we're all struggling with what to say. Then there's this strange vibe between Riley and Brad that I can't figure out. It's like they're talking in code, sharing some secret message, which I'm assuming has to do with me. I'm sure they talked about me today, trying to figure out what to do to get my mind off Riley and onto someone else. That's probably why Brad suggested we go look for girls this week.
I don't like Brad and Riley talking about me behind my back. If they have something to tell me, they need to just say it.
Chapter Eighteen
Riley
"I can't believe you agreed to this," I say in a hushed tone as I go out the back door of the salon. I just went on break when Brad called to tell me about his date tonight.
"Riley, you know this isn't what I want. But if I don't go, Nate's going to get suspicious."
I sigh. "Can't you just tell Nate you don't like her?"
"I don't even know her. I can't say I don't like a girl I don't even know."
I pace back and forth behind the building, trying not to be angry at Brad, because it really isn't his fault. He went out with Nate twice this week to help him find a girl, and last night he did. The only problem is she was with a friend and her friend really likes Brad. He said he didn't show any interest in her, but she didn't take the hint. When Nate called to ask the other girl out, she agreed to it, but only if her friend could go out with Brad.
"Riley, you have nothing to worry about. Nothing's going to happen tonight. It's a double date. I won't even be alone with her."
"What if she tries to kiss you? What are you going to do?"
"I'll make it clear I want her to stop."
"How? How are you going to do that without Nate noticing?"
"I don't care if he notices. If he does, I'll tell him I wasn't interested in her."
"Is she hot?"
"Riley, let's stop talking about this. We only have a few minutes before you have to go back to work, and I won't be able to call you when you get home."
"Because you'll be on a date," I mutter. "With someone else."
"Thinking about my girlfriend the whole time."
"You're just saying that to make me feel better."
"I'm saying it because it's true. I think about you constantly. And I hate that I can't see you today."
He won't see me because the pool is closed. This morning TJ tested the water and found the chemical levels were off so the pool is closed until they fix it.
Since I'm free this afternoon, Renee is letting me stay and work so I can get some extra hours. She told us she's selling the salon at last Monday's staff meeting, but couldn't tell us if we'd be losing our jobs. She said it depends on the new owner. She feels really bad about having to sell the place but said she had to because it was causing her too much stress. She cried during the meeting, so I know this was a hard decision for her.
"What about tomorrow?" I ask. "Will I see you?"
"Yes. I'll make sure of it. Even if I have to sneak out of the house at midnight to do it."
"Midnight? Does that mean you're going out with Nate again tomorrow?"
"He wants to go to some club downtown."
"Why? He already found a girl."
"But it might not work out. If tonight's date doesn't go well, he wants to go to the club tomorrow."
"Then I'm going with. I'm not spending another night home alone, especially a Friday night."
"I agree, but you should be the one telling Nate you're going with us. If I do, he'll wonder why I want you there. I have to be careful what I say to him. Every time I bring up your name, he gives me this look."
"What kind of look?"
"Like he thinks something's going on with us."
"He doesn't think that. He thinks we're talking about him behind his back. He told me that when he called earlier."
"And what did you say?"
"I told him we're only talking about him because we care about him. We want him to be happy, which is true."
"I still think he suspects something's going on between us. Or that it's about to. Why else would he keep pushing me to go out with other girls?"
"Maybe you could talk him out of going to the club tomorrow."
"I could try, but he really wants to go, and he probably won't want you going with us if he's trying to find a date."
"Then I'll get April to go with me. We'll have a girls' night."
"Riley, I really do want to find a way to see you more. And I will. I just need to find someone to keep Nate busy. Hopefully tonight will go well and he'll want to see this girl again."
I go back in the salon. "My break is over. I gotta go. Have fun on your date."
"You know I won't. I'm only doing this for Nate. I'll call you when I get home tonight."
I put my phone away and go to the dryer to take out the towels. As I'm folding them, April bursts through the door.
"It's sold," she says, racing up to me.
"The salon? Already?"
"They still have to sign the paperwork, but the offer's been made and Renee accepted it."
"That sucks." I sigh. "Guess I better start looking for jobs."
"Maybe not. It's still going to be a salon. It'll just have a new owner."
"Someone who will bring in a whole new staff."
"I'm not going to worry about it until we know more."
"So you don't know who bought it?"
"No, and I don't know when they'll be taking it over."
I go back to folding towels. "Like I needed more bad news today."
"What do you mean? What else happened?"
I walk up to her and lower my voice. "Brad has a date tonight."
"He's cheating on you?" she yells.
"April, keep it down. I don't want anyone hearing us. And no, he's not cheating. He's doing it so Nate doesn't suspect anything. It's a double date. They met these girls last night and the girl Nate likes wouldn't go out with him unless her friend could go out with Brad."
"Riley, this is getting out of hand. Why don't you just tell Nate the truth?"
"And have him hate me? And hate Brad? No. Besides, who knows how long Brad and I will be a couple? It could end next week. Or tonight, if his date goes well."
"If he cheats on you, I'll kick his ass."
"Speaking of cheaters, have you heard from Wayne?"
"No, but I told him never to contact me again, so..." She rolls her eyes. "Why can't I find a decent guy?"
"Want to look for one tomorrow night?"
"Where?"
"At the club downtown. Nate wants Brad to go, and I thought we could go too. I don't want to spend another night at home."
"Maybe, but I don't have good luck at clubs."
"We could just go there to dance. Think about it and let me know."
"I will. I have to go check this lady's color."
She runs off and I get my phone out and text Brad. Salon was sold.
What about your job? he texts back.
Don't know yet.
You okay?
Yeah. I knew it would happen.
Try not to worry. Everything will work out. Always does.
He tells me that all the time. I don't believe him, but I like hearing it. It's better than Nate's response to bad news, which is always a lecture on what I should do.
I didn't even think to tell him about the salon. My mind immediately went to Brad instead of Nate.
"Did you hear the news?" my mom says as she storms through the door and over to me.
"April just told me."
"We're screwed." She throws her hands up. "Where the hell we gonna work now?"
"Mom, you don't know what's going to happen so just calm down."
She's been worried about this all week and drinking to calm her nerves. I haven't said anything to her about the drinking, because history has taught me that it'll just make her drink more.
"You know they're gonna fire us. That's what always happens when new owners come in. Why do you think Renee was crying at the meeting last week?" She rips her black salon apron off and tosses it on the floor. "I'm going home."
"Home? Mom, you just started your shift."
"What's the point of sticking around? Might as well go live it up with what little money we have left."
"Mom, no. Whatever money we have left has to pay bills. You're not spending it." I glance down and notice she's wearing short black boots I've never seen before. "Did you just buy those?"
"These?" She lifts her foot up and smiles. "Yeah, aren't they cute?"
"Mom! We have no money! Why are you buying new shoes?"
"Listen to me, little girl," she says, pointing her finger at me. "I am a grown woman and I will buy whatever I damn well please."
I'm so angry I can't even look at her. I turn my back to her. "I give up. I don't even care anymore."
I hear her new boots clicking on the floor as she leaves. Tears well up in my eyes and I run out the back door to get some fresh air, forcing myself not to cry.
I hear Brad's voice in my head. Everything will work out. Always does.
"When?" I shout at the sky. "When does it ever work out?"
My phone rings. I check it and see Brad's name on the screen.
"Hey," I answer, taking a deep breath.
"I know I'm not supposed to call you during work, but I was worried about you. You sure you're okay?"
"No." I swallow. "I'm not okay."
"Talk to me."
I drop down to the ground, holding the phone to my ear. "My mom left. Just walked out in the middle of her shift. And she bought new shoes. We're two months late on bills and she bought new fucking shoes!" I wipe my eyes. "I don't know what to do with her. Or my job. My life. It's all a mess."
"I know it seems bad now, but it's all gonna work out. I promise you. It always works out."
"Maybe for you, but not for me. It just keeps getting worse."
"Riley, I know you wanted to get extra hours today but I don't think you should be there right now. I'm gonna come pick you up." When I don't tell him no, he says, "Be there soon."
I go inside and tell Renee I'm not feeling well and have to leave. I should stay and work the extra hours, but I'm too upset to be here right now.
Brad arrives, pulling up in back so people won't see him. I get in his SUV and we take off.
"See? It's just like I said." He smiles. "Everything worked out."
I give him my 'you're crazy' face. "Nothing is worked out. It's a total disaster. My mom and I are going to lose our jobs. Our bills are overdue."
"And you're spending the afternoon with me. You kept saying we wouldn't get to be together this week. But here we are, just the two of us."
"Only because I left work."
"Just take it for what it is. You wanted something, and it happened. Forget about how or why."
I turn to him, a smile forming. "Are you sure you and Nate are related?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"He'd never do something like this. He'd tell me I should stay at work and then go home tonight and start applying for jobs. He'd even send me links to the jobs he thinks I should apply for."
"You can do all that later. Right now you need to take a breath and tell yourself it'll all work out. I know it sounds lame, but it really does work."
"Why do you believe that?"
"Because it's true. Even if you don't get the outcome you want, you'll find a way to get out of whatever crisis you're in and move on. My first year of college I thought I was going to flunk out. I had to take all this math, which I've never been good at, and I kept flunking the tests. I panicked, thinking I'd never be a doctor if I can't pass these stupid math classes."
"So what'd you do?"
"Got a tutor, studied nonstop, and passed the class. I didn't get an A, but I passed."
"Then things didn't just work out. You made them work out."
"So can you. And you will. You feel like you're drowning now, but you'll find a way back to the surface. And sometimes things actually do work out, without us even doing anything. You just have to ride out the storm and see what happens. Like this shit with my dad? The gambling? I never saw it coming, and there's nothing I can do about it. So I'm riding out the storm and waiting for it to be over. And by riding it out here, I met you. Something good came from something bad. The same thing could happen with the salon. You're assuming the sale is bad, but maybe it'll end up being good."
"Even if the new owners let me keep my job, they won't keep my mom around. She always shows up late and calls in sick. Renee let her get away with it, but nobody else will." I look ahead and see we're heading for the interstate.
"Where are we going?"
"For a drive."
"For how long?"
"How far's the state line?"
I look at him. "What?"
"You said you never left the state. We're gonna change that."
"What about your date tonight?"
"I'll be back in time. If not, Nate will get two girls instead of one."
I laugh. "Nate couldn't handle that. You should turn around. We can do this some other day."
He keeps driving, and two hours later we're in Texas. We have an early dinner, then drive back. Brad calls Nate and tells him he'll meet him at the restaurant.
"No kissing," I joke as Brad walks me to my door.
"Are we talking now or later?"
"No kissing, period. This isn't supposed to be a real date. Did you forget that?"
"I thought you were talking about me and you."
"Well, obviously you can kiss me," I say, my arms going around him.
He leans down and kisses me. "That's for now."
"Give me one for later since I won't see you."
"I'll be back." He walks off, looking back at me and smiling.
I watch him leave, then go inside, a huge smile on my face. I'm always smiling when I'm with him.
"Where you been?" my mom mutters from the couch. She's lying down, her eyes closed, a half empty bottle of vodka next to her.
"I'll be in my room, Mom." I walk past her, choosing to keep my thoughts on Brad instead of my drunk mom and our unpaid bills.
Later that night, I see headlights pulling up to the trailer as a text pops up on my phone. Told you I'd be back.
I open the door to find Brad there, holding a carton of ice cream.
"What happened? The date didn't go well?"
"It was fine, but I missed you and wanted to see you."
He gives me a kiss then comes inside. I grab two spoons and we sit on the couch, eating our ice cream.
"Did the date end early or did you tell her you had to leave?"
"It ended early. She had something to do in the morning and couldn't be out late."
"So tell me about it." I take a bite of the ice cream. "What'd you guys do?"
"I don't want to talk about the date. It wasn't real. But this is." He takes my spoon from my lips and replaces it with a kiss, then another.
I decide not to ask him any more about the date. I don't want to know. It doesn't matter. It was just something he did to help Nate.
Now I know how Nate feels. Sitting at home while Brad was out with another girl hurt me. It wasn't a real date, but it still hurt because of my feelings for Brad. Just like Nate would be hurt seeing me with some other guy.
I was considering telling Nate the truth about Brad and me, but I've decided against i
t. Knowing how it feels to have the person I care about on a date with someone else proved to me Nate doesn't need to know.
Friday morning when I get to the salon, April calls and tells me she's sick. I don't know anyone else who would go to the club with me tonight, so I decide to stay home while Brad goes on another date with his mystery girl. He hasn't told me her name, which is fine with me. Knowing her name makes her more real, and I'm trying to pretend she's not.
On Saturday, I get to the pool early and am sitting on a chair, getting some sun, when Nate and Brad show up.
"Hey, Riley," Nate says, sitting beside me. "What'd you do last night?"
This past week Nate hasn't been calling me. He texts me, but not nearly as often as he used to. Even when he was away at college, we talked on the phone and texted each other throughout the day. It's strange not having him in my life that way anymore.
"I watched TV," I tell him. "Then went to bed early."
I glance at Brad, who seems to get hotter every day. Or maybe I'm imagining it because he keeps turning up in my dreams—intensely hot dreams where I get to live out my fantasies with Brad. Every time we're making out I think it'll lead to sex, but it never does. We either get interrupted or we stop it before it happens.
"Too bad you couldn't make it," Brad says to me. "The music was good."
"How were your dates?" I ask Nate.
He shrugs. "Mine wasn't great, but Brad had a good time."
"You did?" I ask, because when he called me last night, he said the date was boring.
"It was okay," he says.
"Are you going out with them again?" I ask.
"I'm not," Nate answers. "Serena wasn't that interesting. At first I thought she was nervous and couldn't think of anything to say, but I think that's just her personality."
"So you're not going out with her again?" I ask.
"No. We agreed that last night would be it."
"Why don't all three of us go out tonight?" Brad says. "We haven't done that for a while."
"I'm good with that," I say.
"What about Kari?" Nate says to Brad.
"Who's Kari?" I ask.
"Brad's girl," Nate says. "You didn't know her name?"
"Guess not," I say, glancing at Brad, annoyed Nate called Kari 'Brad's girl'. I'M his girl. She's not. And I can't stand her name. I knew a Kari in junior high who bullied me and told everyone my mom was a slut. So now every time I hear that name, I feel sick.
Better If He Goes (Always You Book 1) Page 19
