by Amanda Ashby
“It’s not like that,” Riley protested, though at the same time her smile stared to fade. She’d been trying not to think about that, and thanks to her conversation with Will, she’d been pretty successful in diverting her mind. Of course it had helped that Gloria had been out of the library all day.
“Tell yourself what you like, but there’s no way he would want his woman to be going out with someone else.”
“And you read too many alpha romances,” Riley retorted. “Will isn’t like that. He’s a charity worker who’ll only drive his brother’s car because it’s a Prius. He thinks about things like carbon footprints and world peace, not about calling someone ‘his woman.’ He respects me as his friend, not just as the girl he’s sleeping with. The girl who lives downstairs.” The girl he likes enough to finally stay in Seattle for more than two weeks at a time. She let out a groan as she realized what Italy was saying. “He hates the idea, doesn’t he?”
“Yup.” Italy nodded, sending her spirals heading out in all directions. “With a fiery passion that is set to consume him. Unfortunately, you guys are still caught between the friend thing and the dating thing, so he probably doesn’t feel he has the right to tell you what to do. Classic friends-to-lover problem. I believe that they even call it CFTLP.”
“No, they really don’t.”
“Fine, but it should be a thing,” Italy retorted as they headed for the staffroom to get their purses. “And it means the pair of you are still struggling to discuss things that a normal couple would have no problem talking about. Am I right?”
No, Riley wanted to retort. You’re not right at all.
After all, hadn’t they discussed the idea of Will staying? And they’d both admitted how they felt about each other. Well, they kind of had. Unfortunately, as she recalled their conversation, she had to admit Italy had a point. They hadn’t talked about what their relationship together might really look like. In fact, Will had hardly been able to say that he was considering spending more time in Seattle, and despite how much she’d longed to jump up and down with excitement at the idea, she knew what a fragile thing it was.
Especially after all the hurt Lisa had inflicted on him.
Thankfully, Italy didn’t seem to notice that Riley hadn’t answered her. Instead she shrugged on her jacket and fluffed her hair.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, the hot guy who just moved into my apartment block likes to warm up before his daily run and I don’t want to miss it. Just think about what I said, okay?”
“I will.” Riley darted out the door before Italy could give her any last-minute advice. She’d purposely not given herself time to go home and change, just to ensure she made it very obvious that it wasn’t a serious date. But, as she got closer to the café where she was supposed to meet Calvin, Italy’s words hovered in her mind.
She might not think it was a real date, but what if Calvin did?
And why wouldn’t he? After all, he was single and she was supposedly single too.
Except she wasn’t.
She reached the café and froze. What was she doing?
Will was considering extending his stay in Seattle. For her. Yet here she was going on a date with Gloria’s nephew. For the possibility of a job and to remind herself that her future didn’t lie with Will. But now things were different. Her future did lie with Will. As for her promotion, of course she still wanted it, but Will had told her more than once that babysitting guinea pigs and agreeing to blind dates weren’t the way to go about it.
The urge to laugh almost overtook her as she realized how crazy what she’d been doing was. She sucked in the breath as she peered through the glass window to where Calvin was sitting at one of the tables. He didn’t have a drink in front of him, but his head was bent over, reading a magazine, oblivious to the rest of the people around him. Riley’s heart pounded.
People were always telling her that she needed to say no. To stand up for herself and not be so soft-hearted. Will. Italy. Even Cameron next door lectured her on how she’d never be a great Minecrafter until she toughened up. And he was ten.
Her throat tightened. She knew that canceling the date was the right thing to do, but that didn’t stop the familiar panic from rising up in her chest, threatening to swallow her. What did it mean for her job? Her security? And yet if she didn’t, what kind of message was she sending to Will? That her job was more important than he was?
She fished around in her purse for her cell phone, grateful Calvin had insisted on giving her his number last time they’d met. She called it before she could change her mind.
Calvin answered on the first ring. “Riley, is everything okay?” She tried to ignore the churning in her stomach. The idea of hurting someone or letting them down had never been easy for her. Hence why she was constantly rescuing potted plants and taking care of guinea pigs. And agreeing to go on dates with people she didn’t want to go on dates with. She took a deep breath.
“Not really. Calvin, you’re a great guy, but I’ve recently met someone else and we’ve been spending time together and I’m just not sure I should be going on a date with anyone else right now.” The words tumbled out on top of one another, like they were in a rush to get out before she could change her mind.
“Oh.” Calvin was silent for a moment, making Riley feel even worse.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
“Please, don’t be sorry,” Calvin quickly assured her. “I know that my aunt probably talked you into it. She can be pretty convincing like that, and normally I never would’ve asked, but last time we met, you were lots of fun and so easy to talk to.”
She was? All she could remember was nodding her head a lot as Calvin explained how a particle accelerator worked.
“Of course she didn’t have to convince me.” Riley crossed her fingers. “But now that Will and I are seeing each other, I just didn’t think it was fair. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Don’t be silly. Just make sure this new guy of yours knows how lucky he is.”
“I will,” she croaked, then hung up before she could change her mind. Her heart hammered in a mixture of horror at what she’d done and elation that she’d taken a stand for her and Will’s fledgling relationship. She was doing the right thing, she told herself, trying to be convincing.
Normally she would’ve walked or caught the bus home, but the need to see Will was overwhelming. Because as soon as she could look at his face, could reach out and touch his skin, the knot of anxiety would dissolve.
She flagged down a taxi, relieved to sink into the backseat. As they weaved in and out of the rush hour traffic, she closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing, the way Jude had taught her. By the time the taxi pulled up outside the old Victorian house, she was feeling much calmer.
She peered up at Will’s window. It was still open, as was his habit when he was at home. He said it helped him think better. She hurried inside, not wanting any time to herself in case she questioned her decision.
“Hey.” When she ducked into Will’s apartment, he was sitting on the floor surrounded by paperwork, presumably for his new startup. His brow was pushed together in concentration, his takeout meal hardly touched as he focused on what he was reading. The anxiety receded as she drank him in.
This was the essence of Will. The guy who could never stand by and do nothing when people needed his help. Warmth spread through her veins, and she knew she’d made the right decision.
“Hey.” He looked up, his blue eyes clouded with confusion. “What are you doing here? Don’t tell me that date boy stood you up?”
“Actually.” She wrinkled her nose. “I kind of stood him up.”
“No way did you do that.” Will shook his head but after studying her face for several seconds he let out a soft whistle. “You did do that. Can it be that you finally stood up to your crazy boss?”
“I guess. No
t directly.” She sat down the floor next to him and crossed her legs, her fingers automatically reaching out to touch his arm, just because it was there. “I realized how stupid it was to be on a date with someone I don’t know and am not really interested in, when all I really wanted to do was be on a date with someone I do know, and am interested in. So, if you’re still up for celebrating your good news, then I’m here.”
“You really did that for me?” He caught her fingers and entwined them with his. Riley let out the breath she didn’t know that she was holding. She hadn’t realized how worried she was that he hadn’t meant what he said this morning.
“For us,” she corrected. “It’s been brought to my attention that financial security isn’t everything, so if this messes up things between Gloria and me, I’ll live. Will, I want to make this work, and all those things you said this morning? Well, I didn’t want you to be the only one who’s sacrificing something. What we have, it feels right, and I want us to be together.”
“Actually it feels more than right.” He dragged her toward him. “It feels like love. No one has ever done that for me, Riley. No one has put me first before. Thank you.”
Riley stiffened as his words sunk in. Then she wriggled out of his embrace to study his face.
“D-did you just say that you love me?”
A smile spread across his mouth. “I think I loved you from the moment you moved in and made me help carry that horrible old reading chair into the building.”
“You almost tripped on the stairs and swore in four different languages.” Riley remembered the day in question. She’d bought the chair from a secondhand place and arranged the delivery, but the guys had refused to lift it up the stairs, leaving Riley to try and tackle it on her own. That was when Will had swept in. Her glamorous landlord with his tanned limbs and his dazzling pale blue eyes. He’d picked up the chair like it was nothing and given her one of his famous smiles that had melted her insides. Once she’d settled in, they’d spent the rest of the night laughing and talking.
Riley had woken up the next morning, her heart hammering with the thought of seeing him again, maybe exploring the instant connection they’d had. But then Jude had called to say that she’d broken up with her latest husband and had to find a new place to live. It had been the wakeup call Riley had needed. Will might be heart-stoppingly gorgeous and funny and kind but she’d long ago learned that wasn’t enough. That was the day she’d decided that keeping her apartment was more important than a short fling with her beautiful upstairs neighbor. But now here he was, telling her that she could have both.
“I’m well-traveled,” he said in a soft voice. “But for the first time I feel like I want to be at home. And it’s because of you. So yes, Riley Harris. I love you.
“I love you too.” Riley threw herself into his arms, her heart bursting with warmth. “I love you too, Will Henderson.
***
“I hate to burst your happy bubble, but here comes Gloria, and judging by the look on her face, she knows about Calvin,” Italy said. Riley, who’d been absentmindedly returning books, looked up and gulped. The euphoria of the previous night had lasted until five minutes before she stepped into the library, and even as she’d recounted the night’s events to Italy—including the I love you scene—her stomach had churned with nerves. She knew what she’d done was the right thing, but in the cold hard light of day, with consequences bearing down on her, it wasn’t that easy to remember.
“Riley,” Gloria’s voice boomed out. “In my office, now.”
Good luck, her friend mouthed as Riley reluctantly followed her boss.
“So, it seems we have something to talk about,” Gloria said, her voice tarter than a lemon. Riley sat down, her stomach tightening. While she might have managed to lie about her relationship with Will, there was no way she could sit through the meeting and continue it. She’d had enough.
“Gloria.” She dug her nails into her legs to stop herself from squirming. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have canceled the date so last-minute. But the truth is that I never should’ve said yes in the first place. I’m kind of seeing someone.”
“Not the gay guy? Because, Riley, you know that’s only going to end in heartache.”
“He’s not gay.” Riley studied the carpet, her face heating up. “I don’t even know why I said that.”
“I do,” Gloria said, and when Riley looked up, instead of being mad, her boss’s eyes were gleaming with sympathy. “You wanted that promotion.”
“I guess.” Riley sighed, once again wondering what kind of person she’d become. “But I should’ve just tried to get it on my merit.”
“You did get it on your merit. The only reason I asked you to go on a date with Calvin was because he was too nervous to ask himself. Do you think I’d ever let someone work in my senior management team just because of a date? That’s crazy.”
“Wait? What?” Riley took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, as if it would somehow improve her hearing. Did Gloria just say that she’d gotten the promotion? “I’m not sure I follow.”
“Well, then we’ll have to work on your comprehension skills, because you got the promotion. Starting next month, you’ll be team leader for the floor staff and will also be taking on extra cataloging duties. In addition, I want you to develop more innovative ways to reach out to community groups like you did with your book club. All in all—congratulations, you got the job.”
Riley’s whole body tingled. This meant more than just a pay raise. It would mean she could help her mom get out of debt completely, and maybe even have a buffer for the next time one of her parents got into trouble. It was everything she had dreamed of. And not only did she finally have a steady, reliable job, she also had Will. It looked like she was going to have her cake and eat it too.
***
“You two are sickening. I mean seriously,” Italy complained. “Do you need to look at each other like that?” They sat outside the library, enjoying the last of the afternoon sun as it bounced soft shadows around the courtyard. Will was making his way over to them, looking impossibly gorgeous in linen pants and a white T-shirt that hugged his chest.
“You’re just jealous.” Riley couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. It had been two weeks since she’d gotten her promotion and two weeks since Will had canceled his flight back to Indonesia, and in that time her life had been one of perfect bliss.
“Of course I am,” Italy retorted, waving her hand in Will’s direction. “I mean look. He’s brought you flowers. He’s probably cooked. It’s kind of perfect.”
“You two talking about me again?” Will grinned as he sat down next to Riley on the bench and leaned in to kiss her. He smelled of citrus and sandalwood, and faint stubble rubbed against her skin, leaving her stomach churning with desire.
“Yes,” Italy informed him. “I was wondering if you could clone yourself for me.”
“Sorry.” Will held up his hands. “Being an evil scientific genius is outside my skill set. And you were wrong about the cooking; I was going to take Riley out for pizza. You could join us if you want.”
“No, it will only piss me off seeing the pair of you look so ridiculously happy.” Italy sighed as she got to her feet and slung her purse over her shoulder. Her movement was dejected, but the fact that she winked and fluffed her hair made it apparent that she wasn’t really that disappointed as she sauntered away.
“Don’t worry about her. Drama is her middle name.” Riley leaned into Will’s arm, her hand settling on his thigh. Had she mentioned how perfect everything was?
“So what do you think about the pizza idea? It just occurred to me that we’ve already been there three times, and I didn’t want us to turn into one of those couples who always does the same things over and over again.”
“I think the chances of us falling into a rut are slim to none,” Riley said. Their three pre
vious visits had each been spectacular. The first because afterward they’d gone down to the water where they’d spent their first date. The second had resulted in an impromptu visit to the planetarium, and the third had ended with them making out in the parking lot. Her face heated at the memory.
“Good point,” Will said, obviously remembering the same thing. “So, pizza it is?”
“Sure.” Riley nodded. “I just have to swing by the community center—the one where I first started my book club. With everything that’s been going on, I completely forgot that tonight is their closing-down party. The building’s been sold so this is like a final farewell before it shuts down in two weeks.”
“Man, that sucks. From what you’ve told me about that place, they do a great job.” Will’s brow furrowed the way it always did when things happened that he couldn’t fix. “Have they found another place to relocate to?”
“I think so. Sam, who runs the center, told me that they were looking at an older building a few miles farther south, but they were concerned about how much work needed to be done on it. All because some developer wants to put in a parking lot. If more people caught buses, we wouldn’t need more parking lots.”
“Preaching to the choir,” Will assured her, holding up his hands. “But it will be fun to swing by there. And not just because I want to talk to Kira about why Stella is being so stupid.”
“No, of course not.” Riley couldn’t help but giggle. Will had fallen under the spell of the book just as much as the army of teenage girls who loved it so much. Then again, the fact that he could love a book so much just made him even more perfect than he already was. She smiled as they stood up and made their way to the community center. Will really had turned into the perfect Darcy.
***
“That’s some girl you’ve got there.” Sam, the manager of the community center, nodded over to where Riley was surrounded by a group of her book club kids, involved in a raucous dance routine in the middle of the room. Their plans to go out to dinner had gone out the window when they’d arrived to find the place had been thronging with supporters from all parts of the community.
