Dating the Guy Upstairs

by Amanda Ashby

  A DJ was spinning records in the far corner while local restaurants had set up long tables of food, aromatic enough to tempt most people back for second and third helpings. The place was dotted with huge bouquets of flowers supplied by a nearby florist. Of course the music, food and flowers couldn’t disguise the age of the building or its true purpose—the old red brick walls were covered with support posters and helpline numbers as well as timetables for all the classes that the place ran. Had run, Will corrected himself, following Sam’s gaze over to where Riley was laughing.

  She’d been dragged off by her kids not long after they’d arrived, apparently as determined as they were that she should take part in all of the activities that were there. Which probably explained why her face had been painted to look like a rainbow-dipped unicorn. It wasn’t a look that everyone could carry off, but on Riley it looked adorable.

  “She sure is,” Will agreed. He took a moment just to admire the way the blue shirtdress highlighted her long slim legs and her tiny waist. Her red hair had fallen down around her face in tendrils that just made him long to go and wrap his arms around her.

  “And everyone will miss her around here, that’s for sure.”

  Will forced his attention back to Sam, dragging it away from all the things he wanted to do to Riley. “What do you mean? I thought she saw them at the library, not down here.”

  “Well, yeah, but that’s only because she started coming down here and reading to them once a week. Then she started bringing some books, until soon she was dragging a suitcase along with her. That’s when they started seeing her at the library. But she still drops in all the time to help out.”

  “She didn’t tell me that’s how she started the book club.” Not that Will was surprised. While she liked to say that she was a lot more sensible than her madcap hippie parents, he’d long known that Riley had a heart of gold. So the idea of her helping kids fall in love with books wasn’t difficult to imagine. Warmth spread through him as he looked around the building itself. “And it’s a pity about this place. I remember studying it when I was at college. It was designed by Hooper, wasn’t it?”

  “Ah, someone who knows their stuff. I’m impressed.” Sam nodded his head. “Just a pity the council doesn’t respect the architecture.”

  “Yeah, what happened there?” Will frowned as he looked around, taking in the high ceilings and the hardwood flooring. He’d done some consulting on similar buildings that had been marked for redevelopment, and each time he’d managed to get the work halted after it had been proven that the old buildings had historic value.

  Sam frowned. “It’s a long story that begins and ends with deep pockets and enough structural damage to counteract the history. I did what I could, but it was difficult. Also very frustrating, since we’ve had an overwhelming outpouring of public support and we even got our own crowdfunding campaign going, but it wasn’t enough.” As he spoke he nodded to all the people who were wearing Save Sparrow Street T-shirts, along with several press representatives who were walking around with microphones and cameras doing interviews.

  “I’m sorry that you couldn’t save it.” Will really did feel genuinely bad. This place should have been a landmark. “How’s it going with the search for a new place?”

  “Slowly. Nothing like getting buried in red tape.” Before Will could reply with his sympathy, his cell phone buzzed. He was about to ignore it, but Sam smiled as he held out his hand to shake Will’s. “Please, take your call. I actually need to speak with one of the newspapers. They’re planning a final story on our fight to save the center, so I’ll catch up with you later.”

  “Sure.” Will returned the handshake before he retrieved his cell. It was Josh, wanting to go over a few of the details. It didn’t take Will long to answer his questions before he headed over to where Riley was trying to do the moonwalk, egged on by a bunch of kids. But as soon as he reached her, several of Riley’s book club girls swarmed on him, demanding to know whose team he was on.

  “Team?” He looked to Riley for guidance.

  “Love triangle from My Darkest Vampire,” she whispered as the girls continued to fire question after question at him, only stopping when Riley finally suggested that they go and help with the cleaning up.

  “Phew, thank you.” Will gave his brow a mock wipe. “I can see that they take their love triangles very seriously. They do know it’s not real, right?” He slipped his arm around her waist and breathed in her vanilla scent, still not used to the warmth that spread through his body every time they were close. Riley laughed as she nuzzled into his shoulder.

  “I’m not game to find out. All I know is that none of them had finished a book before they got so invested in the romance.”

  “And that’s all thanks to you. Sam told me just how much you’ve done for these kids and all the time you’ve spent down here. Why didn’t you say something?”

  “Because it’s nothing. You once told me that what you were doing didn’t make you special, it just made you aware of what still needed to be done. Helping a few kids read books is just a tiny drop in the ocean.” It was hard to tell if she was blushing underneath the unicorn-rainbow face paint, but from the way she dipped her head, Will suspected she was. The fact that she thought exactly as he did made him feel like the luckiest guy in the world.

  “I love you.” He leaned forward and kissed her, much to the delight of the few of the remaining book club kids, who began to stamp and cheer. Not that Will heard them. All he could hear was the pounding of his heart as he realized that for the first time since he could remember, he was truly happy.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “So are you sure you’re not mad that I keep canceling on you?” Jude asked. Out of respect for Italy and the rest of the world, Riley had been trying to keep her nonstop smiling to a minimum all day, but it was proving to be difficult. Especially when she knew that in five minutes’ time she’d be home from the library and seeing Will again. His habit of meeting her after work had been broken because of a meeting with his investors, but he’d just sent her a text message saying that he was in his apartment with a surprise.

  She smiled again, getting caught in musing about what the surprise could be before realizing that Jude was waiting for an answer.

  “I just want to make sure that you’re not doing anything you might regret,” Riley said, trying for tact. But it was hard not to just come out and ask her mother what she was doing, remembering the continuous mentions of the gallery owner, not to mention the fact that Jude had once again called to say that she was going to have delay Will and Riley’s trip to see her. Something was definitely fishy.

  “Oh, honey. My life wouldn’t have been half as much fun if I only did things I couldn’t regret,” Jude said with a throaty laugh that didn’t go very far in curtailing Riley’s concerns. “So please don’t worry about me. Not when you have so many wonderful things going on in your life. I’m so happy about you and Will. You know how much I’ve always liked him.”

  “You’re just saying that because he adores your carrot cake,” Riley teased. But while she knew her laidback parents didn’t always approve of her more sensible approach to life, she did know her mom genuinely adored Will. That made two of them. “Anyway, I’m at home now so I’ll hang up, but call me when things quiet down so I can come and see you.”

  “Will do. Lots of love,” Jude said. Riley finished the call and scooped up the local paper that was on the grass. It didn’t take her long to let herself into the house and race up the stairs to Will’s apartment, where he was sitting on the sofa, his MacBook in his lap and his mouth pressed together in concentration. On seeing her, he looked up and grinned, causing her pulse to flicker.

  He was hers.

  “Hey.” He pushed his computer aside and got to his feet so that he could thoroughly kiss her.

  “Hey, yourself,” Riley managed to say as she tried to catch her breat
h. “How did your meeting go?”

  “Oh, great,” he said in a vague voice before he dragged her over to the sofa, which was still as uncomfortable as ever. “But I have something even better to show you.”

  “Does it involve naked?”

  “Riley Harris, you have a dirty mind,” he scolded as he gave her a dimpled grin. “I like that about you. But no, what I want to show you doesn’t involve naked. It involves books. I was thinking about what you said last night, about how some of the girls in your book club had never read a book before. It got me thinking. I have a friend who does book drives to send to schools overseas, but it suddenly occurred to me that some of those books should be going to kids here who need them. Anyway, we talked and she’s interested, but wants to meet you about heading it up.”

  “What?” Riley blinked, trying to focus on the website on his screen. It was for a charity that she’d donated many books to, pleased to be able to help in any way she could. “I’m not sure I follow.”

  “You said you felt like what you were doing was just a drop in the ocean. That’s how I always feel. There’s always that nagging sense that I could do more,” he started, then clearly caught himself in that way he did when he suddenly worried he was boring people. It was one of the things she loved best about him. That he understood not everyone shared his passion, and that sometimes rants about social injustice just weren’t good dinner conversation. “Oh man. I’m doing it, aren’t I? Totally rushing in without even thinking about you and if this is something you’d even be interested in.”

  “I-it’s not that.” Riley frowned, trying to find the right words to explain how much his belief in her moved and scared her all at the same time. “Of course I’m interested, if you think it’s something I’m qualified for. I just don’t really know anything about how it would work.”

  “You don’t have to. That sort of stuff you can learn.” He reached for her hands. “And of course I think you could do it. Riley, you don’t seem to realize that you can do anything you set your mind to. You’re amazing.”

  Warmth infused her at the light in his blue eyes, almost letting her see how he saw her. It was heady, and she was just about to kiss him when her cell phone rang. It was probably just Jude, which she might have let go unanswered, but then she saw Sam’s name flash up on the screen. She frowned. She was friendly enough with the manager of the community center, but not enough to warrant a call.

  “Problem?” Will said, picking up on her surprise.

  “I’m not sure. It’s Sam from last night. He normally just emails if he wants to contact me,” she said, picking up her cell.

  “Hey,” she answered, while next to her Will toyed with the end of her hair, a habit he’d developed after they’d first met. “Is everything okay? It’s not one of my book club kids is it?”

  “The kids are all fine as far as I know. I’m actually calling about a newspaper article in tonight’s Reporter. Have you seen it?”

  “No. I just brought the paper in but I haven’t read it yet.” Riley looked over to the coffee table, but before she could reach for it, Will grabbed it. “Why? What’s it say?”

  “It’s about how Will is related to Evan Henderson—the guy who bought the building.”

  “Will’s father is the developer?” Riley gasped, then regretted it when Will’s face drained of color as he flicked through the newspaper. “I—I had no idea, but you have to know that Will isn’t connected to his father’s business in any way, shape or form.”

  “I’d like to think so, though I’ve got to tell you, Riley, the article isn’t a good one,” Sam said just as Will spread open the paper. They both stared down at a photograph of him laughing, while right behind him was a sign saying Save our Center, and a group of protesters, looking grim-faced. It was an unfortunate shot that was just down to bad timing, but it was made worse by the headline, which read: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing. Developer’s Son Laughs at Community’s Plight.

  “Sam, can I call you back?” Riley managed to say before she dropped the phone and turned her attention to the article.

  It’s ironic that Will Henderson was at the closing party of the Sparrow Street Community Center, given that EH Development, a company run by his father, Evan Henderson, are the ones planning to turn the center into yet another parking lot for inner-city commuters. Henderson has been outspoken about the fact that he’s estranged from his father, but according to our sources, the younger Henderson has never been involved with the center in a fund-raising way, which begs the question: Just what was he doing there?

  Riley’s throat went dry. She glanced at Will, but he was still stonily silent. She tried not to notice the way the muscles around his neck were coiled and tense and his eyes stormy.

  “Will.” She grabbed the newspaper and dropped it onto the carpet so he couldn’t keep staring at it. “Everyone who cares about you will know this isn’t true. You’re not connected to this.”

  “That’s not the point.” Will finally spoke, his knuckles white. “I just hate that my father continues to ruin so many lives. And with all that stuff he tried to say to me at Tucker’s wedding about how he wants to turn over a new leaf . . . This just proves that nothing’s changed. He doesn’t care about anything but a profit margin.”

  “Try not to let it bother you,” Riley advised, though her words sounded lame, even to her.

  “You’re asking for the impossible.” Will got to his feet and grabbed Tucker’s car keys, which were sitting on the low coffee table. Riley looked at him in alarm.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to talk to my old man and see if I can reason with him about the community center.”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Riley stood up and followed him across the room as memories of what happened at the wedding flooded her mind. The last time Will had spoken to his father, it was like a dark cloud had descended upon him.

  He stopped and reached for her hand. At least he could still do that, unlike at the wedding. “Honestly, I don’t know. I guess we’ll soon find out.”

  Then without another word he walked out the door, leaving Riley alone with only a photograph of Will’s beaming face staring back at her.

  ***

  This was a mistake. Will stared up at the brick mansion, with its mock Greek columns and ivy-covered walls. The whole place was a fake—trying to pretend it was from somewhere in the depths of English history rather than a midcentury reproduction. He swallowed the rising bile. Everything he hated was behind the black front door. His father. His ex-fiancée. The memories of the life that had chaffed at him like an ill-fitting shoe.

  He should just turn around now and leave. But if he did, then what? Every time Riley mentioned the community center or her book club kids, it would remind him that he hadn’t at least tried to get his father to see reason.

  He almost laughed. Reason and his father did not go hand in hand. But he had to try. He couldn’t do nothing. Will marched up to the door and knocked on it before he could change his mind.

  “Will?” His father answered the door, his eyes wide. “This is a surprise. I can’t remember the last time you were here.”

  “Probably not since the day you told me you were engaged to my ex-fiancée,” Will retorted as he stepped over the threshold, trying to avoid looking around the room. He failed miserably, though he wasn’t sure if he was happy or sad that the pale yellow walls of what had once been his mother’s favorite sitting room had been replaced with flowered wallpaper, while the comfortable sofas that he and Tucker had spent so much of their childhood jumping over were gone and in their place was a pair of sleek leather settees. The whole look was very Lisa, with none of his mother’s warmth.

  “Touché.” His father didn’t seem unduly bothered, but then again he never did. Not when Will’s mother died. Not when he’d been responsible for hundreds of people losing their homes
in his first big development. And certainly not about breaking his son’s heart. “So, why are you here?”

  “I want to talk to you about Sparrow Street Community Center,” Will said.

  “Ah, I take it you saw the article. Well, if you’re worried that people will connect you to me, I wouldn’t waste any sleep over it. Anyone who knows us knows the truth.”

  Will flinched. That’s exactly what Riley had said. But couldn’t either of them see that the problem was much deeper than being associated with his father? It was the fact that his father thought he could do whatever he wanted and get away with it.

  “I’m here to talk about your plans for it. Do you really think that the city needs another parking lot?”

  “Actually, yes,” his father said, in what looked like honest surprise. Somehow, Will doubted that. “You should know by now that I don’t get involved in anything that hasn’t been thoroughly researched. And before you go off on a rant at me, that building is structurally unsound. As nostalgic as people are about it, they could never afford the repairs. It would come down sooner or later. What I’m doing makes sense.”

  “Makes sense to you, perhaps. But that doesn’t mean it’s right. Those people are part of a community. When will you get that there’s more to life than profit and loss?” Will demanded as he began to pace the room, already regretting his decision to come here. After all, he and his father had this argument countless times and all it ever resulted in was Will feeling like he’d regressed back to when he was younger.

  His father narrowed his eyes, but Will returned his gaze without flinching. His father might intimidate his opponents, but it had long since stopped working on his younger son.

  “Tell me, why didn’t you go and see Tucker about this? He works for my company as well. Why didn’t you get him to intervene?”

  “Because unlike you, he doesn’t work all hours of the day. He’s on his honeymoon. Not to mention the fact that when I have a problem I go directly to the source. You should know, I learned from the best.”