“What’s on your mind, honey?” Joan asked as they drove back across town. He shrugged in response. “Your father will come around,” she added softly, patting his knee. “He just needs to get out of his own way first.”
Riley wasn’t so sure about that, but he appreciated his mother’s confidence all the same.
“Tate told me about the two of you seeing Alexis.” Riley’s back stiffened a little. He cleared his throat. “You kids need to sort out your differences. It’s been too long.” Riley leaned an elbow on the window’s edge, keeping his eyes resolutely on the road. “A love like that doesn’t go away, no matter how much you will it to, sweetheart.”
Riley sighed. “She pushed me away.”
“She wasn’t herself, Riley. She was sick. You know that.”
Yeah, he did know that, but it didn’t make it any easier.
Joan continued. “Maggie told me Alexis owns a store not far from here—”
“No,” Riley interrupted, shutting down the idea immediately. To her credit, his mother didn’t push. She never did. Instead she did what she’d always done with her sons: she’d planted a seed. And goddammit, the damned thing only grew bigger and louder as Riley drove. “How far?”
He’d managed to last six whole minutes before asking where Lexie’s shop was, not daring to look across at his mother.
“Take the next left.”
Riley didn’t ask how she knew. It didn’t matter.
Ten minutes later, Riley pulled the car into a large parking lot, around which were a number of outlets and restaurants. He turned off the car and sat back, his stare on the small store located between an Old Navy and a Bed Bath & Beyond.
LOVE, YOU BY LEXIE.
Pride and relief clutched his chest. When she was eighteen, due to devastating circumstances out of her control, Lexie had had to let her dreams of becoming a cosmologist go. Riley had to admit that despite his and Lexie’s relationship being frayed, he’d worried about what she’d done with her life. Not that he didn’t think she’d succeed. Christ, Lexie was the most determined and smartest person he knew. But it had broken his heart to see her turn her back on what she’d always wanted, regardless of the reasons.
Riley and his mother climbed out of the car and made their way toward the store. A smile pulled at his face when he saw the star dotting the i of her name on the sign and the moon and stars in elegant white painted in the corner of the storefront window. The display beyond that was stunning. Jewelry of all types glittered, sparkled, and shone as it lay or hung from pink stands, some of which were embossed or engraved with words that made Riley smile wider: believe, commit, survive.
“Shall we go in?”
Joan’s voice startled Riley out of his thoughts. He took a deep breath and nodded, gesturing for his mom to lead the way. She squeezed his arm briefly as she walked past, and he followed on unsteady legs. The first thing Riley noticed when he entered was the smell of the place. It was all Lexie, sweet and floral, and it threw him headlong into a memory of her undressing for him in her bedroom. They’d been seventeen and so in love. He licked his lips and rubbed a hand down his face.
“Hi, guys.” They were approached by a petite woman with deep plum-colored hair, which she wore pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head. “I’m Jaime. Let me know if I can help you today.” She reminded Riley of a puppy, all bouncy, smiley, and eager to please.
“Thanks,” he and his mother said in unison, before Riley moved toward a mirrored wall that was covered in pink Post-its, realizing as he got closer that there were comments written on them:
That you tell it how it is. No bullshit!! Love, You.
Your freckles. Love, You.
Your curly locks and full lips. Love, You.
“This is so cool,” he uttered, narrowing his eyes in an effort to read the ones stuck higher up the mirror.
“I’m glad you like it.”
Hearing Lexie behind him, Riley whirled around in place, knocking a stand at his side with his arm. “Shit!” He flailed in an effort to grab it before it fell at the same time Lexie dove forward to do the same. They caught it, propping it back up, leaving the necklaces and earrings swinging sharply from their places on the stands.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, embarrassment heating his throat.
“It’s all right,” she replied with an awkward laugh. “It happens. I need to move it or put a warning sign up or something.”
Riley looked her over as she spoke, once again noting the septum piercing and the tattoos she’d added to her collection. The tattoo on the inside of his forearm suddenly felt hot, as though it knew she was near. He saw she was holding her own forearm to hide where she’d had the same tattoo inked, on the same day, and his heart pinched a little.
She turned and smiled at Riley’s mom. “Hi, Joan. It’s been a long time. I was sorry to hear about Park. How is he?”
Lexie’s expression was surprised when she was pulled in for a hug, but she quickly reciprocated, smiling into Joan’s shoulder. “He’s doing better. Thank you. And you look very well, Alexis,” Joan commented as they pulled apart. “And your store is wonderful. Congratulations.”
Lexie blushed under Joan’s praise and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Riley had never been jealous of his mom before, but her ease with Lexie was something he would kill for. Why hadn’t that been the first thing he’d said to her? Jackass.
“How long have you had it?” Riley asked instead, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“Almost three years,” she answered.
“And you make everything yourself?”
Lexie nodded. “Designed and made on the premises. Unless it’s a specific order; then we can outsource it. But we try our best to do what we can here in the store.” She crossed her arms. “I’m surprised you found us.”
Riley glanced at his mom, detecting the underlying message in Lexie’s words: she didn’t want him there. “My cousin, Maggie,” he offered. “She recognized you at the Disney store. She’s been here before and said how awesome it was.”
“That was nice of her.” Lexie wouldn’t quite meet his gaze, fidgeting and fussing with her cuticles. “Feel free to look around some more.” She looked over at Joan. “We have some great discounted pieces over there.” She pointed toward the back of the store where a group of three girls stood, holding up various pieces against themselves, and Joan took the opportunity to leave her son and Lexie alone. Lexie dropped her hands and slowly turned back to Riley. “And we have some great pieces for guys.” Without another word, she headed across the store.
Riley followed obediently, as though he had little choice in the matter. He wasn’t ashamed of the fact that he’d always been that way with Lexie. It was simple, really: she chose the direction and he followed.
“We have some really sexy cuffs and necklaces,” she said toward the wall of men’s jewelry.
Riley took a moment to look at the pieces and a guy trying on a chain before he let his gaze slide over to Lexie. “You look great,” he said softly. “Really great. I should have said that when I saw you the other day.”
Her shoulders slumped slightly. “Thank you.” She lifted her eyes to his. “So do you.” She cocked an eyebrow. “The beard is . . . different.”
Riley raised a self-conscious hand to his chin.
“But I like it,” Lexie finished.
“Thanks.”
She nudged her glasses up her nose. “This is awkward, isn’t it?”
A cough of laughter burst from Riley. “Yeah.”
She swallowed and dragged her top teeth across her bottom lip. It warmed Riley to see it. It was a tic she’d always had, coming out whenever she was nervous. “I don’t mean for it to be, but . . .”
“But?”
“But it’s been a long time.”
Riley nodded. “It has.”
“And it was a shock to see you here.”
Riley dipped his chin. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” she murmured. “It’s fine. I’m glad you’ve seen this place.”
“It’s amazing, Lex. You should be so proud of yourself.”
“I am.”
Riley turned his body toward hers, the swift and overwhelming need to touch her skin fizzing through him from top to toe. “Listen, Lex, I’m gonna be around until my dad’s better and I wondered if—while I’m back, if we could, you know, maybe—”
She was shaking her head before he even finished. “No.”
“I just want to talk.”
“Riley, I can’t.”
“Nothing more. I swear.” He held up a hand.
Lexie laughed wryly and gazed up at him in a way that made Riley feel a little dizzy. “But we could never just talk,” she said quietly. “Could we?”
And didn’t that look and those words set his blood on fire? She was right, though. Every time they’d met in the past—the last time being when he returned for his parents’ wedding anniversary five years ago—with the intention of simply talking and clearing the air, they’d ended up in bed. Or against a wall. Or that time in his car. Riley shifted on his feet, his body hardening quickly. Jesus, nothing changed; the woman was like fucking Viagra.
“No,” he managed. “I guess not.” He noticed the flush of her cheeks. “But this time I really mean it.” And it was the truth. As much as he wanted to lose himself in her, to kiss her and have things back to the way they were when they were teenagers and life was simple, he wanted to be friends with her more. “I miss my best friend.”
Her eyes closed for a second. “Riley.”
“Just hear me out, okay?”
At that moment the bell above the store door rang. Lexie’s eyes widened a little as she looked past Riley. He turned instinctively to see Savannah and the little boy, Noah, in her arms, looking cute as hell with his mouth and cheeks covered in what looked suspiciously like chocolate, and a Star Wars balloon attached to his wrist, floating above them.
Savannah froze as the door shut behind them and, after a moment in which no one spoke, Riley began looking between the two sisters, trying to figure out what the fuck they were saying to each other with no words. He glanced again at Noah, who was grinning at him, and something in his stomach twisted at the same time the hairs on his neck lifted.
“Sorry,” Savannah said quickly. “I didn’t know that—I’ll just take Noah—”
“Mommy, look!” Noah exclaimed.
“Noah, don’t—” He began wiggling hard enough in Savannah’s arms that she was forced to squat and place him on the floor before he fell.
He ran toward Lexie, balloon arm aloft, while Riley’s brain suddenly began to move at a million miles an hour.
Wait.
Mommy?
acknowledgments
Thank you to all of you who are still on this journey with me. Your loyalty, love, and encouragement mean the world to me and keep me going when the words dry up and I want to quit.
To Team USA: Micki, Louise, Marla, and Kristin, and to Team UK: Lorella, Kate, Jo, and Katie, I’m running out of ways to say how amazing you all are, and how much I appreciate all the work you do. Thank you.
And to my wonderful family and my incredible friends, each of whom put up with me and my continuing anxieties about every book I release, there are no words other than I love all of you.
Forever.
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A Measure of Love
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A Pound of Flesh
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Love and Always
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about the author
Sophie Jackson writes fanfiction under the online handle Jaxon22. She is the author of the award-winning A Pound of Flesh series, including the e-novellas Love and Always and Fate and Forever. Follow her on Twitter: @SophieJax
FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR: Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Sophie-Jackson
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Also by Sophie Jackson
A Pound of Flesh
Love and Always
An Ounce of Hope
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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ISBN 978-1-4767-9566-9
Fate and Forever Page 7
