Riley even had to be in the room while Lisa tried to spread her poison, as if it would somehow contaminate her. Which was crazy, but then again, he’d always tried to protect Riley, be it from loser boyfriends or demanding bosses. Which begged the question: Why was he taking her to Tucker’s wedding when Lisa was going to be there?
His jaw tightened and it took several moments before he could finally turned around to where Riley was sitting cross-legged on the sofa.
“Was that who I thought it was?” she asked in a soft voice, which wounded him more than the phone call. After all, he was used to the pitying looks that he’d received from his friends and family after his father’s wedding, but he’d never had it from Riley before. The fact that the only thing he felt for Lisa was contempt made it even more frustrating.
He nodded. “It was.”
“Are you okay?”
“Of course,” he snapped, realizing too late how sharp it sounded. God, he could be such a jerk sometimes. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so harsh.”
“You don’t need to apologize.” Riley sounded just like she always did, but it was impossible not to notice the faint color that had risen in her cheeks. He also couldn’t help notice that whatever had been building between them was gone. “This was always going to be a difficult time for you. You said so yourself.”
“Yeah.” He began to pace the room, trying to shake off the vague sense of annoyance. He wasn’t sure if it was because hearing Lisa’s voice was a reminder of what he still had to face or if he was just tired.
After all, he’d stayed up late the previous night reviewing the two meetings he’d had, both of which had ended with a regretful no and the advice that his startup would be perfect for someone like Geoff Tait. But as he watched Riley clamp down on her full lower lip, he had the unsettling feeling that it was because he wanted more out of their relationship, even though logically he knew it was a bad idea.
Chapter Eight
“And then Lisa picked up the kitten and it started to meow in the sweetest way,” Will’s great-aunt Monica said, then narrowed her eyes, studying Riley’s face to see her reaction. Riley plastered on her best smile and nodded her head in what she hoped was an appropriate manner. Next to her Will smiled, but his fists were in two tight balls.
“That’s so heartwarming,” she replied. They stood on the manicured grass of the vineyard where the wedding was being held. It was only half an hour out of Seattle, but it felt like another world. In Riley’s extensive experience, outside weddings could be risky, but thankfully the weather had been perfect as the couple had said their
I do
s in a tranquil glade decorated with bunting and Chinese lanterns all swaying in the gentle breeze.
That had been half an hour ago. Now they were standing inside a rustic barn where huge wreaths of wildflowers hung from exposed posts, while vintage linen and mismatched silver cutlery shone from the nearby tables. To the left were groups of wedding-goers all talking and laughing, while the restless ring bearer darted around the feet of the waiters and waitresses who were sliding between the crowds with trays of drinks.
But despite the idyllic setting, Riley was already feeling like she’d just spent four hours in a boxing ring, and it wasn’t because of the unfamiliar dress or achingly high shoes that Italy had insisted she wear. Rather, it was because Will hadn’t been exaggerating just how intrusive his relatives could be. This was the fourth time she’d heard the story about Lisa rescuing a stray kitten, and she could tell by the stony expression on Will’s face that it was four times too many.
Her heart went out to him as he stood next to her, shifting from foot to foot, like he did when he was feeling penned in. Waves of restless energy radiated from him, but nothing could take away how handsome he looked in the navy suit that he and the other
His jaw tightened and it took several moments before he could finally turned around to where Riley was sitting cross-legged on the sofa.
“Was that who I thought it was?” she asked in a soft voice, which wounded him more than the phone call. After all, he was used to the pitying looks that he’d received from his friends and family after his father’s wedding, but he’d never had it from Riley before. The fact that the only thing he felt for Lisa was contempt made it even more frustrating.
He nodded. “It was.”
“Are you okay?”
“Of course,” he snapped, realizing too late how sharp it sounded. God, he could be such a jerk sometimes. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so harsh.”
“You don’t need to apologize.” Riley sounded just like she always did, but it was impossible not to notice the faint color that had risen in her cheeks. He also couldn’t help notice that whatever had been building between them was gone. “This was always going to be a difficult time for you. You said so yourself.”
“Yeah.” He began to pace the room, trying to shake off the vague sense of annoyance. He wasn’t sure if it was because hearing Lisa’s voice was a reminder of what he still had to face or if he was just tired.
After all, he’d stayed up late the previous night reviewing the two meetings he’d had, both of which had ended with a regretful no and the advice that his startup would be perfect for someone like Geoff Tait. But as he watched Riley clamp down on her full lower lip, he had the unsettling feeling that it was because he wanted more out of their relationship, even though logically he knew it was a bad idea.
Chapter Eight
“And then Lisa picked up the kitten and it started to meow in the sweetest way,” Will’s great-aunt Monica said, then narrowed her eyes, studying Riley’s face to see her reaction. Riley plastered on her best smile and nodded her head in what she hoped was an appropriate manner. Next to her Will smiled, but his fists were in two tight balls.
“That’s so heartwarming,” she replied. They stood on the manicured grass of the vineyard where the wedding was being held. It was only half an hour out of Seattle, but it felt like another world. In Riley’s extensive experience, outside weddings could be risky, but thankfully the weather had been perfect as the couple had said their
I do
s in a tranquil glade decorated with bunting and Chinese lanterns all swaying in the gentle breeze.
That had been half an hour ago. Now they were standing inside a rustic barn where huge wreaths of wildflowers hung from exposed posts, while vintage linen and mismatched silver cutlery shone from the nearby tables. To the left were groups of wedding-goers all talking and laughing, while the restless ring bearer darted around the feet of the waiters and waitresses who were sliding between the crowds with trays of drinks.
But despite the idyllic setting, Riley was already feeling like she’d just spent four hours in a boxing ring, and it wasn’t because of the unfamiliar dress or achingly high shoes that Italy had insisted she wear. Rather, it was because Will hadn’t been exaggerating just how intrusive his relatives could be. This was the fourth time she’d heard the story about Lisa rescuing a stray kitten, and she could tell by the stony expression on Will’s face that it was four times too many.
Her heart went out to him as he stood next to her, shifting from foot to foot, like he did when he was feeling penned in. Waves of restless energy radiated from him, but nothing could take away how handsome he looked in the navy suit that he and the other
Similar Books
Return to Winter: Russia, China, and the New Cold War Against America
Douglas E. Schoen, Melik Kaylan
