against the doorway of the small hallway waiting for her.
“We should probably head back, the last cable car leaves in about forty-five minutes.”
“ Sounds good, let me just get the picture.”
“Already got it.” Riley held up a bag that Chelle had not noticed him carrying.
“Oh,” She said trying to hide her surprise at the fact that he had actually taken care of getting the photo. That was yet another thing that Chelle had never experienced.
First of all, David would have never - not in a million years! - suggested getting the photo taken. And even if he did finally agree to do it, he would never have taken it upon himself to pick out the picture and purchase it. He had never even made dinner reservations for her.
In fact, now that she thought about it, any time they did anything - from simply going to a movie, to going out for dinner, or all the way up to a week-end getaway - Chelle was the one to plan it. It was always left to her to find out the show times, pick out the movie, choose the restaurant, make the reservations, find the hotel, etc. David had never done any of that.
Now, after spending less than twenty-four hours with Riley, Chelle promised herself that she would never settle for less than the bar he had unintentionally set.
All day, he had opened doors for her and placed his hand on her lower back to guide her through crowds. He had even bought her a zip-up hoodie when he thought she was cold.
In reality, it had not been the cold that was making her shudder, it was him. Every time she came into contact with him, no matter how brief or innocent that contact was, her body responded.
She knew that kind of chemistry was not easy to find, but now she also knew that she would rather be alone than in a relationship which didn’t generate that kind of heat.
Chapter Eight
Riley paid the delivery man and brought the bags of Chinese take-out to the kitchen table.
“So this is the best Chinese take-out in the city, huh?”
Chelle sat the plates and forks on the table.
“That was what Katie claimed,” she said, stepping back into the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of wine, “So the first night I got here I tried it, and after one bite I was convinced.”
Riley winked. “That would explain all of the San Tung containers I cleaned up from this place last night.”
“Yeah,” Chelle blushed and smiled as she slid into the chair opposite Riley, “I’m a stress eater, what can I say.”
Thinking that this was as good an opening as any, Riley decided to go ahead and address the elephant in the room, “So the whole thing with David came as shock?”
After a few moments of silence, she said, “Yes and no. When he first told me, I admit I was completely blindsided by it. I think part of that had to do with his timing, though. I was so focused on Katie and Jason’s wedding.”
“And what about the ‘no’?” Riley figured he might as well go all in. In for a buck, in for a quarter.
“The what?”
“You said yes and no. What about the no?”
“Oh, well, I just meant that after I had some time to think about it, about our relationship I mean, it doesn’t shock me very much that he cheated. Looking back now, I guess all the signs were there. The late night meetings, the weekend business trips, the plans that he canceled at the last minute because 'something came up at work.' So cliché. That's one of the worst parts. He made me feel trite. I should have known something was up. I should have questioned him. But, what can I say? I trusted him. The thought never even crossed my mind that he would be cheating on me.”
“He’s an idiot,” Riley grumbled, all the while stuffing his face with chow mein.
Chelle smiled, “You definitely won’t get an argument from me about that. And to tell you the truth, I’m not even mad he doesn't want to be with me. Really, I don’t want to be with someone who doesn’t want to be with me. I just don’t like all the lying and sneaking
“We should probably head back, the last cable car leaves in about forty-five minutes.”
“ Sounds good, let me just get the picture.”
“Already got it.” Riley held up a bag that Chelle had not noticed him carrying.
“Oh,” She said trying to hide her surprise at the fact that he had actually taken care of getting the photo. That was yet another thing that Chelle had never experienced.
First of all, David would have never - not in a million years! - suggested getting the photo taken. And even if he did finally agree to do it, he would never have taken it upon himself to pick out the picture and purchase it. He had never even made dinner reservations for her.
In fact, now that she thought about it, any time they did anything - from simply going to a movie, to going out for dinner, or all the way up to a week-end getaway - Chelle was the one to plan it. It was always left to her to find out the show times, pick out the movie, choose the restaurant, make the reservations, find the hotel, etc. David had never done any of that.
Now, after spending less than twenty-four hours with Riley, Chelle promised herself that she would never settle for less than the bar he had unintentionally set.
All day, he had opened doors for her and placed his hand on her lower back to guide her through crowds. He had even bought her a zip-up hoodie when he thought she was cold.
In reality, it had not been the cold that was making her shudder, it was him. Every time she came into contact with him, no matter how brief or innocent that contact was, her body responded.
She knew that kind of chemistry was not easy to find, but now she also knew that she would rather be alone than in a relationship which didn’t generate that kind of heat.
Chapter Eight
Riley paid the delivery man and brought the bags of Chinese take-out to the kitchen table.
“So this is the best Chinese take-out in the city, huh?”
Chelle sat the plates and forks on the table.
“That was what Katie claimed,” she said, stepping back into the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of wine, “So the first night I got here I tried it, and after one bite I was convinced.”
Riley winked. “That would explain all of the San Tung containers I cleaned up from this place last night.”
“Yeah,” Chelle blushed and smiled as she slid into the chair opposite Riley, “I’m a stress eater, what can I say.”
Thinking that this was as good an opening as any, Riley decided to go ahead and address the elephant in the room, “So the whole thing with David came as shock?”
After a few moments of silence, she said, “Yes and no. When he first told me, I admit I was completely blindsided by it. I think part of that had to do with his timing, though. I was so focused on Katie and Jason’s wedding.”
“And what about the ‘no’?” Riley figured he might as well go all in. In for a buck, in for a quarter.
“The what?”
“You said yes and no. What about the no?”
“Oh, well, I just meant that after I had some time to think about it, about our relationship I mean, it doesn’t shock me very much that he cheated. Looking back now, I guess all the signs were there. The late night meetings, the weekend business trips, the plans that he canceled at the last minute because 'something came up at work.' So cliché. That's one of the worst parts. He made me feel trite. I should have known something was up. I should have questioned him. But, what can I say? I trusted him. The thought never even crossed my mind that he would be cheating on me.”
“He’s an idiot,” Riley grumbled, all the while stuffing his face with chow mein.
Chelle smiled, “You definitely won’t get an argument from me about that. And to tell you the truth, I’m not even mad he doesn't want to be with me. Really, I don’t want to be with someone who doesn’t want to be with me. I just don’t like all the lying and sneaking
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