I pick my playlist and turn the music on, singing along to my favorite songs as we leave our Christmas bubble and get ready to face the real world.
I’m just glad I still have until the new year off from Spilled Beans because I can spend some time with Riley before the start of the spring semester. No doubt we’ll be busy once school starts again, but at least we’ll both attend all the football games.
My mind drifts from thoughts about Riley to some ideas I had in the last few days for the cheerleading routine. Before I know it, I’m stopping in front of my building.
Riley parks behind my car and comes to help me with the suitcase.
“Bubble!” I hear a scream from a very familiar voice, and when I turn toward it, I almost faint.
“Juju! Oh my god, how are you here?”
“I tried calling, but you didn’t answer. The airline offered to reschedule the flight, so I took the chance.”
I hug her tight. She smells like airplane, flowers, and gummy bears, her favorite flying snack. “God, I missed you.”
She looks behind me and her chin literally drops. “Wow.”
“Oh, Juju, this is Riley.” I turn to Riley. “Riley, this is my best friend, Juju.”
“Nice to meet you, Juju,” Riley says. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Everything he said is a lie,” she says, pointing at me. “Unless it’s true.”
Riley laughs. “I guess I’ll need to get to know you better to figure out which is which.”
Juju meets my gaze, and I’m sure I’m melting on the spot, even in this cold weather. Yes, my boyfriend is being super-duper-sweet to my best friend. Is it legal to jump him in public and kiss his handsome face? Because I so want to do that right now.
She scratches her messy bun, her expression suddenly going serious. She spares a glance at Riley and then back at me. “Um, I’m not on my own. It wasn’t my idea. It was more that I didn’t have a choice. Trust me, I wanted to cut off his balls during the flight, but I heard there’s always an Air Marshall present, and I didn’t want to get arrested.”
“What are you talking about?”
My blood goes cold and my legs almost give out when I see the one person I swore I’d never want to see or hear from again in my life.
“Wha…what is he doing here?”
“Babe, are you okay?” Riley is there next to me, his strong arm keeping me steady.
Harley smiles like we’re long-lost friends or lovers who haven’t seen each other in a while and miss one another. “Boo-boo! Wow, you look fantastic.”
He’s dressed in clothes that are totally inappropriate for this weather. His leather shoes alone will get him killed if he doesn’t die of frostbite first.
If only.
The closer he gets, the more my blood thaws until it reaches a boiling-rage temperature.
I don’t want to make a scene, especially not in front of Riley. The last thing I want is for him to decide I’m far too much drama after all. Not to mention that my whole story with Harley is too humiliating.
Harley comes so close I can smell his cologne. The one that always made me nauseous. I should have known even then he wasn’t right for me.
I freeze when he comes even closer, but Riley holds out his hand to him, effectively providing a safe barrier.
“Riley Dempsey. You are?”
Riley’s voice is deeper and more assertive than I’ve heard it before.
Harley takes a step back and gives Riley an assessing look. He doesn’t take Riley’s hand, which is probably a smart move. “Harley Bruce. How’s life been since you left the Marinos, Coach Dempsey?”
“Mr. Bruce. I read the sports news headlines too,” Riley replies with a cryptic tone, and I swear I see some of Harley’s color drain from his face.
