I don’t wanna presume anything, so I just stare at her for a moment.
Evelyn brings us our orders and some free coffees.
“On the house. Glad you’re alive.”
The baker saunters away, and I detect the slightest squint in Riley’s eyes.
I don’t need any more answers or explanations. I’ll literally do anything Riley needs me to do.
“Sure. I’ll be your date.”
She hoots in relief. Then lifts one finger to issue a caution.
“Just so you know, this isn’t a real date. This is just you helping me not get tongue-tied around the fancy people from Winston-Salem. It doesn’t matter to me if they conclude we’re a couple. But we aren’t. Hopefully, participating in a sort of ruse doesn’t bother you.”
“Why would that bother me?”
“Because we’d be letting people think we are an item. Some might call being phony in this way a bit disgraceful.”
I shrug. “Some people call it disgraceful. I call it a fun caper. Let’s do it.”
Riley sits back and studies me for a moment. With a smile, she shakes her head and picks up one of the white chocolate truffles.
“That was too easy,” she says.
“I’m a cheap date,” I say.
She opens her mouth, and I watch in wonder as her lips wrap around the truffle. Just shove the whole thing in your mouth, I plead silently.
But she doesn’t. Of course, she doesn’t.
I bite back a moan as I watch her pretty mouth take in half the truffle. She moans, and her eyes roll back in her head.
“My god, this is good.”
Riley’s yummy little noises make the dirty thoughts in my head dirtier by the second.
I shift in my seat. I thank god for long linen tablecloths blocking everyone’s view of me adjusting myself like the horndog I am.
“Okay, so we have to figure this out,” I say. “What are you gonna wear? So I can match you.”
She laughs. “ It’s not the prom. But we can talk about that later.”
“Well, I do need to learn everything about you. You know, for the sake of talking you up to those fancy folks with the deep pockets.”
Riley glances around like someone looking for an excuse to take off. “I really need to get back to the studio, but thank you so much, Rowdy. You’re really saving my bacon.”
We get takeout boxes for the rest of our food and then decide to meet up for coffee at her art studio the next day.
I’m floating on a cloud just with the knowledge that I’m going to get to see her in action tomorrow, with her paints and brushes and everything.
After I say goodbye to Riley, I watch her walk away and head toward her building. An ache forms in my chest as she disappears, and the world around me dims somewhat.
Riley is pure sunshine, and I won’t hear anything different.
I turn and jog across the street, waving at Maddie, who’s headed into the real estate office.
I go inside Foster’s store and sit down in one of the chairs near the changing rooms, which are currently unoccupied.
