“You can smile with your mouth closed.”
I throw my head back and burst out laughing.
At that moment, my phone buzzes in my back pocket. When I see the name on the screen, the laughter dries out instantly.
“Who is it?” Riley asks. Her gaze shifts from my face to the phone where Layla’s name is prominently displayed. “If she’s calling, the sheriff must have let her out.”
“I’m not going to answer.” I slide my finger over the ‘end call’ button. Then I tuck my phone in my back pocket. “Now, what is this about the sheriff?”
Riley ducks her head.
I crook my finger under her chin and raise her face gently. “Don’t get shy on me now. Chance McLanely made sure to tell me that he’d save you instead of me if we both dropped into the ocean. You turned my own hero against me. What on earth did you do?”
“It was more of a town effort.” Riley reaches into her pocket and produces some jangling keys. “Take the wheel and I’ll tell you about it.”
One of the things I enjoy about Riley Carter is how easy it is to talk to her, but I donotexpect the story she unloads on me while I drive to her place. She tells it matter-of-factly as if every unfolding event makes total sense.
“So your plan was to get Layla arrested?” I ask as I slow to a stop in front of her apartment building.
“Detained. There’s a difference.”
“You had Layla detained and that’s how you assured Chance that she wouldn’t spoil the proposal?”
“That’s right.”
“And you came up with this plan right after I left your garage this afternoon?” I’m speaking to her, but I’m also thinking out loud. “In about an hour?”
“Less than that, really. Because I had to make some calls.”
“Imagine what mastermind plans you could spin up if you hadtwohours.”
“I could probably take over a city,” she jokes.
“Remind me not to get on your bad side,” I mumble.
“Me? I don’t have a bad side.” Riley blinks up innocently.
I smile and rub my thumb over her cheek as I lean closer.
Riley licks her lips and tilts her chin up.
I stop a breath away from her mouth and whisper, “I don’t believe you.”
She laughs and shoves me.
I capture her hand and interlock our fingers. I really don’t want to go, but it’s been a long day and I figure Riley needs to rest as much as I do.
“You should go upstairs.”
She leans her head against the headrest. “How are you getting home?”
“I’ll figure something out.”
“Drive home and let me drive back.”
“No way.”
“Don’t be stubborn, Nat. You didn’t bring your car.”
