In a sense, I understand his frustration. Riley was running away from me too, so I’ve been there. However, if running away is how she wants to handle this, then I’ll let her run as hard and as far as she wants.
I turn to Riley. In a private tone, I apologize. “I’m sorry. I wanted to drive you home, but…”
“It’s okay. You have unexpected guests. I’ll be fine.” As she speaks, she backs away from us and gives her brother a tight-lipped smile. “It’s really good to see you, Chris.”
Chris snorts.
“I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”
Chris opens his mouth, but I speak first.
“Drive safe. Call me the minute you get home,” I say firmly.
“Okay.”
“Let’s go inside.” I lift a hand and usher Chris toward the big gate as Riley hops into her truck. She backs out of the lot so fast that her tires spit gravel.
My best friend shoves my arm aside. “What’s with you, man?”
“What’s withyou?” I wonder. “Since when were you this mean to Riley?”
“Mean? How am I supposed to feel? I come to town thinking my best friend could use some support before his big comeback and it turns out, he’s too busy making out with my little sister?”
“We werenotmaking out.” It’s not much of a defense, but I feel the need to clarify.
“I don’t mean to interject,” Renea says, stepping forward. “But we were parked outside for a while and we saw you pull up. Even from a distance, there was obviouslysomethinggoing on.”
I know I should have paid more attention to that strange car parked outside my gate, but Riley was in the passenger seat and I was very distracted.
“Riley and I are seeing each other,” I say, spilling the beans matter-of-factly. “Technically, I’m under inspection, but it’s with the intentions of dating her seriously.”
Silence falls and makes the creaking of the gates and the mechanical gears extra loud.
Renea steps in front of me so she can see my face. “Say that again.”
“I have every intention of dating Riley.”
Chris lets out a stunned laugh.
Maybe I should have waited to tell Chris the truth with Riley by my side, but I don’t think Riley wants to be the one to talk to her brother. And also, they already saw us in the car, so there’s no sense denying that we’re together.
Chris’s eyebrows fly to the top of his head. “How did that happen?”
Renea asks curtly, “Did you have time to date during the training camp?”
Chris shakes his head. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Renea frowns. “I thought you’d focus on getting back into hockey.”
“Did she quit her job and come to Lucky Falls because of you?”
I hold up a hand to stop their tirade of questions. “Instead of chatting out here for the entire neighborhood to hear, let’s head inside.”
Renea returns to her car, but Chris walks with me down the cobble-stoned path to my front door.
“How did you and Renea get in touch?” I ask him.
“She reached out to me. Said she wanted to surprise you.”
