Without another word to Zoe, I dart around her, my legs eating up the distance between Riley and me.
Ahead, Riley leans into Nastya heavily, her steps unsteady. A man walks past her, bumping into her, and she sways so violently, I think she’s going to fall on her ass. Before I can catch up, Nastya steadies her, and they continue moving.
Outside, with fewer people crowding the space, I finally catchup. “Ry?” I call out, eager to apologize for ruining her night, for not keeping my word, and especially for hurting her.
Her body goes rigid at the sound of her name, but she doesn’t stop. Fuck.
Nastya peers back at me, the look on her face so loaded with disappointment, it makes me wish I could fucking disappear into the pavement. Hand tight around Riley’s elbow, she guides her to a black SUV parked at the curb. Once Ry’s in the back seat, her best friend closes the door and turns to me.
“Why are you here?”
“I-I wanted to explain. To apologize.”
“Since you haven’t gotten the hint, I’ll spell it out for you. She doesn’t want to talk to you,” Nastya snaps. “And I don’t blame her.”
“I didn’t mean?—”
“Oh, I think you did.” If looks could kill, I’d be six feet under by now. “You didn’t come here for her. You came here for yourself, only to turn around and make her feel invisible. And the icing on the cake? When youdonotice her, you treat her like she needs a babysitter.” She purses her lips and looks me up and down. “She’s beenyourbabysitter for months now, and you don’t even appreciate her.”
Shame washes over me. Throat tight, I rub a hand over my face. “I appreciate her,” I say hoarsely. “I do.”
“You have a pretty shitty way of showing it.” She tsks. “Do better, Hayden. She’s told me enough about you to know you’re not a bad guy, and I’m truly sorry for what you’re going through. Grief can be a bitch. It can sneak up on you when you least expect it. But tonight, you were stupid and entitled. Ry doesn’t deserve it.”
I nod, head lowered. “I’ll do better. I’ll make things right.”
With a sigh, she opens the passenger door. “Grant and I will take her home. You don’t need to worry about it.”
With a deep breath in, I force myself to hold her gaze. “Thank you.”
She nods and climbs inside, and in a moment, the car is gone.
Fuck.
The weekend was awful.I barely ate. I barely fucking moved. I was consumed with regret, my every thought about Riley.
I never meant to hurt her, but that doesn’t change the fact that I did. If I’d told Piper what happened when she called on Saturday evening, she probably would’ve found a way to strangle me through the phone.
I need to fix it.
So, on Monday morning, I wait in the hallway of the studio as a dozen or so little girls jump around Riley, frantically waving their hands. With efficiency, she passes out lollipops. Warmth blooms in my chest at the sight, though it dies as quickly as it came. She might send me packing instead of hearing me out.
Once the class has been dismissed and Riley is alone, I knock lightly on the open door.
She’s sitting on the floor near the barre, pulling a pink sweatshirt over her black tank top. Her hair’s messy, covering her shoulders in soft waves. No makeup. It might be my imagination, but her usual glow has dimmed, and fuck, if it doesn’t feel like a sucker punch.
I cross the threshold, and when she spots me, she quickly scrambles to her feet.
Shit, I messed up so fucking bad.
“Hey,” I say, approaching her slowly. “Sorry for barging in.”
“Hi. That’s okay.” She brushes her hands over her thighs. “Did you need something?”
“I wanted to apologize. For Friday.” I step closer and duck, catching her attention. “I said I’d be there for you, and I wasn’t. I was selfish, and that wasn’t fair to you.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, hugging herself tightly. “It’s fine. You told me you wanted a distraction, and the club gave you exactly that.”
“That’s not what I meant to do.”
