One hundred percent agree.
Bo:
Me too.
Me:
Awesome. See you on Monday.
With that, I pocket my phone and wander to the door. As much as I want to put Riley out of my mind, it’s time to head to the airport.
Arms crossed,I lean against the wall, watching people pass. My breathing is slow and my heartbeat is steady. On the surface, I’m calm and collected.
Fuck, I hope she believes the act.
Dressed in a white tee and blue jeans, Riley steps into view. Despite how hard I try to remain unaffected, my stomach does a weird somersault at the sight of her, and a rush of energy pulses through my veins.
I push off the wall and make my way toward her, smiling. My grin quickly fades the moment her expression registers. Her hair is braided, not a single lock out of place. It gives me the perfect view of her face. The dark circles under her eyes and her pale complexion kick my heart into a nervous rhythm. She’s just returned from vacation in California, so she should be well-rested and tan.
Jaw clenched, she drags her suitcase, her gaze trained ahead of her.
I pick up the pace and block her path, and when she sees me, the corners of her mouth tip up.
“Hi, Ry baby.” I kiss her cheek, noting her usual caramel scent is faint.
“Hi.”
I cover her hand to take her suitcase from her, and a zing of excitement goes right through me.
“Ready to go?” I ask.
She’s quiet as we make our way to the parking garage. Her silence, usually so comfortable, settles over me like a heavy weight.Something is wrong, but I have no idea what. Is it because of how little I’ve interacted with her over the last few days?
In the car, Riley looks out the window, chewing on her bottom lip. She’s lost in her thoughts, and the longer it continues, the more fidgety I become.
I tap my fingers on the steering wheel, willing the panic building in my chest to subside.
What the hell is going on with me?
“How have you been?” she asks.
“Um…good. Everything is good. Been busy with the album. We’re almost done.” My words come out too quickly, so I take a deep breath and slow down. “I’ve been helping Ines too. Santi was sick a few days ago, so I hung out with him, tried to distract him from not feeling well.” I wiggle my eyebrows. “Discovered I give good back rubs. I got Santi to fall asleep in record time.”
She wrinkles her brow. “How is he feeling now? Is he okay?”
I nod. “He’s back to normal. His birthday is coming up. I don’t know who’s more excited, him or his mom.”
She smiles, and it sets me a bit at ease. “I’m excited to listen to the album. I can’t wait to see how you’ve incorporated Owen. I can only imagine how special that will be for Ines.”
“I suggested we let Owen’s parents and Ines listen to it first. Jimmy and Bo agree.”
“Can I hear it before it comes out?”
“Depends on what you’ll give me in exchange.” I wink.
Her eyes widen, and only then do I realize what I said.
My heart lurches. I’m an asshole.
