"Your parents come home tomorrow. I don't think they'd appreciate me coming into your room and making out with you."
"Probably not. But at this hour, my mom is usually at the big house, fixing dinner. And my dad is either working or hanging out in the kitchen with my mom."
"You mean we're not going to have to give up our afternoon make out sessions?"
"I hope not." Instead of allowing himself to be tempted to kiss her again, he asked, "Do you want to see what I accomplished today?"
Several minutes later, they were still discussing the plans for the rec center when a knock sounded on the front door. He looked atRiley in surprise. Few people ever came to his parents' house that sat so far down the lane that it wasn't visible from the highway. Her expression looked every bit as confused and surprised as he felt.
He looked out the window and found a gleaming red Porsche parked beside Riley's Jeep. No wonder they didn't hear another car drive up. "Is that Debbie Wheeler's car?"
Riley vacated his lap and looked out the window. "Looks like it. I wonder why she's here."
"I guess we'd better go find out."
A second knock sounded just as they reached the front entry.
Daniel opened the door to find not only Debbie but a tall dark-haired man.
"Hi, Daniel," Debbie gave a broad smile. "And Riley. I heard you were home for a while. How are you doing?"
"I'm good, and you?"
"I'm doing fantastic." Debbie put a hand that sported a flashy engagement ring on the man's chest. "This is my fiancé, Austin Reed."
Daniel couldn't help it; his jaw dropped. He quickly snapped it closed to hide his surprise. The rich widow who had been after many of Providence's bachelors for years, including Robert and Jake and their cousin Ben, had finally found a man.
"C-congratulations," Riley sputtered, and Daniel nodded.
"Thank you." Debbie beamed. She looked happier than Daniel had ever seen her.
Riley remembered her manners enough to shake Austin's hand, and Daniel followed.
"Word has it that you're an architect," Austin said as he shook Daniel's hand in a firm grip.
"Yes."
"Good. Then we're in need of your services."
"Excuse me?"
Debbie already owned a mansion. Daniel couldn't think of a single thing they would need design help with.
"We have a job proposal for you," Austin said. "Could we come in and discuss it with you?"
"Sure, uh, yeah. Come in." Daniel swung the door open wider and waved them in, belatedly realizing the front room wasn't all that tidy. He planned to do something about that tonight before his parents came home tomorrow.
Riley quickly snatched one of his shirts off the couch and his ice cream bowl from the coffee table. "Have a seat."
In less than a minute, he and Riley were settled on the love seat, her hand in his. Debbie and Austin sat on the sofa, also holding hands.
Debbie looked at her fiancé and nodded. "Go ahead."
Austin cleared his throat. "Debbie and I have set a wedding date for mid-August. As soon as we are married, we plan to go into business together. We want to provide more affordable housing here in Providence."
Daniel's ears perked up. "Housing?"
"Apartment buildings, small homes for low-income families, as well as larger homes."
