Ciara narrows her eyes. “There’s a bistro right next door, why? Riley, what are you planning?”
“What if I tell Kieran I’m meeting Oscar there?”
Her eyes widen. “Oscar? As in, your brother?”
“Yeah.”
She holds up a hand. “I’m sorry, give me a second. Since when is Oscar in the picture?”
“Since a couple of weeks ago.” I shift on the bed so that I can tuck my legs underneath me.
“You’re lucky I’m pregnant, Riley Walsh, because I would be kicking your ass halfway to Seattle by now.”
“He wants to make amends.”
“And sneaking you into an OB appointment behind Kieran’s back classifies as making amends?”
“I mean, he can cover for me if Kieran checks in. He owes me that much.”
“You really think Kieran’s going to sign off on you spending time with your brother?”
“Honestly? No. But it’s worth a shot.”
Ciara exhales slowly, and I can see the skepticism in her eyes. She knows this plan is a long shot, and so do I, but it’s the only one I have.
“Riley…”
“I have to go to this scan. I have to know. And if lying is the only way to make it happen, then that’s what I’ll do.” My voice cracks again, betraying just how desperate I feel.
It seems to be enough to get Ciara to give in.
“All right. I’ll help you make it work in whatever way I can.”
Relief floods through me, though the feeling is fleeting because I know this plan could still blow up in my face.
But I have to hold on to that tiny thread of hope, however flimsy, because right now it’s the only thing keeping me from falling apart completely.
By the timeKieran finally emerges from Ronan’s office, it’s past eight, and I’m curled up on the couch in the living room with a blanket wrapped around me, pretending to scroll aimlessly through my phone, though in reality I haven’t taken in a single word or picture on the screen.
“There’s my little dove.”
“Hey.” I glance up to meet his eyes.
The exhaustion is written all over his face and in the way his hair is all messy from where he’s been running his hands through it all day.
He crosses the room in a few long strides and drops onto the couch beside me. His arm goes around my shoulders, tugging me into him, and despite my guilt, I let him.
“Rough day?” I ask.
“Same as always.” He presses a kiss to the top of my head, his lips lingering there for a second before pulling away. “What about you? You look…sad.”
I force a small smile as the knot in my stomach tightens.
“I’m just tired.”
Kieran doesn’t look convinced, but thankfully, he lets it go.
“What do you say we throw on a movie? Or…” His mouth curves into a sly grin. “We could take a bath together. Relax a little.”
