Every time she passed the arrangement, she fought two urges at once. One to read the card and call Mathew… another one to dump the whole thing in the trash and be done with it.
A sigh left her lips.
It was dark out, but for the first time in a week, she wasn’t tired enough to sleep. She’d spent hours in bed before finally giving up and wandering her apartment.
Maybe it was time to let Mathew explain.
Only he could tell her why he’d kept something that big from her. Only he could tell her whether Victoria had blindsided him too.
But River wasn’t brave enough to ask any of that. She hadn’t even brought herself to ask Rose whether Victoria was still in town or worse… whether Mathew had gone back to her now that River had made herself unavailable.
Coward.
That was what she was.
Still… at least she hadn’t packed up and ran. That counted for something, didn’t it?
A quiet knock on the door startled her. She froze, staring at it like opening it might unleash something she wasn’t strong enough to survive.
It could be Emerson. He’d been stopping by every night she was alone. Except tonight he’d barely been able to keep his eyes open.
The knock came again.
Then Mathew’s voice, unmistakable even through the door.
“I can see the lights on, River. Please let me in.”
The hair at the back of her neck rose. She shook her head, crossed the room, and flipped off the lights.
On the other side of the door, silence stretched for a beat.
“River,” he said again, voice muffled now. “Can we please just talk?”
Tears broke free before she could stop them. She turned away and headed for her room. As much as she wanted to give in, wanted answers, old wounds rose up faster than hope ever could.
Mathew had kept something from her.
Then he’d stayed behind to talk to Victoria after River walked away.
People had seen them at the coffee shop and seen Victoria crying. Seen her touching his hand.
Maybe there was an explanation for all of it.
Maybe there wasn’t.
And River didn’t know if she could survive hearing that he’d only come back for closure so he could find his way back to his ex.
“Rise and shine, sleeping beauty.”
River groaned and pulled the covers over her head. “What time is it?”
“Almost nine. Honestly, I’m surprised you haven’t come out of hiding yet. Usually, you’re up with the sun.”
“Usually, I don’t have a problem falling asleep,” she growled. “I only fell asleep three hours ago, Emerson. And what are you doing in my room?”
“I knocked,” he said. “You didn’t answer. I brought coffee.”
That’s when she smelled it. Rich and warm, the scent curled through the air and made her stomach tighten. Coffee wasn’t going to fix the lack of sleep, but it was a start.
