It didn’t excuse anything. It didn’t erase the hurt. But it made sense, and now she didn’t know where to put all the anger she’d been using to hold herself upright.
Would he keep other things from her? Was this the only secret? Was he really ready for what he said he wanted?
The chair across from her scraped against the floor, and Mathew sat down, his expression tight with concern.
She blinked, and only then did she realize a tear had slipped free.
He reached across the table and brushed it away with his thumb before pulling his hand back like he wasn’t sure he had the right.
Then he drew in a breath. “Did I ever tell you about the summer I learned to ride a bike?”
A ghost of a smile tugged at her lips. “No, you didn’t.”
Mathew reached for her hands and clasped them within his own. “I was a late bloomer. Promise not to judge?”
“I promise,” she whispered.
He leaned in slightly. “I was seventeen.”
27
MATHEW
Taking it slow.
Those three words were the absolute worse.
Mathew had to keep reminding himself it was for the best.
For both River and himself.
She wasn’t avoiding him anymore. And Emerson and Rose had stopped standing guard every time he came near.
Over the past three weeks, Mathew might have done a few questionable things to increase the odds of running into her around town. Lily was a romantic and entirely too willing to “accidentally” mention when River might be heading into town.
He didn’t abuse the information. Not too much. Because he was supposed to be taking it slow.
That didn’t mean he wasn’t occasionally at the coffee shop when she happened to stop in. Or that he didn’t suddenly remember he needed something from the grocery store. Honestly, he wouldn’t have been surprised if River knewexactly what he was doing, because she never seemed especially annoyed when their paths crossed.
He’d started texting her again too. Little things, like asking about her day. And she texted him back.
More importantly, he answered every question she asked honestly.
Was Victoria still in town?
Yes, but he wasn’t seeing her.
Why had she come?
She wanted another chance.
Was that something he wanted?
No.
Mathew stared at that last answer, wondering if he should say more. He could tell River he only had eyes for one woman. He could tell her that if she gave him the chance, he’d spend the rest of his life proving he was worth trusting again.
Instead, he set the phone down.
