3. Riley
three
Riley
“ O h, Riley, what a beautiful idea!”
My client wipes a tear from her eye and her fiancée raises a hand to her cheek, wiping more tears.
“When you mentioned you had a butterfly tattoo, I did some research. Your wedding timing is perfect to release monarchs after the ceremony. I can order as many as you wish.” I pass another piece of paper to the couple. “If you’d like, we could print cards like this for the guests. It could state your purpose for the butterflies and invite them to be a part of the wish. Or you could keep it private for the two of you.”
Melody smiles at Jana. “What do you think, babe? Send our love out on the wings of butterflies or too cheesy?”
Jana kisses the back of Melody’s hand, and I swoon. Butterflies for the win. The way these two are looking at each other right now makes my insides liquify. It’s beautiful.
“I think it’s wonderful, Mel.” Jana reaches over to squeeze my hand. “This is perfect, Riley.”
There’s nothing I love more than planning romantic moments or dates, or like this, a meaningful gesture to take place at their wedding. Is it extra or over the top? Sure, a little. But that’s what they hired me for. To coordinate a romantic wedding. What’s more romantic than sending butterflies out into the world to spread your love on their wings?
“I’ll get you to sign the contract if you want the butterflies, and I’ll order them right away. We can work out the information card over email.”
“That’s perfect.” Melody beams as she stands. “We’re off to have our dresses fitted again.” She pats her stomach. “Jana’s cooking might mean I need to let it out.”
Jana again kisses the back of Melody’s hand. “You’re perfect. Stop that. A few extra pounds doesn’t change who you are. I love you , not the size you wear, Mel.”
“Oh my goodness, you two!” I fan my hand near my face. “Get out of my office before you make me cry. You’re too sweet.”
The two women leave smiling, and I get to work on their contract changes to add the butterfly purchase. After making a note to order the monarchs once I receive the updated contract, I turn to my emails and open the request for a romance consultation.
Jackson Sutherland is a forty-year-old cowboy looking for help to improve his dating game. Says he’s always tongue-tied around men and wants help so he can ask them on dates without looking like a goober.
Alone in my office, I bark a laugh. Goober . That’s funny. I continue reading his consult request, which is an automated form for them to fill out to give me insight into their experiences and specific requests.
Damn.
Jackson sounds perfect as he is, except for the cowboy part. He prefers intimate dates over large group gatherings, doesn’t like to drink much, and volunteers at the senior home in the winter. He recently ended a business partnership, and one day hopes to start another, but his partner left a sour taste in his mouth. Jackson also loves dogs, but never had one because of his schedule and someday wants to date an animal lover. He also likes to unwind with yoga and considers himself a homebody.
I’d ask him out based on this questionnaire, but… cowboy. Which is a shame. Using their belt buckles and form-fitting Wranglers to get people in the sack, they’re all the same. Sure, Jackson might be different, but I’m doubtful.
He sounds great on paper, but I know how it turns out.
After checking my schedule, I email him back with an appointment and a request to respond to confirm his date and time. Almost immediately, my email pings with his reply.
‘I’ll be there! Thank you so much for your help. I admit I was skeptical doing this, but I’ve heard good things about you. I’m really excited!’
Jackson’s reply makes me smile. I don’t respond. Instead, I mark his suggested appointment as confirmed and my thoughts shift back to the man from the park. Work got hectic, and I missed our sort of date last week.
Today I’m making one more attempt to lunch in the park and hope I didn’t miss out on a connection. Which is absurd. I don’t even know what he looks like, but I liked… him? The idea of him? Something about the mystery man just called to me, and I want to know more.
Checking the clock, I smile as I call Aunt Agnes.
She answers on the second ring.
“Hello, Riley. Are you still working? ”
“Hi, Auntie. For a few more minutes, then I’m going back to the park. I’m hoping my mystery man is there. If not, I’ll give up.”
“Good for you, dear. I think you should keep going even if he isn’t there. The fresh air does a body good. Don’t give up on love, though.”
Aunt Agnes is more of a romantic than me. She was the one who planted a love of romance in my heart. Reading me fairy tales at bedtime will always be one of my fondest childhood memories with her.
“I wouldn’t call this love. We haven’t even met. Did you take your pills?”
I don’t need Aunt Agnes giving me a talk on love right now. She’ll get to that at our next Scrabble game, I’m certain.
“I did. And I’m having lunch right now. SpaghettiOs .”
My nose wrinkles automatically.
“Auntie, why do you eat that stuff? I’m bringing you some better meals when I come for Scrabble.”
She huffs, annoyed with me dissing her beloved canned noodles.
“I don’t want your fancy salads, city boy.”
Laughing out loud, I shake my head. “I know. I’ll find you something you like.”
“Good luck at the park today. Remember, not all men are like that asshole, Chase.”
My head knows that, but my heart is an entirely different organ to convince.
“I know. I love you and we’ll talk soon.”
After locking my office, I slip outside into the warm late spring sun and head towards Avocadabra, my favourite bistro. I called ahead to order this time. Hopefully, I’ll have more time to linger in the park and run into my mystery man.
Upon entering the bistro, it’s more quiet than usual and the white bag at the counter with my name on it sits waiting.
“Hi, Riley. Perfect timing. I just finished your order. It’s a beautiful day for lunch outside. I think our usual patrons feel the same, since it’s rather quiet.”
“I can’t blame them. The sun on my face without the chill in the air makes me so happy. There’s just something about it, you know? I should have lunch outside more often.”
“As long as you still join us from time to time, I’d support that.”
Hannah smiles and passes me the bag as I drop some loose change into the collection jar for the local animal shelter on the counter.
“I’ll always be back, Hannah. If not for food, I’d return to see you and your friendly face.”
Her cheeks pink as she waves me off and I head to the park with a tight ball in my stomach. What do I say to him if he’s there? Technically, I stood him up last week and I’m not like that.
When I enter the park and approach the picnic table, my heart almost stops when I notice the pair of dress shoes poking from behind the flower beds. Sitting on the bench, I turn towards the… feet, since the rest of him remains hidden.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here the next day like I promised. I got held up at work and then I needed to take my aunt to an appointment and…I tried to come back, but you weren’t here.”
Oh, god. What if this isn’t the same guy?
“I’m happy to hear that.” My shoulders relax with his voice. Same guy. I’d recognize that voice anywhere. Smooth and deep. “ I mean…not happy you couldn’t come, but happy it wasn’t me.” He huffs. “No, that’s not what I mean, either.” There’s a pause, and I think he might be giving himself a pep talk. There’s a lot of mumbling I can’t make out, but I swear I heard the phrase, you can do this . “I waited for three days.” He clears his throat. “I would’ve waited longer, but I think people were uncomfortable with a man lying in the grass every day. You’re here now, though. That’s what matters.”
Oof. Direct hit to my romantic heart. He waited for three days, then came back again on the random day I tried to find him? I’m not one to believe in signs, but there must be some kind of hocus pocus at work.
“Um…this is going to sound silly, but…I brought lunch. For both of us. Would you like to join me?”
My hands fidget with the handles on the bag. The longer his silence stretches, the longer I wonder if I went too far, and I just made a fool out of myself.
“Do you think it’s crazy to meet a stranger for lunch in the park?”
His voice is still steady, but I’m positive there’s a waver of hope there. Maybe he feels the same as I do.
“Well, if we have lunch, we’re no longer strangers, right?”
His low chuckle brings a smile to my face, and the feet disappear as he stands. Okay, this is happening. When he finally steps out from the shadows of the tree and turns towards me, I pray the gasp in my head wasn’t out loud because glory to the beings of creation, this man is gorgeous.
A white dress shirt with his sleeves rolled up shows off very muscled arms. His shirt tucks into a pair of black dress pants. Simple, yet stylish, and his black shoes are still shiny like they were on that first day.
He’s dreamy. My teenage heart shoots sparkles, knowing I just met a man to use that word for. His warm gaze wraps around me like a hug from an old friend. As he steps closer, his Adam’s apple bobs, and he clutches his suit jacket against his body.
“You’re the prettiest thing in this park. I’m really happy you came back.”
His eyes widen and he clutches his suit coat closer.
Yeah, okay, that’s…wow. My skin feels hot and I dip my head. Lord, I think I’m blushing. I don’t blush with compliments. What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Thank you.” Clearing my throat, I blurt, “Do you like hummus?”
A bright smile graces his face and he’s so handsome I can’t help staring at him. There’s a slight flash when he turns his head, and I bite my lip when I notice the small diamond earring. It’s like the angels cracked open my brain and found all my favourite things and smashed them into this man.
“I love it.” The man’s voice snaps me back to the present. “Preferably the red pepper hummus from Avocadabra.”
“No way! That’s my favourite place and exactly what I brought.”
We grin at each other like two kids who just discovered they have the same birthday, and I remove the takeout containers from the bag.
“I’m Riley, by the way.” I extend my hand to him, and when his calloused palm slides into mine, electricity races down my spine.
“Jack,” he rasps, and it takes a moment for him to let go of my hand .
“Um, I…there’s water? I didn’t know what you’d like.”
Jack settles at the table across from me and reaches for the water I offer him.
“Hummus is made from chickpeas. I’ve always found that interesting,” Jack offers, and I can’t help but laugh at his choice of conversation topic.
“Food interests you?”
“Well, I like to eat it, so…yeah.” He clears his throat and taps a finger against his water bottle. “Did you know baby carrots aren’t really baby? They’re just big carrots ground down into little ones.”
The hummus platter came with vegetables. Baby carrots included. Picking one up, I hold it out to him with a grin. “So this carrot was once an adult and then made to be a baby again?”
“Yeah. And they use carrots that are shaped weird. Like, they don’t make it to the grocery store as is. I guess it’s a makeover for a carrot.”
He’s too precious.
Dipping a carrot in the hummus, I crunch it as he scoops a generous amount of hummus up with his baby carrot and pops it into his mouth.
I’m hoping for more random food facts, but he’s stopped talking.
“Um…can I ask what made you lie on the ground instead of taking a seat here that day we met?”
Jack pauses his chewing and bites at his lip.
“It was a stressful day. I just wanted to…I don’t know, hide from the world for a bit. ”
He rips apart a piece of pita and dunks it in the hummus. “Did you know pita is one of the oldest breads? It’s traced back almost 4000 years ago to the Middle East.”
Why do I find his nervous food facts so damn cute?
“I didn’t know that. It’s one of my favourites. I love eating pitas.”
Jack smiles and eats as his knee bounces so much, the entire picnic table wiggles.
“Do you like fairy tales, Jack?”
Jack pauses, chewing slowly, and nods. After swallowing, he chews his lip before answering.
“I don’t know if it’s considered a fairy tale, but I really like Lady and the Tramp .”
His gaze meets mine and I see it. The naked truth of his admission is something he doesn’t share with many people, but he did with me. Someone he just met. It might be a movie fact, but to him, it’s a big deal.
“I like that one, too.”
I smile his way, and he sucks in a breath.
“Maybe one day we could—”
A booming voice jars us from the conversation. “Jack! Where are you? We have to go!”
“Shit.” Jack stands and almost knocks lunch off the table in his haste. “Riley, I’m sorry. I have to go. Can we…” He looks over his shoulder towards the man who called for him. “I’ll be here again next Wednesday. Maybe we could do this again?”
Walking backwards away from me, he waits for my response and what else can I say but yes?
“I’ll be here! ”
He gives me a thumbs-up and waves before turning and jogging away.
I stare after him, unsure of what just happened and who Jack really is.
Picking up a baby carrot, I inspect it closer.
“I didn’t know these came from imperfect bigger carrots.”
Maybe next week I can learn about Jack and not random facts about food.