3. Riley
Chapter 3
Riley
T onight seems to be a huge success just like Mia’s engagement party was a few weeks ago. I was originally worried when I had to move my business from Atlanta back home to Hibiscus Harbor. That I wouldn’t find clients, but so far that hasn’t been the case. Actually, I’ve been super busy and hopefully tonight will allow for some of these fancy people attending the grand opening to see that I can handle just about any of their party and event needs. Plus, Mia promises to encourage brides looking for a wedding planner to use me.
“Riley, I cannot thank you enough. This is fantastic.” Mia, my client and kickball teammate, pulls me into a hug while I stand in the back corner of Magical Moments making sure everything is going smoothly. An event planner should never be visible unless they are needed.
“Mia, I cannot thank you enough for hiring me to do this. It’s been so fun working with you the last few weeks. You’ve been one of the easiest clients I’ve ever worked with,” I laugh as I hug her back.
“What’s all the hugging about? Can I get in on it?” Ian, her new fiancé, asks as he approaches us.
“I was just telling Riley how grateful I am for her.” Mia says as she takes Ian’s hand. These two are so damn cute together. I never thought anyone could be that adorable until I met these two.
“She’s right, Riley. This event has gone off without a hitch and I plan to use you for all of Hibiscus Island Country Club’s activities if you’ll be willing.”
“Really?” I’m shocked. He’s a quatrillionaire, as my son would say even though that’s not even a word.
“Really.” He hands me a business card, “Call Mrs. Wilcox and have her schedule a meeting this week or next. I want to get you under contract before someone else snatches you up.”
I take the card and put it in my day planner that I carry around with me as if my life depended on it – because it does. I lose this thing, I lose everything.
I’m just about to thank Ian for the opportunity and trust when I hear yelling coming from the other side of the event in Mia’s Corner shop. “Excuse me.” Taking off in the direction of the yelling and now screaming, I can feel Ian and Mia right behind me. This isn’t good and I need to get this handled immediately.
Pushing the button on my earpiece, “I need security in Mia’s Corner ASAP!”
“On it,” I hear a voice say in my ear.
There are two women basically trying to take the same dress and shred it into pieces to keep it away from the other one. Using my best ‘Mom’ voice, “What is going on here?!”
Neither of them is paying attention to me or letting go of the dress.
“It’s mine! I saw it first. My daughter wants it.”
“Your daughter will look like a cow in it!”
The crowd is growing quickly and now I’m seeing cell phones out to capture the moment. Lovely.
“Ladies, I’m sure we can work this out.” Mia tries to settle the situation, but it escalates quickly.
“Drop it.” A firm, authoritative voice says from behind me. One of the hired police officers demands. “Now.”
“I’ll take that.” Another one of the hired police officers from Hibiscus Harbor police department takes the dress from both of the women. I recognize both of them, but now is not the time for a reunion.
“That’s mine!” The first woman says and attempts to slap Jax across the face and take back the dress.
“Well, that was stupid,” Declan deadpans as he grabs her arms and puts them behind her back and puts cuffs on her.
“I’ll have your job for this! I demand to talk to the Chief right now!”
“You can talk to him once we get you to the police department for processing.”
“Serves you right, bitch!” The second woman taunts her.
“Hey! Shut it or you’re going with her for causing a disturbance,” Jax tells her and she takes him at his word.
Jax hands me the dress, which is now in ruins. “Hey Riley.”
I give him a small wave as I look over at Declan who has the woman in cuffs. His eyes look up and a whole host of emotions cross his face as recognition appears.
I give Declan a small wave as well, but he just walks the now yelling woman to the police car.
“Do you want to press charges, Mia?” Jax asks her but she shakes her head.
“No. It’s fine.”
My business sense kicks in, and we need a distraction pronto. I push my earpiece, “Get the caterer out here with the cake and the waiters with more champagne.”
“On it.” I hear in my earpiece and just like a well-oiled machine, my caterers and waiters distract the attendees with a beautiful cake in the life-sized shape of a wedding dress.
The ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ have everyone forgetting the commotion and back to the festivities, thankfully.
As everyone is focused on the cake, I’m focused on where Declan and Jax went. Not so much Jax – he was always a goofball – but Declan. I’ve been back in town for a few months and haven’t reached out. Life has been crazy, but seeing him now… I had no idea my body would react to him this way.
Tonight was a success, minus the two ladies fighting over a dress or Declan showing up – who could have predicted that?
But the attendees stayed for hours, and Mia sold a lot of dresses and got a lot of attention. Her businesses will do really well and I’m so happy to have been able to help in that process. I don’t know her whole life story, but by the small amount I know from her interview on television a month ago, she deserves nothing but happiness. And watching her and Ian together, she’s got her happily ever after.
It's late and I’m ready to go home and kiss my sleeping son’s forehead when I see Declan leaning up against my car in the parking lot with his arms and ankles crossed. He looks like he’s relaxed, but even after all these years, I can see it in his face. He’s mad.
As I approach, Declan doesn’t take his eyes off of me. I hold my day planner against my chest like a shield. I’m not afraid of him. Never have been. But I also know that he’s probably mad I didn’t let him know I was back in town. Not that it should matter. Hell, he doesn’t even know about Nickels.
“Hi there,” I say as I approach him. His patrol car with the Hibiscus Harbor logo on the side door is parked next to mine.
“Hello.” He doesn’t move but stays leaning against my car.
“How’d you know which car was mine?”
“I’m a cop. I’ve got resources.”
I smirk, “Ah, so you used city resources to track my car. Nice. Isn’t that illegal?”
Declan points to my license plate. “It’s the only car in the parking lot with Georgia plates.”
He got me. I insulted him and his ethics, and I was wrong. Good start, Riley. “Sorry. Of course.”
Declan decides to let me off easy. Maybe he’s feeling weird, too. “How long are you in town?”
“Actually, I’ve moved back.”
If I shocked him, he didn’t show it. He just nods at me. “When?”
“A few months ago. It’s been really crazy getting settled and starting a business. I was going to call – I just didn’t have the time. I’m sorry, Declan,” I apologize again, but I have no idea why. It’s not like we’ve stayed in touch since River’s funeral. The last time I saw Declan, we were standing behind Mom’s shed, and he was holding me. Hell, that was the last time I had been held by any man.
He pushes off my car and stands in front of me like all cops do – legs apart and hands bent in front of him like he’s ready to defend himself if a threat comes at him. And damn, he looks good. Really good. His legs and arms are big, bigger than I remember, and his jawline looks more square than I remember.
“How are you doing, Riley?” He asks and my name on his lips has me thinking inappropriate thoughts. I’m a single mom and business owner. I don’t have time for inappropriate thoughts.
"I’m good. Really good. How about you? How are your parents doing?”
“They’re good. Mom and Dad are loving the retirement life.”
I smile. “Mine are, too. Dad just bought Mom a European cruise, and they leave tomorrow. First time they’re doing for themselves since…” I let my sentence fall.
“Since the funeral?”
I nod.
“Well, good for them. They deserve it.”
Thinking of all that my parents have been through in the last five years between losing River and their daughter having their first grandchild – they both deserve it. “They do. They really do.”
There’s a crackle over Declan’s radio and I hear the dispatcher call a number out. “Is she calling for you?”
He shakes his head. “No. I’m off duty.” He turns the radio off with a click. When he does, his watch lights up and I see the time.
I grab his wrist and turn it. “Is that the time? Shit, I’ve got to go.” The nanosecond that I touched him, I’m shocked with some kind of voltage. I look up at him and something crosses his face but just as quickly is gone. He’s a cop and probably doesn’t like to be touched. I let his wrist go and click the key fob to unlock my car. “It was nice seeing you, Declan.”
He opens my car door for me but stands in my way so that I can’t climb in. “I’ve missed you, Riley. It’s really good to see you.” Declan pulls me into his arms and hugs me. It’s hard to hug him back with his gun belt, all his gadgets on him, and the bulletproof vest he has underneath it, but he feels really good. Too good.
I let him go. “You too, Declan.”
He moves out of the way, and I climb into my car. He watches me pull out of the parking space and I give him a small wave – like I did earlier, but this time he waves back.
The streets of Hibiscus Harbor are empty because it’s so late and it takes me no time to get to my parents’ house. I quietly move through the house to my son’s room – it was his uncle’s room. Opening the door as quietly as I can, I take a peek at my sleeping son’s angelic face and remember why I’m doing all that I am. It’s for him. To keep him happy and safe.
It’s why I had to move us back home.