15. Riley
Chapter 15
Riley
D eclan left for work as I continue to map out my day so that I can get as much accomplished as possible. Tonight, I’m hoping for a repeat of last night with Declan – although I’d prefer a bigger bed. Maybe we can make that happen, but if I don’t at least get some of these plans made for my presentation for Hoopla’s tomorrow, I’ll have to work through the night to be ready.
It’s been a few hours since Declan left, and I’ve been working diligently on my laptop as Nicholas watches television on the couch. He’s been unusually quiet, so I go to check on him.
“You ready to go to school?” I swipe at the hair on his forehead and realize he feels a bit warm. “Are you feeling okay?”
He sits up and nods.
“Let’s take your temperature. Come on.” I go to lift him up and realize I’m not going to be able to do this much longer. He’s getting too big.
I carry him into the bathroom we’re sharing and pull out the thermometer that goes in the ear. “Ready? Remember, it doesn’t hurt.”
“Ready.”
I stick it in his ear and push the button. 99.3. Not too bad, but he may be catching something. “You’ve got a baby temperature. Let’s get some medicine, okay? Just to be sure.”
Ever since he was a baby, he’s been prone to febrile seizures and even a little temperature freaks me out. The first time he seized, I rushed him to the emergency room and the doctors couldn’t tell me why he was seizing, but eventually it was determined – after his third seizure – that he was just prone to them and that he would eventually grow out of them.
I’m still waiting for that day.
“I’m going to put my shoes on for school.” He grabs his shoes from the hallway on our way to the kitchen where I keep his medicine in the refrigerator.
“If you still have a temperature in an hour, we’re not going to go to school, Nickels. We don’t want to get your friends and teachers sick.”
I pull out a spoon and hold up the medicine. Thankfully, he’s always been good about taking his medication, so no battles there.
“Ahhhh.” He smacks his lips together like my father taught him. “I’m all better now,” he proclaims as he runs to the couch to put on his shoes.
“We’ll see in an hour,” I repeat because he’s tenacious when he wants to be.
Nicholas goes back to his television show as I go back to work returning emails, filling out forms for vendors for the Labor Day event, and trying to choose a theme to use, but an hour later, I take his temperature and it’s back to normal. “Okie dokie. We can go to school. Are you ready to go?”
“Yay!” he pumps his fist into the air and its clear he’s feeling better.
I take that as a yes. “Let me get my stuff and we’ll go. Mommy has a few meetings today.”
After dropping Nicholas off at school and giving the twitchy girl, Crystal, the rundown of this morning’s temperature issue, I go to meet Roxanne, the real estate agent that keeps sending me email advertisements, at an office space not far from Hibiscus Island Country Club. The proximity of this space to the club and Magical Moments will make work a lot easier.
As I pull into the parking lot, I look around to make sure I don’t see anyone that doesn’t look out of place. Although I’ve never seen my stalker, I’m always on alert wherever I go and now that he knows I’m in Hibiscus Harbor… I’m just trying to be cautious.
The office building is a two-story building made of mostly glass and steel. It’s very modern and sleek looking. It’s not really my style, but then again, I’m only going to use it for work, and I’ll be inside. The exterior isn’t really important as long as it has everything I need.
“Miss Ashford?” A woman around my age with bright red, almost orange, hair approaches me.
“Yes. Roxanne?” I ask her as we shake hands outside the building.
“Yes. It’s so nice to finally meet you, Miss Ashford, and you’re going to love this space. I can’t wait to show you. It won’t be on the market for long. It’s rare that an office space in this complex becomes available.”
“I’m excited to see it and please call me Riley.”
She smiles at me. “Follow me, Riley.”
She opens the lobby door with a key and a passcode on a digital panel that I hadn’t seen before. I like the fact that there are two methods needed to gain entry into the building. I’m feeling safer already.
As soon as we enter, we come to a security desk with a guard. As Roxanne signs us in, she turns to me. “Security is very important here at Hibiscus Commons. As you saw, you’ll need a key and a code to enter the building, and all guests will need to sign in and be issued a visitors pass to the business suite. Then security will announce them to the business before letting them go up.”
We climb into the elevator that is also all glass and steel. “Wow. I’m impressed. Why is security so tight here?” Now I’m wondering if there’s a government spy agency in the building or something.
Roxanne smirks. “Not to break confidentiality or anything, but there may be a financial institution or two located in the vicinity,” she says as if we’ve been best friends forever. “Tell me, what will you be using the office space for?” She pushes the button for the second floor.
“Nothing as exciting as that. I have my own event planning company and I’m expanding from my dining room table. Being a single mother, I’m constantly having to either move toys out of the way of my work or having conversations with my clients with cartoons playing in the background. It’s time to have a dedicated workspace for my business.”
“Oh, where’s your son, now?” she asks as we ride the elevator to the second floor.
“I just dropped him off at daycare.”
The doors open to the second floor, and I follow her down the hallway to the last office at the end. “Well, this place will be perfect for you, then. You don’t need foot traffic – just office space.” She unlocks the door and swings it open. “Welcome to your new office.”
The space is perfect for me. Just enough room for a couple of staff, an office for me, and a small conference room where I can meet potential clients. I sign the lease on the spot.
“The landlord will send you all the information for their online portal later today.” Roxanne says as I follow her out of the building. “Say, you’re not interested in seeing a small house that’s available for rent, are you? It just came on the market last week and it’s absolutely adorable. It’s got two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a small backyard which is completely manageable for a single mother, and the neighborhood is full of kids. Oh, and the schools are top notch. What do you say? Can I show it to you?” She looks down at her phone. “I could probably get you inside to see it now.”
I’m just about to tell this lady that I’ve spent enough money for today when a patrol car pulls up and I see Declan behind the wheel.
“Hey, pretty lady,” he says as his hand is hanging outside the driver’s window.
“Hello, Declan. So nice of you to notice,” Roxanne answers as she tosses her hair off her shoulders and saunters up to the window to talk to him.
I try to contain my laughter at the look of horror on Declan’s face when he realizes she thinks he’s talking to her and not me. I also don’t try to help him out of the situation. It’s pretty comical, so instead I play along. “Hi. I’m Riley.”
“Oh. Where are my manners? Riley Ashford, meet one of Hibiscus Harbor’s finest, Declan Hayes.” She waves me over to them. “Declan and I go way back, don’t we Dec?” She places her hand on his arm that’s still hanging outside the window marking her territory… she thinks.
“Nice to meet you Dec, ” I smirk and I see that he’s just itching to pull his arm away from her touch. Quite frankly, I’m ready for him to do that, too, but it looks like Roxanne has a firm grip on him.
“So, what are you ladies up to today?” Declan asks.
“Well, Riley here just moved back to our quaint little town and is starting a business. Event planning.”
“No, really? Wow, that’s great.”
“Isn’t it? She just signed the lease here,” she waves at the building behind us. “and now I’m going to show her the Simmons house over off of Palm Drive.”
Shit. I didn’t say I wanted to see the house. I’m living with Declan right now and have no intention of leaving and we’ve certainly not talked about it.
“Well…” I’m just about to clear the air when Declan’s radio goes off and he holds up a finger stopping me from talking.
“PD334 go ahead.” He says into the radio and then listens to the dispatcher as he types something in the laptop that’s hanging over the passenger side front seat. “10-4. Enroute.” He says into the radio and turns to us. “I’ve got to go ladies. Be safe.”
“We will, Declan. See you soon,” Roxanne singsongs as she finally releases her talons from Declan’s forearm. He gives me one last look before driving away and the hurt in his eyes is evident. I wish I was able to clear up the misunderstanding before he had to leave.
“Isn’t he just yummy?” Roxanne asks as we both watch the patrol car exit the parking lot, lights and sirens on, and turn out of sight.
“Yep,” I answer her while I’m trying to drag my stomach back up from where it fell. “Yummy.”
After declining the invitation to see the house Roxanne mentioned, we parted ways, and I decided to go to my parent’s house to check on things and get the mail.
The entire drive over all I keep thinking about is that look that was in Declan’s eyes when Roxanne mentioned that house for rent. He looked like he was really hurt by that, and I don’t know what to do with that information. Does he want us to stay with him or was he just hurt that I never mentioned it to him – not that I even thought about it until Roxanne said something. And what if I really did want to see that house? Would we still be together or am I just a convenient companion right now?
Having a house of my own for Nicholas to grow up in isn’t a bad thing. We lived in apartments in Atlanta since buying a house was outside of my price range in that area as a single mom and business owner. Having something that was all mine, a place where Nicholas could make friends in the neighborhood, and a place we could call home has always been a dream of mine – and why shouldn’t I look at the house? Declan and I aren’t anything official yet, are we? Should we?
I’ve been sitting in this truck, which smells exactly like Declan, in my parents’ driveway for ten minutes arguing with myself and getting nowhere. I pull out my phone to text Declan but decide not to bother him while he’s at work. With my luck, I’ll text him in the middle of a gun battle or something and get him killed all because of my insecurities. No, we can talk tonight at home.
Not home – at his house – it’s not my home and I need to remember that no matter how I feel about him or where Nicholas and I are staying.
I turn off the truck and climb out and instantly my senses go on high alert. Something feels off, but I can’t put my finger on it. The hair on the back of my neck stands up and I’m not comfortable. My gut is warning me of something. It’s the middle of the afternoon and the sun is shining bright, and nothing seems out of sorts, but I still feel weird – like I’m being watched.
As I make my way to the mailbox, my eyes are darting in all directions trying to find something or someone out of place but finding nothing. Everything looks normal – like it has for all the years I grew up in this house and on this block. I grab the mail and quickly go to the front door. There’s a package by the door with a smile on the side of it, but nothing else looks out of place. I unlock the door and quickly close it behind me.
The note the stalker left on the inside of the door the other night catches my eye and still sends chills down my spine. He was inside this house. He knows we’re here. I don’t feel safe here anymore. He’s invaded my family home and I hate him even more for that.
My phone rings and I jump. I look down at the screen secretly hoping it’s Declan but see my mother’s smiling face. She’s been gone since Saturday and so much has happened in the last three days. I yearn to talk to her, but I decide not to mention what’s been happening. My parents deserve this trip and I’ll do anything to make sure they have a great time and not worry about things here.
“Hi Mom. How’s the trip?”
“It’s amazing. We’re having so much fun, Riley.”
I sit down at the dining room table and flip through the mail, but nothing is for me. “That’s fantastic. Where are you?”
“We’re just outside of London and about to get back on the ship.”
I smile at the excitement in her voice. My mom sounds happy. “That’s great. So, tell me all the things you’ve done so far.”
“Eat. That’s all we’ve done is eat. This ship is amazing, and the food is out of this world. I swear I think I’ve already gained ten pounds.”
I laugh, “You could use another ten pounds, Mom. You’re too skinny.”
“Yeah right.” She doesn’t believe me. “How’s Nicholas doing?”
“He’s good. He’s loving school.” I look down at my watch and realize that Declan is probably picking him up from school right now so they can go on their guy’s night out together.
“And how are you doing?”
What she means is if everything is okay and if I’ve heard from my not-so-friendly neighborhood stalker. Although she has no idea that he’s now here in Hibiscus Harbor.
“Everything’s good, Mom. Status quo.” I lie right through my teeth. Everything is not good. The stalker is here, their home has been violated, and I’m falling in love with my brother’s best friend who is probably pretty upset with me thinking I may be moving out. Nope, definitely not all good.
“I’m glad to hear it, Riley.” There’s a loud horn in the background. “That’s the ship calling everyone back onboard. I’ve got to go; I don’t want them to forget us.” She laughs. “I’ll call you in a few days. Love you.”
“Love you, too.” We hang up and I look around at the quiet house and the feeling of being watched is still there. The urge to leave is overwhelming, so I collect a few more things for Nicholas out of his room and then beeline it out the front door and to Declan’s truck. The faster I can get out of here, the better.