Chapter 42
Chapter Forty-Two
NATHAN
I’m thrilled to see my best friend standing outside my window, but when I look over at Riley, she’s shrinking into her seat.
Chris raps his knuckles against the window again and Riley cringes with every thud of the glass.
“Did you know Chris would be here?” Riley whispers, giving me a panicked look.
What is she so afraid of?
Is it because Chris saw us together or is it because of the mysterious reason she came to Lucky Falls?
“Get out of the car, Riley!” Chris speaks to his sister in an authoritative tone that immediately puts me on edge.
Although Chris has been my best friend since childhood, Riley comes first.
“Don’t,” I tell her calmly.
Riley’s eyes search mine and then she nods her understanding.
I push my car door open, being careful not to hit Renea—who’s still standing close by.
My agent stares up at me, her smile unsure. “Hey, Nat. We wanted to surprise you before the big game so… surprise.”
I give her a tight-lipped smile, edging past her. Renea steps forward, arms outstretched as if to hug me, but I’m already striding around the car.
Chris’s eyebrows tighten into a V on his forehead. “Why is Riley here? Why are you two together?”
Guilt sinks its claws into me. Chris has been my best friend since high school, and we’ve kept each other updated on all the important milestones in life.
But I had to keep Riley a secret from him.
I can see how that would be upsetting.
“Give us a minute, Chris. Let me open Riley’s door.”
I stand in front of the door and gesture for Riley to unlock it. She does.
Chris makes a sputtering sound. “What’s with all the theatrics? Do you think I’m going to hurt my own sister?”
“Of course not.” At least, not physically.
But emotionally?
Chris was rapping on the window like the cops about to arrest someone, and Riley looked genuinely terrified. If we’re going to face her brother and explain our relationship, we’re doing it together. I can’t have Chris dragging her out of the car first and making a big scene.
“Here,” I say, extending my hand to Riley to help her down. It’s not that big of a jump from her SUV to the ground, but she gratefully sets her fingers on my wrist. I can feel her trembling as she stands close beside me and it sends my protective instincts roaring to a climax.
“Hi, Chris,” Riley says, swallowing hard.
Chris hurls an accusatory glare at her. “Riles, what are you doing in Lucky Falls? Didn’t you get that promotion at the airport?”
I try to hide my surprise. A promotion? If things were going so well at her old job, why did she switch to doing auto mechanics?
“I…” Riley wets her lips and stares at the ground. She was so fierce when she talked about setting Layla up to get detained, but when it comes to her family, she’s extremely vulnerable.
I nudge Riley behind me. “It’s late, Chris. Why don’t we have this discussion tomorrow?”
Renea totters over the loose stones and joins our dramatic trio but, thankfully, for now she’s just a silent spectator.
Chris’s jaw clenches. “Why wait until tomorrow, Nat? Let’s hash it out now.”
I keep my tone even, trying my best to de-escalate the situation. “Like I said, it’s been a really long day. Our emotions are running high and we’re all exhausted.”
Chris scoffs and mumbles, “Unbelievable. I catch my best friend and my sister together. Neither of them told me anything about it and yet I’m the bad guy for being shocked and asking questions?”
“I’ll answer your questions, man. Just let Riley go home for now.”
Chris looks visibly perturbed. “And I’m asking you why my own sister—who I haven’t spoken to in months by the way, feels like she has to run away from me like I’m some monster?”
In a sense, I understand his frustration. Riley was running away from me too, so I’ve been there. However, if running away is how she wants to handle this, then I’ll let her run as hard and as far as she wants.
I turn to Riley. In a private tone, I apologize. “I’m sorry. I wanted to drive you home, but…”
“It’s okay. You have unexpected guests. I’ll be fine.” As she speaks, she backs away from us and gives her brother a tight-lipped smile. “It’s really good to see you, Chris.”
Chris snorts.
“I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”
Chris opens his mouth, but I speak first.
“Drive safe. Call me the minute you get home,” I say firmly.
“Okay.”
“Let’s go inside.” I lift a hand and usher Chris toward the big gate as Riley hops into her truck. She backs out of the lot so fast that her tires spit gravel.
My best friend shoves my arm aside. “What’s with you, man?”
“What’s with you?” I wonder. “Since when were you this mean to Riley?”
“Mean? How am I supposed to feel? I come to town thinking my best friend could use some support before his big comeback and it turns out, he’s too busy making out with my little sister?”
“We were not making out.” It’s not much of a defense, but I feel the need to clarify.
“I don’t mean to interject,” Renea says, stepping forward. “But we were parked outside for a while and we saw you pull up. Even from a distance, there was obviously something going on.”
I know I should have paid more attention to that strange car parked outside my gate, but Riley was in the passenger seat and I was very distracted.
“Riley and I are seeing each other,” I say, spilling the beans matter-of-factly. “Technically, I’m under inspection, but it’s with the intentions of dating her seriously.”
Silence falls and makes the creaking of the gates and the mechanical gears extra loud.
Renea steps in front of me so she can see my face. “Say that again.”
“I have every intention of dating Riley.”
Chris lets out a stunned laugh.
Maybe I should have waited to tell Chris the truth with Riley by my side, but I don’t think Riley wants to be the one to talk to her brother. And also, they already saw us in the car, so there’s no sense denying that we’re together.
Chris’s eyebrows fly to the top of his head. “How did that happen?”
Renea asks curtly, “Did you have time to date during the training camp?”
Chris shakes his head. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Renea frowns. “I thought you’d focus on getting back into hockey.”
“Did she quit her job and come to Lucky Falls because of you?”
I hold up a hand to stop their tirade of questions. “Instead of chatting out here for the entire neighborhood to hear, let’s head inside.”
Renea returns to her car, but Chris walks with me down the cobble-stoned path to my front door.
“How did you and Renea get in touch?” I ask him.
“She reached out to me. Said she wanted to surprise you.”
Renea’s car slows down in front of the porch steps.
Chris scratches the back of his head and lets out a heavy breath.
“I’m just going to skip over the part where you’re into Riley because I can’t even…
” He blinks like someone who’s been blinded by a camera flash.
“But why keep it a secret? You two are both adults. It’s not like you’re breaking the law. ”
“I wanted to tell you.” Bouncing ideas off of Chance, Kinsey and Renthrow was great and I look up to those guys, but Chris has known me since middle school. “But what was I supposed to say? ‘Hey, Chris. How’s Nicole? By the way, I met this amazing girl. She’s funny, smart, passionate, sexy—”
Chris makes a disgusted face.
“—and by the way she’s your sister.’ See? Your face is exactly why I couldn’t say anything.”
“Give me a sec. I’m about to throw up in my mouth.”
Renea’s car door slams shut and she approaches us, arms folded over her chest. “Looks like we came at a bad time. I should have called.”
“No, I’m glad to see you. Both of you. Make yourselves at home. Chris, you can hit the couch. Renea, the guest room’s all yours.”
“Thanks, Nat.” Renea’s smile trembles.
Chris grips my shoulder and gives me a serious look. “Did Riley leave her job to follow you around in Lucky Falls?”
“She was in Lucky Falls before we met.”
“Was she transferred? Are they building an airport out here in,” he gestures, “the middle of nowhere?”
“No, she’s a mechanic now.”
“A mechanic? Like for cars?”
I nod.
“Since when? She’s been obsessed with planes since she was fifteen.”
I lift both my shoulders. “She hasn’t mentioned why, but that’s what she’s doing now.”
I wish I’d been more inquisitive about the secret she’s protecting from her family. At least then, I’d know the best ways to back her up.
“This is crazy,” Chris mutters under his breath. “Let me text my uncle. Maybe he knows why Riley switched trades.”
As I watch Chris light up his family group chat with the news, I get a sinking feeling that this investigation into her past is exactly what Riley was trying to avoid.