Chapter 2 #2
He frowned at that. “There’s nothing wrong with your size,” he told her.
Riley wanted to bask in his approval, which was ridiculous, but she couldn’t remember the last time Miles had complimented her.
“Uh-huh. Anyway, I’ve got plenty of food.
This should tide you over until you can talk to your nephew and find out what he likes to eat.
I’m assuming you’re going to get him enrolled in school, and you’ll need to figure out if he wants to eat the school lunches or if he wants to pack his own, so you’ll need lunch food as well.
And dinner stuff. Chicken fingers, hamburgers, pasta, that sort of thing.
Most kids eat a ton, so I’m sure this won’t last long. ”
The more she spoke, the more the rattled look in Porter’s eyes increased. Riley realized she was freaking him out.
Taking a chance, she stepped forward and put a hand on his arm. “Porter?”
He blinked. Then said, “No one calls me that.”
“Oh, um…sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. How did you even know that was my name?”
“Your mail was delivered to my mailbox once. I’m sorry, I can call you by your nickname…Oz, right?”
“I kinda like you calling me Porter,” he admitted.
“Okay,” Riley said. She couldn’t be imagining an attraction between them…
could she? Now wasn’t the time or the place, but she couldn’t help liking how his entire attention was on her when she spoke.
He wasn’t looking down at a phone, wasn’t checking out her boobs, wasn’t looking past her at her TV, which was on low inside her apartment.
His eyes flicked down to the bag she was still holding then back up to her face. “I really shouldn’t take your food.”
“It’s fine,” Riley insisted, holding the bag out once more.
“I feel horrible about it.”
“Don’t. It’ll give me a reason to get out of my apartment tomorrow,” Riley said. “I’m only sorry I don’t have any doughnuts or cinnamon rolls. I’m sure your nephew would love those.”
“Logan. His name is Logan. And he’s ten.”
Riley smiled and breathed out a sigh of relief when Porter reached for the bag of food she’d collected.
“I’m really sorry for bothering you. I panicked,” Porter admitted a little sheepishly.
“It’s okay. I’m glad you did. I work from home, so I’m pretty much always here. If you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to come over. I can also give you my number so you can text if you want. I know how scary it can be for a kid to move in with strangers.”
This time the concern on his face was directed at her. “You were a foster kid?” he asked.
Kicking herself for bringing it up, Riley nodded.
“Yeah. My parents struggled a lot, and I went in and out of foster homes for most of my life. They’d get their shit together and get me back, then they’d spiral and I’d go back into the system.
I probably had seven different families I lived with.
Most were good, but it was just hard to not know how long I’d be there, and if or when my parents would get me back. ”
“He only had a garbage bag to hold his stuff,” Porter admitted.
Riley knew about that all too well. “That sucks. Most kids don’t have a suitcase or a duffle bag when they enter foster care. They have to bring whatever belongings they can fit into a plastic trash bag. Can I give you a tip?”
“Please do.”
“Wash his clothes as soon as you can. The smell of that damn plastic permeates clothes easily, and it sucks to have to smell it all the time as you’re going about your day.”
Porter looked horrified. “I will. Tomorrow when he wakes up.”
Riley nodded.
“You truly don’t mind if I need help? I’m totally out of my depth here.”
“Are you planning on keeping him?” Riley couldn’t help but ask.
“Of course I’m keeping him. He’s my nephew. He doesn’t have anyone else to look after him.”
“I’m sorry if I offended you,” Riley said quickly. “It’s just that a lot of people wouldn’t want their lives disrupted by a kid who isn’t theirs.”
“Disrupted? I think he’s the one who’s had his life disrupted, not me.
I hate that I didn’t know about him before now.
I hate that I never reconciled with my sister before she died.
I’d like to think she got her shit together, but looking at Logan, and seeing the pain in his eyes, I’m not sure she did.
I would never give up my nephew. No matter how hard his sudden appearance in my life is for me, it’s got to be ten times worse for him. He’s staying.”
The warmth in Riley’s belly grew. She loved how fierce Porter was about his nephew. He didn’t say he loved the boy, but that wasn’t surprising; he’d just met him, and hopefully love would come in time, for both man and child. “Then I’m happy to help.”
“Thank you,” Porter said with a heartfelt sigh. “And I feel stupid that I have no idea what a kid eats for breakfast.”
“Cut yourself some slack. There will be a lot of things you don’t know about a ten-year-old, but you’ll learn quickly.”
“I hope so.” Porter stood up straighter, and Riley could almost see the confidence returning. “I’ll pay you back for this,” he said, gesturing to the bag.
“No need.”
“There’s every need. Will you…do you want to meet Logan?” Porter asked.
“Of course.”
“I mean, not now, he’s sleeping. At least I hope he is. But maybe tomorrow? We have a lot of running around to do. I need to get him added to my benefits and see about school and stuff, but maybe you want to come over for dinner?”
Riley eyed him. “Are you nervous about being alone with him?” How she knew that, she couldn’t say, except that she felt as if she could read this man. Which was crazy since they’d just officially met.
“A little. Tonight’s conversation didn’t go so well. I know his favorite color is blue and his birthday’s in October.”
“One day at a time,” Riley told him. “That’s all you can do.”
“I know. So, dinner? Or is that too much?”
“I’m happy to come over,” Riley said with a smile. It wasn’t as if she needed to check her social calendar or anything. “Do you want me to bring something?”
“I got it. If nothing else, I can grill up some hamburgers. Six?”
“Sounds good. Oh, and do you want my number?”
“Yes.”
Riley waited, but he didn’t move. She frowned. “Do you want me to go get a piece of paper to write it down?”
He smiled…and seeing the wrinkles form at the sides of his eyes made her want to run her fingers over them. The man was gorgeous. She had no idea how he was single, but it appeared that he was.
“Just tell me your digits. I’ll remember them,” he said.
So Riley rattled off her number, not quite sure she believed that he’d remember it.
Chuckling, Porter said, “The Army trusts me with super-top-secret info that can never be written down. I think I can remember seven numbers, my grocery fairy.”
Riley knew she was blushing at the nickname.
And of course the Army trusted him with some of their most secret information.
She had no idea what he did, but with the way his arms bulged with muscles, she guessed he was probably some sort of elite soldier.
She’d lived in the area and dated enough soldiers to recognize someone who did more than push papers or stand around holding a rifle. “Right.”
“Thanks again. You’re a lifesaver,” Porter said. “I’ll text you tomorrow to make sure you haven’t changed your mind about coming over.”
“I won’t change my mind,” Riley said with one hundred percent confidence.
He gave her a small chin lift, then headed back to his apartment.
Riley couldn’t help but stare at his ass as he went.
The man was built like a mountain. Tall and unwavering.
For one second, she thought about their size difference and how, at over a foot taller than her, it would really hurt if he decided to hit her, but she shook her head and banished the thought.
She couldn’t assume every man she met was going to hurt her, that was defeatist thinking that belittled her own self-worth.
Instead…she imagined how it would feel to have her neighbor over her while she was flat on her back in bed. He’d surround her, make her feel small and dainty for sure.
That was a much better thought. A surprising one, since she’d never really felt all that sexually attracted to Miles.
She was still standing in her doorway when Porter stopped at his own and looked down the hall at her. “Riley?” he asked.
“Yeah?” she answered, ready to answer whatever question he had.
“You’re way too pretty and good for that asshole you kicked out tonight. He’s the idiot for not seeing what an amazing girlfriend he had. Good night.”
And with words that blew her mind, Porter entered his apartment and shut the door behind him.
It took a second for Riley to move, but then she closed and locked her own door before putting her back to it and sliding down until she rested her ass in her foyer.
Porter’s words echoed in her head. She’d already felt good about her decision to break up with Miles, but her neighbor’s opinion solidified the decision. He thought she was pretty. And an amazing girlfriend. Riley was pretty sure she could go weeks on the high his words gave her.
She had no idea what might happen between them, if anything. Instinctively, she knew Porter Reed was a good man. She’d been wrong before, but something told her she wasn’t wrong about him.
It would feel good to be around a man who freaked out about not knowing what to feed his nephew, rather than getting all pissed off about a stupid computer game or running out of drugs. The fact that he wasn’t afraid to say thank you or to ask for help was another bonus.
Smiling to herself, Riley got up off the floor and headed for her bedroom.
She needed to gather up Miles’s stuff he’d left at her place and arrange to get it back to him, but for now she was exhausted.
She had a few jobs she needed to get done tomorrow, go to the grocery store and restock…
and then apparently she was eating dinner with her neighbor and his new charge.
Suddenly her life seemed much more exciting than it had even a few hours ago. Riley couldn’t wait for tomorrow to come.