Chapter 13 #2
“Did she tell you what happened?”
“Not really, but she gave me an out. She said she’d totally understand if it was too much for me.”
“It being what?”
“There was an incident with a guy back in college.” He played it down to protect her privacy. “I don’t know the details, but she said there’s really been no one since then.”
“Whoa. So you’re basically navigating an emotional minefield.”
“I guess.”
“And you don’t even have all the info on what happened. You could go online—”
“No. I’m not doing that, and neither are you, you hear me?”
“I hear you, but how are you supposed to handle this if you don’t even know what you’re dealing with?”
“I’m going to handle it by focusing on other things. She wants to renovate her grandmother’s kitchen. I’m going to help her do that.”
“What about the fact that you’re hot for her?”
“It may come as a shock to you that I can control myself.”
“That’s not what I mean, Riley, and you know it. You like this girl. She likes you, for some unknown reason. Does this mean you’re hands-off until she figures things out that happened years ago?”
When Finn put it like that, the challenge before him seemed rather daunting. “For now.”
“Is that realistic?”
“Is what realistic?”
“Hear me out. You like her. She likes you. Something happened to her a long time ago that makes her panicky when it comes to guys. What’s the endgame for you in that scenario?”
“I don’t know yet. All I know is that I want to find out. I like being around her. If she’s not capable of bells and whistles right now, then that’s fine. I’ll wait.”
“For how long?”
“For as long as it takes.” Riley surprised himself as much as his brother with the emphatic statement.
Finn stared at him for a long moment before he cleared his throat. “I wish you the best. It’s clear that you care about her, but if it doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen, get out before you get hurt. Will you do that, please?”
Riley didn’t want to tell him it was already far too late for such warnings. If it didn’t work out with Nikki, he was going to hurt like hell. “Yeah, I will.” He said what his brother needed to hear. “Don’t say anything about this to anyone, okay?”
“I never would. No one loves to bust your balls more than I do, but I know that this is different.”
“It really is.”
“Be careful, Ri,” Finn said.
“I will.”
“Get some sleep. The news said tomorrow night’s gonna be a snowmageddon.”
“Hey, Finn? Thanks. You know, for listening.”
“Any time.” Finn left the room, closing the door behind him.
For a long time, Riley lay awake reliving the special joy of kissing Nikki and wondering if he’d ever get to do it again.
Despite the emotional overload of the night before, Nikki slept surprisingly well and woke to a text from Riley.
Syd can see us at noon if that works for you? She said to bring pictures of the kitchen for now, and if you decide to use her, she can come take measurements later.
That works for me!
I’ll pick you up at quarter till.
Thanks. See you then.
Nikki wanted to add something about what’d happened the night before, but he didn’t seem to be dwelling on it, so she wouldn’t either.
He’d already proven himself worthy of her time and attention by following up on his promises.
That put him hundreds of points ahead of any other guy she’d ever dated.
For the first time in days, Nikki sent a text to her sister. This was the longest they had ever gone without talking. Even when Jordan had been on her honeymoon, they’d texted just about every day.
Thinking about you and hoping all is well.
Nikki sent the text and put down her phone to spend the next few hours cleaning out kitchen cabinets full of mismatched plates, glasses and other items collected over fifty summers.
An hour into the project, Evelyn called for her daily check-in.
“Gram, you’re a pack rat.”
“I am not,” Evelyn said indignantly.
“Yes, you are, and I can prove it. I’m switching to FaceTime.” She switched the call over and smiled when her grandmother’s pretty face popped up on the screen. “You have a collection of rooster pitchers.”
White curls framed a youthful face, and blue eyes danced with glee at the sight of her granddaughter. “I love roosters.”
“Do we need thirty of them?”
“You’re not going to make me part with my roosters, are you?”
“I’m afraid so. Their time has come and gone.”
“You’re breaking my heart.”
“Really?”
“No, I’m just teasing,” Evelyn said. “Most of the stuff in that house I wouldn’t even miss, so you can decide what to keep and what to get rid of. I only care about the photos and the things you girls made for me over the years. Don’t get rid of those treasures.”
“Like this?” Nikki held up the dead starfish she’d painted yellow and decorated with stick-on eyes at an island summer camp years ago.
“That’s Starry! You were so proud of him. Don’t you dare get rid of him.”
“You’re an overly sentimental pack rat.”
“Sticks and stones, darling. Tell me you’re doing more than cleaning out the cabinets. Where’s your friend Riley?”
“He was here last night. We went to the party at his cousin’s house. It was fun.”
“Isn’t Janey great?”
“She’s very nice, and her husband is, too.”
“Joe is a sweetie, and when you live on an island, it’s always good to be in tight with the man who runs the ferries.”
“Very true.”
“Did he kiss you?”
“Who? Joe? No! He’s married.”
“Nicole Elizabeth, do not get sassy with your old granny. You know I’m talking about Riley.”
Giggling at the face her grandmother made, Nikki said, “He might’ve kissed me, and I might’ve let him.”
“Did you now?” Evelyn’s smile lit up her face. “This is such good news.”
“It was until I had a panic attack.”
“Oh no. Oh, honey.”
“It wasn’t the worst one I’ve ever had, but it messed up our evening. He was great about it. Very sweet.” Nikki couldn’t bear to think about it. “But, you know. It was embarrassing.”
“You can’t help it. You don’t need to be embarrassed.”
“When you’re making out with a hot guy who you really like and then suddenly you can’t breathe—and not in a good way—it’s definitely embarrassing.”
“I’m sorry that happened, honey. I’d rather hoped the panic attacks were a thing of the past.”
“You and me both. It was a major bummer, to say the least. But Riley… He was really amazing. I tried to give him an out, but he said he’d talk to me in the morning, and I’ve already heard from him.
He’s taking me to see his friend Sydney, who’s an interior designer.
She can help me come up with a plan for the kitchen renovation. ”
“Your Riley sounds like a lovely young man.”
“He is. I just hope he’s not so weirded out by me and all my issues that I’ve ruined any chance of something coming of it.”
“You should tell him the rest, honey. It would help him to understand.”
“I hate to think about it, let alone talk about it.”
“I know, but it would be unfortunate if your chance to make something of your friendship with Riley got sidetracked because he doesn’t have all the info he needs to truly understand you.”
“You’re right,” Nikki said, sighing. “I know you are, it’s just…”
“Hard.”
“Yeah.”
“People like to say that time heals all wounds, but some wounds run so deeply that all the time in the world can’t cure them.”
Nikki blinked rapidly, trying to contain the tears that appeared out of nowhere. You’d think she’d be used to that by now. Before Griffin and the assault, she’d never been ruled by her emotions. Afterward, she’d been an emotional disaster area.
“Talk to him, Nikki. Tell him the whole story. Give yourself—and him—an honest chance at true happiness. If it’s the real thing with him, I promise you’ll never regret taking that chance.”
“Thank you, Gram.”
“Don’t thank me, honey. All I want is for you and your sister to find what I had with your grandfather. Then I could die happy.”
“Stop! Don’t even say it.”
“I’ll die happy many years from now. Better?”
“No. You can’t ever die. I won’t allow it.”
Evelyn laughed. “Enough of that morbid business. Tell me more about my new kitchen.”