CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
R iley could not fucking believe it. She was beyond angry. She was livid. No. Scrap that, she was enraged.
Rabid is a good one too. And wrath. I’m full of wrath.
As she unlocked the front door and pushed, she swung it so hard, it banged against the hallway wall.
Good. I hope it leaves a mark!
Hoping to scrape the paint on one of her mother’s white walls may not sound very wrathful but scraping every wall in the house sounded better and better by the second.
“Riley, is that you?” her mother called from the living room. Which was her next stop.
You can do this.
Anger was all the courage she needed today. Her parents had crossed a line. And not just stepped over it slightly, no, they’d ignored the no entry sign and sped through at least three red lights.
“Why do you look like that?” her mom asked as Riley came to a standstill in front of her armchair.
Riley had no idea what she looked like, but she assumed it was a cross between pissed as hell and menacing rage.
“Remember when you told me that Dr Brown was the person who referred you to St Michael’s Hospital?” Riley didn’t wait for her to answer before more clipped words left her mouth. “The same Dr Brown who has been my doctor since, like, birth?”
All the color from her mother’s face drained. Her lips pinched. And her eyes dropped to her lap.
“Imagine my surprise when I ran into Dr Brown today, at the Juice Hut, and asked him about all the tests you’re undergoing. What do you think he said, Mom? Want to take a wild guess?”
As her voice rose, she was well aware that of her thirty years on this planet, she’d never spoken to her mother like this before. But she didn’t have it in her to care. Not anymore.
The room was silent. Uncomfortably so as she watched the woman in front of her shift in the cushions.
“Why?” Was all Riley asked despite knowing the answer. She wanted to hear her say it.
It remained quiet for so long; she wasn’t sure she was going to get a reply. So when her mother began to speak, her voice rang in Riley’s ears.
“This is where you belong, Riley. This is your home. Your father and I—”
More ringing ensued. Enough to cause Riley’s eyes to flutter closed. This is where you belong.
“You need to be with your family.” Her mother continued. “Running around with that man, pretending to be a chef—”
“Stop!” Riley interrupted. “Just stop!”
She took it back. She didn’t want to hear the why anymore.
She felt dumb enough as it was. So much so, she wasn’t even sure what upset her more.
The fact that her mother had lied to get her back to Silver Valley.
Or the sheer laziness of the lie. Making it pretty damn clear that she thought Riley was too stupid to work it out.
So what now?
That was the big question. Enough to cause her eyes to swell and her lips to tremble as she stood still.
She’d given up everything for her mom. And as much as she wanted to, she couldn’t just run back to Woodvalley and beg Wade to take her back.
It wasn’t right. Not after how badly she’d treated him.
How could he ever forgive her? Or trust her again?
“Riley...” her mother tried but was swiftly cut off by a loud bang on the front door.
Both of their attention went to the hallway as another bang rang out. Then another. Riley was stomping out of the living room moments later, still very much in wrath mode and full of fury as she flung open the door.
What on earth?
At Wade’s smile, her body immediately softened. Her wrath quickly replaced with something warmer. Calmer. The tension holding her muscles hostage only seconds ago was already melting away.
“What are you—” She didn’t have time to finish that sentence because he’d already taken a step over the threshold. One hand going to her hip, hauling her into him while the other cupped her face.
“I got here as soon as I could.” His voice was rough, his breaths labored as his fingers threaded through her hair. “Are you good?”
Of course he’d dropped everything for her. Wade Evans was the best man she knew. Even after everything she put him through, here he was, at her door. Showing up.
When you love someone, you show up.
Those words. His words. This time they hit differently. Her heart was leaping while her mouth dried.
“I’m sorry,” she started, “I shouldn’t have...I should’ve...” she was coming up blank. Nothing she could say felt good enough. A simple sorry sounded inadequate.
Tell him you love him.
Yes. That was it. Love. People liked hearing that. And maybe begging?
Just as her mouth opened again, Wade’s head dipped. When his lips met hers, that was it. All thoughts melting as she easily surrendered. Words no longer seemed all that important as the world began falling away and a sense of rightness settled over her.
Lacing her fingers around Wade’s strong neck, she felt herself pull him closer. Every emotion she’d spent two weeks bottling up, poured out of her as he held her close.
It was only when his thumb came to her cheek and swiped away tears that she even knew she’d sprung a leak. But he didn’t break the kiss. Instead, his hand on her hip went to her back, where with one gentle press, their bodies moulded together.
She wanted to stay like this forever. Wrapped safely in Wade’s hold. Breathing in the heady, masculine scent of him as the air crackled with ragged, desperate breaths. More proof of how badly they needed this.
“Who is it?” Riley ignored her mother’s voice that had gotten nearer and focused on the smoky musk filling her throat.
She was finally home.
Her mother’s shrill voice got even closer, but this time she had no idea what was said. Wade must have heard though, which was why he was slowing the kiss. Still, that didn’t stop him muddling her mind with lip tugs and teeth scrapes.
When he finally released her, she wanted to protest. She wasn’t ready for reality yet. And she certainly wasn’t ready to face her mom’s scowl next to her.
“Oh, I see, you call him straight after speaking with Dr Brown?” Her mother was not in any position to be making snide comments. And she was damn lucky that a mind-blowing kiss had managed to calm Riley’s wrath. Or there’d be a hell of a lot of wall scraping going on round about now.
Still in Wade’s big, strong arms, she shifted only slightly until she was facing her mother.
“I’m done, Mom. I’m moving back to Woodvalley.
It’s time for me to live my life. I deserve it.
” She felt Wade’s swift inhale at her declaration and turned back to him.
Okay. Time to beg. “I’m sorry, Wade. I should have listened to you.
And I shouldn’t have left you like I did.
I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness but—”
“Hey,” calloused hands cupped her face, “don’t do that. You deserve everything , petal. Everything .”
Her heart began to swell. “You forgive me? But what about the restaurant...what about the training I was supposed to give the staff? You’re opening in a couple of weeks.” Her head dipped and shook. He’d given her everything she’d ever wanted, and she’d let him down.
Wade wasn’t a fan of the head dip and used his forefinger under her chin to nudge her face back up. “I couldn’t give a flying fuck about the restaurant, darlin’. You. That’s what I care about. You coming home. You letting me love you. You gonna let me do that?”
Home. He was it. And if he’d still have her—and it sounded a lot like he would, that’s where she wanted to be.
“Yes,” she breathed. “Take me home, Wade.”
Those dimples engaged and bright blue eyes twinkled.
“Um, excuse me?” Her mom tapped her shoulder.
Can’t she see I’m trying to have a romantic moment here?
With no chance of her reading the room anytime soon, Riley decided to give her one more thing before she packed. Just so she was clear on how things were going to go from now on.
“The daily phone calls are going to stop.” Riley untangled herself from Wade, but didn’t get too far as his hand shot out and curled around hers. “I’ll come visit when I can. And you and dad can come to Woodvalley. Now, I’m going to go pack, and Wade is going to come help me.”
She had already started dragging Wade down the hall when her mother replied, “What about Christmas?”
“I’ll have to let you know what our plans are nearer the time.” Riley didn’t stop walking, nor did she refrain from climbing the stairs.
“But it’s next week!” her mother hollered after her.
It was next week. But right now, it felt like Christmas had come early.
Wade was in her face as soon as her bedroom door slammed closed, backing her up, eyes flaring.
“Fuck, Riley,” he breathed. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.”
So much it hurt. Her mother was right. As soon as she’d finished speaking with Dr Brown she’d used her bracelet.
“I don’t want you moving back into the trailer.”
“But...” she trailed off, her stomach twisting. She thought they were on the same page. Maybe he hadn’t forgiven her after all.
This is where you beg again. And you forgot to use the L word! Get your shit together, Riley.
“Whatever you’re thinking, petal, you’re wrong.” He smiled as fingertips skimmed her cheek. “I want you to move your stuff into the house.”
“You want me to move in with you?” The question came out in a much higher pitch than she intended.
“Riley, baby, I’ve waited a lifetime for you. I don’t want to waste any more time. I want to wake up with you every morning and go to bed with you every night.” Dropping his forehead, he let his nose slowly trace hers. “Say you’ll do it. Say you’ll move in with me.”
“But—” this was insane. It had only been three months. Yet it felt so right.
Her chest pounded as his hot breath moistened her lips. Was she really going to do this?
This time, it was her mouth that pressed against his. Teasing the seam of his lips as she coaxed him open. Giving him her answer as she took the kiss deeper, every swipe of her tongue a promise. A promise that she was his and he was hers. Always.
Yes. Christmas had definitely come early.