Without warning, his warm hand squeezed her knee under the table, which made her jump and wrench away. He grinned, and she felt her face get hot. She pushed her chair back and stood. The others looked up, startled looks on their faces.
“Excuse me,” she said, regaining her composure. “I need to find the restroom.”
“I’ll come with you,” Stephanie said, standing before Riley could step away from the table.
Riley paused only long enough to see Brian throw Stephanie a warning glance as he stood, too, and for Stephanie to ignore it.
“Order the short ribs for me, honey,” Stephanie said as he pushed her empty chair back in.
Dalton smiled up at Riley. “And what would you like me to tell the waiter?”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’ll have the lemon crab linguini.” Then she leaned in and whispered through her teeth. “You said you’d behave.”
His smile widened. “I am behaving, honey.”
The walk to the restroom was tense and silent, and Riley wondered if the woman in front of her really had to use the facilities or if she, too, was using it as an excuse. Riley hoped it was the former.
She was wrong.
The bathroom door had barely closed when Stephanie turned to Riley. “What I said about this being a small town—that’s true. It’s insane, actually.”
“Excuse me?” Riley glanced at a stall, wondering if she should continue with her ruse of an escape.
Stephanie took a deep breath, as though reaching for patience, which only stirred impatience in Riley. “Somebody always knows somebody who is related to somebody.” The woman’s eyes bored into hers, even in the reflection of the mirror. “The blessing is you have people looking out for you, quick to give you a helping hand.”
Riley waited, feeling uneasy.
“The curse is, people talk. They share what they see. Out of genuine concern or morbid curiosity . . . or hope.” The woman shut her mouth then frowned. She thrust her hand out at Riley. “We weren’t fully introduced. I’m Stephanie Grady. Stephanie Rivers Grady. I’m Mark’s overprotective big sister.”
Riley froze.
“I’d like to know if you’re playing games with my brother.” Stephanie’s voice trembled, but her appearance didn’t falter. “Because people are talking. And they’ll talk about tonight, too. Dalton will talk.”
Riley looked at Stephanie’s hand, still held out to her, then at the door as she considered that Dalton had known what Mark’s sister’s presence here would mean. What Riley’s presence here tonight would mean. He couldn’t be that conniving, could he? She felt claustrophobic.
Riley took Stephanie’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m not playing games with anyone. Your brother means a lot to me, and I’ve been open with him, just as I’ve been open with Dalton.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “He’s been a good friend to me.”
“Dalton?” Stephanie looked doubtful.
“No, your brother. Dalton has been . . .” She searched for the right word. “Attentive.”
Stephanie snorted with suppressed laughter.
The action made Riley want to like her. A surprise, considering she was feeling more than a little cornered.
“You know . . .” She chose her words carefully. She cared about Mark. And Cal. And Leah, now that she thought about it. “You don’t know me. And I’m feeling judged. I’m getting to know your family, and I like that. I still feel new here. Very new. I shouldn’t need to defend myself to anyone, but I can assure you, I think very highly of Mark.”
Stephanie’s eyes widened. “‘Very highly’? He spent the night at your house. Last night. Or have you already forgotten?”
Riley set her jaw, breathing steadily through her nose. This was nobody’s business. Stephanie’s words came back to her: Everybody knows everything about everybody. A blessing and a curse. This was the very thing she’d wanted to avoid by moving here.
Riley’s voice was low, but strong. She couldn’t believe she was having this conversation in a restaurant bathroom. “Mark was a gentleman. We talked. He talked, actually. A lot. And it was good. And we fell asleep from talking. That’s all. So people should shut up. Whether they’re morbidly curious or hopeful, or . . .” She glanced at the door. “Selfish.” She folded her arms, fighting emotions she didn’t want to feel right then. “Mark deserves some peace. He deserves privacy, not a prying posse of small-town hero worshipers. No wonder he’s been hiding from all of you.”
Stephanie studied her, her mouth tense. Seconds ticked by.
“So,” Stephanie finally said, “he’s been hiding from all of us.”
“Yes.” She nodded, throwing a hand out. “Duh.” Riley would’ve thought that was clear, especially to his sister.
“So, let me ask you this.” She leaned forward. “Why isn’t he hiding from you?”
Riley blinked. “Because we’re friends.”
Stephanie’s brow lifted. “He has friends.”
“Because he trusts me.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Because I don’t look at him the way other people do.” She didn’t owe anyone these answers. But this was Mark’s sister. Riley’s respect for the family had loosened her tongue.
“Why is that?”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t here when the accident happened. I didn’t know him then.” Frustration crept up Riley’s neck, hot and irritating.
“And you know him now?”
“No. Yes. I don’t know.”
“And do you know how Dalton Gainer revels in the idea of me having to watch him cozy up to the woman who spent the night with my brother last night—friends or not?”
The restroom door swung open, and Riley grabbed it from the startled woman.
“Excuse me,” she said. “It’s too crowded in here.” Riley stormed out of the bathroom, but she was too off keel to return to the table, so she took a sharp left and stepped outside to a blast of frigid air. She breathed in deeply, closing her eyes, wishing she’d driven herself. Traffic tires made slushy sounds on the street.
And you know him now? The question rang in her head. She remembered last night. She remembered Mark’s smile. She remembered his touch and his words, his fear and his courage. She was trusting him. Just like she’d allowed herself to trust Gavin.
A touch at
