“True. I just don’t know why he lied about not being close. My mom wouldn’t have slept with a guy who was just a work friend, at least I don’t think she would. She’s told me over and over that she’s loved my dad since she was a kid. Why would this guy have had any chance?” I stormed over to where Caleb was sitting and flopped down.
“I don’t know,” he murmured. “He seemed shocked when you mentioned your mom, so I have to give him a chance.”
“Ugh.” I shoved myself off the bed and started pacing again. This was going to be a long afternoon. I still had several hours before we were meeting Alex, and I had nothing to occupy my time.
oooooooooCaleb
Watching her twist herself up over this guy was killing me. I wanted to tell her everything, everything that I knew and everything that I thought I knew. Riley had gone down to the pool at one point because she claimed to want to be alone to think. I think she just wanted a distraction and wandering around helped her.
I called my mom and told her about our meeting. She said that this Alex guy was a lying sack of shit. She said that Angela was in love with him at one time. She said that Riley was right, her mom would have never slept with a guy who was just a work friend. She told me things that she probably shouldn’t have, but it was like I opened a vault that had been sealed off long ago.
Apparently, Alex and Angela had been dating for years. She got pregnant, and when she came home to tell him, she found him in bed with another woman. She stormed out, and stayed with a friend for a few days. When she knew the coast was clear, she packed a bag, quit her job, and moved back to Boston with her brother, Cole. I knew that Angela had come back unexpectedly, but I never knew why. I could tell my mom needed to get it off her chest. She’d been keeping Angela’s secret for almost twenty years. What I didn’t understand was, why? Why did Riley need to think that Wes was her dad? Why did it matter? He loved her. That much I knew. He didn’t treat her any different than Easton, and yet it was this secret that no one talked about.
My mom told me about my dad as soon as I was old enough to understand things. She said, “Secrets don’t do anything good. They always come out, and it’s always at the wrong time.” I never really got that until all of this happened, and here I sit with a secret of my own. I’ve been wrestling with the thought of telling Riley that I know all of this already. I know about her dad. I know he’s gonna hurt her. It was obvious by our meeting. I’ve been going behind her back and talking to her parents about all of it. Their secret has caused my secret, and when it all comes out, Riley’s the one who will be hurt. I want her to lean on me, but when she finds out I’ve been hiding all of this, she’s going to push me away. I know her well enough to know that she’ll find a way to blame herself for all of this.
ooooooooo
When Riley came back upstairs, it was almost time to leave to meet Alex. “You ready?” I was slipping my shoes on.
“I guess.” She glanced around as if she was looking for something.
“You ok? We can blow this off if you want.” I shoved my wallet into my pocket.
“I’m nervous, I guess.” She shrugged, causing her hair to fall behind her shoulders. “Let’s go.”
We walked side by side to the elevator, and then rode down to the lobby. It was awkward to say the least. There was tension between us that hadn’t been there before, and I wondered if it was me, or our circumstances causing it. We’d been so open over the last few days, and now the old walls seemed to be going up. I’d only seen Riley like this a handful of times over the years. She was like Wes in this manner, where she would just block everyone out and go quiet.
The bar we were meeting Alex at was too far away to walk. I had the valet bring my truck around, and then we were off. The sun was setting over the beach, and it looked beautiful. Reds and oranges blended with blues and purples. We had the windows down, and the salt air whipped through Riley’s hair. I smiled as I attempted to watch her while I drove. I hadn’t had many of these moments.
“I think that’s it.” Riley pointed to a brick building up ahead. “It looks fancy.” She grimaced as she glanced down at her shorts.
“You look nice.” I reassured her. “He picked the place. Let him worry about that.” I threw it out as a barb, but I think she thought I was directing it at her.
“Give him a break.” She frowned.
“I am.” I patted her leg. “I just mean, he knew we were young, and he picked a bar that caters to businessmen.”
“I’m sorry.” She frowned as she glanced over at me. “I guess I’m just a little on edge.”
“A little?” I laughed lightly.
“Ok, a lot.” As I parked, she unbuckled and opened her door.
ooooooooo
As we walked up to the restaurant, you could hear chatter coming from the
