This Heart of Mine (23 page)

Although she nodded, that movement seemed slight and defensive. Her eyes kept darting to the door; he could tell that she regretted coming and couldn’t wait to run out.

“Seriously,” he said, hoping to convince her. “I love it.”

“I’m glad,” she told him. “Jake’s a good boy, and you’ve been a good father to him.”

“How’d you do this?” Gail asked. Gail had loads of money and could hire someone to make as many photo books as she wanted, but she questioned Phoenix about the program she’d used as if she might try it herself. Callie, Olivia, Levi, Noah, Addy and the others admired Phoenix’s creation, too, and for that, Riley was grateful. His friends were doing what they could to make her feel welcome. But once their questions died down and the conversation turned to Baxter, a friend who’d gone through a recent breakup with his boyfriend and couldn’t attend, Phoenix stood, and Riley knew what was coming next.

“I’d better get going,” she said in an aside to him, suggesting she’d slip out without anyone’s noticing.

But Eve heard and said, “You’re not leaving
yet
, are you? You just got here!” Then everyone grew quiet again, and Phoenix found herself the center of attention, a position Riley knew she hated.

She cleared her throat. “I’m afraid so. I was never planning to stay.”

That had to be a lie. Riley would’ve bet any amount of money that she hadn’t come up here so late just to deliver his present. But he understood why she was leaving. She was trying to get them both out of an awkward situation. What astonished him was that she ventured to address Candy before she left.

“I’m sorry to have interrupted your night,” she said. “I really am. That book came in the mail today, so I...I wanted him to have it in time for his birthday. But he and I aren’t...seeing each other. I mean...we have a son together, but we haven’t been a couple in seventeen years. We’re just friends—and even that only happened recently.”

Candy spread her arms, obviously surprised that Phoenix had made the effort to explain. But for all Phoenix knew, he and Candy had been dating for months. It didn’t matter that, at the barbecue, Jake had implied that Riley wasn’t involved with anyone. Jake wouldn’t necessarily know what Riley did when he went out.

“Thanks for letting us all know,” Candy said as if she was about to laugh, and that made Riley grit his teeth. His date didn’t understand their history, didn’t understand that Phoenix was making sure she wasn’t getting in his way again, wasn’t doing anything to interfere with whatever love interest he might have.

Once again, Eve made an effort to ease the awkwardness. “I’m so glad you came. I wish you could stay longer.” Riley couldn’t tell if she’d manufactured the disappointment in her voice, but he was relieved that she sounded sincere—and that she was attempting to support Phoenix.

Not that it would convince Phoenix to stay. She was in flight mode, and he doubted anything would change that.

Phoenix dipped her head politely. “Maybe next time.”

Several of Riley’s friends shot him a look as if they were asking,
Do you want us to waylay her?

He wished he could give them some indication that he did. He wasn’t ready for her to leave, wanted to make her feel better before she took off. He hated the thought of her going home kicking herself for having trusted him again. This was his fault, not hers. But detaining her wouldn’t be fair to Candy—or to Phoenix, either, since he couldn’t really be with her as he wanted. So he gave no sign one way or the other and focused on more practical concerns. “You have a ride, then?”

She smoothed the sundress he and Kyle had bought her. She wore that whenever she wanted to look her best—more proof that her coming to the cabin hadn’t been the whim she pretended it was. “Yeah, I have a driver waiting for me.”

He could see her being cautious enough to ask whoever had brought her to wait until she checked out the situation, so he nodded. “Okay. I’ll call you when I get home.”

She ducked her head and disappeared through the crowd, and Riley tried to let her go without chasing her down. If she had a car waiting, she’d get home safely. He could always reimburse her for the expense, which he planned to do. Driving to the lake would’ve cost quite a bit.

But at the last second, he sent Candy an apologetic look and went after Phoenix. It wasn’t the most courteous thing to do, but Candy hadn’t been all that courteous about her obvious interest in Simon. And he couldn’t let Phoenix leave without apologizing for Candy’s presence, without telling her that he was glad she’d relented and come to join him. He also wanted to be sure she had enough money to pay the driver who was taking her home. “Phoenix!”

She hadn’t yet cleared the living room when she turned. “Don’t interrupt your evening,” she said, gesturing that he should return to the fire pit. “I’m sorry I surprised you. I didn’t realize this was...that kind of party.”

Because he’d thought he’d have a better chance of getting her up here if he described it a different way... “Of course you didn’t. I was afraid if I told you that, you wouldn’t come. Then you turned me down, so Kyle had his date invite a friend. I’ve never even seen Candy before. She was only in my lap because we were out of chairs, and she’s the one who insisted on that arrangement when I got up to offer her my seat.”

“You don’t have to explain,” she said, as if she had no stake in his love life. “I shouldn’t have changed my mind at the last minute.”

“But I’m happy you did. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have...made other plans.”

“It’s okay. Go back.”

He didn’t want to go back; the wrong woman was leaving... “Let me walk you out at least.”

She blocked his path. “There’s no need. Your friends are waiting. I’ll be fine.”

He’d already left the others. Another few minutes wouldn’t make any difference. “I’d rather see you off. It’ll give me some peace of mind.”

He wondered if she’d let him take her someplace next Saturday to make up for this and planned to ask as he helped her into the car. But when he opened the front door, he found that there was no car.

She sighed as she stepped out behind him. “I guess my driver had to leave.”

He frowned at her. “You knew there was no one waiting for you out here, didn’t you?”

She didn’t answer.

“So what were you going to do?” he asked. “Try and
walk
?
In the dark?
Getting home would take all night—and that’s if you made it safely!”

Again, she said nothing.

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that would be?”

“I can look after myself.”

“Not if this is any indication!” How could she even consider taking such a risk? Why wouldn’t she just tell him she had no way home and allow him to handle the rest? Her safety took precedence over the politeness he owed Candy; it took precedence over everything.

Since she’d come back to Whiskey Creek, Phoenix was so sure he’d let her down, she refused to rely on him for
anything
. He understood why, but he hated it. Hated that she wouldn’t trust anything he said or did. She’d judged him emotionally unreliable and he couldn’t cry foul, even though he’d been only eighteen when he broke up with her.

Kyle walked through the door with her suitcase. “Hey, you forgot this!”

She hadn’t forgotten it; she’d known there was nowhere to put it. And Riley hadn’t even considered the possibility of luggage. He’d been too preoccupied with the shock of having Phoenix show up tonight and trying to figure out how to salvage what little progress he’d made with her.

Couldn’t
anything
go right? If Candy wasn’t here he could’ve spent some time with Phoenix in a situation that established romantic interest, a situation in which she couldn’t tell him, or herself, that she was only with him because he was connected to Jacob. That was exactly what he’d wanted when he invited her—to build her trust.

Instead, he’d mishandled the whole thing, and she’d be very unlikely to take another chance on him.

“Where’s your ride?” Kyle asked, looking around.

Riley didn’t answer him. “You and your damn pride,” he muttered to Phoenix.

“I was going to call someone,” she said. “No big deal. I’m sure I can get a car.”

“Not at this time of night, you can’t—and I think you know that.” He pointed at the thin ribbon of road winding around the mountain. “If I hadn’t come out, you would’ve started down in the dark, on foot and...”

“And I would’ve been fine. People get around without cars all the time.”

“Tell me, in this situation, how are you planning to do that?”

“I’ll walk to the main highway and hitchhike from there.”

The dread that some psychopath or rapist might get hold of her made him angry. “Like hell you will!” he said. “Do you really believe I’d let you do that?”

Her mouth dropped open. “You have no say in what I do!”

Someone
had to look after her. She thought that because she’d endured prison she could endure anything, but he remembered how easy it was to toss her around in the pool. She wouldn’t stand a chance if some asshole set out to hurt her. “Try walking away from me and see,” he said. “I’ll
carry
you back if I have to.”

Casting him a look that suggested he not strong-arm her, Kyle stepped between them. “He doesn’t mean it. What he means is that you should stay for a game of pool. He understands you can take care of yourself, and that what you do is entirely your business, but I need a partner, and—” he lightened his voice to persuade her, which made Riley feel like a boor because of his own behavior “—that’s a real problem.”

Phoenix tilted her head to look around him. “At least
someone
’s making sense.”

Riley had to lean over to see her, too. “It wouldn’t be safe to leave! That makes me a bad guy? Because I want to keep you from being hurt?”

“I haven’t even
tried
to call for a car,” she argued. “How do you know I wouldn’t get one?”

“It’s nearly eleven and we’re in the middle of nowhere! It’ll be a waste of energy.” Chances were, she’d had a hard time getting a driver to bring her here in the first place. She was just trying to save face. Besides, she hadn’t been heading for the phone; she’d been heading for the door. So when, exactly, and how did she plan to call limousine companies? “It’ll be easier in the morning.”

“In the morning?”
She threw up her hands. “You have a date! Both of you have dates.”

“Not really,” Kyle said. “I mean, Riley’s is only sort of a date, since I’m the one who asked her, right?”

She rolled her eyes. “There can’t be enough room for me to stay here, anyway.”

Kyle gestured at the house. “This place is huge.”

“And you guys have a lot of friends, all of whom need a bed.”

Riley wasn’t concerned about that. He’d figure out some place for her to sleep, even if he had to take a couch. But he let Kyle respond, since Kyle seemed to have a better chance of convincing her with his kinder, gentler approach.

“Not so many that we can’t squeeze in one more,” he said. “Riley and I have been assigned a couple of bunk beds. We’re too tall for them, anyway. You can have our room and we’ll find somewhere else to sleep.”

She shook her head. “I appreciate it, but...”

“But nothing.” So much for letting Kyle handle this. Riley pushed him out of the way. “You might as well stay. Because if you insist on leaving, I’m going to drive you home myself, party be damned.”

“No,” she said. “You can’t leave. It would be weird for the guest of honor to take off. And it’d be really late before you could get back. I don’t want to ruin your party. You’re overreacting.”

“
You’re
overreacting! What can it hurt to spend a few more hours here? I’ll give you a ride—or arrange one—tomorrow.”

“
I
invited Candy. Riley didn’t,” Kyle added.

She scowled at him. “Please, stop saying that. There’s nothing going on between Riley and me, so none of that makes any difference.”

“You didn’t come here because you want to be with me?” Riley demanded.

She was obviously shocked that he’d call her on that statement. “N-not like that.”

He rested his hands on his hips. “Then why’d you come?”

“What do you mean?” Her throat worked visibly as she swallowed. “It’s your birthday. I—I wanted to give you your present.”

That wasn’t all of it. An ex didn’t make the effort she’d made for no good reason. She could easily have waited until he was home to give him that photo book. “Then why won’t you stay?” he asked. “If you’re not interested in me, it shouldn’t matter that I have a date, even if I decide to make out with Candy later.”

When their eyes met, he could see the defiance his words had sparked. But he’d meant to challenge her. Maybe she’d stay just to prove she didn’t care...

“You can do whatever you like with Candy,” she said.

“He’s not going to make out with Candy,” Kyle said. “He doesn’t even like her.”

Riley slapped Kyle on the back. “No need to explain. You heard her. She doesn’t care what I do because she doesn’t care about me.”

“In that way,”
she clarified.

“Maybe it’s time to face the truth,” he said. “You care even though you don’t want to. I can feel it.”

Her eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”

To be honest, he wasn’t sure. This certainly wasn’t going to get him what he wanted. The need he felt to force her to commit herself, to respond to him, was making him push too hard. He had to ease off on the emotion and play it cool.

He didn’t know how he’d gotten so far off track, anyway. “Nothing. Never mind. It’s all decided. You can have my bed.”

“Fine. I’ll take it, even if it means you have to squeeze in with Candy!” she snapped.

He cocked his head to one side. “Maybe I’ll do that.”

“Don’t let him fool you,” Kyle said. “He doesn’t want Candy.”

“Kyle, I don’t need your help.” Riley was frustrated enough, and having Kyle step in, trying to patch things up, only made it worse.

But Kyle went on, undeterred. “The truth is, Candy and my date are both more interested in spending time with Simon. I’m guessing they’ll be making s’mores as long as he’s out there.”