Dec 30, 2017
Never forget corn chip Dave
How could anyone ever forget a GMW icon?? 😂
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Never forget corn chip Dave
How could anyone ever forget a GMW icon?? 😂
Lucas Friar moved back to Texas at 17, now he’s running for Mayor of Rosewood Springs so best friend Zay and little sister Gigi decide he needs a little help from a political consultant.
Riley Matthews found her calling, she found a fiancé, but she never expected to find herself here, of all places.
Cross-posted to FF.net | Soundtrack | Past Chapters
Author Note: You guys are seriously the best! I do think you’ll be surprised by at least part of this chapter. . .maybe, at least I hope.
-the smell of your skin-
Riley slipped her key into the last lock on the door before opening it, and slipping inside. The apartment still had that familiar smell that was purely her family. It was sweet, warm, and homey, as soon as it filled her senses she knew she was home. But something felt different this time as she moved through the apartment.
“Who is it, I’ve got a gun.” Her father’s voice cut through the air.
“Daddy, it’s just me.” Riley rolled her eyes as she went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.
Cory turned on the lights as he studied her, “Aren’t you supposed to be in…Texas?”
She sighed, “Smackle summoned me back for a meeting tomorrow morning here at the office.”
“Somethings different with you.”
“I’m tired, it’s three in the morning Dad, I should get some sleep before whatever Smackle drops on me.”
“No that’s not what’s different, it’s that you’ve been around Lucas.” Cory circled around his daughter, “I know the story.”
“Dad, I’m too tired to deal with the Cory Matthews experience.” She took her bag and went to the hall to her room, she could tell that her parents had cracked a window earlier that day to air it out. Her arrival probably not a surprise to them as it was to her. She quickly unpacked her bag, staring at the ring Dave gave her.
Why had she said yes to him?
She couldn’t remember now.
But she could remember why she’d said yes to Lucas years ago.
She put the ring on her nightstand and changed for bed, setting the alarm on her phone to give her enough time to get dressed before the meeting in the morning.
Closing her eyes, she could only see Lucas and the beautiful picnic they’d had. Then she remembered what he told her after he kissed her goodbye.
He remembered Las Vegas.
How long had he remembered?
What made him remember?
These were the questions running through her mind as she tossed and turned before falling into an unrestful sleep.
When her alarm blared, startling her awake she was sure she’d just fallen asleep. She sat up in the bed, taking a moment to look around the room, it had always felt like home, until now, something was different and she couldn’t put her finger on it.
She quickly got ready, dressing in one of the few suits she kept at home. She grabbed her bag and was already on her way out when her mother stopped her.
“Riley Chloe Matthews, breakfast.”
She slowly turned around, “Mom, I have to be at the office at nine.”
“Smackle and Farkle can wait.” Topanga guided her daughter to the table, “Sit.”
Riley obeyed her mother, wondering if this was really her life as woman in her thirties. She accepted the plate her mother handed her.
“So, California went well, and then where have you been?”
“Texas, helping Lucas Friar.” She picked at the food in front of her.
Topanga nodded, “How is Lucas these days?”
“He’s fine, he’ll be better when he wins the election, and all the single women in Rosewood Springs stop treating his existence like an episode of The Bachelor.”
Cory studied his daughter, “So, can you explain to your mother and I exactly what it is you’re doing down there?”
Riley shifted uncomfortably, feeling knots in her shoulders suddenly. “It is unconventional I know, it’s not what I normally would do, but the situation is abnormal.”
Topanga looked to her husband, “Riley, you and Lucas have always done things your own way. Nothing about you two has ever been conventional. So, what are you doing?”
“I’m pretending to be his girlfriend, it shows that he is willing to settle down, but also it calms down most of the women, except this one, Dixie, who I swear just does not get that Lucas isn’t into her. She’s always trying to get his attention, touching him…”
“You’re jealous” Topanga hadn’t meant to say it, but she saw that as soon as she did Riley knew already.
“It’s complicated, but its Lucas, when haven’t things been complicated with him?”
“How’s Dave?” Cory asked before shoving a forkful of breakfast potatoes into his mouth.
Riley took a sip of her coffee before rising, “I haven’t called him yet, I’ll call him after my meeting.”
Topanga and Cory exchanged another look as Riley left. “So, Dave doesn’t know she’s in town huh?”
“Nope.” Topanga allowed the P to pop as she spoke, “What is our daughter up to?”
Cory sighed, “I have no idea, I’m just worried she’s still has a road of heartbreak.”
“As the one with a broken heart or the one breaking hearts?”
“I don’t know.”
IRSM Consulting was housed in the Minkus building in Manhattan, the skyrise was high, one that Stuart Minkus had purchased sometime when they were in high school, slapped his name on, and inside created a home for up and coming boutique firms.
When Riley and Smackle came together to create their business, he had given them a nice break on the rent, and it helped that Farkle invested in them. Riley never spent much time in the actual office, in fact she was always shocked by how cold the office felt, not temperature wise but in the furniture, the lighting, it wasn’t really the way she would’ve had things.
She took a nervous deep breath as she opened the glass office door with the logo on it and made her way through the quiet lobby, past her office that over the last few years she had spent only a handful of hours in to the conference room.
The lights were bright, the walls a glaring white as Riley came in, seeing just Smackle and Farkle sitting at the far end of the table.
She looked up at the clock, 8:58, so at least she wasn’t late. But the fact that no one else was around had her nervous, if there was a crisis with a client shouldn’t it be all hands-on deck as it had in the past?
Suddenly she felt like she’d been called to the principal’s office as she felt both her friends watch her move down the table. “Where is everyone?”
“Riley, please have a seat.” Smackle sat up straight adjusting her glasses before folding her hands in front of her.
Riley sat down, trying to find some sort of clue as to why she’d been called back to New York, why it was so important she had to fly back right away. “What is going on?”
Farkle and Smackle looked to each other for a moment before looking back to Riley.
Riley studied them in their suits, designer, black, basic, nothing flashy about either of them. Really it looked as though they would just pop into a church service as soon as this was over. “I left a client in Texas to come here, so what is going on.”
“How is Lucas?” Farkle broke the silence from their end.
“He’ll be better when I get back, because if I’m gone for long the single women will start circling and next thing you know it’s a really weird version of The Bachelor.” She looked to them, “Okay guys, what am I doing here, what is the problem?”
Smackle cleared her throat, “I’ve been tapped to be nominated for a new government position.”
“Oh” Riley blinked wondering exactly what that meant, “For what?”
“I am not at liberty to actually discuss it right now.” Smackle put her hand over Farkle’s, “But due to this nomination, we would have to close the firm.”
Riley felt only an inch tall, “Why?”
“It could be a conflict of interest.” Farkle cleared his throat, “Before anything else goes forward Smackle and I wanted to make sure that you weren’t just left with nothing.”
Her entire body was shaking as she looked at them, “So everything we’ve built is just going to cease to exist?”
“Riley, you’ve done amazing work with our clients over the years.” Smackle reminded her, “We don’t want you to walk away from this without anything. We crunched the numbers, and we believe that what we’re offering to buy you out today, is more than fair.”
“You want to buy me out?”
Farkle stood up, holding his tie down with one hand and a packet of papers with another. “This is our offer, and the conditions that go along with it.”
Riley took the papers from him, trying to ignore the anger burning inside of her, the heartbreak, the tears threatening her eyesight now as she took in a long breath before she started to look it over.
“Is this figure right here correct?” She pointed to the payment she would receive the minute she signed.
“Yes, it is.” Farkle assured her.
She put the papers down for a moment, “I sign these, you two transfer an absurd amount of money into my account, and then what do I do? I can’t work on a campaign; the contract forbids that. What am I supposed to do with my life?”
“You finally live it.” Smackle rose and came around the table to Riley, “Are you good at helping candidates get elected, yes, because you see the good in them others don’t, and you help them show the voters. Is that what you were meant to do for the rest of your life, come on Bubbles, you know it’s not what you want. This life isn’t what you want, it’s never been what you wanted.”
Riley watched as Smackle picked up the papers and continued, “This is your out, before this job destroys your soul, before you use it as a crutch to stop living the life you should.”
Riley picked up the pen and rolled it between her fingers like a baton, “Can I volunteer for a campaign if the person running is my significant other?”
Farkle tried not to smile, “If you’re romantically involved with someone running for office, I think it would be cruel of us to come after you for helping out. It would actually look bad if you didn’t support him.”
Riley looked at the papers again, slowly going over the language that would dissolve her partnership with Smackle, that would leave her unemployed. She took a deep breath before signing her name and then watching Farkle as he went to his laptop and quickly clicked away.
“Congratulations Riley, you are now ten-million dollars richer.”
Riley rose from the table, “I’m just going to clear out what few things I have in my office. I wish you both luck.”
Farkle sighed as she walked out, “We did the right thing, didn’t we?”
“Yes, she’s in shock right now. But this was the push she needed, and that we needed.” She sat back in her seat, “I just hope Maya can push her in the right direction.”
“It’s Sunday morning this better be good.” Maya grumbled as she pushed herself up from the couch, amazed at how difficult that already was as she went to answer the knocking on her door. She looked through the peephole and undid the lock, “Riley, what are you doing here?”
Riley moved in past Maya putting the bankers box down before sitting on the couch.
“Shouldn’t you be in Texas playing the role of devoted girlfriend to Ranger Rick?” Maya sat next to her, still trying to understand why she was here and why Zay hadn’t told her she’d left.
Riley turned her body to look at Maya, “I don’t have a job.”
“Lucas fired you?”
“No, Smackle bought me out.” Riley blinked as the reality of the situation started to wash over her. “She and Farkle just paid me an obscene amount of money for my share of the firm.”
Maya rubbed her forehead, “Can you just backup and explain why you’re not in Texas?”
Riley sighed, “Smackle called, she’d already booked me a flight, she said there was an emergency. Yeah to get me out of the firm.”
“So, you came back thinking you had a work crisis.” Maya was putting the few pieces together, “And they paid you a lot of money, so now you don’t have a job?”
“Yes.” Riley sighed, running her hand through her dark hair.
“So, are you going back to Texas?”
Riley looked down at her nails, “How bad is it that I haven’t told Dave I’m in town?”
“You already know the answer to that.” Maya looked over at the time on the cable box, “Come with me.”
“Where are, we going?” Riley helped Maya up before grabbing her box.
Maya smiled as she grabbed her keys and purse, “First we’re going to drop this off at your place, and then you’re going to come with me to meet up with Charlie and the kids.”
Maya had insisted that Riley change out of her suit, into a pair of jeans and t-shirt. She’d also slipped Riley’s engagement ring into her pocket before they left the Matthews family apartment and got in a cab down to the Marina in Brooklyn.
Riley was pulling out her phone when she found the ring, “Why is this in my pocket?”
“I figured you should have it since you’re about to see your fiancé, put it on.” Maya nudged her.
“I can’t.” Riley looked at the ring, she was silent for a minute, “I’m allergic to it.”
“Why didn’t you tell him that when he went down to Texas?”
“It didn’t seem to be the most important thing, I didn’t want him to think I was doing what I was doing because I was upset about it.”
“Is that why?”
Riley shook her head before slipping the ring back into her pocket, “No, not even close.”
“So why? We’ve got time before we get to the marina, so how about you stop hiding and you tell me why you came up with this plan for Lucas’ campaign.” Maya had heard the explanations Riley had given her, the ones to Dave, even what Zay thought, but she really wanted Riley to think about it now.
Riley kept her eyes on the skyscrapers, “Have you ever noticed how claustrophobic New York feels?”
“Nope, that never occurred to me.” Maya watched her, “But I bet Texas isn’t claustrophobic at all.”
“Not at all.” Riley took a moment before she looked back to her friend, “He remembers Las Vegas.”
“What, since when, details woman.”
“I don’t know.” She confessed, “He kissed me goodbye last night, it was as though he was afraid he would never see me again, and then he told me he remembers.”
“He kissed you?”
Riley blinked, “It wasn’t the first time, I mean we would kiss in public like a normal couple would, but if we were alone together. . .”
“Did you two do more than kiss?”
“No, he stopped us, he didn’t want me to do something that would keep me from being happy with Dave.”
Maya nodded, “So, he stepped back, to let you have what he thinks you want, when in reality…”
“What I want is him.” It was the first time she said the words out loud, the first time she really heard herself.
“What do you plan on doing about it?”
“I don’t know.” It was the last thing Riley said the rest of the cab ride. Maya tried to get her to talk, but she was lost in thought.
“Maya you’re going the wrong way, Dave’s boat isn’t in this area, this is for the yachts.” Riley told her best friend, wondering just how bad her pregnancy brain was.
Maya stopped, giving her best friend a smile, “Honey, we’re going the right way, trust me.”
Riley’s stomach sank as she followed Maya pass the boats that continued to get larger before they came to the end of a row just as a large vessel was docking. “Is this why he only spent ten dollars on my ring?”
“Yup.” Maya waved to her children who were beaming after spending the day on the water.
It took a few more minutes before they were officially and safely docked. Before Riley realized what was happening Maya’s children were hugging her, “Aunt Riley!” They cried as she hugged them.
“Fallon, Drew, how are my two favorite kids?”
“Daddy took us out with Uncle Dave today, and Avery came with us.” Fallon twisted her dirty blonde hair around her finger, “Are you going to stay this time?”
“I still have work out of town.” She lied, “But I am thrilled I got to see you two while I was in town.”
“So, you’re just here for what the afternoon?” Avery’s tone was hard to miss as she stood next to Dave.
Riley stood up, looking at the woman, she’d always tolerated Avery, never gave her much thought, but she could tell at this moment that this woman wasn’t a fan of hers. She would probably get along with Dixie if she ever had the chance to meet her. “How long I’m here for is none of your business Avery.” She took a few steps forward, “Hi Dave.”
“Riley” he wrapped his arms around her, spinning her around, “God I missed you.”
Riley felt his lips press against hers, and she felt even less now than she had in July. “Are you going to show me the boat?” She smiled as he put her down, she couldn’t do this in front of everyone, this had to be between just them.
“Yes of course,” He looked to his friends, “Excuse me guys, but the future Mrs. Would like a tour, I’ll catch you tomorrow at work Av.”
Before Riley knew it, Dave was guiding her up onto the boat, she looked back at the dock where Charlie was on his knees begging Maya not to be mad at him.
Dave held her hand tightly as he took her to the main deck, “Okay, I know I should’ve talked to you first before I bought this, but I saw it, I knew this was the perfect place.”
“For what?”
“Our wedding, in November.”
“November?” She croaked, her eyes wide as he began to describe what he’d already arranged, “You’ve been meeting a wedding planner?”
“Well yeah honey, I know you’re busy with work, and you can’t plan the wedding, so I thought I would do it for you.”
“It’ll be freezing cold in November, we can’t get married outside then.”
“Oh, I was thinking we could go down the coast, get married down in Florida. Think of the beautiful sunsets we’d have as backdrop.”
“Who’s my favorite movie actor?”
Dave smiled, kissed her forehead as he moved to the bar, “Easy, Liam Hemsworth.”
“What am I allergic to?” She closed her eyes already knowing what he would answer.
“Nothing babe.” He opened a bottle of wine and poured two glasses.
“My favorite movie snack?”
“Corn chips of course.” He handed her a glass of wine before leading her to a small table that looked out over the water. “What’s with the questions?”
Riley looked at the dark red glass of wine he handed her, “What kind of wine do I like?”
“Burgundy of course. Riley what’s with all the questions?”
She put the wine down without even tasting it, “You say you love me, that you want to marry me, but Dave I don’t think we know each other. Chris Evans is my favorite movie actor, I’m allergic to Nickle, more importantly it’s what my engagement ring is made of, and why I don’t wear it. I got a rash, Lucas almost had to cut it off when my finger swelled.” She pulled the ring from her pocket and put it on the table next to the wine, “My favorite movie snack is popcorn, I have to get a small otherwise I eat too much and get sick, and I hate Burgundy, I’m a Moscato girl, pink to be precise.”
“We know each other Riley, we just haven’t been around each other enough lately.” Dave insisted.
“You know what, I do know you,” Riley cupped his face with her hands, “You love corn chips as a snack, you love them plain, with salsa, guacamole, melted cheese, ranch dressing, and even honey. Your favorite movie actress is Meg Ryan, because your mom made you watch every single movie she ever made growing up, you’re allergic to cats, and you prefer a good microbrew to wine.”
He smiled, “See we know each other.” Suddenly he realized he might just be losing everything.
“You love this boat, and I’m betting that’s why you spent ten dollars on my ring. And if you knew me, you would know that I really don’t care how much you spent, but you lied to me, and if you knew me, you would’ve known that I was allergic to it.”
He didn’t speak.
Riley stepped away as she looked at the man she’d promised to marry, “Who is Avery’s favorite movie actor? Let me guess, Liam Hemsworth, and I bet she’s not allergic to anything, she loves corn chips as much as you do—or at least she pretends to, to get your attention, she loves Burgundy, it’s why you had it ready here on the boat. She loves this boat, and I bet right now if you closed your eyes, it’s her you see walking down those steps in a white gown on a November afternoon.”
Dave closed his eyes, Riley was right he didn’t see her, he saw Avery.
“Exactly” Riley gave him a soft smile, “Dave, you are a nice guy, but I’m not the woman for you, I never could be.”
“You’re the woman for Lucas though, aren’t you?”
Riley shrugged, “I don’t know,” she took an unsteady breath, “I think I am, I want to be.”
“I hope he knows you’re worth it.” Dave sighed as he sat down, “Did you suspect something between me and Avery?”
“Should I have?” She sat across from him, looking at the ring, “I never worried about how much time you two spent together, and sometimes that worried me more actually. Especially once I spent some time in Texas with Lucas, I thought at first it was just me needing closure for how things ended when we were younger.”
He sighed, “I suspected.”
“Since when?”
“That night I arrived, Riley I saw the way you two kissed, I saw the way you looked at each other. When his sister stormed in after snooping around.” Dave swirled the wine glass on the table, “Whatever she found, it was from you, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah” she nodded.
“And you didn’t want him to know, because if he knew, then it would change things, wouldn’t it?”
“Maybe” She looked up, feeling her eyes welling with tears, “Lucas and I, we almost got married in Las Vegas during spring break one year. But he didn’t show up. I found out he didn’t remember, and he’d never opened the letter.”
“He’s an idiot.” Dave smiled, “But Riley, he’s an idiot that is very much in love with you. I might not know some things, but I do know that if you don’t chase after him, if you don’t take a leap of faith, you will forever be missing a piece of yourself.”
“Thank you” Riley rose from her seat, kissing Dave on the cheek, “A word of advice, if you do find that Avery is the one, double check she’s not allergic to any metals before buying the ring.”
He nodded, “I’m sorry about that.”
“I know you are, I’m gonna go, I have to pack, now that Smackle bought me out of the firm, I don’t think New York is where I need to be at all.” Suddenly she felt a weight she didn’t know she was carrying lift from her.
“Good luck” Dave stood up, “Let me walk you out, if anything happened to you, well Lucas would probably kill me.”
“Well to keep him from killing you, sure.” Riley smiled as they got down from the yacht, “So, is Avery seeing anyone?”
“Not that I know of.” Dave walked along with her, “I mean there was a guy a while ago she was telling me about. He’s a lawyer, likes boating, but he was seeing someone else.”
“Go to her Dave, tonight, talk to her, I think she was talking about you, without talking about you.” Riley explained as they made it to the street and she hailed a cab, “Good luck, maybe I’ll see you at the next reunion.”
“Oh, come on, you know our best friends are married, we’ll probably see each other before then, like when Grace gets christened.”
“You’re right, we probably will. Avery or whoever will be lucky, because they’ll be the one.” She slipped into the cab, not really saying goodbye as she drove away, she felt lighter, freer, like she was only moments away from everything she wanted.
Lucas Friar moved back to Texas at 17, now he’s running for Mayor of Rosewood Springs so best friend Zay and little sister Gigi decide he needs a little help from a political consultant.
Riley Matthews found her calling, she found a fiancé, but she never expected to find herself here, of all places.
Cross-posted to FF.net | Soundtrack | Past Chapters
Author Note: Okay my dearies, I hope you enjoy this. Don’t hate me too much, please? Also thank you as always for all the lovely reviews, reblogs, replies, ask messages, you guys are beyond amazing.
-everything that stands between us-
Gigi put her purse down on the counter as she sat on a stool, she smiled to Betsy who had worked the counter here as long as she could remember.
“Let me guess chocolate shake and an order of cheese fries, right?”
“Yes, that would be wonderful Betsy.” Gigi pulled out her phone not really reading anything or expecting much she just needed the distraction after Zay told her to get out of the bar.
“Hey Gigi” His voice surprised her.
She looked up, “Oh Hi Deacon, what’s up?”
“Just grabbing dinner, Lucas kicked me out of the office to have a private conversation.” He shrugged before taking a sip of his soda and looking at his mostly empty plate.
Gigi nodded, “Yeah I interrupted that, he wasn’t happy with me.”
Deacon smiled and gave her a little nudge, “You are the little sister.”
“Ugh, I’m not that little.”
“I know, but for Lucas you always will be.” He gave her a soft smile, “So, um, Gigi, are you going to the dance tomorrow night?”
“Yeah, I mean I’ll probably just tag along with Lucas and Riley.”
“She seems nice.” Deacon started twisting his napkin around his finger, “Um maybe instead of tagging along with them, you and I could go together, like on a date.”
Gigi blinked her eyes several times, Deacon was asking her out? “I would like that.”
“You would, I mean I wasn’t sure you would say yes.” He tore his napkin as he spoke.
“Why?” Gigi could admit to herself she was surprised that he asked her out.
“You seem so focused on school, I wasn’t sure you’d want to go out.” Deacon was mentally kicking himself as he spoke, he was blowing it.
“No one has asked me out since high school.” She shrugged just as Betsy brought her milkshake and she thanked her, “Um, I mean I get hit on when I’m working but none of that really means anything.”
Deacon watched her take a sip of her milkshake, “So I should pick you up at six tomorrow for the dance?”
“Yeah that would be great Deacon.”
“Great.” He gave her a smile as he grabbed his check, “I um I should get back, check on Daisy. Hopefully Lucas isn’t mad at me.”
“If my brother is mad it’s not at you, it’s at himself.”
“Good to know, I’ll see you tomorrow, have a good night Gigi.”
“You to Deacon.” She watched him leave, he was a couple of years older than her, she’d had a crush on him when she was a freshman in high school and he was a senior. At the very least she’d get to live out her high school fantasy of going on a date with him, though it would be weird going on a date on her birthday.
“Aren’t you afraid someone is going to see you leaving his motel room?” Lucas watched Riley packed a few things into her bag. He couldn’t look at what she was actually packing, now he understood why Maya had sent her that purple nightie, it hadn’t been to entice Lucas, it had been for Riley to wear when Dave showed up.
“It’s outside of town, and he already booked an early flight back to New York, so yes I’m going to go and spend the night with my fiancé.” Riley looked up and really at Lucas for the first time all night since Dave had arrived. “I don’t know how I can explain what happened earlier, but thank you for stopping us, I’m glad we didn’t make a mistake.”
He wanted to scream at her, to kiss her, to let his hands wander over her body until she was naked and then wander over them some more, he believed in his hearts of hearts that they couldn’t be a mistake, they were never a mistake. “And what it someone saw you with him? We’re lucky most people were distracted at the auction to realize we left with some guy.”
“We tell them he’s my ex, and that I was explaining to him that you are the love of my life.” Her heart leapt, her stomach twisted, a tiny voice in the back of her mind screamed at her to throw her arms around Lucas right now and stand Dave up, but the louder voice in her head reminded her that she and Lucas had their chance, and missed it.
“Let me know when you get home then, no matter the time, wake me up.” It was all he could say to her before he left, retreating to his office downstairs.
He only turned on one light, the one on his desk. The same desk that had belonged to his grandfather, and his father before him, and maybe even his father before him. He opened the bottom drawer, taking out the bottle of whiskey and glass he kept stashed there for long nights.
He needed to not think, he needed to escape from every thought already in his mind about Dave and Riley. Was she going to make love to him? Did they make love or did they have wild monkey sex? Was that the appeal of Corn Chip Dave?
He could make love to Riley. He could give her wild monkey sex if she wanted.
Hell, all she had to do was give him the signal and he would be her’s forever and always. Couldn’t she see that?
He stood by the front window, watching her tail lights vanish into the night as he swallowed what was left in his first glass.
He poured a second glass drinking it slower, trying to figure out how he got here. This wasn’t the night he’d planned. No he should be upstairs right now showing Riley the ring he bought for her all those years ago.
He poured his third glass leaving his office as he went upstairs. He stood in the door way of her room for a moment before he entered what had become her sanctuary, it was then he saw that the purple nightie was laying across the chair.
She hadn’t taken it with her.
His mind went into overdrive as he thought about what she could be wearing for Dave, and how she shouldn’t be wearing anything for Dave, but only for him.
He closed his eyes for a moment before he picked up the nightie, wondering just how it would hug and hang from Riley’s curves.
He draped it back over the chair and went back to his room, putting his half empty glass down on the dresser as he undressed. As he pulled his jacket off he found the note.
Damn Gigi for finding it.
Damn him for keeping it all this time.
Damn Riley for insisting he not open it.
He threw it on his nightstand before he finished shedding his clothes and he went into the bathroom where he turned the shower on hot, stepping under the spray, enjoying the ping of each drop of water.
Why did Dave have to show up? Why did Dave have to even exist? Why couldn’t he and Riley be together?
He leaned against the shower wall for a moment as he cried, letting the pent-up emotions release from inside of him. He stepped back under the spray for several minutes before turning it off and drying off.
He wrapped his towel around his waist before crossing his bedroom to get his drink, finishing it in one swallow before placing the glass on nightstand then dropping the towel and climbing into bed.
He closed his eyes, wishing he could exorcise the thought of Riley with any other man out of his head as he drifted to a restless sleep.
Riley drove through the motel parking lot, it looked like the owners took pride in their property. She glanced at her phone for his room number and was thankful to discover it was in the back. Not that she believed anyone would recognize her car, at least not yet, almost every time she’d gone into town she’d been with Lucas in one of the trucks or the SUV.
She felt a pit in her stomach growing, this felt so weird, so wrong. Hours before she’d been about to let Lucas do whatever he wanted to her in his SUV, hell she had a few things she’d wanted to do to him, yet now she was about to meet up with her fiancé for some sort of secret tryst.
Riley sat in her car for a moment after she parked. What had become of her life?
Lucas said he wanted her earlier, but what did he want from her? Just a night, like the other women he’d been with since their night in Vegas?
What good was giving into desire if all it was going to bring her was heartache? Just behind that door in front of her, not even ten steps away was a man who wanted her forever. A man who was afraid he was going to lose her so he showed up.
Dave showed up.
When it had been, important Lucas hadn’t.
He hadn’t even thought to read the letter she left him.
But he still had it.
Why would he keep it all this time?
What did any of this even mean?
She closed her eyes for a moment and counted to ten before she got out of the car, taking her bag with her as she went and knocked on Dave’s door.
He opened a few seconds later, the motel towel wrapped around his body as he smiled at his fiancé, “God it’s so good to see you Riley.”
“It’s good to see you.” She bit her lip as her eyes traveled down his body, it had been a few months since she’d seen him in person, his skin tanned by weekend afternoons on his boat.
He closed the door behind her, leaning against it as he watched her drop her bag on the table. “Are you sure you need to stick around this place and pretend to be Lucas’ girlfriend. I don’t like the way you two were kissing earlier.” He confessed.
Riley sighed as she sat on the bed, “I know it’s not conventional, but Dave, I promise nothing is going on between me and Lucas.”
“Does he know that?” He crossed his arms over his chest, wondering if Riley really didn’t see the way Lucas had looked at her, the way he’d watched her.
“Lucas knows, he doesn’t want me,” she looked up, “Even if he did want me, he would only want a night, he doesn’t want a lifetime, and I’m not the kind of woman who would throw away the life you and I are going to have, for a night with a man I don’t love.”
Dave smiled as he came over to her, brushing her curls from her shoulder with the backs of his fingers, “Please don’t throw us away.”
She reached up, caressing his cheek, “I won’t throw us away. I love you, you are my future.”
“Every picture you and Lucas post to Instagram together, any time you have to kiss, it’s all pretend, right?”
“Yeah, I swear on my engagement ring.” She let the pad of her thumb run over his lips, making a wish to the powers above for some kind of clarity.
“Good, because when this is over” his hands moved down her body the front of her jeans unbutton them, “You’re coming home to New York, we’re getting married.”
“That’s exactly what I want” she told him as he tugged her jeans down before she kicked them off, feeling the palm of his hand run over her bare thigh.
“Do you need me Riley?” his hand moved higher up and he looked into her dark eyes.
“I need you” she gasped he wasn’t even touching her, but she could feel him. She looked to see him smirk.
Dave leaned forward kissing her, letting his fingers comb into her curls, trying to hold her close when she pulled away. “What’s wrong?”
Riley didn’t say anything as she jumped off the bed and opened her purse, pulling out the emergency tampon she kept in the pocket. She rushed to the bathroom and discovered her instinct was correct and silently cursed before she cleaned up and came out, “We can’t, I’m sorry.”
Dave nodded as he took a deep breath, “Can I do anything for you?”
Riley went to her bag pulling out the pajama pants she’d brought with her, slipping them on before she crawled onto the bed next to him, “Just hold me, kiss me a little.”
“Of course, Ri-Pie” He kissed the top of her head as she snuggled close to him, “I love you.”
“I know you’re frustrated right now.” She let her fingers run along his abs.
“I could never be frustrated as long as I have you next to me.” He felt her lips on his, a hard, desperate kiss, as though she needed him to feel it. He held her close, returning the kiss with as much as she gave him. “We have the rest of our lives together Riley, one night isn’t going to change that.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” She rested her head on his chest, feeling his fingers caress her arm, wondering why everything she’d thought she’d felt before Texas, she couldn’t find any longer in his kiss.
It was still dark out when Riley got back, the other trucks and the SUV all parked, only the hall light was on upstairs, and the kitchen light downstairs. She grabbed her bag after parking and went into the house as quietly as possible.
Why did she feel like she was sneaking in and about to be busted by her father? She almost laughed out loud at the idea. How many times had her father chased Lucas out of her room when she was younger, how many nights had Lucas snuck back in once they knew he asleep.
They would stay up talking, holding hands, just enjoying the peaceful moments together. During the days, they were always being pulled by others, sometimes it felt that if they didn’t sneak that time together, they would’ve had none.
She put her bag in her room and slipped out of her shoes. She looked down the hall, he had asked she let him know when she got back, but it was four in the morning, should she really wake him up?
If they didn’t they would argue about it, wouldn’t they?
Dave got the first flight back he could, it just happened to be one he had to be at the airport super early for. So, she got to spend a few hours curled up next to her fiancé, just enjoying being next to each other and ignoring little voice at the back of mind.
She stood outside his room. Slowly she opened the door, he was in bed asleep, as smile on his face.
Riley looked around for any indication that he hadn’t spent the night alone. All she found was a towel on the floor by his bed, the empty whiskey glass, and the note.
That damn note.
“Mmm, babe.” Lucas reached out and took her wrist, “Come back to bed.”
Riley almost jumped when he touched her, she hadn’t been expecting it. “Lucas?”
He pulled her down onto the bed, “Mmm, I missed you.” He sighed as he continued to speak.
Riley realized then he was talking in his sleep, she sat there wondering what she should do. Should she wake him or was it like sleep walking where you don’t want to do that?
“Riley” He moaned as he pulled her body closer to him.
She was stunned, he was dreaming about her. That couldn’t be.
He kissed her in the spot where her shoulder met her neck, quick as if he were simply sampling her, “I can’t wait to marry you today.”
She felt her hands shaking as she tried to move, only to feel him pull her closer again.
“Don’t run from us Riley.” He nuzzled her neck, “We’ll make it work, it has to work, why else would you be here, right now?”
“Oh Lucas, if only.” She sighed as he held her close.
Riley eventually drifted to sleep as she waited for a chance to slip out of his embrace and back to her room.
Lucas Friar moved back to Texas at 17, now he’s running for Mayor of Rosewood Springs so best friend Zay and little sister Gigi decide he needs a little help from a political consultant.
Riley Matthews found her calling, she found a fiancé, but she never expected to find herself here, of all places.
Cross-posted to FF.net | Soundtrack | Past Chapters
Author Note: I am so sorry I left you on that cliffhanger for so long. The nephew is on Spring Break (he has another week to go), so I’ve had to entertain him so you know making slime, galaxy jars, playing Puss in Boots to his Kitty Soft Paws.
-the spark that lights you up-
He parked the rental car out in front of the bar, it was still early but the place looked packed. Maybe it was a small-town thing, Dave shrugged as he got out, stretching for a moment as his Tostitos t-shirt rose exposing his abs to the blonde who was going into the Wild Z. She smirked to him as she fluffed her hair, twirling in her red dress before she went in.
It was then that he noticed the sign out front, Charity Bachelor Auction, several male faces were plastered on the poster, with Lucas Friar right in the center.
Dave studied it for a minute, maybe he wouldn’t have to get directions to the ranch from Zay. Maya, Smackle, and Farkle had all refused to give him the address of where Riley was staying. Charlie warned him he was already in too deep if Maya found out he told him where Riley was.
Why was it a secret? What the hell was going on between his fiancé and her high school boyfriend?
Lucas Friar.
Dave ran a hand through his hair realizing he was under dressed. But did he really want to blend into this event? No probably not.
He slipped in, staying near the back. He looked around the room but didn’t see Riley or Lucas. Maybe Riley wasn’t here, maybe once this was done he could talk to Lucas man to man, explain that Riley and he were going to be married in November and whatever he thought was happening between them wasn’t.
Riley was always the biggest sweetheart, Lucas had to have misread something she’d said or done.
She was here to get him elected mayor, not be his girlfriend.
Dave perked up when he heard Lucas was up for auction. A woman next to him in a blue and white sundress and blonde hair licked her lips as he moved about the stage.
As he looked around the room he noticed that almost every single woman in the bar was looking at Lucas as if he were the last piece of chocolate hidden in the cabinet and they were in a PMS rage unlike any other.
He stayed against the wall as the bidding began. The first bid he felt his body go cold, had that been Riley?
As he processed that the woman next to him bid $700 for him. Wow, Dave couldn’t believe it as the numbers began flying.
That’s when he saw where the bidding war was really taking place, up in front between Riley and the blonde he’d seen in the red dress earlier.
“Excuse me,” Dave leaned to the woman who had given up after a couple of bids, “Who are those two women?”
“Oh, the brunette is Riley Matthews, the doctor’s girlfriend. The blonde is Dixie Carmichael, she’s been after the doctor since he moved back in High School. He never looks twice at her, it’s obvious his heart belongs to Riley.”
Dave felt sick, “Is this a long rivalry?”
“No, Riley just arrived a few days ago, apparently, she and Lucas reconnected several months ago, they’re giving it a go, that’s why she came to town.”
Could this be true? Had Riley really reconnected with him. Had this been going on for months?
“I’m Gloria May, you are?”
“Dave, just passing through town.” He couldn’t believe it, she’d just bid $10,000 on Lucas. He moved through the crowd only to freeze when he saw Riley and Lucas kiss.
He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Riley had never kissed him like that.
He cleared his throat, watching as they stopped. “Riley?”
Her eyes went wide, yet she didn’t drop her hold on Lucas.
Lucas didn’t let go of Riley, if anything he seemed to hold onto her even tighter, Dave was sure he was making a power play.
Riley pulled away from Lucas, “I should go give Mrs. Miller my check.”
Lucas slowly let go of her before he turned to look at Dave.
Neither man spoke as they sized each other up. Dave noticed how polished Lucas was in his suit, his natural tan, how golden his hair was, just how massive he’d gotten.
Lucas hadn’t been sure what to expect from good ol’ Corn Chip Dave. He was tall, not as tall as Lucas but decent enough. He obviously worked out, or at least his time on the boat was kind to him and his body.
If Dave had been honest part of him had hoped he would see Lucas and not feel threatened, but he was sure the only way he would’ve been more threatening was if he was shirtless right now.
Lucas hadn’t expected to see Dave as real competition until just now. If he was as nice as Lucas remembered, he could see why Riley had been drawn to him. But something still irked him, and it wasn’t just the careless thought he put into Riley’s ring.
Riley came back, putting her hand on Lucas’ upper arm, “The three of us should go to Lucas’ office to talk.”
“Whatever you want Riley.” Dave took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, noticing that Lucas’ hand moved down Riley’s back, over her ass giving it a gentle squeeze as they left through the crowds.
Dave saw Zay look over just as they left.
Gigi had been in the bar when it was busy more times that she could remember but something about the energy tonight was different as she made her way up to the bar.
“Zay, Zay” She called out trying to get his attention, he looked stunned as he handed a drink to one of the other bartenders.
He came towards her shaking his head, “Gigi what are you doing here?”
She slapped the envelope on the bar top, “Lucas is a fucking idiot, where is he?”
“Busy” Zay ignored her for a moment and got a beer for a customer.
Gigi leaned over the bar, her hair falling forward as her cleavage made a tempting display from the neckline of her shirt. “Busy as in getting with Riley?”
Zay looked over, almost falling when he saw her. Shit what was she thinking? He gulped and blinked before he moved over towards her, watching as she sat up, “After Riley won Lucas, which cost her $10,000 by the way, Dave showed up.” He told her as quietly as he could.
“Fuck” Gigi waved the envelope in the air, “Shitty timing.”
“What is this?” Zay took it from her, his eyes growing wide, “He still had this?”
Gigi nodded, “He’s an idiot.” She snatched it away from him and moving towards the backdoor.
“Gi, where are you going?”
“To get them to all figure out this mess once and for all.” She called out before vanishing in the crowd.
Dixie grabbed Gloria May as soon as she saw Riley and Lucas start kissing, they were in the ladies room when she finally kicked the stall door, “Can you believe that bitch, stole my man!”
Gloria May had been Dixie’s best friend since their days in the church nursery. She knew that Dixie would spill a bunch of words to vent her frustration, “To be fair she is his girlfriend, so he’s kind of her man.”
“Please I saw him first, Lucas Friar and I were always meant to be together.” Dixie tapped her foot, “Did you see her in that Betsey Johnson dress, trying to act like she’s better than us because she has designer clothes.”
“Or she wanted to look nice for a night out.” Gloria May wasn’t sure if she could diffuse this situation, “And from what Zay told me, and Gigi, Riley and Lucas only ever broke up in high school because he moved back here. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to be together.”
Dixie shook her head, “Please if they wanted to be together what took them so long?”
“Life, I don’t know, none of us really know what went on between them when he came back, Zay won’t say anything.” Gloria May chuckled, “He used to have the best stories about people.”
Dixie rolled her eyes, “I know you’re recently divorced, but really you’re still crushing on him?”
“Says the woman who almost spent how much money on a man that you know would only go out with you if it was for charity.”
“At least it wasn’t that little brat Gigi this time.” Dixie took her lip gloss from her purse and applied a fresh coat, “How soon do you think Riley will get bored with small town life and run back to New York City? Because the minute I find out she’s off to the Windy City I’m making my move on Lucas.”
“The Windy City is Chicago, you mean the Big Apple.” Gloria May closed her eyes, wondering if she and Dixie would even be friends if they hadn’t been thrown together at such a young age.
“Like it matters.” Dixie threw the lip gloss in her bag, “I need a drink, especially if I have to watch those two all night. Oh, did you see that cute guy in the jeans and corn chip t-shirt? Maybe he could make me forget about Lucas for now. At least scratch an itch.”
“Yeah I saw him.” Gloria May sighed, if Dixie wanted a guy she got him, except for Lucas. She thought back to that camping trip, she had been seventeen, Lucas had just turned eighteen. They’d made out in the bed of his truck, their sleeping bags zipped together, it was a dream come true, until he called her Riley, and then called her that again, and then a third time. The rest of the night she had to hear about his first love, and realized Lucas would never really be over her.
The air was thick as Lucas led them through his clinic. A dog was barking and Deacon his intern came out to see who was moving around. “Go get a burger at Casey’s, I need to have a private conversation.”
“Sure, thing boss.” The young man moved towards the door, “Daisy is okay, I think she’s just anxious to get moving around again.”
“That’s to be expected.” Lucas waited until he left. “Daisy broke her leg, she’ll be fine, but I’ve got Deacon looking in on her overnight.”
Riley and Dave nodded as if they understood before Lucas opened his office door. Only a couple of hours before he thought he’d be christening the desk by making love to Riley on, or maybe enjoy her on the couch. This was not part of his plan for tonight.
Riley hadn’t been in here yet, it was larger than she’d anticipated. His wall looked like most doctor’s walls, except she noticed that on the bookshelf sat a framed picture of the two of them with Gigi and Auggie in Central Park.
She hadn’t seen that picture in ages, she remembered the day she gave it to Lucas in the same frame. He’d kept it all this time, the dust on the frame made her realize he had it out for a while now.
Dave waited a moment, watching them, trying to understand what was going on. “Riley, I thought you came to Texas to work on a campaign. Not to reunite with your high school boyfriend.”
“Exactly,” Riley took a deep breath, she should’ve told him days ago, “Lucas is running for mayor. I really did think it would be an easy job. I don’t know how much of the auction you saw, but if the women of this town believe that Lucas is single they’ll turn his campaign into some twisted real life version of the bachelor.”
“And then no one would focus on the good he could do, and the wrong person would win.” Dave sighed, “So why are you two all over each other?”
Riley knotted her fingers together, “Lucas and I are pretending to be together, in public only. Nothing is actually going on between us.”
Dave looked to Lucas who was silent so far, “This is all pretend.”
“You heard Riley.” Lucas bit in the inside of his lip, it was far from fake, he knew it, and she had to know it. “Dixie, the woman who was bidding on me, she’s been after me for years. I’ve turned her down repeatedly, but if she thought she could not only get me, but get me as mayor, she’d just see her social status in her eyes like stars.”
“Why post a picture of the two of you together on Instagram, calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend. We still have mutual friends.” Dave still had no idea what he was supposed to think.
“Dixie lives and breathes via Instagram, she has since high school.” Lucas sat in his desk chair, looking for some clue between Riley and Dave that they were the one for each other, so far, he barely saw a spark.
Riley spun towards Dave, “Wait, you saw that post on Instagram? You don’t follow Lucas, you only follow people with fancy yachts and corn chip companies. Who showed it to you?”
“Charlie saw it, he thought I had a right to know what my fiancé was up to. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know how to tell you.” She shrugged as the door flew open.
Gigi moved towards her brother, “Lucas Friar, have I got a bone to pick with you.”
“Not now Gigi.” Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose, “This isn’t a good time for any of your dramatics.”
“Oh, this is the best time possible.” Gigi crossed her arms as she looked at her brother, “You are an idiot Lucas, I-D-I-O-T. Look what I found in your room.”
Lucas and Riley looked at Gigi as she moved around the office, her arms dancing as she waved something in the air.
It couldn’t be, could it? Riley wondered as she felt her heart race, her stomach clench. He’d kept it, all these years he’d kept it, but it was still sealed. He’d never opened it.
Lucas was frozen, “Gigi, this isn’t the time.” He really didn’t need his little sister throwing his past in his face in front of Riley and Corn Chip Dave.
Gigi waved it in front of her brother, “There’s a note inside and it looks like you’ve never opened it.”
“What are you talking about?” Lucas went to snatch it from Gigi, but Riley got to it first.
“You don’t need to know what’s in here Lucas, it’s not going to do you any good to dredge this up.” Riley felt her voice shaking along with her fingers, she’d always believed he’d opened it, that he knew where he was supposed to meet her. She thought he’d just decided not to marry her, to pretend he didn’t know it was her.
Gigi tried to grab it back from Riley, “I think Lucas should open it.”
“No” Riley looked around the room, “Gigi let’s talk in the lobby, away from Lucas and Dave.”
Gigi froze as she looked around, there he was in the corner, a lot more attractive then she thought he would be from the way her brother and Zay had talked about him. “Oh, you’re Dave.”
“And you would be?” He wasn’t sure what he was witnessing but things had just moved faster than a New York minute around him.
“Gigi Friar, Lucas’ little sister.” She smiled before she looked to Lucas mouthing this guy, really?
“Gigi, the lobby.” Riley was at the door, waiting for her.
Sighing she followed her to the lobby, trying to ignore the photos of all the animals her older brother had helped on the wall. Something about them unsettled her. She watched as Riley paced for a moment, “This is from you, isn’t it Riley?”
Riley looked down at the envelope in her hands, “Other than my name, the time and place that we were supposed to get married.”
“What?” Gigi was surprised her theory was right.
“When we were in Las Vegas, he asked me to marry him.” Riley looked at the pictures on the wall, smiling at the image of Lucas with the different animals. “I said yes, I woke up before him. I looked up the address for a chapel, wrote it down, asking him to meet me at one.”
“And Lucas didn’t show up.” Gigi shook her head, “Idiot!”
Riley sat in one of the waiting room chairs, “I waited for hours, and then I went back to the hotel. I stood outside his room, ready to confront him, but this voice in the back of my head said to let it go. If he wanted me, he would’ve been there, he would’ve met me at the chapel. That I had to accept that Lucas and I were never going to be together, no matter how much I love him.”
“Interesting” Gigi crossed her arms over her chest.
“What is?” Riley studied the envelope, it had been handled a bit, but never opened.
“You said love, not loved.”
“Gigi, I’m marrying Dave.”
Shaking her head Gigi chuckled, “Tell Lucas it was you in Vegas, you don’t have to tell him the rest, just tell him it was you.”
“It won’t change anything Gigi, I’m still engaged to Dave, and Lucas is still”
“In love with you.”
“He’s not Gigi, the Lucas Friar that loved me hasn’t existed since New York, and maybe a few fleeting, drunken hours in a hotel room in Las Vegas.” She looked up, “I’m going back in there and telling your brother that finding out who this woman was, wouldn’t change anything, and it wouldn’t.”
“I think it would.” Gigi couldn’t understand how Riley couldn’t see that, and as she watched the older woman go to the office she realized that it wasn’t that she couldn’t see that things would change, that they would, and perhaps she was even more afraid of that.
Riley handed the envelope to Lucas when she returned to the office, “I don’t think it’ll change anything if you open it. Whatever is in there is ten years old, a decade has past, and lives have changed, people have changed. Besides it could just be a room number.”
Lucas took the envelope, wondering why it was beckoning him to open it now, and why Riley was so sure he shouldn’t. “Thanks” he looked over to Gigi, “Stay out of my stuff.”
Gigi looked to him, her eyes challenging him. “What afraid I’ll find something else. You got more secrets hiding in your room, maybe something in the sock drawer.”
“Georgianna Darcy Friar, go away right now. Riley, Dave and I have a lot to discuss.” He glared at her, hoping she would leave.
“Fine, I’m going to go see if Zay needs help cause it’s wild over there.” She stormed out, letting the back-door slam behind her. She tried to process the information she had. What she knew was real.
Riley had believed she and Lucas were going to get married in Las Vegas.
Riley and Lucas had lost their virginities to each other.
Lucas had an engagement ring that could only be for Riley.
At least now she knew why Riley had been so mad at Lucas up until now, or at least partially why.
Maya finally got the kids to bed, she changed into her pajama’s sighing at how tight her shirt was now. She looked in the mirror and shrugged before she laid down on the bed, pulling her body pillow into a comfortable position before she looked at her messages from Zay.
She moved to the middle of the bed, repositioning the body pillow and making sure that she took up as much space as she could.
When Charlie came in several minutes later he sat at the foot of the bed, “What did I do?”
Maya sat up glaring at her husband, “What did you think you were going to accomplish?”
Charlie was afraid to answer, what if she didn’t know that Dave flew off to Texas this morning planning to bring Riley back with him. What if it was something else. “Did I leave the seat up? I’m so sorry I swear I didn’t mean to.”
“That’s not it.”
“I didn’t help put the kids to bed?”
“No, but now that you mention it, they were a pain tonight.”
“I’ll get them to bed tomorrow when they’re all hyped up from the fireworks and junk food.”
Maya crossed her arms over her chest.
“You’re shirt, oh babe.” Charlie tried to give his wife his sexiest grin. “You know how sexy I find you, and when you’re pregnant, I find you to be the absolute most beautiful, sexy, woman in the world. You know that even if your top is tight, I still love you, I still want you, especially when you’re carrying our child.”
Maya kept her lips together, trying not to give into her husband’s charm, “Where’s Dave?”
“Shit, what did he do?” He pulled away knowing he was in trouble now.
Maya rubbed her hands together, “I got a message from Zay, apparently, Dave showed up tonight at the bar.”
“Oh, did he?” Charlie worried that at any moment Maya would explode.
“Yeah, they were having a bachelor auction, Lucas is bachelor of the year, again. And Riley spent $10,000 to win him. And they were kissing, and Dave showed up right then.”
“So, Dave caught Riley cheating on him.”
“Sort of.” Maya smirked.
Charlie moved off the bed, “Wait did you want Dave to go down and catch Riley doing whatever she’s doing?”
“Listen Charlie, Dave is your best friend, Riley is my best friend, they however do not belong together.” Maya got up from the bed, moving towards her husband, “Riley and Dave don’t have that spark, they don’t light up when the other enters the room, they don’t have that zing between them that you and I have. I think maybe, Riley and Lucas might still have it, and Dave,”
“Dave what?” Charlie turned to his wife, trying to decide if he should be mad or not.
“Dave has that zing for corn chips and boats, not for Riley.”
“Maya” Charlie couldn’t believe it, except he could, “So you’re trying to what break your best friends heart. You and I both know that she will never get over Lucas, but what happens if she and Dave break up, and Lucas hurts her again?”
“She shouldn’t settle for a life with Dave, she could maybe have the life she should’ve had with Lucas, if the two of them would just talk and figure out where they went wrong it could be amazing for both. And well for Dave, maybe he’ll find a woman he zings with or a man, whatever he’s into besides that damn boat of his.”
Charlie watched as she laid on the bed, he waited a moment before he joined her, “I know you want Riley to be happy, I want Dave to be happy, Riley makes him happy.”
“But Dave doesn’t make her happy.” Maya sighed.
Charlie bit his lip, “What do you mean by that?”
“Riley isn’t her best with Dave. Something is missing between them. I think she’s settling, and I think in a way Dave is as well.”
“Dave loves her, he wants to be with her forever, I don’t think Riley is settling. I think you’ve got it in your head that she and Lucas were some epic love story and babe, they were high school sweethearts.”
Maya bit her lip, “Do she and Dave really know each other?”
“They just haven’t figured each other out yet, they spend too much time apart. She needs to stop traveling and be here with Dave.”
“No, she needs to stay in Texas, she needs to be with Lucas.”
“We’re not going to agree on this.” Charlie could see the determination in his wife’s eyes, “Oh God, what did you send her the other day?”
“A vibrator and a sexy nightie.”
“Maya, do you want her to please herself or have Lucas please her?”
“Whichever works for her.” She shrugged, “Because trust me Dave is not getting that girls motor going the way you get mine.”
“Trying to distract me huh?”
“Is it working?”
“Maybe.” He kissed her, feeling her fingers in his hair before he reached over to turn off the light on the nightstand.
Lucas Friar moved back to Texas at 17, now he’s running for Mayor of Rosewood Springs so best friend Zay and little sister Gigi decide he needs a little help from a political consultant.
Riley Matthews found her calling, she found a fiancé, but she never expected to find herself here, of all places.
Cross-posted to FF.net | Soundtrack | Past Chapters
Author note: Ooh got this one done sooner than I thought I would. So, enjoy! Also, it’s Saturday night which means Slumber Party Saturday on my tumblr, that means you can ask me anything you want to, anon is turned on and I will do my best to answer, so drop on by.
-so you stole my world-
“Are you sure you don’t want to come Gigi?” Lucas looked to his sister as he waited at the bottom of the stairs for Riley to come down. He was dreading this auction, mentally cursing his sister for signing him up yet again. Did Gigi enjoy torturing him with this kind of attention, all it did was make women like Dixie Carmichael salivate with expectation.
“I’m tired of being at the bar, it’s my night off and I don’t have to bid on you.” Gigi smirked, “I heard Dixie has been saving money for months for this. So, she might try to give Riley a fight.”
“It’s nothing Riley can’t handle.” Lucas wasn’t as sure as he sounded. Dixie the other night at the movies had seemed so sure of herself that she would win.
Gigi shrugged, “Oh I’m sure that she can handle it.”
Lucas was about to speak as he looked up just as Riley began to descend the stairs, she wore a black dress that hugged her body, the skirt stopping just below her knees, nothing about it was revealing and yet everything about it was. Her hair was pulled up in a French twist and he wasn’t going to lie all he could think about for a moment was pulling out each bobby-pin and shaking her hair free, just before pushing it away from her neck to kiss it.
“You okay Lucas?” Riley waved a hand in front of his face, he looked lost for a moment.
“Yeah, I am okay.” Was she oblivious to what she did to him? She couldn’t be, she had to know that he’d been on high alert with desire since she stepped out of that car the other day. Each day it became more difficult to not throw her over his shoulder and take her to his bedroom.
“Okay, we should go.” Riley opened her clutch checking the time on her phone, “Gigi are you sure you don’t want to come with us?”
“Yes, besides I have stuff to do that I can’t get done with all you busybodies hanging around.” Gigi started to shoo them out of the house.
“What can’t she do with us home?” Lucas asked out loud as they moved down the steps.
Riley shrugged, “I don’t know, sneak into your bathroom and use that giant tub you’ve got sitting there. She probably just wants some quiet, get a few things done without people on top of her. I’m like that from time to time, I bet you are as well, in fact I know you are.”
“Okay true.” Lucas opened the passenger door of the SUV for her, helping her up, feeling that jolt whenever he touched her. She had to feel it, he knew she did, she had to.
Riley watched as he walked around the car, she wished they didn’t have to go to this. But she wasn’t going to let Dixie Carmichael get her nails dug into Lucas, even for charity.
“Got your checkbook, I promise I’ll pay you back for whatever ridiculous amount Dixie drives you up to.” He started the car after buckling his seatbelt.
“Yes, I have my checkbook, but you don’t have to pay me back. Dixie doesn’t realize who she’s dealing with, I am the daughter of a shark lawyer after all.”
Lucas smirked because he knew that the spark that got to Riley every single time Dixie was around had nothing to do with her mother being a shark lawyer, no Riley was jealous of Dixie. Though he wasn’t sure why, nothing happened between them, it was never going to happen.
Riley turned the radio on just as a Jana Kramer song ended and commercials started to play. She quickly turned them off, preferring the silence.
“You look amazing by the way,” that was one way he could put it, Lucas was already fantasizing about peeling that dress off her body, hearing her whimper as he kissed her body, feeling the heat between them become a burning inferno.
“Thank you” She felt the blush in her cheeks, “I guess my big city stuff can work on occasion.”
“Yeah, all the women in town will be jealous.”
“It won’t be because of my dress Lucas, it’ll be because I’m with you. If I wasn’t pretending to be your girlfriend the women of this town would turn this election into some very twisted version of The Bachelor.”
“I wish I could deny that.” He sighed, “But you’re right they probably would. I don’t get it though, why?”
“Because you haven’t settle down yet, you’re a challenge to them all. Like you come back here from New York, you’ve got this mysterious new attitude as far as they’re concerned, I mean you’re still Lucas, but you’re not the Lucas they remembered. You have this new appeal, and you know you’re attractive. Then you went off and became a doctor, you are just too much of a challenge that they want to accept.”
Lucas glanced to her, “None of them have even turned my head once. Only one woman ever turned my head.”
Riley looked out the window, “So is Zay one of the bachelors in the auction?”
“No, he’s running the bar, he says he has too much fun watching me squirm to ever be stupid enough to sign himself up.”
“You and I both know Gigi signed you up for this.” Riley watched as they drove down the main street before Lucas parked behind his office.
“I’m not sure if she enjoys watching me squirm or she’s desperate to marry me off.”
She felt her heart ache at the thought of him marrying any woman other than her. “Maybe a little of both.”
He turned to her, “I’m not sure I’ll ever get married.” He confessed, “I think I lost my chance at that a very long time ago.”
Riley could think of so many things she could say at this moment, to him. All he had to do was show up, they would’ve been married all the time. Instead of speaking she kissed him, not holding back as she had been, she let part of her heart and soul seep into the kiss, thankful she was still buckled in or she’d end up in his lap.
He was stunned at first, he never expected her to kiss him, every single time she had he was shocked. This one was different, something about the intensity. He was tempted to drag her into his office, take her on the desk, forget all about the auction.
Riley moved to kiss his jawline and neck. The scent of his cologne, the taste of his skin, it was enough to push her over the edge as her fingers moved down his chest, she was desperate to touch him, to feel him.
“Riley” he gasped when he felt her hands on his belt, “We can’t.”
She looked up to him, expecting to see rejection, but she saw lust, need in his eyes. “Why?”
“It’s still daylight, people can see us.” He let his hands cradle her face, “I want to, God do I want to.”
She closed her eyes he was right they couldn’t. She’d gotten lost in the moment. Being in public was just one of the many reasons they couldn’t, they shouldn’t, but she wanted to, she needed to in ways she’d never felt before, “You’re right, besides I have to go make you mine in that auction.”
Oh, what he wouldn’t give for her to make him hers, not just from the auction. Tonight, he was going to get her to talk. They would go home, he’d open a bottle of wine for them, he’d ask her everything, he would tell her whatever she wanted to know. If he had to, he would take the ring from his sock drawer and present it to her, tell her that it belongs on her finger and no other woman’s.
But first he had to survive the public humiliation he was sure was about to come.
Gigi put the laundry basket on Lucas’ bed, she had no intention of folding his socks or boxer briefs, she already knew too many intimate details about him. She didn’t care to discover more.
She had a theory, and she intended to prove it tonight. Riley had only been here a handful of days, but it was obvious that the well of their feelings for each other ran deep. They were just afraid of dropping the coin in to make a wish.
With them both at the bachelor auction it gave her the perfect opportunity to snoop around his room. She already knew he’d kept a picture of Riley in his Bible for years. She’d discovered that one boring afternoon years ago, but she had a theory that wasn’t the only memento he still had.
She stood in the middle of his room, trying to decide where she thought he might keep something important. Gigi knew that deep down her brother wasn’t the skeevy womanizer her acted like, no he was just a heartbroken idiot. He still had her picture tucked away, and Lucas sure did have that Vegas note burned in his memory. It had to be here somewhere.
She went to the top drawer of his dresser, she pushed around the socks until she found something deep in the back, pulling out the black jewelry box. “Lucas what is this?” she asked the empty room as she opened it, seeing the modest sized diamond set in platinum. She pulled it out reading the engraving, I choose you.
She put the ring back in the box before returning it to its hiding place, “I wonder when he got that.”
She moved to the next drawer, pushing aside his boxer briefs when she saw the cream paper at the back. She pulled it out, realizing it was an envelope. On the front was the note her brother knew so well, the lipstick print that was faded and smudged from handling.
Gigi held it up to the window, seeing the piece of paper inside. She moved closer to the window hoping to read something, all she could make out was the part that said Love Riley.
“Oh Luc, you are an idiot!” She shook her head, realizing she had a few options, she could stay at home with this note burning into her entire being or she could go to the auction.
She went to her room grabbing her shoes and purse before she came down, hopping in the truck.
All she knew was that whatever was in this letter her idiot brother had never read could possibly change everything, and it wasn’t fair for him to be in the dark any longer.
“Okay ladies!” Mrs. Miller took the microphone from Zay as she walked around the stage, “Tonight is the night you’ve been waiting for, our annual bachelor auction. Remember all of the proceeds this evening will go to support the Rosewood Springs athletic departments at the schools. So, ladies, open your purses, grab every spare penny you’ve got because tonight you could just make that move you’ve been waiting to make on your future husband.”
Zay handed Riley a glass of champagne, “Are you ready to outbid Dixie?”
Riley nodded, “Yes I am,” she took a sip before looking to her old friend, “I can’t decide if it’s sad or sweet that she’s still chasing after Lucas.”
“Sad” Zay smirked before taking a sip of his own drink from behind the bar. It wasn’t crazy or anything now, after the auction ended things would pick up; new couples would start getting to know each other. “You might as well get comfortable, since he’s the bachelor of the year Lucas will be up last, and there are like fifteen guys ahead of him.”
Riley sat on the stool, watching the way everyone interacted as Mrs. Miller auctioned off one young single man after another. She was on her third glass of champagne when it was finally time to auction off Lucas.
“Now he has been the bachelor of the year three years in a row ladies, but I have a feeling this is the last time we’ll see him up on the auction block.”
Lucas came up on stage as music played, Mrs. Miller read of his biography, his accomplishments. He smiled when he saw Riley as she waved to him with her champagne glass before she blew him a kiss. He then frowned when he saw Dixie looking at him with that incredibly hungry stare she always seemed to have.
“Okay, now last year Dr. Friar here broke records with how much he went for. Are you ladies willing to break those records again? I guess only one way to find out! Let’s open the bidding with $500!”
“$500!” Riley bid.
Dixie rolled her eyes, “600.”
A voice from the back of the room called out, “700.”
“800” Dixie smirked.
“900” the voice from the back cried.
“1,000” Riley bid as she glared to Dixie, sure the other woman had been planted by Dixie to scare her away.
“2,000” Dixie moved towards Riley, trying to ignore her Betsey Johnson dress as she tried to stand tall against the New Yorker, assured of herself.
Riley smirked, “3,000.”
“4,000” Dixie looked to Riley, “I’ve saved up for months to win this date with him.”
“That’s cute, 5,000.” Riley crossed her arms over her chest, wondering how long Dixie was going to try.
Lucas was standing on the stage shocked. This couldn’t be happening, could it?
“6,000” Dixie moved closer to Riley, “Go back to New York.”
“Sorry, I have no intention of leaving Lucas.” She tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach as she realized how true it was, “7,000.”
“8,000” Dixie wanted to stomp her foot, who did this bitch think she was, coming into her town and trying to snag her man. Dixie had been working, waiting for Lucas and she wasn’t going to let this New York bitch snag him.
“10,000” Riley yelled out.
“Going once, going twice, sold to Ms. Riley Matthews, sorry Ms. Carmichael.” Mrs. Miller rang a bell as she watched Dixie start fuming.
Lucas hopped off the stage, “Riley that was too much, I can suffer through a dinner with her if I really have to.”
“It wasn’t too much,” She felt her heart racing as she reached up to caress his cheek, “You’re mine, I won fair and square.”
“That you did, it was amazing, I was sure she was going to claw your eyes out.” He let his hands drop to her waist as he pulled her close to him. “Thank you.”
“Anytime Lucas” She let her fingers twist into the hair at the nape of his neck before she pulled him to her, kissing him. Her mouth opening, inviting him to deepen the kiss.
Lucas pulled her as close as he could while his tongue slipped between her lips, dancing with hers.
She could get lost in this kiss, his arms, all she wanted was for him to take her home, to make her really his, to forget everything and everyone else in the world.
Someone near them cleared their throat, causing them to momentarily stop.
“Riley?”
A chill went down her spine as she looked over to see her fiancé watching her and Lucas kissing.
Lucas Friar moved back to Texas at 17, now he’s running for Mayor of Rosewood Springs so best friend Zay and little sister Gigi decide he needs a little help from a political consultant.
Riley Matthews found her calling, she found a fiancé, but she never expected to find herself here, of all places.
Cross-posted to FF.net | Soundtrack
-the moon that moves your tides- -basics of you and me- -rather hurt than feel nothing at all- -taste of love oh bittersweet- -time to face my weakness- -you do what you do- -a place you belong- -the one I want for life- -find a reason- -show me the way- -I hope you understand- -the coolest thing I ever felt- -I wish you had sunglasses on- -so you stole my world- -the spark that lights you up- -everything that stands between us- -it happens all the time- -we drifted away- -lead me not into temptation- -the smell of your skin- -the sky turns dark- -heart and soul baby- -beat the odds- -coming home to stay- -heard you sigh- -my body aches- -old t-shirt that I love- -you don’t want me back- -your everything- -sweet surrender- -need you now- -loss of my innocence- -look him in the eye- -blows me away- -won’t ever be lonely- -the only one I dream of- -crying at night- -must be doing something right- -be your man- -look at me that way- -in this little town- -dancing in the dark-
Lucas Friar moved back to Texas at 17, now he’s running for Mayor of Rosewood Springs so best friend Zay and little sister Gigi decide he needs a little help from a political consultant.
Riley Matthews found her calling, she found a fiancé, but she never expected to find herself here, of all places.
Cross-posted to FF.net | Soundtrack | Past Chapters
Author Note: If only Lucas had read that note at the end of the last chapter, am I right? So close, but oh so far.
-I wish you had sunglasses on-
Riley was up early, she had Lucas’ paperwork all put together so he could officially register, she had the designs for his flyers, banners, signs, pins, all ready to go. She sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee, hoping it would keep her going for at least most of the day.
She hadn’t slept at all.
Every single time she’d gotten close Lucas filled her thoughts. She was starting to get lost in fantasies of him kissing her neck, undressing her. After she took a shower that didn’t help clear her mind, if anything it led to even steamier thoughts of him she decided to put her energy into working on the campaign.
“Morning” Lucas came in, freshly showered, dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and a plaid shirt thrown over but unbuttoned. “How’d you sleep last night?” He’d seen her light still on when he left for the emergency house call.
“I didn’t” she confessed before she could stop herself, “But um, I was working on all of this. Your paperwork is filled out, these are the designs for the flyers and such. Where did you go to so late, or was it early?”
“House call, Camilla’s dog was sick, she should be fine, but better to be cautious then careless.” He watched her, wondering if she’d had trouble sleeping for the same reason he had before he looked over the designs, “These look great, thank you Riley.”
“Just doing my job.” She took a long sip of coffee, why did he smell so good, so delicious, why was he so close to her right now that she could feel his body heat, his body vibrations.
“So, what do we do now?”
Riley could think of a million things they could do right now, but she snapped out of that daze just before answering, “Um, I need to find a print shop that can get all of this stuff printed up. You need to files these today, meet me at city hall at eleven.”
“Yeah, okay, I should be back from house calls by then.” He watched as she started to gather her things, “Are you okay?”
“Just ready to get to work making you the next mayor of this town.”
“Okay, I’ll see you at eleven then.” He went to pour himself a cup of coffee.
“Yes, you will.” She went out the backdoor, hugging her laptop to her body as she went to her car. She sat behind the wheel for a moment, her hands shaking, wondering how she was going to get through another day around him, let alone make it all the way until November.
Lucas watched her drive away, he’d found a way for her to stay, hell she’d given it to him. She couldn’t be oblivious to how easily they connected, how if they let themselves a fire would ignite between them that couldn’t be put out.
Or was that exactly what she was afraid of?
Why had she been outside his room the other night?
He had to get answers to his questions.
As he took a sip of his coffee, feeling it warm his tired body it hit him. After he filed the paperwork, he would take her to lunch. Sure, the only real option was Casey’s Diner, but he just had to do what he could to remove every brick one by one of the wall between them. He had to find out why that wall existed as high as it was.
Riley had a productive morning, she got an order set to print all the materials for the campaign. She had the press release set to send out as soon as Lucas turned in his paperwork, and she had the new social media accounts ready to go.
She was sitting outside city hall, reading her messages from Dave. They were all about the surprise he had for her when she got back to New York, she could feel the guilt knotting in her stomach, mixing with the batch of dread-filled butterflies swarming around as well.
“Hey, you ready to make this official?” Lucas had sat beside her, his arm around her while she’d been lost in her thoughts.
She blinked, “What?” her heart racing.
“The running for mayor thing.” He smiled before planting a quick kiss on her forehead, ‘What else would I be talking about?”
“Sorry” She waved her hand like it wasn’t a big deal, “I was spacing out, reading messages from Dave.”
Lucas felt his entire body stiffen, his jaw tight, “Oh, well let’s get this going.” He could feel his jealousy simmering through his body. He needed to find a way to keep it in check.
“Yeah let’s.” Riley rose from the bench, digging in her bag for his paperwork, “Here you go.”
Lucas took the file as they went up the steps, he took a moment and found the clerk’s office. “Hi Mrs. Miller, how are you today?”
Riley took a quick picture on her phone of him, casual still, but it was perfect for the social media accounts.
“Why Dr. Friar” The older woman smiled when she saw him, and then even brighter when she saw Riley with him, “What can I do for you?”
Lucas looked down at the file, “I would like to file these.”
Mrs. Miller took the paperwork, “Marriage License?”
“No” Lucas looked to Riley, “Not yet, actually I’m going to run for mayor.”
“Oh well let me get this all approved for you.” Mrs. Miller quickly went over the paperwork, “Looks to be in order.”
“Wonderful” Lucas kept his eyes on Riley who was looking down at her phone.
Mrs. Miller couldn’t help but notice the way Lucas was looking at Riley, “Only $81, just a three day wait to get married.”
“Now Mrs. Miller, Riley and I just got back together. I think we should wait a little while before I pop the question, don’t you?” He’d leaned forward so Riley couldn’t hear.
Mrs. Miller noticed the way Riley would glance at him, “Fine, but you’re just putting off the inevitable, I’ll see you here in what September, October, to get one.”
“I sure hope so.” Lucas signed the document Mrs. Miller passed to him.
“Well it’s official Lucas, you’re running for mayor, good luck with everything.”
“Thanks Mrs. Miller, I’ll see you Friday right, Fluffernutter is scheduled for his shots.”
“Yeah, I’ll see you then Doc.”
Riley smiled as she watched the exchange before he came over to her, “All set?”
“Yeah, unless you want to get a marriage license for us. That’s what Mrs. Miller thought we were here for.”
Riley blushed, “Yes well I don’t plan on wasting money on another one of those.” She’d realized what she said, but knew he didn’t seem to know.
Lucas studied her, “You and Dave already got one?”
“No, not yet, we haven’t even set a date.” She reminded him as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder.
“Good” Lucas put his hand on the small of her back, “Let’s get lunch.”
Riley tried to ignore the flood of warmth, of energy she felt from his touch, “I was just going to go back to the house.”
“I’m taking you out, come on.” Lucas guided her out of the building, “Come on, trust me.”
Riley sighed, “Fine.”
Lucas took her hand, feeling the warmth spread through his body, “I mean we’ve got limited options, but quality over quantity am I right?”
“Right” Riley followed him into the diner which was starting to get busy as he led her to a booth towards the back, “Okay Friar, what are you up to?”
“Taking my favorite girl out for lunch.” He told her honestly.
“Shouldn’t that be Gigi then?” She looked over the menu.
“She’s my sister but you’re my favorite.” He was trying to tell her, was she really going to wear him down to having to say the words.
Before Riley could reply a waitress came to take their order.
“So,” Lucas looked out the window to the street, “Um, what is your schedule going to be like now that this whole thing is official.”
“Well it depends on what events you’ll have to go to, which really the more you’re out there the better.”
“As long as I don’t let the care of my patients suffer.” He reminded her.
“I will do my best to make sure that your patients still come first.” She looked at her phone, “Oh yay, Maya really did send that package express.”
“Oh, did your clothes arrive already?”
“Yeah, if my alert is correct it’s waiting on your porch right now.”
“Great, we gotta get you a little more country and less city.” Lucas smirked, though he had a feeling whatever Maya sent wasn’t what Riley had intended for her to.
Riley leaned on the table top towards him, “Are you going to try and make me an honest country woman?”
“If you let me.” He meant that in every way possible.
Their food arrived and Riley looked up to Lucas, “You know, there is something I’ve always wondered.”
“Oh yeah, what’s that?”
“How come you never moved back to New York.”
His mouth formed the shape of an O as he sat back, “I just um, wasn’t sure there was anything for me in New York.”
“Something about the way he looked at her in this moment sent a chill through Riley, “Your friends are there, I know Farkle still visits you. And I was there.”
Lucas took a bite of his burger to avoid responding, trying to find the words that he could, “Why didn’t you come surprise me for my eighteenth birthday?” it flew out before he could catch himself.
Riley was stunned, “What?”
“Zay had told me you were going to come down, and then, you didn’t. Was he wrong, or did someone or something stop you from coming?” It was out now, he might as well find out.
“I was planning to come down, to surprise you, um, I worked every shift I could at the bakery to save money to buy the tickets, but um” she looked around wishing she could escape this conversation, “One night, I was going through Instagram and um, I got the impression you didn’t need a visit from me, you didn’t need to remember your life in New York.”
“So, you decided not to come?”
“Yeah” She looked away so he wouldn’t see the tears in her eye, damn she wished she hadn’t left her sunglasses in her purse, but it would be obvious if she pulled them out now. “Your um Instagram feed was full of pictures of you with different girls, all of them all over you.”
Lucas felt sick as he looked away, that was why she didn’t come, because she thought he moved on? “I didn’t personally post those, and the girls kind of mob me. It was odd, flattering at first, but none of them were you. None of them could ever be you. I deleted them as soon as I found them on my feed.”
“I figured, I went to delete them the other day.” She confessed.
“That’s why you thought my social media needed to be scrubbed clean?” He was filling some blanks now, it was making sense. He couldn’t be mad at her anymore, not now that he knew why she didn’t come to visit. He couldn’t blame her for what she thought, and he wasn’t supposed to know anyways.
She ran her hand through her hair as she tried to look away so he couldn’t see her crying. Trying to use it as an excuse to dry her eyes. “I mean I unfollowed you after that, I was hurt, and I couldn’t even fathom coming to see you, I couldn’t be rejected by you then.”
He reached across the table for her left hand, taking it in his letting his thumb rub over her ring finger, “I wouldn’t have rejected you. I would never reject you.”
She pulled her hand away, “That’s sweet of you to say.”
He knew she was avoiding looking at him, and he was close to telling her. “I’m not just saying it.”
“The past is the past Lucas, we can’t change it.” She moved her fork around her plate, “I didn’t come to Texas, and you made decisions not to go other places. It is what it is, and it led us to the here and now.”
He knew she wasn’t going to talk about it more than she already was, he knew that something else was bothering her. The way she spoke made him think that, but he couldn’t put it together, what did he still not know?
They sat in silence for a while before Riley looked up, “Are Gigi and Zay working tonight or will they be joining us for dinner?”
“Working, busy week with the Fourth of July a few days away, the bachelor auction tomorrow night.” Lucas looked to her, “We don’t have to have dinner together if you don’t want to.”
“No that’s not it” She tried to smile, “I just wanted to know how many I was cooking for tonight. Don’t want to make too much or too little of something.”
“What else do you have to do in town? I only have a few patients this afternoon, then I’m going to bring some paperwork home.”
“Actually, I think I’m done in town for the day at least.” Riley shifted nervously in her seat, “I’ll just go back to the ranch, unpack the stuff Maya sent, um do some work.”
“You should explore downtown a little bit, get to know it.” Lucas suggested, “Maybe check out the bookstore.”
“You want me to hang around town, I don’t need a ride, I have a car.” She reminded him.
He leaned closer to her across the table giving her a quick kiss on the lips, “I want you to see this town, see it’s heart, see its soul, I want you to see Rosewood Springs and what makes it so special.”
“If you, um, if I uh, didn’t know better than I would think you were trying to give me a reason to stay in town, you know, after.”
Lucas got up from his seat, picking up the check, “Maybe, or maybe I think you need to know Rosewood Springs if you’re going to help me win.”
Lucas was sitting on the steps when Riley pulled up, “So enjoy exploring?”
Riley got out of the car, carrying a bag from the bookstore, “Maybe,” she then grabbed a bag from the grocery store, “I’m surprised you got here before me.”
“Don’t worry I didn’t open your box of clothes that Maya sent.” He picked the box up.
“Thank goodness for small favors.” She started up the stairs, “Thanks for grabbing that.”
“Of course,” He opened the door as he balanced the box on his hip, “You sure Maya just sent you clothes?”
“Yeah, what else is she going to send me?” Riley shook her head as she put her bags down at the kitchen table before putting things away. “So, good afternoon at the office?”
“Yeah, it was good.” Lucas went to the fridge and took out a soda, “I’m sorry, but I’m dying to know what Maya sent you. I know Gigi would love to go shopping with you if you find you need some stuff.”
Riley rolled her eyes, “Okay, go ahead, open the box.”
“Okay then” Lucas took out his pocket knife and set his soda on the table. After cutting through the tape, he pulled back the flaps. He stared at the contents. He wasn’t sure if he should laugh or not, “Um Ri, what did you ask Maya to send you?”
“Tank tops, t-shirts, jeans, why she didn’t send more suits did she?” Riley had taken a few things out of the fridge and was preparing to start making dinner.
Lucas smirked, “You know Ri, I’m just glad to see you went with the waterproof rabbit.” He held the box up as he turned to look at her.
Riley stopped what she was doing, “What the hell?”
He put the box down on the counter where she was, “Are you finding that you’ve got pent up needs here in Texas?”
“No” Riley lied as she took the box, “Maya is being funny, I didn’t ask her to send this.”
“You shouldn’t need that anyways.” Lucas could hear the change in his voice, “Every want, every need, you have, every desire of yours should be fulfilled.”
Riley knew if she looked at him, within five minutes they would be naked in one of their beds, giving in to whatever this was, “That’s kind of you.”
Lucas watched as she grabbed the vibrator box and went over to the package, “What else did Maya send?”
Riley was putting it back when she stopped, “What the fuck Maya?”
“What did she send?” He was curious, beyond curious about what Maya was up to.
Riley pulled out the short purple nightie, “What does she think I’m doing down here?”
She thinks you’re doing me, or should be. Lucas studied the silk item that hung on Riley’s finger, already picturing her in it, while also growing hot with jealousy at the thought that Dave had seen her in it, he’d pushed the straps off her shoulders, kissed his way down her body. “You’ll have to ask Maya.”
Riley shook her head as she looked at the rest of the items, “The rest is what I asked for.” She was embarrassed, what if Lucas thought she needed the vibrator because all she could think about was him taking her, or that the she asked for the nightie in a bid to seduce him.
“You okay Ri?”
“Yeah, I’m just going to take this upstairs before I come back to make dinner.”
“After you yell at Maya, right?”
“No, that would give her satisfaction.” Riley closed the box, “No, make her wonder if her little ploy worked.”
“And what was her ploy exactly?” He stepped towards her.
Riley tried to stand up straight and tall, “What do you think it was, because that’s probably exactly what it is.”
Lucas waited a moment as Riley left the kitchen, “So Maya wants you to seduce me?” he called out.
“No,” Riley paused on the stairs, “She wants me to remember that I’m missing my fiancé.” She knew it was wrong, but she couldn’t let him know he was right.
Lucas shook his head, yeah, he wasn’t buying that. “Whatever you say Princess!”
Riley went to her room, putting the box down on the bed. Lucas was right, Maya wanted her to seduce him. Hell, part of Riley wanted to seduce him, part of her was thinking about putting that nightie on right now, going back to the kitchen, and letting Lucas have her for dinner.
Charlie was waiting at the bar, slowly drinking his beer knowing that as soon as he was done with the drink he would have to go home to his wife and the kids. But he had to talk to Dave first, find out what he was going to do about the picture that Lucas had posted on Instagram.
He looked up seeing Dave come in just as the waitress put the chips and salsa down in front of him that he’d ordered. Hey might as well have his best friend’s favorite food ready as he complains about that bastard Lucas.
Dave moved though the crowded bar to find Charlie, “Okay, what is so important I had to come down here right after work? I have to go plan things for when Riley gets back in a few days.”
Charlie signaled for the waitress who came and took Dave’s drink order before he started, “You haven’t talked to Riley for a few days have you.”
Dave thought for a moment, “Saturday after I was on the boat with Avery for the day.”
Charlie nodded as he took a corn chip and dipped it in the Salsa. “So where did she say she was.”
“Texas, and that she didn’t think she’d be there long, why?” Dave grabbed a corn chip just as the waitress brought over his microbrew.
“She asked Maya to send her some clothes cause she’s going to be there for a while and she needs to blend in better.” Charlie sat back, “Did she mention who she’s with in Texas?”
“No, but she doesn’t talk about her clients with me.”
Charlie hated this, “I um shared this with you on Instagram, but I’m guessing you haven’t checked that for a while.” He pulled the picture up, “Maya liked this last night.”
Dave rolled his eyes, “You check what Maya likes on Instagram, don’t you trust her?”
“Oh, I do, I also know when she’s up to something.” Charlie leaned forward on his arms, “She’s been talking to Farkle a lot, and Zay.”
Dave picked up the phone, “This has to be an old picture.”
“Read the caption Dave.” Charlie really hoped that his friend was in denial, but that picture was clear as day.
“Seeing the new Chris Evans film with my beautiful girlfriend.” Dave finally allowed himself to scroll down, “You and Riley look so happy says a GigiDarcy, and then, You and Riley looking in each other’s stupid, stupid eyes brings back memories replies BarGuyZay.”
Charlie watched as Dave put the phone down, before taking a long sip of his drink.
“She wasn’t wearing her ring.” Dave finally spoke, “She’s with Lucas Friar, her first love and she took off the ring I gave her.”
“That’s what it looks like.” Charlie suddenly worried he’d done the wrong thing. Maybe he shouldn’t have told Dave.
Dave picked up Charlie’s phone again, pulling up Lucas’ profile, “Rosewood Springs, well I gotta get down there and find out what’s going on.”
“Maybe just call her.” Charlie suggested, yeah Maya was going to kill him for getting involved in this.
Dave ran his hand over his hair, “No, I have to find out face to face. If Riley is cheating on me with Lucas of all people, you remember what he was like back in school.”
“I mean yeah” Charlie sighed, “I mean he and Riley had something back then that was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before or since, but that was kid stuff. She said yes to you Dave, I mean unless you’ve given her a reason for her to stray, what are you really worried about?”
“If this was Maya and say Josh Matthews would you not be worried?” Dave shoved the phone at Charlie.
He looked down at the picture on his screen, “Okay, I would be nervous at least about what could be going on.”
“I gotta get a flight to Texas, do I fly into Dallas or Austin?”
Hey and Zay would say they were from Austin, so there?” Charlie really had a bad feeling about what was happening, and he was sure he was going to be sleeping in Dave’s apartment or boat once Maya found out.
“Good idea, I gotta go pack, and get a flight, and find out what the hell is going on.”
“Dave” Charlie called out, “Don’t do something stupid, don’t do anything that is going to drive her into Friar’s arms. Because I’m sure he’s waiting for her with them wide open.”
Shit. Charlie sighed, he probably just made everything worse.
Lucas Friar moved back to Texas at 17, now he’s running for Mayor of Rosewood Springs so best friend Zay and little sister Gigi decide he needs a little help from a political consultant.
Riley Matthews found her calling, she found a fiancé, but she never expected to find herself here, of all places.
Cross-posted to FF.net | Soundtrack
-the moon that moves your tides- | -basics of you and me- | -rather hurt than feel nothing at all- | -taste of love oh bittersweet-
Author Note: Sorry this is up so late tonight, it was a random babysitting day with the nephew, and if it was up to him Aunt Kat would never have her laptop open or be on her phone unless it’s to show him videos and pictures of him being cute. And then well I had to listen to ÷ and I got sucked into a Jenny Han book... I did get asked about a dream cast list for this, so I’ll post one on tumblr this weekend. Next chapter will be up on March 6th, so Monday!
-time to face my weakness-
“Riley” his voice cut through her body, cut through the noise of the crowd around them, the slot machines as far as the eye could see.
She spun towards him, her heart rapidly beating. The tight V-neck t-shirt across his broad chest which had just gotten broader over the last few years, the sparkle of his green eyes. She felt his arms slip around her, lift her off the ground and spin her around before his lips crashed onto hers as though it were the most natural thing in the world for him to just kiss her.
She snaked her arms around him, fingers fluffing the hair at the back of his neck as she returned the kiss. She’d missed this, him, damn it why hadn’t she gone to Texas A&M after all instead of NYU and George Washington?
She pulled her lips from his first kissing his jawline, his facial hair tickling her lips as she moved towards his ear, “Lucas, don’t let me go, don’t ever let me go.”
He held her still as he set her down, the two still embraced, his eyes wet with tears, “I miss you Riley, I still love you.”
Her stomach flip-flopped, her heart swelled, “I still love you, I miss you every moment of every day.”
“We should talk, just us.” He told her before kissing her once more.
His room was just a few floors below Riley’s as he pushed the door open she pulled him into it, kissing him, feeling him push her up against the wall, kissing every inch of her body that he could find exposed.
“Are you still a virgin?” She pulled away from him, remembering all the images she’d seen on his Instagram account before she unfollowed him, tried to pretend he no longer existed.
She watched as he ran his hand over his hair, “I’ve done oral, but never actual sex.”
She could see the fear in his eyes, “Same” she confessed, it had been years since they were together, he moved on and so had she.
Lucas reached for her, “I want you as my first and my only.”
She let her fingers trial up his chest before her eyes focused on his, “Don’t make a promise you don’t intend to keep or can’t keep.”
His hands moved down her body, “You are my heart, my missing piece. If you let me make love to you here and now, I am yours forever, and I will make it legal tomorrow at the chapel of your choice.”
“Lucas” she turned away, still caught in his touch, “I’m in D.C. and you’re in Texas, we can’t be married.”
“Yes, we can, we only have another year of school left, right?” His fingers moved the hair from hiding her eyes, “I can apply to Grad School near D.C. or wherever you are, I love you Riley, if you’ll have me, I will move heaven and earth to be wherever you are.”
These were the words she’d been silently dying to hear for years, words she never thought she would, “I could move to Texas once I graduate, you can go to Vet school and I could find a job, doing something, I don’t even know what I want to do still.”
“We’ll figure it all out” he smiled watching the way her eyes lit up before she kissed him, her fingers slipping under his shirt.
Lost in the fever, lost in the moment as they shed their clothes, explored parts they hadn’t touched in years and finally succumb to the desires they’d locked away. He kissed his way along her back, feeling her shiver under each touch of his lips.
She took his hand, kissing the palm several times before moving up his arm to his neck as her legs wrapped around him.
Neither spoke, they just looked in the other’s eyes as they braced for the moment, when two became one.
Riley sat up in bed, her heart racing, her body sweaty and cold at the same time as she tried to adjust to where she was. The sun was already rising and she found her phone, along with fifteen missed calls, eight from Dave, three from Maya, one from Isadora, and two from Farkle.
Texas.
Lucas.
Her ring?
Riley looked at her hand, then it all made sense again, she’d had some kind of allergic reaction to her ring. Lucas gave her a Benadryl before passing out.
Yes.
That’s why she’d had that dream.
That’s why she’d allowed her memory to let it through.
It was the only explanation possible.
She dug her shower supplies out of her bag before grabbing her towel and going down the hall. The house was quiet still, she wasn’t honestly sure if it was because everyone else was asleep or because they were out doing chores. She was really going to have to get a schedule and if she was going to stick around find a way to help out where she could.
The water was exactly the pressure Riley had been craving after spending the last several months in a California hotel.
How was she going to do this? How was she going to help Lucas when all she wanted to do was get away from him?
That was a lie.
Part of her wished she was the type of woman who could break his heart on purpose. Make him fall in love with her, get him hot and bothered, and then leave him waiting for her outside a wedding chapel.
No, she was still lying to herself.
Part of her, a tiny part buried deep down, one she ignored most days, wanted him. Wished that he’d thrown her over his shoulder yesterday and brought her to his bedroom, locking them in, tearing her clothes off, making her his once again.
Part of her craved him, not sex, him. His touch, his kiss, his moans, his grunts, the taste of him, the way he made her feel.
No other man ever made her think like that, crave that sort of thing.
Not her college boyfriend Jeremy from her senior year, no he only made her climax if she thought about Lucas.
Not Alan who she’d met while working for her Uncle that first year out of college.
Certainly, not Dave.
But she loved Dave, if she didn’t why on earth would she have accepted his proposal?
Because Lucas Friar was her past, and she never expected to see him again.
Yet here she was, standing naked under the showerhead in a bathroom in his house. She could wrap a towel around her body, slip down the hall into his bedroom, join him in bed.
It would be easy to get lost in that with him once more.
But it would be far too hard to get untangled from the web of pain and lies it would create.
Besides, even if Lucas didn’t remember it, she was the first official notch in his headboard, and she had no intention of giving him the pleasure he’d once received from her. No, Lucas Friar had had her and forgotten, then stood her up outside the wedding chapel.
She closed her eyes, feeling the sting of hot tears.
She hadn’t cried about it in years.
Lucas had used her for sex. He had to know it was her, saying he forgot cleared him of the guilt, and got him off the hook for standing her up.
He’d made a promise he’d had no intention of keeping.
She scrubbed her body clean, trying to hold back the tears. He wasn’t worth them.
When she was done, she piled her hair into a towel and got dressed in jeans, a basic black t-shirt, and her favorite pair of keds.
The house was still quiet, she grabbed her phone, seeing a new voicemail from Dave, and another from Maya. She went out to the front porch and called Maya first.
“Hey, you called four times.” Riley sighed as she took in the view around her, it was beautiful with the golden morning sun painting the day around her.
“Yeah, I heard something crazy last night and I refuse to believe it’s true.”
Riley could practically hear Maya laughing already, “What did you hear?”
“That you not only used the words blow job, whore, and cock at the dinner table last night, you also did a demonstration.”
“You talked to Zay huh?”
“Actually Farkle.”
“Great, just wonderful.” Riley sighed, “I did, it just kind of happened. I don’t know I was just angry and wanted to shut him down.”
“So, you’re really in Texas at Lucas’ ranch?”
“Yeah, I haven’t told Dave yet.” Riley ran her finger over where her engagement ring had been, the swelling gone and the rash already clearing.
“So, I take it theirs...tension? What’s his wife like, or better yet how much does she hate you?”
“Yes, theirs tension, that would be an understatement. He’s not married, but you probably knew that already.”
“Okay fine, how badly do you want him to just take you somewhere and fuck you until you couldn’t possibly fuck again?”
“Maya, that is an awful question!”
“And I have my answer.” She chuckled.
“I’m going to try and find someone else to help him. I’m not sure I’m comfortable dealing with cleaning up his past sexual escapades.” Riley looked towards the door, “He says he doesn’t remember who he slept with in Las Vegas.”
“Ouch, that has got to hurt.”
“Not as much as it did when I waited for him and he didn’t show up.” Riley blinked back the tears, “I um, I gotta call Dave. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way back to New York, I shouldn’t be here more than a few days.”
“When’s the election?”
“November, why?”
“I’ll see you in November.”
Before Riley could protest she realized that Maya had hung up on her.
She took a moment before she dialed Dave’s number, “Hey, sorry I missed your calls.”
“Are you okay? Isadora would only say that you’ll be in Texas until November.”
Riley rolled her eyes, “I uh probably won’t be gone that long at all. I’m not sure this client needs the Riley Matthews touch.”
“Everyone needs the Riley Matthews touch.”
Riley cringed as she heard him trying to sound sexy, “Um, weird question, you have the insurance policy for the ring, right? Nothing has happened, but just in case it does, you got it when you got the ring at Tiffany’s right?”
“Yeah of course babe, it’s covered. What makes you so sure you won’t be gone for long on this?”
“I just um, I think someone else might be what the client needs, but I’ll figure it out first.” She felt that nagging knot in the pit of her stomach. “I gotta go, we’ll talk later when I know more.”
“I love you Riley.”
“I love you Dave.” The words felt wrong as she spoke them, and that alone was enough reason for her to get as far away from Lucas Friar, from Texas as soon as possible.
The screen door opened, Lucas came out in well-worn jeans, a sports gray t-shirt, “Um, Coffee is ready if you want some.”
“Thanks, that would be wonderful.” She rose from where she’d been sitting, walking through the door.
“Did you sleep okay?” He watched her, trying to ignore the obvious that she’d been talking to Dave and the jealousy bubbling inside of him.
“Not really, I always have weird dreams when I take Benadryl.” She looked away from him as they moved through the living room to the kitchen, “What about you, did you sleep okay?”
“Like a baby” a baby that as up all night, crying and screaming. She’d invaded his thoughts, he’d felt anger boiling inside of him all night. At times, he wanted to go wake her up and demand to know why she seemed so angry at him, but then he got scared.
Scared that she wasn’t angry at him.
Scared of possible comfort that could be sought from each other.
Scared that he could give in.
Scared that she would give in.