Chelle felt her stomach drop to the ground. A wave of utter disappointment washed over her. She knew her reaction was completely ridiculous, and she did her best to get it in check before it had the chance to show in her facial expression.
He had a life. He had friends. He didn’t need to babysit her.
She also knew that if she felt this upset just because she wasn’t going to be with him for a few hours, then she really wasn’t doing a good enough job maintaining her grasp on the fact that this time they were sharing was extremely temporary.
This little development was like a blinking neon sign warning her that she was getting WAY too attached to having him around. She was forming an addiction to his presence, and if she let it go on much longer, then detoxing was going to be a real bitch! It was probably a good thing that this dinner came up when it did. It was like reality was giving her a slap in the face.
This isn’t a real thing, you and Riley, she told herself. You need to remember that THIS ISN'T REAL!
Riley was only here because Katie was worried about Chelle, and Jason wanted to stay on his honeymoon. He was doing everyone a favor.
That thought made her feel really bad about kissing him...let's be honest, practically seducing him...on the upper deck.
She pasted on her best smile, “Oh, that’s great!”
She hoped she sounded convincing.
“Have you ever eaten Indonesian food?” He asked.
She shook her head, “Nope, I don’t think so.”
Don’t look sad. Don’t look sad. She repeated these words over and over again in her head. She was trying as hard as she could to keep her countenance upbeat, positive. She would have time to process this completely disproportionate reaction to him being gone for a couple of hours when he left to go meet his friend. Now was not the time!
“Well I know Mindy, Tommy’s wife, was planning on making Indonesian food. They asked if that was okay with us?”
“Huh?” She thought she must have heard him incorrectly due to the internal dialogue running through her head like a ticker tape. She didn’t want to make a fool of herself and assume that she was invited. Although...that was what it sounded like.
“I asked if Indonesian would be alright.” He gave her a strange, somewhat concerned, look. Kind of like the one her mom would give her before touching the back of her hand to Chelle's head to check for a temperature.
She still was not 100% convinced that his question meant that she was invited, so she decided to clarify, “Did you want me to go?”
He tilted his head to the side a little, his puzzled look intensifying, “Yeah, of course I do.”
Woo Hoo (happy dance in full effect!), he wanted her to go with him!
Wait...but what if he was just asking out of obligation? What if he felt like it would be rude not to include her?
She definitely didn’t want to be some kind of pity case. She didn’t want him to feel like he had to invite his best friend’s little sister, who had just gotten dumped practically at the altar.
Okay, maybe she was being slightly dramatic. But still, she didn’t want to impose. She should let him off the hook.
“Oh no, don’t worry about me! You should go, have fun, catch up. I’ll be fine.”
He smiled a smile that she had never seen before and she thought that her panties might spontaneously combust - burst into flames right there on the Blue and Gold boat. WOW! So that is what a panty-melting smile was!
“I want you to come with me. Tommy’s wife Mindy is a sweetheart. I think you two would really get along. They just had a baby, who I'm sure they want to show off to as many admirers as possible. Plus...you don’t want me to feel like the odd man out, do you?”
“No,” she rushed to explain, “I just thought...well...I don’t want you to feel like you have to invite me.”
Chelle felt a blush creep up her cheeks.
Riley brushed aside a hair that had fallen in her face and tucked it behind her ear. His fingertips lingered below her ear, his thumb slowly traced her jawline. “I want you to go,” he said simply.
Well, damn. How could she possibly say no to that?
“Okay.” She smiled.
She heard him let out an audible breath. She saw his hazel eyes trained on her mouth, “God, I love it when you do that.”
“What?” she asked with a nervous little laugh, “Agree with you?” She didn't know where this was going but she was really enjoying the way his gaze was laser-focused on her.
“Smile. I love it when you smile.” His tone sounded rough, like he was on the ragged edge.
She smiled even wider and he groaned and leaned back in his chair.
Hmm, interesting, she thought. SO...maybe he doesn't just look at me as Eddie’s little sister. That discovery made her feel as giddy as a schoolgirl whose crush just asked her to prom.