Chapter Four
Riley sank back inher chair. She’d been staying in her sister’s condo for months, but it still didn’t feel like home. It didn’t help that most of the furniture was Kenzie’s, and a lot of it was more for show than comfort. She squirmed on the wooden seat. Maybe it was time to get some better cushions for the Ethan Allen dining set.
She was trying to get some sketching done. It usually helped her relax, but now she couldn’t focus. Every few seconds, she glanced at her phone. Zane had texted her a few times since their awkward reunion two nights ago. Generichow are you,andjob interview, wish me luckstuff. Her replies were just as terse and empty. She wasn’t sure what to say.
He’d only been back a few days, and they’d destroyed a lifetime of friendship. Or he was right about her being melodramatic.
She took a deep breath, to steady her shaking hand.
What do we need to do to move past the other night?
She set the phone back on the table and stared at it, willing it to give her good news. Still, she was startled when it vibrated against the polished oak a few seconds later, sending a loud hum through the condo.
I was a jackass. Give me another chance?
A whisper of relief trickled through her.Always :-)
I’m coming over.
She grinned. She wasn’t sure how these few words felt more meaningful than every other note they’d passed in the last few days, but she wouldn’t argue. She’d tease him a little, though. She replied,You’re assuming a lot.
Yup. Give me fifteen minutes.
Already feeling infinitely better, she turned her attention back to her sketching. With the looming cloud of frustration gone, she sank into the lines and figures as they met and blended and became recognizable shapes.
When a knock rattled through the apartment, she jumped. She laughed at the empty room and pushed her sketchbook aside. She was on her feet in an instant to yank open the front door.
Zane stood on the other side, raking his fingers over his short black hair. He gave her a hopeful smile. “So I can bask in your presence again?”
Once upon a time, Zane’s combination of self-effacing jokes and pretending to put her on a pedestal made her uneasy. She learned it was just words, though. His way of keeping things light.
“I suppose.” She intertwined her fingers with his and tugged him toward the kitchen table. A warm tingle spread through her at the contact, and she let the touch linger longer than needed.
He dropped her hand the moment she loosened her grip. She bit back a frown. He’d never been as physical as her, but he’d also never pulled away from her before.
No big deal. They needed to find their comfort zone again. “Are you free for a few hours? You can stay and help me plot and just hang out.”
“Sounds fantastic.”