Chapter 3: Hobbled

"I'm sorry," Lucas said pulling away. "I… I.."
"You should go now," Riley said coldly.
"Riley,"
"Go now!"
"Riley, we'll talk about this tomorrow ok? Get some rest. The pain medicines-"
"Go!"

Lucas couldn't believe he had just forced a kiss on Riley. What was he thinking? Not to mention how unprofessional it was. He wanted so badly to stay at the hospital and waited until the morning to see her, but he knew if he stayed under the same roof as her, he would barge in to see her regardless of what time it was. They needed to talk and he needed to see her.

Riley was put through a wave of tests and scans before the doctor on duty released her. She wanted to high tail out of the hospital before Lucas returned. There was nothing that could change the awkwardness that would ensue after that explosive kiss the previous night.

"Ok Ms. Matthews, you are free to go. You don't have to go down and wait at discharge because your bill has been paid in full. You can just leave whenever you're ready." The nurse said handing Riley a few sheets of paper, "I trust that you will read the home care manual carefully?"

"Yes ma'am" Riley replied awkwardly. Riley thought she would just send a check for whatever she owed Lucas as soon as she got back to Dallas. Riley hobbled the best she could out to her car with the crutches they gave her. She didn't know if Lucas was already around in the hospital, but she needed to make a break for it and fast. As soon as Riley got out to her car she knew there would be a problem. How am I supposed to drive? I can't even put pressure on my ankle. Yesterday it didn't hurt this badly. I knew nothing good came from coming to the hospital. Riley opened the door to her car and stood there watching and coming up with multiple scenarios to get herself in the car and be able to drive off.
"Riley?" A voice said from behind her. Riley's stomach knotted up because she knew it was Lucas. "Were you trying to get out of here to avoid seeing me?"
"I… I… Yes," Riley said as she built up confidence between her I's. Riley hobbled herself around to look Lucas in the face. "I just can't be around you Lucas, I haven't forgiven you and after last night, I have even fewer reasons to forgive you."
"Riley…" Lucas managed to get out. Riley has and hasn't changed. Riley was never the type to lie to you, but she was never the type to tell you how it felt if she thought it would hurt you.
"Lucas, twelve years ago, whatever we had between us died. We're older now, we're adults, we have our own lives, don't let a teenage crush intervene with our current lives."
"Riley, I don't know what to say, but you're in no condition to drive, and as a doctor, I can't knowingly let you drive away in that condition. Can I at least drive you to your hotel or where you're staying?"
"Luc.."
"Riley, please. You may not care about me anymore, but I still care about you. I want to make sure you're safe."
"Lucas, I'm going to be driving home to Dallas. Josh and Maya are out of town right now and I don't have the keys to their place with me at the moment."
"Oh."
"If you must, can you drive me to the greyhound station and keep my car until Josh and Maya returns?" Riley replied hesitantly.
"Sure," Lucas said helping Riley into the passenger seat of her own car. Lucas walked back over to the driver's side and took a deep breath before getting in. Lucas took a moment to adjust himself in her car.
"Sorry, it isn't as luxurious as what you usually drive." Riley apologized. Lucas felt as though he had been slapped. Was she intentionally trying to hurt him? She knew Lucas wasn't the type to fixate on material things. He may be a billionaire, but inside he was still the simple country boy.
"It's fine. I've driven worst." Lucas snapped back.

The drive to the greyhound station was quiet and awkward, but Lucas had a secret. He was never intending to let her get on that greyhound bus. Lucas didn't trust Riley on a bus alone, especially in her condition. Deep down inside he felt she was still the goofy, naïve, cute, weird, and trusting young girl she once was.
"We're here," Lucas said as he pulled into the parking lot of the greyhound station.
"Thanks. I'll have Josh call you whenever he gets back for my car." Riley said opening the car door.
"Riley, I don't think you should get on a bus in that condition."
"I'll be fine, I've taken the bus down here plenty of times to see Maya and Josh."
"But you're hobbled," Lucas said. Riley couldn't help but laugh. "What?"
"Nothing, I just remembered on that ski trips many eons ago when I had to say, I am hobbled," Riley replied casually. The air grew thick again because that was when they met Evan, it was the first time Riley had stayed up all night talking to someone who wasn't Lucas. It was the day they met the reason Lucas snapped and left for a stupid reason.
"Oh, Riley, I still don't think you should get on that bus. Can I drive you to Dallas? I promise as soon as I see you safe in your own home, I'll leave you alone for life."
"Gee, Lucas, I don't know. I mean Dallas is a far drive, and don't you have work? I can't ask you to put your life on hold just to drive me home."
"Riley, I assure you, nothing will be put on hold. I have 3 days off and the hospital has plenty of doctors to fill in for me. It is a great thing to work in a hospital in the great capital of Austin. Please? I want to make sure you're safe. It is the least I can do after .."
"Ok," Riley said wanting to put a stop to what Lucas intended to say.

Lucas turned the radio on in hopes of filtering out some of the awkward air that they took in around them. Lucas would find himself yet again surprised by a one Riley Matthews as she sang along to one of the country songs that came on the radio, Florida Georgia Line featuring Luke Bryan with This is how we roll. It was a country-pop song that was quite popular nearly 15 years ago.

"Why Ms. Matthews, you have quite the voice on you." Lucas complimented.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't know why I did that. I normally only do that around people I'm comfortable with." Riley stabbed.
"Riley, listen. Since I am dropping you off and getting out of your life forever. Can we talk? For the last time?" Lucas lied. He knew that he wasn't letting her out of his life anytime soon. It was one of his deep dark secrets, Lucas Friar was a true alpha male. If he wanted something or someone, he will have them. Riley is his heart and without his heart, no blood would pump through his veins.
"Sure, what do you want to talk about? How you acted stupidly and left me, our friends, without any explanation, or how you forced a kiss on me yesterday in the hospital room?"
"Ok, that's a start. Riley, you've changed. Twelve years ago this conversation would have been avoided by you at all cost."
"People grow up when they've had their hearts broken Lucas," Riley said coldly.

Lucas felt a cold, sharp, pain in his heart. Riley was angry with him. Only someone who loved someone that much could be this angry with them.

"Riley, I… Twelve years ago, I was an idiot. I was young, stupid, insecure, jealous -"
"Insecure? Jealous? About what? … Evan? Do you mean to tell me you left over our stupid little fight about Evan?"
"No..Yes…No… There were some things going on with me at that time. My parents were going through a divorce, my uncle Bob who was like a second father to me, his wife left him for another man."
"So you assumed I was that type of woman?"
"Riley, why does it feel whatever I say, I'm just digging a bigger grave for myself?!" Lucas snapped.
"Lucas, I'm not going to apologize for being angry. My life was great before this accident. I had moved on, I was living my life, and seeing you again is like a wound that was healing suddenly becoming infected."

An infected wound, that is what she thinks of you now? Lucas turned to look Riley who was looking out the window with her arms crossed.
"Riley, there are things about me that no one knows. Things about me. I can't begin to express how sorry I am for the way I acted that day. I'm sorry. It was the biggest mistake of my life."
"Can we just drive silently? Please?" Riley asked coldly.
"Sure," Lucas replied hurt. I'm sorry Riley, I know I don't deserve you. I know you deserve better than me, but I just can't let you go. You came back into my life for a reason. To be mine.
"Lucas, I'm sorry too," Riley said after a significant amount of silence.
"I'm sorry?"
"I am being horrible to you for something that happened a very long time ago. I said I've moved on, and I shouldn't be so angry still. I'm sorry. Twelve years has passed. We're different. I'm different, you're different. I don't know if I'm ready to pour my heart out to you and act like we're friends or something, but I did miss you those twelve years. You weren't just my boyfriend, you were my best friend first." Riley confessed suddenly.