Chapter 7
He couldn't argue with the vehemence in her voice, and in truth he knew he would be relieved when she was gone. She still didn't look at him once as he and a now–dejected Samantha walked her to her impractical little car.
"Samantha, I'll see you Monday in school," she said, with what sounded like false brightness in her voice. "Thank you again for dinner."
She climbed into her car, started it and took off down the driveway. He hit the buzzer to open the gates just as she reached them, wondering if it could possibly be only a day since he had found her climbing over them.
As her taillights headed down, he held Samantha's hand and watched them disappear.
How insane. She only blew into his life the day before, but he knew as he watched her drive away that she had left footprints on his heart. He would miss her laughter and her softness and her sweet, infectious smile.
He had to let her go. He had no choice. Anything between them was impossible. Even before he found out she had once been a fan of his, he knew he could never do anything about this terrifying tenderness growing inside him.
That didn't make the regret any less bitter.
She was going to die — just pull her Mini over somewhere along the road, curl up in the front seat and wither away from absolute mortification.
But Miss Riley already loves you, Daddy. You just have to fall in love with her.
Oh, this was the most awful moment of Riley's life. It was bad enough that he should find out from his daughter about the crush she used to have on him. It was far worse that she had to be sitting three feet away from him when he did!
She forced herself to concentrate on the driving until she had reached the town limits and her own little white clapboard house. Once home, she pulled into her driveway and buried her face in her hands. She felt miserable. Completely wretched. All she could think about was the soft, seductive heat of their kiss and the way she wanted to lean into him and let him hold her forever.
Tears burned behind her eyes. She used to have a crush on a one–dimensional image on the screen, gorgeous and strong. But she was very much afraid she had lost her heart to the man behind that image. Even through her absolute horror as she had listened to Samantha's scheme, as the girl had talked about how much she wanted a mommy — how much she had wanted Riley for a mommy — she had wanted it, too.
She still did. She ached with it, with the possibilities he had stirred up inside her by the tender heat of that kiss. She indulged in those possibilities — okay, those impossibilities — for only a moment then she dropped her hands and squared her shoulders.
It was over. She had shared one wonderful starlit night with him and with Samantha and that was all she would ever have. She just needed to put the whole humiliating experience behind her, forget about her teenage crush and the wonderful man she had found in real life, and figure out how to move on. After she talk to Maya.
"She did not say that in front of him." Maya squealed in laughter.
"She did," Riley admitted with a rueful smile.
Maya howled. "What did Lucas say?" Maya wiped tears from the corners of her eyes with the pads of her fingers.
"Not much." Riley felt a flush creep up her neck. "What can the man say? I don't think he knew how to respond. He'd never want to humiliate me." Riley had given this matter a lot of thought. "I think he was embarrassed."
Maya cleared her throat. "Why embarrassed?"
"I came over for dinner to discuss about his daughter and he learned that I have a huge crush on him." Riley shuddered. "Who does that?"
Maya straightened and leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees, her eyes intense and very blue. "First, you went there to discuss about Samantha. Second, you having a crush on him was a long time ago. It was a long time ago right? I mean, it's not like you still like the guy, do you?"
Riley felt the heat crawl up her neck.
"Oh boy! Riley, what aren't you telling me?"
"Uhmm, we kinda, sorta kiss. Could this get any more complicated?" She expelled a heavy sigh and answered her own question. "Why yes, Riley it could."
Maya's lips twitched. "I'm giving up television. Now that I have you and Lucas to keep me entertained."
"Glad I could be of help," Riley said drily.
"Peaches, tell me why do you think it's complicated? It was just a kiss. Maybe it was just a friendly kiss."
"It's time I start looking for a boyfriend," Riley said, surprised Maya couldn't figure out something so simple.
"I see –".
"Maya, do you mind…"
"You're the one that's making this complicated. He likes you. You like him. You two should be dating."
A sad smile tipped the corners of Riley's lips. If only it could be that simple. "I'm Samantha's teacher."
"So? The kid loves you. Heck, she wants you to be her mommy."
Anger spurted in Riley's veins. Now, she knew Maya was being deliberately obtuse. And she didn't appreciate it at all. Didn't her friend realize this whole situation was breaking Riley's heart?
"Can you please take this conversation seriously?" Riley spoke more harshly than she intended. "After tonight, I don't know if I can show my face around him again. I'm just glad that he's a recluse and doesn't come to the school. I am never ever talking on speaker again!"
"I'm sorry Riles. It was my fault. I shouldn't have said that. I was just teasing you. I didn't realize that a munchkin was listening. The brat."
A tear slipped down Riley's cheek but whether it was for Samantha or her own current predicament, she couldn't say. She hurriedly brushed it away.
"You like Lucas. And by the sound of it, seems he likes you too. Give it a chance," Maya urged. "What do you have to lose?"
"My dignity," Riley said in a strangled tone. "It would kill me if I thought each time Lucas looked at me, he was thinking if I like him for who he is now or I was still crushing on Lucas Friar, Knick's Number #15."
"Why don't you ask him how he feels?" At Riley's incredulous look, Maya laughed. "You're right. Bad idea."
The two women sat staring at the computer screen in silence for several seconds. "If you want my advice, I say don't cut the game short. Play all four quarters and see where you stand at the end."
"Maya, this is real life not a basketball game. He could break my heart."
"If you walk away now, you'll never know if you two could have made it all the way." Maya met Riley's gaze. "Regrets don't usually arise from what we've done, but from what we didn't do."
"That's deep peaches."
Maya raised her eye brow questioningly.
"Okay. I'll go for it." Riley steeled her resolve. "I'll try to stay in the game for all four quarters. But pray I don't get thrown for a loss in the last minute."
