Page 135 of Chasing Your Ghost

“Reading and ballet,” Riley’s mom said with an amused grin. “You chose two very expensive afterschool activities.”

“It could have been worse,” Hugh piped up. “It could have been horse-riding and ice-skating.”

“Ooh, is it too late for me to start ice skating?” Olivia asked.

“Yes,” her dad replied immediately. “It’s way too late for that.”

“No fun,” the girl replied with a roll of her eyes.

“What about me? Is it too late for me to take up horse riding?” Noah asked Hugh.

“Yes. If you want to take up horse riding, you can pay for it yourself.”

“Hell, I would pay to see you trying to ride a horse,” Chris told his friend.

“Nah,” Noah replied. “Coach is already pissed off about my arm. I don’t need to risk more injuries now that I can finally play again.”

Noah had been forced to sit on the sidelines until that very morning, and Riley knew he’d hated every minute of watching the rest of his team run drills, work out, and practice without him. She could only hope he’d be ready and back in fighting shape for their first game.

“And you, Asher?” Edith’s mom asked. “How are you holding up after everything that happened?”

Asher reached for Riley’s hand under the table and twined their fingers together. “I’m doing well, actually.” He squeezed her hand and met her gaze. His lips tilted up into a small, almost secretive, smile, his green eyes soft and warm. “Really well.”

Riley bit her bottom lip, her cheeks hurting from repressing her goofy grin.

“You can stop staring at each other now,” Noah said after they’d been looking at each other for maybe a second too long.

Riley sent her stepbrother a glower. He was such a mood killer. But he was also the best stepbrother anyone could ask for.

“If Asher knows what’s good for him, he’ll keep it to staring,” Hugh said before biting into his taco. “I have a baseball bat upstairs that hasn’t been taken for a spin in a while,” he continued when he finished chewing.

“I think you might need to get that bat out right now, then,” Noah told him with a sigh. “No way these two haven’t progressed past the staring stage.”

“Is that so?” Riley’s stepdad said, narrowing his eyes at Asher.

Riley groaned. “Will you two please stop it? Asher is a perfect gentleman.” He also had a remarkably skilled tongue and very talented fingers, but they didn’t need to know that.

“See that it stays that way,” Hugh warned.

Asher, who, bless him, looked more than a bit scared, nodded frantically. “Of course.” It was such a lie, but he sounded impressively convincing.

“Oh, stop it, Hugh,” Riley’s mom said with a tsk. “You’re embarrassing them.”

Hugh held up his hands in defense. “I’m just looking out for Riley.”

Edith raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at him. “No, you and your son are being troublemakers.”

Hugh stared off with her until his lips began to twitch and his frown became a smile. “Fine. We’ll stop.”

“Thank you,” Riley chirped. “Now, let’s talk about Olivia’s boyfriend instead. When do I get to meet him? Are you two in love? Is he a gentleman?”

Olivia’s face turned a brilliant shade of red.

“Aw, Liv, you’re blushing,” Chris teased, lifting his hand to poke her flaming cheek. She swatted him away with a glare. “Does that mean Noah, Asher, and I need to have some words with Drew?”

“Yes, Olivia, is Drew a gentleman?” Noah asked his sister, his grin pure evil.

“Way to throw me in front of the firing squad,” she grumbled, shooting Riley and Noah unimpressed scowls. “And yes, Dad,” she said, turning an innocent look on her father. Riley couldn’t tell if it was real or contrived. “Drew is a perfect gentleman. The other day, he opened my car door for me, and last week he bought me a box of chocolates. And Amy always rolls her eyes when he carries my book bag for me at school, but isn’t that what a gentleman would do?”

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