Page 7 of Catching My Dreams

Ella arched a brow. “It was horrid, and you know it.”

“It wasn’t my finest choice,” her grandmother admitted reluctantly. “Mary-Louise said it reminded her of baby vomit.”

Ella’s eyes narrowed. She’d hated the color, but nobody else was allowed to insult her gran’s taste. “What a cow.”

Her grandmother chortled, and Ella left the facility knowing her gran was a little less worried about her and in a far better mood than she’d been in when Ella had arrived that morning.

It would have been the perfect day if not for how she’d woken up that morning screaming and if not for the chisels chipping away behind her eyes and the nausea that often accompanied her frequent migraines.

Unfortunately, when she pulled her white SUV into her driveway, Ella knew she wouldn’t be able to pop some pills and lie in her bedroom with the curtains closed for the rest of the day like she’d planned to.

Ella’s already tight shoulders tensed when she saw the lavender-haired woman sitting on her front step. The muscles in her jaw spasmed, letting her know they didn’t appreciate the way she was gritting her teeth. She’d been to her physiotherapist three days earlier, but it looked like she’d be paying the woman another visit soon.

Riley stood up when Ella made her way over, and if the uneasy smile on her face was anything to go by, she knew her unplanned social call wasn’t entirely welcome.

2

“Hi,” Asher’s girlfriend said once Ella was standing in front of her. With her flawless pale skin and stunning hazel eyes, she would have been striking even without the light purple hair.

“Hi.”

Riley started playing with the end of her braid, the nervous tic letting Ella know she was doing a poor job of feigning friendliness. “I’m sorry I didn’t let you know I was coming. I should have texted or called.”

“It’s fine,” Ella replied with a tired sigh that had more to do with her migraine than the woman standing before her. “Why don’t we go inside?”

“Thanks. That would be great.”

“Where’s Asher?” Ella asked as she worked on unlocking the front door.

“He’s with Chris and Noah.”

Ella’s stomach dropped at the sound of his name. “Right.” She swallowed the lump that had sprouted in her throat and opened the door.

Archie was on her in an instant, barking happily and wagging his little tail as he jumped at her legs, demanding attention.

“Hey, boy,” she greeted him in the voice people reserved for babies and pets before scooping him up. “I missed you too.” She chuckled when the Yorkie attacked her chin with eager licks.

“That’s a nice way to be greeted when you walk in the door,” Riley noted, reminding Ella of her presence.

“It’s the best.” She gave Archie a few more scratches and then got down to business. “Coffee?” she asked her best friend’s girlfriend and Noah’s stepsister.

“Please.”

Ella nodded and made her way to the kitchen, washing her hands before grabbing two mugs from the overhead kitchen cabinet.

“Not to be blunt, but what are you doing here?” she asked once they each had a cup of coffee in their hands.

Riley shifted nervously on her feet. “I came to apologize again.”

Ella should have known. Riley had been relentless in the two and a half months since they’d found Asher. She’d lost count of how many apologies the woman had given her.

“I never should have broken my promise to you.” Riley’s eyes were earnest, and Ella felt a twinge of discomfort. “I gave you my word that I wouldn’t tell anyone you could spiritwalk, and there’s no excuse for how I blurted it out to the others.”

“Like I told you before, it’s fine.”

Riley looked down at her coffee and shook her head. “It’s not fine, though. I can tell you’re still angry whenever we hang out, and I don’t blame you.”

Ella was surprised that she’d picked up on the residual animosity, given that whenever Ella and Riley spent time together, Noah was always there, too. And if Riley’s stepbrother’s presence could accomplish anything, it was distracting her from everything else besides her rage for him. Her anger toward Riley was a half-dead campfire in comparison to the inferno that was her hatred for Noah fucking Warner.

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