Page 2 of A Brilliant Spring

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We step off the elevator, this time in my building, and we head for my apartment. Before I have a chance to unlock the door, it flings wide open and two thin arms wrap around my neck.

“Are you okay?” Riley asks softly. She steps back, her hands gripping my biceps as she looks me over, making sure I’m not hiding any feelings. Her eyebrows raise before dropping in satisfaction. “Yeah, you’re fine. So, was it awful seeing him like that?” A shiver ripples over her, causing me to shudder.

“Uh, I really don’t want to talk about it right now. I want to hear about you. How are you doing?” Riley’s face falls, and her eyes shift away from me and land on Brandt for a moment before she spins on her heel and turns away, sauntering over to the couch.

“Fine,” she says, her tone clipped. I roll my eyes and follow her to the couch to sit down beside her.

“He knows, I told him.” Riley’s head swivels to face me, a red flush coursing under her skin as tears well in her eyes. Her jaw ticks.

“You. Told. Him? Elissa, it wasn’t your news to share!” Seeing the hurt in her eyes makes me feel small. I sigh, my shoulders drooping as I collapse on the couch beside her, cradling her hands in mine.

“I know, but I had to tell him. We’re trying to do this thing right, which means no more lies,” I say as my eyes dart to Brandt. Riley relents, and her body relaxes into the couch. She tugs her knees to her chest. “So, what did Rhys say?”

Riley bites her lip and gnaws for a moment before answering. “Well, he didn’t say much, but he said so much in so little. At first, he was huffy and smug because he thought I wanted him back,” she scoffs. “As if. But when I told him about my situation, he didn’t even ask if it was his. He demanded a paternity test! Like, why else would I be here if I thought it wasn’t yours? You know? Why would I tell him about a random hookup’s baby? Sometimes I swear he’s not the brightest — sorry, Brandt.”

He shrugs nonchalantly as he rummages through the cupboards, clinking glassware together as he looks for something. A moment later, his hands are holding glasses and a bottle of white wine. His large, strong hands uncork the bottle and he pours two glasses of white, then goes to the fridge and returns with a bottle of sparkling water, pouring it into the third glass. He brings the drinks over, passes one to each of us and sits over on the chair in the corner, closest to the television.

“I just…I understand why he wants a paternity test. I do. But for that to be the first thing, and only thing, out of his mouth just hurts. I love —” her voice breaks as she tries to grab hold of the emotions bubbling up inside her. I rest my palm against her thigh and give a gentle squeeze.

“It’ll be fine. Like I said, I’m here for you and the little nugget, whatever happens.” Riley’s soft hand slips over top of mine and squeezes back as her eyes stare into mine, full of love and…hope.

Chapter

Two

Riley

When Elissa and Brandt excuse themselves for the night and slip behind Elissa’s bedroom door, I’m left alone, sitting in silence. I sigh and look around the room, taking in the quiet and loneliness I feel in this moment, preparing myself for the pending life I’m sure I need to get used to. Being on my own.

I stare into the colourful red, green, yellow, and blue lights that glow on the bare Christmas tree in the corner of the room, opposite the chair Brandt was sitting in. A few opened presents sit under the tree, waiting to be put away. I sink into the couch more as I stare into the glow of the lights on the tree until my surroundings melt away and I’m back at Rhys’ apartment.

Bundled up in my black peacoat and woolly white infinity scarf, I fluff my straight black hair and toss my head as I roll my shoulders back, straightening myself into a confident pose. My shiny red nails glimmer in the sunlight streaming into the lobby of Rhys’ building as I reach for the button to buzz up.

“Hello?” His familiar voice echoes in the tiny room, wrapping around me in a warm embrace. My insides melt at the warmth that seeps through the intercom.

“It’s me,” I say. “We need to talk. Can I please come up?” I wait for Rhys to say something, but nothing comes. The silence stretches for a full minute or so, and I’m about to give up when the buzzer sounds, and the door unlocks. My hand wraps around the handle, the cool metal stinging the palm of my hand, and I pull on the door with force, as if it’s going to lock in an instant because Rhys changed his mind.

I take careful steps to the elevator, mumbling under my breath. Mumbling about what I want to say, what I should say, what I need to say. I mumble imaginary counter-arguments he might give me, but also the happy, hopeful answers a tiny piece of me clings to, even knowing it’s unlikely. Realizing I probably sound and look like a crazy person stalking the stretch of hallway to the elevator, I pick up my pace and hit the elevator button before anyone has a chance to see me.

When the elevator comes to a stop, my heart hammers in my stomach. The pulse is so strong, it’s making me nauseous, and this time I can’t blame the pregnancy. Goosebumps prickle on my skin as I near his door, raising the tiny hairs on my arms and the back of my neck. The hallway suddenly feels a thousand degrees warmer as beads of sweat form and roll down the centre of my chest. I take a steadying breath, running through all the words I need to say to Rhys, and raise my fist to knock on the door.

It swings open before my hand connects with the heavy metal door. Rhys steps back, opening the door wide so I can slip inside. I peek out of the corner of my eye and damn, does he look good. His black hair is darker and slicked back like he’s fresh from the shower, and as I pass him, the warm, comfortable smell of Old Spice tickles my nose. He’s wearing basketball shorts, no shirt. His broad shoulders are exposed and so are the delicious bumps that ridge his core down to his…

Focus, Riley. I clear my throat as I kick off my boots and bend over to tug up my socks, which have slipped off my feet partially. I shrug off my jacket and turn to hang it up when I see Rhys’ face staring at me in amazement, but not in a good way. Almost like he can’t believe I’m getting comfortable.

When I’m finished, he brushes past me and another cloud of his body wash fills my lungs. My heart aches to capture that scent for later. He pads toward the couch and sinks into it, sprawling his arms across the back and showing off his mouthwatering shoulder muscles as they pinch and bunch together. I have to tear my eyes away in order to focus and make my way to the living room, where I delicately sit at the opposite end of the couch.

We both sit in silence; only the ticking of the clock makes noise. Finally, Rhys sighs. He leans forward, braces himself on his knees, folds his hands together, and turns his head to face me.

“What is it, Riley?”

My tongue freezes in my mouth. My whole body ices over and my heart rate slows. I hear my breathing get laboured, and I’m momentarily paralyzed. My mouth drops open, but snaps shut again a second later. I’m losing all the words I had prepared. I’m just sitting in front of him like a mute fool. Rhys sighs.

“Riley, I don’t know if I want to get back together, okay? There’s just —” My hand flies into the air to stop him. Excuse me?

“I’m sorry. You think I want to get back together? Me? The one who was dumped, ruthlessly, and then callously used just weeks later because you thought I was an easy fling? Fuck that.” And suddenly, part of me changes my mind — I don’t want him to know anything that’s going on. My mind is telling me to move my feet and just leave. Forget him and his ignorant bullshit. But my feet and body remain rooted in place. No, Riles. He deserves to know. Scratch that. He needs to know; he doesn’t deserve shit.

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