Page 54 of After Tonight

Though from everything she’d heard, Scott was trying his best to keep watch over every inch of the town. Partly because of his work with the task force. He knew how normal the people involved in the dirty, horrible world of sex trafficking could look and how easily the victims could fall prey.

“Don’t say that,” Erika told her.

“Not saying it doesn’t make it less true,” Riley said, barely resisting her eye roll.

They all ate quietly for a couple of minutes.

Then Erika said, “You know, I’m sure your brother has worked with sexual abuse victims.”

Riley swallowed. Yeah, she was sure he had. And she was sure he was good at it. Kyle was calm and reassuring and could even be funny and charming if needed. He was also a damned good doctor. She nodded. “I’m sure he has.”

“Have you asked him about any of this? Maybe to get involved?”

Riley pressed her lips together. She hadn’t. Not because he wouldn’t be great at it, but because… She wasn’t sure. She supposed she thought maybe the ultimate advocacy project would involve a lot of people, a committee or something, and she was not the kind of person to head up something like that. She guessed that Scott would do it. Maybe. Or Peyton. Not that Peyton was any more the committee chair type than Riley was.

She set her fork down and decided to be honest with herself first. She hadn’t asked Kyle because she kind of wanted to do something great that didn’t involve him.

Then she decided to be honest with her mother. “Kyle doesn’t have to be a part of everything in this town.”

Erika opened her mouth to reply when they heard the front door open and, “Hey, anyone home?”

Speak of the devil.

Kyle came into the kitchen with a big grin and a huge cake in one hand, and Hannah’s hand in the other.

“Hi, honey.” Erika pushed back from the table and went to take the cake from him.

“Are we in time to have dessert?” Kyle asked. He slapped his dad’s shoulder while Hannah leaned over and kissed Jake’s cheek.

“Hey, Riley,” Hannah greeted.

“Hi.” Riley really liked Hannah. She made Kyle happy, and it was clearly mutual. All through high school, Hannah had been a fixture at this kitchen table. She and Kyle had been inseparable. They’d broken up for a few years, and Riley knew that Kyle had tried to get over her. But Hannah had only been back in Sapphire Falls for a few days before they’d gotten back together. And Riley could honestly say that Kyle had relaxed since Hannah had been back. He smiled more. He joked more. He took more time off. Not that he was ever completely off. He was the only doctor in town. But he didn’t go looking for jobs and activities all over town like he’d once done. Like Derek did now.

And just that easily, Derek Wright was back in her head. Did Derek keep himself so busy because he didn’t have any reason to stay home? And if she’d said yes to staying in bed all day, would he have really blown off all the odd jobs she was sure he had lined up? And would he really be able to blow them off on a regular basis once he had a girlfriend?

And why did she suddenly hate the idea of him having a girlfriend?

Riley forced her thoughts back to the conversation happening around her. About the education and advocacy program that she’d just told her parents about. The conversation that went on without her, with Kyle and Hannah both inputting what they knew and getting excited about helping.

Riley sat back in her chair feeling disappointed and suddenly left out. Of something she’d brought up. Dammit.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she suddenly prayed it was someone whose computer had crashed and needed help immediately. She didn’t want to play IT guy to the entire town and yet…it beat having dinner and dessert with her family at the moment.

But it wasn’t a computer crash.

It was Derek. And her stupid heart did a stupid flip.

You know, you could come down early to taste test the pizza.

Pizza. Now there was something that was always a good idea. And Derek. Who had recently become one of her favorite ideas. Oh boy.

I’d actually love that. But might be a bit. Kind of in the middle of something.

Kyle and Hannah there?

Yes. How did you know?

He mentioned it.

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