Page 205 of Love in Riverbend
I look to the side and see Dax Richards dancing with his wife Kandace. Jill and Todd are also dancing. “Apparently Dax and Jill didn’t read the same rules you did.”
He flashes a cheesy grin. “The wedding judges can deal with them. I’m only concerned that we keep up our side of the bargain.”
The smart quips lower my defenses. “Fine. Which of your many offenses are you apologizing for?”
Ricky’s shoulders stiffen beneath my touch. “Are you really going to make me say it?”
“If you’re truly sorry, you’ll say it.”
He leans closer, his warm breath skirting over my neck and collarbone. “We agreed to no strings. That said, I never should have ghosted you after…”
My eyes close as I listen to his apology. He is right. That night long ago, we agreed to no strings. It made sense in my mind; it was the rest of me that felt rejected or abandoned. I’ve worked too hard to forget those feelings to have them resurface now.
There’s no explanation or excuse in Ricky’s apology, simply that he is sorry. Taking a deep breath, I lean away. The wedding guests around us are dancing and enjoying their own conversations. No one is paying attention to the two of us, just as no one paid attention to us five years ago.
“Will you accept my apology?”
I swallow the snide retort I’m used to giving him. “We’ve both grown up since then.” I ask the question I’ve always wanted to know the answer to. “Does Justin know?”
Ricky shakes his head.
“Anyone?”
“Did I brag about what happened? I didn’t. If I would have told anyone, it would have been Justin.” He shakes his head. “With as close as you and Devan are...I mean, you were planning on being roommates at Ball State…I didn’t say a word.”
My thoughts go back to that time. “She’s one of my best friends. It was tough not to tell her, so I just let her know I hate you.”
His lips curl. “You hate me.”
While Ricky didn’t ask it as a question, I reply, “Hate is a strong word. I’m not as romantic as Devan or as satisfied as Jill, but it’s taken me a while to be strong enough to dance with you.”
He shakes his head. “You’re strong, Marilyn, and sexy.” He runs his hand up my side. His touch isn’t inappropriate, yet it borders on the too familiar. “You’re also damn smart. You wouldn’t have gotten the internship at Parker and Stevens if you weren’t. You’ve known that you wanted out of this small town. Back then, I thought this was where I wanted to spend my life.”
“You’ve changed your mind?”
“It’s not like Bloomington is far away, but I’m liking my classes. I have a part-time job that sucks, but that’s all part of growing up and moving on. Quite the epiphany for a thirty-three-year-old man. It obviously took me longer to come to that conclusion than it did you.”
“They say males mature slower.”
Ricky scoffs. “Friends?”
“I can say I don’t hate you anymore. Friends is taking it a bit far.”
“I guess I’ll settle for whatever I can get.”
Chapter 4
Marilyn
A year and a half later
Stomping the snow from my boots, I look around the small café as the delicious aromas fill my senses. At this time of day, most of the tables and booths are occupied. I’m relieved to see my friend already has a table. By the time I reach Jill, my gloves are off and stuffed into my pockets. While we don’t get a lot of snow in Indianapolis, we can still experience the arctic freeze that accompanies the new year. In the last twenty-four hours, the temperature has dropped into the low twenties, making the two-block walk from my office long enough to lose the feeling in my fingers and toes. Shrugging off my long coat, I lay it over the chair to my side and sit across from Jill.
It's hard to believe that we’ve been friends for nearly two decades. The talkative girls in grade school are still talking and laughing twenty years later. Only our surroundings have changed. No longer living in Riverbend, we both made it to the big city of Indianapolis. It isn’t New York or LA, but compared to our roots, it’s metropolitan, especially the northside where we both work.
Jill giggles as I take the seat. “I’m glad you could make it.”
“Tax season is about to start, and I’ll be swamped.” I exhale. “The fun of a new year.”
