Page 214 of Love in Riverbend
For a moment, I stop, unsure of the next move.
This isn’t scripted, as our interactions were during the wedding. And after years of dreading and avoiding him, I’m at a loss for how to react.
He stops mere inches away, the fresh, clean scent of his cologne mingling with the various delicious aromas. He lifts his arms, and I’m unsure how we should greet each other. I tilt my head and offer a lopsided grin. “You’re not going to hug me, are you?”
Chapter 7
Ricky
I can’t hold back my smile. Marilyn James actually showed. If I were a betting man, I would have said the odds of her coming here tonight were against me. Seeing her snarky smile and the gleam in her soft blue orbs, I’d gladly lose that bet to have her here now. “I’m glad you showed,” I say honestly, letting my arms drop to my sides.
“You’re not going to hug me, are you?”
Was I about to hug her?
I feel the heat coming to my face. No matter how self-assured I act around others, there’s something about Marilyn that sees through the bullshit. Avoiding her comment about the hug, I motion toward the bar, to where I was sitting. “Come. I have a stool for you. They said there was a forty-minute wait for a table. I hope you don’t mind waiting here.”
Marilyn shakes her head and loosens the knot of the sash keeping her wool coat closed. Beneath the bulk of the winter covering, she unveils her light-colored blouse and slacks. While not intentionally revealing, I notice the way the neckline dips over her voluptuous breasts and the taper of her waist as the black material covers her long legs.
Her voice pulls me from my trance. “This is good. I’m sorry I’m late. Busy day.”
“I want to hear all about your job. However, I’m warning you, if you tell me it’s a terrible place to work, I’ll be heartbroken.”
She drapes her coat over the back of the stool and secures her purse beneath the bar on one of those little hooks. I can’t help but continue to scan her, from her long dark hair to the toes of her boots. The little girl who used to hang out with Devan has grown up and grown out in all the right places. As she takes a seat, I inhale the slight sweetness of her perfume.
“Would you like a drink?” I ask.
Marilyn eyes the glass of beer before me. “What are you drinking?”
“It’s a local craft beer, tall blond.”
She smiles. “Good to know you prefer tall blonds.”
My smile returns. “When it comes to beer, I’m partial to blonds and ambers. When it comes to real life, I’ve always had a thing for brunettes.”
Her eyes open wide. “Are we working on our script?”
“No, Marilyn, that’s not pretend.” I lean back and make a point of staring into her eyes. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you how pretty you look.” I shake my head. “And how amazing I think it is that you’ve accomplished all that you have. I know I’m a little late to this world, but the truth is, I want it.”
Marilyn’s shoulders seem to relax.
The bartender appears before us. “Would you like a drink?” she asks Marilyn.
“A tall blond,” she says with a smile and a sideways glance in my direction.
“I didn’t know you liked beer.”
“I’m not picky. My indulgence of choice is ice cream, not alcohol. But I’m not against a drink or two.”
“I heard stories about Devan’s bachelorette party.”
She takes a deep breath before covering her face with her hands. “Oh, don’t remind me.” As she drops her hands, her cheeks glow with a hue of pink. “I’ve officially sworn off cheap wine for the rest of my life.” Her smile grows. “Now, wine that doesn’t come in a box, I’m still willing to partake in. In moderate amounts.”
“I remember Devan being a little green that next morning.”
Marilyn arches her eyebrow. “And you, Ricky Dunn, have never had too much to drink. What about Justin’s bachelor party?”
“Oh, I was perfectly sober.”
