Page 114 of Crimson Promises
“Now you know.”
“I sure do.”
“So, since we’ve confirmed your coming. Would you wear my number?”
“Your number?” I rubbed my forehead.
“Yeah, you know the Arch Cape University jersey, but with my number on it.”
Shit, shit, shit. I thought attending a game would be neutral territory with all the other thousands of attendees. How is it that he manages to turn any topic of conversation into a way to ask me out? How was I going to get out of this?
“I don’t have a jersey or anything sports-related for ACU.”
“Of course, I’d lend you one of mine, silly.”
Poor guy, I was going to let him down twice in one day. We weren’t a couple, and I didn’t belong to him. Wearing his number would be leading him on…more than what I had been doing already.
I opened my mouth to tell him I couldn’t, but for the second time today, he interrupted me.
“Don’t give an answer now. Please, just think about it.”
“Okay. I’ll think about it.” The last thing I wanted to do was throw him off too much before the game. I’d find a way to let him down easily. Maybe I’d see if Meg was available. I'd bet they'd get along.
“Thank you,” he said sincerely. “You look better.”
I raise my eyebrows up at him.
“Not that you didn’t look good before, or always. You just seem to have some color back in your face.”
“Told you I would be fine. I am feeling better, though.”
We arrived at my street. Riley started heading towards the intersection to cross the road to get to my building. I remained standing on the pavement, on the same side as Ben’s building.
He looked over his shoulder, noticing I wasn’t behind him, and gestured for me to hurry up.
When I shook my head no, he backtracked to where I was standing.
“What’s wrong? Your place is that way.” He hiked his finger over his shoulder, gesturing to my building. “I only picked you up from there once, but I’m pretty decent at directions.”
“My building is across the street, but that’s not where I’m going.”
He pursed his lips together. “Aren’t I walking you back home?”
“You insisted on ensuring I got towards I was going, but it was never towards home.”
“Where else would you be going?”
“Riley, I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
He planted his hands on his hips. “Not my business? I accompanied you home to make sure you got some rest. A few minutes ago, you couldn’t even stand on your own feet. You looked like you got tackled by Bay City’s best defensive line.”
I rolled my eyes, not the most flattering metaphor. “I appreciate it, Riley. Sincerely, I do. But I need some answers, and going home won't help me with them.”
“Answers for what?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
“None of my business, can’t tell me things. You are a puzzle wrapped in a Rubik’s cube.” He blew out a sigh. “Tell me this, at least, is the person you’re going to see a guy?”
