Candy Crumble

by Shannyn Leah

  Riley sat up reaching for his shirt and the light. He switched on the lamp and as the light lit the room he watched Abby climb over the far arm of the couch, sitting down and studying him.

  He pulled the shirt over his head then turned to face her.

  For a few minutes−long minutes−they said nothing and just stared at each other. Riley expected her to talk about something not wait for him. With time that’s exactly what happened.

  “I like this demanding side of you. What would you like me to do next?” She sent him a look that was not mistaking the sexual insinuation.

  This woman was everything he would have taken if he was back two years ago in his three-story glass house overlooking the city playing a sexy game each night with a different woman.

  “Abby, I would like to make something clear.”

  “Hmm hmm.” She grinned at him.

  “This is not an invitation. I’m not going to sleep with you. I’m not a guy looking for a relationship.”

  “Me neither,” she said.

  “Or a quickie.”

  Abby pouted.

  “It’s not where I am in my life.” He would never be at that place again.

  “Well Mr. Boyd, I think that’s the deepest thing you’ve ever said to me about yourself.”

  “I want to be clear with you so you don’t get the wrong idea and get hurt.”

  She was the master of facial expression change.

  In a wink of an eye she flipped her features. Right now she was daring him. “You think you can hurt me?”

  He knew he could.

  Another flip and she was grinning again like this whole uncomfortable conversation was amazing. “So are you saying we passed the friends trial test and we are officially friends?”

  He still didn’t have an answer.

  “I think you’re rushing me,” he said, avoiding a real answer. He shocked himself when it came out teasing.

  Abby beamed a smile.

  “I tend to do that with people.” She reached for the remote but Riley beat her.

  “What are you doing awake?”

  “I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No.”

  Silence seemed to be their thing and it stretched out between them often but not awkwardly, but instead comforting.

  “I want to watch a movie,” she said.

  A movie? At three in the morning?

  Her raised eyebrows and extended hand answered his question.

  Riley handed her the remote.

  Abby slipped onto the couch, snuggling under his blanket. Their arms were not touching, but he was close enough to feel the heat from her body.

  She clicked through the stations and settled on an eighties teen movie.

  Riley wasn’t interested, but he watched the people moving around the screen.

  A little while later, just as Riley’s eyes had just began to close, and out of nowhere, Abby said, “I wouldn’t sleep with you anyway. You repulse me. I mean clearly you don’t groom yourself or maintain a ridiculously perfect gym body. My standards are pretty high.”

  Why did his body react to the fact she’d not only noticed his body but mentioned it?

  Abby glanced at him. “Disgusting.” She winked and shook her head as she turned her full attention to the movie and food.

  Riley grinned.

  He almost laughed out loud, but restrained himself and pulled his eyes from the blonde hair falling down her bare shoulders and back to the TV.

  The images flickered past but he paid no attention. He’d never liked television. Give him music, a guitar, a radio or an iPod and he would be content forever, but TV he could live without.

  Abby on the other hand, lost herself in the television and laughter erupted from her. She impersonated the characters which indicated to Riley that she’d seen the movie before. He found it most amusing, as his eyes closed again, that she talked to the television as if the characters were real.

  Amused? Grinning? Laughter? Riley hadn’t felt any of these emotions in a long time. He wondered if Abby was as capable of being a friend as she claimed? She surely didn’t hide the fact she found him attractive, but she’d only made a move once on Grace’s back porch. All week, she might have teased but she never made a move. In all their alone time, he was finding her comforting. Was he allowed comfort? Did it matter? If Abby wanted to be his friend, then he wasn’t sure how he could say no...and he knew deep down he didn’t want to.

  Chapter Eleven

  THEIR LAST NIGHT was going to be, by far, the best. They were almost front row at a club at the corner of the hotel. Riley had mysteriously scored them sold-out tickets to watch a band Abby loved. Her sisters, not as familiar with the dark music, had agreed to come. Now if only they would show up.

  Cold chills ran through Abby’s body. She was dressed in only a black mini dress with black stockings and heels. No jacket. Who wanted to be responsible for a jacket once inside moving from table to dance floor and back again?

  Izzy’s attire was similar, but she was busy hanging off the arm of her new beau, ignoring Abby, Riley, and the cool evening. The girl was boy crazy...but hadn’t Abby been just as bad before Gran died? Since Gran’s death, the last thing on Abby’s mind was guys. Where she had once found it thrilling to lure in a guy and spend only the night with him and then be done with him like a paper napkin, she now had no interest.

  Abby smiled at Riley.

  Was he the reason why?

  There was something about Riley that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. She never had been able to.

  They’d finally broken past the awkward stages leading to the friendship they’d agreed on. They were friends. She liked it. This was something she’d never had with another man before. Would all that change once they returned to Willow Valley? It was almost like they were in the honeymoon stage of their friendship. But staying in a hotel room on vacation wasn’t their everyday life. What would happen when he went back to the bakery and she went back to working at Jakes...or the soap shop if her sisters could actually pull it off? Would they still be friends? She worried about him turning back into the man who distanced himself from the world in his little apartment above the bakery.

  Abby didn’t want to think about that right now. Right now, she just wanted to enjoy his company.

  “This is awesome,” she told him. “I can’t believe you got us in.”

  He shrugged like it was no big deal. It was a huge deal.

  Abby shivered again.

  They were only behind fifteen people.

  Open the doors already.

  “Here.” Riley shrugged out of his leather jacket and wrapped it around Abby’s arms.

  His warmth caressed her immediately. Not only physically but his thoughtfulness never went unnoticed. Who would have known? Riley Boyd, thoughtful.

  She thanked him.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Is this what friends do?”

  He shrugged like he didn’t know. Abby didn’t know either, but she liked it.

  Near the front of the lineup someone called Riley’s name. It wasn’t Izzy or any of her sisters.

  “Riley! Riley Boyd! I knew I recognized that face!” A tall slim woman with long sleek black hair that touched her plump buttocks, beneath the skin tight, gold sequin dress waved wildly. Abandoning her post in front of them, she ran to them.

  Without acknowledging Abby or Izzy, the woman grabbed one of Riley’s hands and her other hand gripped the back of his neck and she kissed him straight on the lips.

  Abby almost passed out.

  Who is this?

  It wasn’t a long kiss and there was no tongue...as far as Abby could tell...and Abby was looking. But still she wanted to rip that starlet right off Riley and stake her claim.

  What claim? Friendship claim? That didn’t even exist.

  When the dark haired lady pulled away she glanced at Abby and Izzy giving them a look over.

  Sh
e must have determined Izzy was with her new guy and that Abby was wearing Riley’s jacket and probably giving her a what the hell look.

  “Oh I’m sorry,” she who had no name, or an introduction said. “Are you two on a date?”

  “No,” Riley said faster than Abby liked.

  What is my title exactly? Sucker? Dumbass?

  Abby was debating what the hell she’d been thinking being friends with this man when his newest catch looked at Abby for confirmation she was not Riley’s date.

  “Nope,” Abby confirmed, wishing she didn’t have Riley’s big bulky jacket over her making her look weak. She hated weak.

  “I’m Jax.” She offered a quick handshake then turned all her attention to Riley. “I wasn’t positive this was you. You’ve changed so much.”

  Abby looked at Riley. He looked more uncomfortable then she’d ever seen, but at the same time he gave this woman a different look. Not an angry, mysterious or hidden look. He gave her a real look. And Abby had only ever seen that look once, in the polar dip when for a few minutes he had forgotten his problems.

  It seemed this woman made him forget his problems too. That sent a pang of discomfort through Abby. While Riley made her feel better, she wasn’t having that effect on him at all. He was none the better because she was around.

  Did he even want to be here? With her? Or was this only for Mrs. C and Grace?

  Abby’s mind was going back to that night even as the woman continued to talk to Riley. “Your hair is long and this beard...” She wasn’t shy and ran her fingers down his beard.

  “She stroked his beard,” Izzy hissed at Abby.

  Abby shot her a shut it glance.

  “I like it,” she purred.

  So did Abby, but you didn’t see her hanging all over it.

  The woman became a feature on Riley’s body with one arm around his neck. She stroked his beard again and Abby hated that Riley didn’t look annoyed by the action. He always looked annoyed with Abby. Always.

  “She stroked it again,” Izzy whispered in her ear.

  Abby turned and glared at Izzy. “I swear Izzy...” she warned.

  “Anyway. I’m at the front of the lineup. You’re getting slow if you’re all the way back here,” she teased. “Like really slow. Shouldn’t you be inside?”

  Inside? Why inside?

  “Macy!” she called to a stick-thin blonde woman that Abby hadn’t noticed watching the play between Riley and this woman. “Look, it is Riley!”

  Macy didn’t move toward them. She didn’t look convinced and her eyes darted around them all skeptically.

  “She’s holding our spot. Anyway, have a good night. I will see you in there.” She kissed Riley again. Only this time on the cheek before disappearing to the front of the lineup.

  Abby watched Riley’s eyes follow the woman back to the front of the lineup. It wasn’t until Riley looked at them watching him that the annoyed look danced across his face.

  Abby felt her whole week crashing around her. When she’d thought they were finally friends, she was realizing she knew nothing about him and it was clear by the way he treated the other woman that he didn’t want a friendship with Abby. It was so clear she was the fool.

  Izzy spoke first. “She’s a tramp. Who goes around kissing guys with obvious dates?”

  “I’m not his date.” Abby felt defeated watching Riley’s eyes find hers, but never really registering Abby. He was thinking about the other woman.

  “She didn’t know that. Slut.”

  Riley was lost in his thoughts when the line finally started moving. He either didn’t hear Izzy or ignored her and he offered no explanation to the woman who was stealing his attention.

  Riley was distracted on the way in, distracted once inside and distracted for the next half hour.

  He sipped his non-alcoholic drink as his eyes moved across the room. He was scoping her out, unsuccessfully.

  Abby had finally worked up the courage to ask who she was when Izzy grabbed her hand and dragged her to the dance floor. No alcohol or dancing could steal her curiosity.

  Who was she? What did they mean to each other? Had they slept together? Did that woman break his heart? Was he heart broken? Why was he in Willow Valley?

  Her eyes travelled back and forth from Izzy to Riley for a few dances but stopped when she saw Macy bent over their table talking to Riley.

  Abby stopped dancing and felt Izzy move to her side. They watched.

  “She slid him her number.”

  Abby saw it too.

  When Macy left, Abby gave Riley a few minutes alone, before going to the table.

  She put on her very best happy facade. Jealousy equalled weakness and Abby wouldn’t let Riley know she had either.

  “Hey,” she said, sliding onto a chair behind him. “Are you coming to dance? You promised me one dance.”

  He looked at her. Confusion invaded every space on his face. “I’m going to head back to the hotel,” he said. He was going to Macy. “Don’t come back by yourself. Make sure you buddy up with Izzy,” he said like a friend...or a guardian. A forced guardian.

  Abby touched his hand. “Riley? Who is she?”

  His face grew hard. “No one.” He was distant and cold.

  “Are you going to see her?”

  “I’m going to the room. I will see you later.”

  He left. Left to go to the woman whose number was in his left hand. A lover? A friend? Either way, it wasn’t Abby. It was never Abby.

  Abby couldn’t dance anymore. She had to get out of the bar.

  The cold air was a slap across the face that she needed to keep her tears at bay.

  Tears? Tears!

  Why were tears threatening? Because she felt like she lost a friend that she hadn’t really had to begin with.

  The slap was nothing compared to the empty room she found. Riley was nowhere. He was with her. His lover. His friend.

  Fool.

  This was why she didn’t want friends or let people into her life, because they had the ability to hurt her. This was the last time.

  Chapter Twelve

  RILEY FELT HIS world crashing in around him. He clenched the tiny piece of paper with Macy’s room number written on it in his hand. It didn’t matter. He didn’t need it. He wasn’t going to forget the number that could destroy everything he had worked to escape.

  Had she called Cece already? Would she call Cece or would Riley be able to convince her otherwise?

  A lot of unanswered questions with no alternative made him take the elevator to floor five and knock on her door to get answers.

  Macy opened the door and her happy demeanor dropped, replaced by speculation and questions of her own.

  “Did you call her?” He was referring to his sister and Macy understood.

  “No,” she solemnly answered.

  She stepped aside and Riley walked through the door, ignoring the ping of guilt at flat out lying to Abby. He couldn’t explain Macy to Abby and right now this was too important to mess up.

  Macy poured two drinks and held one out to Riley.

  “No thanks. I don’t drink.”

  “Since when?”

  “Since I destroyed the life of every person I love.”

  Macy grew serious again. “Phone her.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Can’t or won’t.”

  Riley turned away from Macy, rubbing his hands over his face. He looked out the hotel window. She didn’t understand and he didn’t come here to make her understand.

  “How is she?” he asked, without turning around.

  “Why don’t you ask her?”

  He turned quickly. “I’m asking you,” he snarled.

  Macy rolled her eyes. “She’s a rock. Cece has your business booming. She overworks herself to exhaustion, but she smiles at everyone. A fake smile.”

  “Dammit Macy.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry Riley. Did you want me to lie? Okay. Everything’s great. She’s happy and living her life to
the fullest. Not thinking about you at all after you disappeared and left her alone with no one.”

  Riley cursed.

  “Was that not better?”

  “She’s better without me.”

  “Are these the lies you feed yourself while you’re off gallivanting around with a handful of trampy women to nightclubs you could own and listening to bands you endorse?”

  The words stung and Riley had to take a deep breath from defending Abby. It would help no one to try and explain who she was and where he had met her.

  “I didn’t come here to fight.”

  “No. You came here to make sure I didn’t talk to Cece.”

  Busted.

  “Don’t worry. I’m not going to tell her if you’re not going to. I don’t want to disrupt her life for more drama and heartbreak. If you’re not ready, you don’t have to worry about me saying anything.” She leaned against the cupboard and rubbed her temples. “What is your decision, Riley? What do you want me to do?”

  “I’m leaving tomorrow. Not to Oakston. I might never go back to Oakston.”

  Macy sighed and her head dropped. “Not the answer I was hoping for.”

  “It’s the only one I have.”

  She shook her head as it lifted. “It’s the only one you think you deserve. We were all there Riley. We all know what happened. Stop blaming yourself and come home.”

  Stop blaming himself? For the death of Dani and his daughter. Never. Never.

  “Goodnight Macy.” He walked past her and she caught his arm with her hand.

  “Talk to someone, Riley. A shrink. A friend. Someone. Anyone.”

  A friend. Abby.

  Riley left. He didn’t stop until he was sitting at the bar staring at a glass of alcohol that he’d vowed he would never drink again. He fought the feelings brewing inside him. The same ones that started his drinking problem two years ago. They hurt just as bad. Two years later and the pain constricted his chest, domineered his body and his thoughts.

  He should have never left Willow Valley where his apartment reminded him that Mrs. C had picked him up at his lowest point. Agreeing not to drink was his vow to her. But here, now, with Dani and his daughter ripping his heart apart and Cece taking the rest, he had no reminder. He only had the memories of the night they died and the guilt that accompanied them.