by Hart, Hanna
“What’s your family like?”
“Oh! Um, well, there’s my dad. Bill. He’s a mechanic, and he’s like, a real conspiracy theory guy,” she laughed to herself. “Not in a crazy way, he’s just…you know, he’s just his own kind of funny.”
“The best ones are,” he smiled. “And your mom?”
“She’s a real tough-love kind of mom. She tells you things, even if you don’t want to hear it.”
Logan stretched against his seat and mused, “I would hate that.”
“Ah,” she giggled, “I hated it when I was a teenager but, I’m coming to realize, horrifyingly, that all that stuff she said when I was younger was probably true so. I take it as words of wisdom now.”
“Must be where you get it from then,” he joked, “Your words of wisdom.”
“Maybe!”
“Siblings?” he asked, and Riley shook her head.
“Just me.”
He nodded, “And what about your divorce, if you don’t mind my asking? How did your parents deal with that?”
Riley shifted uncomfortably and offered him a polite smile.
“Oops?” he said apologetically. “Did I ask something I shouldn’t have?”
“No, no,” she shook her head. “My divorce, yeah. I mean, it isn’t any parents dream to have their child divorced before they even hit their mid-twenties, I’m sure. But, it was actually my mom who asked me if everything was alright with us; Josh and me. And I said of course, because I really thought that at the time.”
“Parents can pick up on things we can’t,” he reasoned. “Same with friends. Those on the outside looking in, you know? Not as blinded by feelings.”
Riley nodded. “Yeah. I guess I was just really naïve at the time.”
“Sometimes it’s better that way,” he offered.
“Why’s that?”
“You get to enjoy it more. The end of the relationship. Instead of spending the last of it being paranoid and screaming at each other or worse, not talking at all, you were just happy.”
“Sometimes the downfall makes it easier though. You see it coming.”
“Breakups are tough,” he said.
“No, they’re debilitating.”
“Which is why I’m glad to be here, in your fine company, having you counsel me not to act so rich as you sit upon my yacht.”
“Why, I never!” she mocked in her best southern accent.
He could relate to her words more than she could ever know. Being blindsided: trusting. He gave Stephania everything: his home, his friends, his money, and most important of all, his heart. And she stomped all over it.
Stephania’s betrayal was the hardest thing he'd ever had to go through. More painful than losing his father in some ways. In other ways, not so much.
He had always had trouble meeting women he really connected with. It was part of the reason having chemistry with his fake bride-to-be was so important to him. He knew his family could never buy him falling for someone shallow or so clearly a gold-digger.
It just wasn't the type of woman he wanted to spend his time with.
But Riley, he thought, Riley he could spend time with.
"Alright, alright," he shook his arms out, tired of reflecting on Stephania. "As fun as it is to wallow together, I'm calling for a change of subject," he dared. "Give me your best trivia."
"My best trivia?" she laughed. "I love weird trivia. Okay! Did you know that if you bang your head against the wall for one hour, you'll burn one hundred and fifty calories?"
He scoffed. "I think if that your go-to for weight loss, you have more problems than burning calories."
"Touché," she laughed. "Your turn."
"Okay, did you know that it's illegal to own just one guinea pig in Switzerland?"
"But if you own two, it's fine?" she mocked.
"You got it! Since guinea pigs are social animals, it's considered animal abuse to have just one.”
"Aww, poor piggies," she laughed. "That should be the law everywhere."
"And down goes guinea pig sales in the United States."
Riley raised a finger to him and grinned, "Or perhaps they'd spike up."
"Your turn."
"Okay," Riley said quickly, clearly enjoying the little game as she drew her hands over her mouth and erupted into adorable giggles. "If you lift a kangaroo’s tail, he can't hop anymore."
"No!" he protested, laughing. "That's stupid. Why would that be true?"
"They use their tails to balance! So, as soon as it becomes elevated, they lose their balance and fall over."
"Yeah," he narrowed his brows, "But what maniac is chasing down a kangaroo trying to foil his plans to hop?"
Riley laughed harder. "I don't know; I don't know!"
"I think you and I are going to have a lot of fun together, Riley Armstrong."
Riley's small, rounded lips curved into the perfect, kissable smile and she agreed, "I think you might be right."
Chapter Seven
Riley
Riley wandered into the well-lit living room: the deep gray leather sofa perfectly contrasting against the Carrara marble walls. She was startled to see Logan was already awake, sitting on the far end of the couch, watching the sunrise.
“Morning,” Riley said, pulling her robe tighter and watching his broad smile as he caught sight of her.
“Morning,” he greeted, sounding ridiculously awake, considering the hour. “Don’t worry,” he said, likely catching the embarrassed look on her face. “I’m allowed to see you looking like a sleepy mess. We’re getting married, after all.”
Riley flushed and wandered to the window, setting a foggy palm against the glass and watching as the sky melted from shades of red, orange, and yellow to a pale morning blue.
“So what,” Riley teased, turning her profile to him. “No breakfast in bed from my ‘hubby’ this morning?”
“Oh wow,” he scoffed; brows shooting up. “She’s displeased already. We really must be getting married.”
She laughed at their little joke but inwardly began thinking about her marriage to Josh. When they were together, he would always bring her breakfast in bed on the weekends.
It was one of the first signs she saw that something was wrong: the day he stopped.
“No, it’s fine,” she smiled. “You’re an early riser.”
“I’m expecting my sister,” he said, humorously unimpressed.
“A family of early risers,” she corrected with a laugh, feeling suddenly nervous.
“More like, she hasn’t gone to bed yet.”
“Ah,” Riley nodded. “Should I be afraid? To meet her, I mean?”
He shrugged and took a sip of coffee, looking through her and focusing again on the breathtaking sunrise in the background. “Nah. She’s harmless. Quick-witted, annoying… but shallow.”
Riley bit her lip. She was bad at meeting family on a good day, and that was when she actually knew her partner. The prospect of meeting Logan’s rich family was somewhat overwhelming and becoming a bigger reality by the minute.
“What are you doing after that?” she asked, spinning on her bare foot and striding over to the couch to sit a cushion down from him.
“Nothing,” he said with a smile. “I was hoping we could go out on my boat together. Relax with a mai tai, get to know each other a little better.”
“That sounds nice,” she said softly.
“Nice, or fantastic?” Logan teased, raising and lowering his eyebrows.
“You’re a real word guy, you know that?” she giggled.
“Ah yes. Not a day goes by without someone telling me how wordy I am.”
“I think that sounds fantastic,” she corrected herself, grinning at Logan and meeting his eyes as he traced her body with his stare. “And I have to say; I look forward to getting to know you a little better.”
“I look forward to seeing you in a bikini,” Logan said with a chuckle as the doorbell began to ring.
“Gross,” Riley said, wri
nkling her nose and watching him walk to the door. “Just for that, I’m wearing granny shorts and a t-shirt.”
Logan laughed and turned to look at her, his hand hesitating on the front door latch. “You wouldn’t dare,” he winked and then pulled the door open.
“Hey,” Logan said casually, opening the door and welcoming his sister in. He immediately went to the desk by the front door, rummaging through the top drawer.
“Hey,” the woman said, and Riley immediately recognized the voice. Her eyes widened as she turned her head from the couch, peering over the plush cushion to catch a glimpse of the woman.
It was Gabriella. Her favorite customer and sometimes drinking buddy.
She quickly turned back toward the windows and inwardly cringed.
The deep brunette rightly looked like she’d been up for twenty-four hours, dressed in black leggings with cutout detailing and a sharp maroon blazer with no undershirt beneath it.
“Is this your girlfriend?” Gabriella whispered.
“Fiancée,” he corrected. “This is Riley. Riley, this is my sister Gabriella.”
“Hi,” Riley said and turned around with an awkward smile, wanting to burrow into the side of the couch like a mole. Gabriella stared at Riley and it looked like she was trying to place her.
Riley felt a cold sweat travel down her center as she waited for the realization to come over her friend. It did, quickly. The truth washed over her features quickly, and the brunette looked between the faux couple in astonishment.
“Riley!” Gabriella exclaimed loudly and happily as she threw her hands into the air.
She could feel her heart pounding; the words ‘oh no, oh no, oh no’ ringing in her head. If Gabriella revealed what she knew, Logan's plan for his inheritance would be foiled. She would also know that Riley had lied about not having children.
“Nice to meet you,” Riley said, eyes wide and signaling from behind Logan for Gabriella to play along. Gabriella gave her a confused, sideways stare and immediately straightened when Logan looked at her.
“A-ooh,” came a muffled, confused noise from Gabriella’s mouth. “So, you're the one who's stolen my brother's heart away, huh?”
The sister dropped her purse and walked down the hall to embrace Riley in a friendly hug. “Well, you must be a hell of a girl. Logan doesn't date just anybody. I'm so happy to finally meet you, Riley.”
"You too. I've heard so much about you," Riley said.
Which was also a lie.
Logan hadn't said a word about his sister aside from the fact that she existed and partied.
“You been to sleep yet?” Logan asked, cocking a brow her way as he handed his sister a file in a manila folder.
She took it from him and gave a playful shrug. "No, and I'm dying for some coffee," she enunciated, and Riley's eyes shot up.
"Kitchen," Logan said with a dismissive point and then looked to Riley. “You see what I deal with?”
"Riley,” his sister perked up, “you want me to grab you a cup?"
"No, thank you," Riley said quietly.
"We're actually heading out for the day,” Logan said evenly.
"Geez, don’t worry, I’m not staying!” Gabriella snorted. “That's too bad; I was hoping to get to spend some time with you. Maybe go over some of the wedding details. Get to know Riley a little better,” she teased.
“Ask away now if you want,” he said, winking at Riley.
Gabriella dropped her purse next to the front door and looked between Riley and Logan, smiling wryly at Riley as she cocked a brow and asked, “How did you guys meet?”
Riley knew the answer.
She and Logan had discussed their pretend past at length. He bought one of her photographs at an art show, allegedly. A portrait of a couple wading into the water.
It was a black and white silhouette photo she had taken of Leah and Tom down by the beach back when Leah was pregnant, though you couldn’t tell it from the photo.
It was one of the only portraits she'd ever done; mostly preferring astrophotography to human subjects.
Still, it was a big seller.
Every time she printed and framed the shot, she would inevitably end up selling it at a trade show.
"The portrait represents love," a customer had told her once, "Comfortable, sweet love." She wanted to cringe at the campy, cheesy nature of the statement when the buyer had said it, but it was all she could think about after her divorce.
That’s love, she would remind herself. Real love.
Just the opposite of what she had with Josh.
And just another reason to be jealous of Tom and Leah.
Logan had legitimately bought the print and hung it over the hall table by the doorway. The idea that he bought her 'art' was not a hard lie to sell, considering the sheer amount of expensive sculptures he had around his lavish condo.
After selling the piece, according to Logan’s story, the couple had gone out for coffee, which then turned into drinks, which then turned into a walk by the water.
And they'd been inseparable ever since.
That was Logan's vision, anyhow. Riley had tried to sell a version where they had a little drama between them before settling down: something to make them seem a little more realistic. But Logan had blackballed her idea immediately.
"You're getting way too into this," Logan had laughed at her suggestion that perhaps they'd gotten together, broken up, and then got back together. "That never happens."
"That happens all the time!" she'd argued.
"Let me try again. That never works.”
"Why?"
"You start off happy; everything's good,” he’d said, gesturing with his hands as he spoke. “You do ridiculous things like brush your teeth and sneak back into bed so you appear magically fresh. You endure boring family events with a genuine smile. Then you fight. You break up.”
“And then you get back together,” Riley interrupted him with a laugh.
“Yes!” he said, pointing a finger in her direction. “And when you do, that... spark is gone. Not only is the magic and romance that made you tolerate all of those little annoying things about each other completely wiped out, but now all of those little things are magnified."
She scoffed and argued, “Or, you come back together stronger because you experienced what life was like living apart."
"Nah," he shook his head in a quick dismissal, a smile still ever-present. "Doesn't happen. Now you're just back together, waiting for the cycle to repeat itself. Except this time, you don't even have good memories to look back on when it’s over.”
“Impossible,” she rolled her eyes playfully.
“Hear me out. You get back together so many times that you practically beat the relationship into the ground until there’s nothing left. You’ve sullied anything good about it because now there’s just so much bad."
"That's ridiculous," she'd said at the time.
But his words stuck with her.
Probably because, deep down, part of her was still hoping Josh would come back one day and try to get in contact and tell her he was sorry and that he couldn't live another day without putting their little family back together.
Riley blinked off her thoughts as Gabriella’s familiar voice called her back into the expansive living room with its leather sectional and glass tables.
"What's that?" Riley asked and looked over at the brunette.
Gabriella gave her patented grin: a mischievous, flirtatious, childish smile only offered by those truly confident and carefree in life. "I said, nice painting," she announced with an unamused laugh. "Logan's a good guy, if you're willing to put up with a little B.S. Which I'm surprised you are," she teased, repeating what she had told Riley the same night she was fired from Mugs.
I know the perfect guy for you if you’re willing to put up with a little B.S.
Riley's eyes went wide, and she couldn't help but smile at Gabriella.
Oh, she definitely knew.
And why wouldn’t she
? They'd only seen each other every week for the last few years.
At least Gabriella wasn't willing to let on to Logan, Riley thought and breathed a momentary sigh of relief.
"I guess he's not like that with me," Riley laughed.
"Just wait," Gabriella winked.
Logan exhaled and looked up from his tablet. His brows shot up, not entirely uncomfortable with being the center of attention, and he mused, "I call for a change of subject, please. Gabby! You're going to scare her off."
"You don't need my help for that," Gabriella laughed and turned her attention back to Riley. "Could you help me in the kitchen?"
Riley followed her into the white marble kitchen and drew her hand along the cool island countertop as Gabriella grabbed an oversized porcelain coffee mug from the cupboard.
"You, me, gettin' coffee," Gabriella grinned. "We just can't get away from it."
Riley's eyes widened, and she could feel the embarrassment finally registering on her face. "Oh my gosh, I can’t believe you're his sister."
"I can't believe you're... what? Dating? You're not seriously engaged, are you?"
Riley inhaled. Things just got a lot more complicated.
"I'll explain later,” she said with pleading eyes. “But for now, as far as Logan is concerned, you and I have never met. Okay?”
Gabriella looked tense then; her stare going almost black. "Why?” she asked tentatively. “Tell me now."
"No," Riley said, matching Gabriella's tone. "I'll tell you later. Please. When we can speak privately."
"Riley, Riley, Riley," Gabriella tisk'ed, clearly knowing her brother was up to something. "Alright girl. Me, you, talking about this at the big family dinner coming up. Make time for me because this is happening."
Riley pressed her eyes closed, feeling relieved. "Fine, yeah, okay."
Gabriella stared down into the black coffee for some time, never going for a sip, and then looked back up at Riley and said, “Riley, I don't know what you're doing. but be careful about it.”
“I'm not doing anything that's going to get me hurt,” she tried to reassure her friend.
“No, just get you paid, right?”
Riley swallowed uncomfortably, imagining what Gabriella must think of her horrific behavior. It was embarrassing for her to know that Gabriella knew she was using her brother for a payout. And once she knew the true details of their arrangement, Riley wasn’t sure if Gabriella’s opinion of her could possibly go any lower.