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I wanted to say something to the smartass but held back because I didn’t want to make things worse for Riley.
“This isn’t a secret date! This isn’t a date at all!” she said angrily. “My girls and I were already here when Rhys and Jackson came in. This is the first time that Rhys and I have eaten together since we split up last year.”
“But is this the first time you’ve seen him since then?”
Riley took a deep breath and glared at Chad. “No, it isn’t,” she admitted.
“Meet me outside by my car.”
Chad gave each of us a go-to-hell look and started walking toward the exit.
“Rhys…” Riley said, coming up to me. “I apologize a thousand times over for what Chad just did. I am so embarrassed.”
“He should be the one apologizing and the one who’s embarrassed. Not you. Are you okay?”
“I don’t know what I am right now.” She reached for her purse in the booth. “Here, let me give you some money for my lunch.”
“I’ve got it, mia bella.”
She kept staring into my eyes and then nodded. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’m sorry about all of this,” she said, looking at Jackson, Rachel, and Macie. They waved her off, letting her know there was no reason for her to apologize, just as I’d done.
“Are you leaving with Chad?” Rachel asked.
“Yes. I need to talk to him in private.”
“Are you going back to Fort Worth today?”
“Maybe. My mood is completely shot now, so…”
“Stay until tomorrow. Please. I need some more sister-time.”
“And I need some more BFF-time,” Macie added.
Riley shrugged. “I’ll see. Talk to y’all later.”
Before she left, she stepped up to me and hugged me. I wasn’t expecting her to do that, but I welcomed it and hugged her just as tightly. Once she was gone, I sat back down in the booth, not believing the turn of events.
“I told you that Chad is an arrogant ass,” Macie said to me.
“Have you seen him act like that before?”
“Not to that degree.”
I looked at Rachel. “What about you?”
“No.”
“How has he been around your momma and daddy?”
“Nice, but still with an air of cockiness.”
“So, what’s their opinion of Chad?”
“They’ve never said anything negative and won’t because of Riley.”
