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Riley’s eyebrows pulled together. “What?”
“Yes. I thought you would because of who you are. You’ve always been cut out for more than me and our hometown.”
“No. I never viewed myself in that way, like I was better than you and everything here. I was just hungry to see what else was out there in the world, and I am so sorry that I sacrificed us to do it.”
“You had to follow your dream. I get it. But your journey led you back to me. Can’t you see that?”
Riley took a ragged breath. “Yes.”
“Then say you’re mine again.”
“I can’t. Not yet. After all that’s happened with Chad and you, I feel so mixed up inside, and I’ve got to work through it. It’s only fair to both of us that I do.”
“At least tell me you love me. I need to hear it.”
“I love you, Rhys Michael Silverman. I love you so much.”
CH 17 - #gift
Rhys
Song: “The One” by Gary Allan
RILEY’S HEART WAS still mine. I was shocked when she admitted she’d never fallen out of love with me.
Last Friday at Cheers and Beers, Macie and Rachel told me the same thing about her, but I didn’t believe them. At the time, I thought there was no way that it was true; otherwise, Riley never would’ve ended our relationship. I was mistaken, though. She walked away from what we shared while loving me as much as I did her—but she walked back to me this week. I never saw it coming, either. I’d only dreamed about it happening.
Riley and I weren’t officially a couple again, but our feelings were official. They were as strong as they’d ever been, and so was the physical part of our relationship. The only thing missing was Riley’s commitment to me. Mine to her was a given, but I wouldn’t push her more.
I understood she needed time to process everything. She’d been through a lot in the past week, and it didn’t matter to me how long it took her to find her direction in life again. I’d be here waiting for her to tell me she was all mine again for as long as it took. She was worth the wait.
As we left the cemetery, I held her hand again. I had to touch her. I’d gone for so long, unable to, and now that I could, I intended to do it every chance I got.
“What the…” Riley started saying when we’d almost reached my truck.
We looked at each other and then back at the rose on my windshield. After picking it up, I handed it to Riley.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking,” I asked.
“Yes, this is Rosalie’s. It has to be. It’s identical to the one that we gave her.”
“Do you want to check to be sure?”
“You know I do.”
“Then let’s go.”
We had the proof we sought in less than a minute. The silk red rose on Rosalie’s headstone was missing.
“Until now, I have never known the name of one ghost behind all of the paranormal activity I’ve witnessed in Cypress Hills,” Riley said.
“I’m right there with you.”
“I don’t understand why Rosalie gave her rose back to us.”
“Maybe it’s her way of showing appreciation for our gifts. Giving us one that we’d given her was the only thing she could do.”
“That makes sense. But who gets to keep this one? You or me.”
