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“I don’t want to see him or hear his voice. I know a final talk is coming between us, but I’m not ready. When I am, I’ll return my engagement ring to him and get my things from his house.”
“I didn’t realize you’d been living with him.”
“I hadn’t. Over the past six months, I just left some of my clothes and stuff like that.”
I nodded, trying to reel in my quickly growing irritability about Chad contacting Riley. “Okay.”
“Until I leave on Sunday, all I want to do is spend time with my family, Macie, and especially you.”
“Then I suggest you let Chad know that in so many words. If you don’t, he’ll probably show up unannounced again.”
“He better not.”
“His track record speaks for itself, so I’d bet on him coming here either today or sometime over the weekend if he doesn’t get a reply from you.”
Riley searched my eyes and finally nodded. “I’ll text him back.”
She walked into my living room, sat on the couch, and began typing her message. I had just finished fixing her coffee and mine when she came up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and handed her cup to her.
“Thanks,” she said.
“You’re welcome.”
“Chad isn’t coming to Cypress Hills today or any day ever again.”
“How do you feel?”
“I just hope he’ll leave me alone from here on out. I ripped him a new one and should’ve done that after he sent me those flowers. If I had, I probably wouldn’t be dealing with him now.”
“What flowers?”
Riley’s eyes grew big. “Oh yeah. I didn’t tell you about them.”
“When did Chad send them?”
“On the day you saw me driving down to the bayou. My little ritual was throwing Chad’s vase of white tulips into the water. I didn’t want them, just like I didn’t want the cards I received from him yesterday. They were in the stack of mail that you laid on the kitchen counter at my momma and daddy’s.”
I took a deep breath, trying to reel in my irritability again. It was about to get the best of me.
“You’re angry,” Riley said, looking over my face.
“Not at you. Chad.”
“I’m sorry about all of this.”
“So am I. The asshole has a knack for ruining good moments between you and me.”
“Only if we let him.” Riley pointed at the picture window. “Look at what your ghost did for us this morning. I think she loves us and wants us to be happy.”
Hearing her say that made me smile. “I appreciate your positive spin on things.”
“I love you.”
“I love you.”
“Now, for my picture. I’ve got to take it before those hearts disappear.”
She took a sip of her coffee, set it on the island, and then captured the image on her cellphone while I stood back and captured hers on mine. Riley was beautiful anyway, but especially in the morning light.
