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“Not the right time yet.” Kristi’s smile was all teeth. She wiped the water off her cheek with her finger and pressed the drop onto a napkin on the table. “But I will.”

“I know you will. And I’m going to start dating,” Riley said as Saint flashed in her mind, his half-smile encouraging. “When I’m ready. Soon.”

Maybe she’d finally text him, even without the Cookie excuse.

“You could go out with me.” Kristi looked almost expectant.

“To where?” Riley asked and tapped along to the song. “We go out lots.”

Kristi shook her head. “Right, of course we do.” The look in her eye shifted. “I could take you to a proper party. All different types of people, any way you want them.”

Riley rolled her eyes. This was only marginally better than arguing about Nico. “You are delusional. I’m not going to a sex party with you. I’m not—like you.”

Kristi’s eyes gleamed, and she touched her chest. “Beautiful? Talented? Sexually omnivorous?”

Riley’s laugh came out wrong. “I’m none of those things.”

“Babe, you’ve never tried.”

“Oh my god. What do you want? Money? Drugs? I’ll literally pay you to change the subject,” Riley snapped and immediately regretted it.

Kristi’s face fell, and she looked into her glass. Riley knew Kristi—always pushing the edges, always wanting more. But she was sensitive too. Riley ground her teeth.

Kristi looked at her again, and Riley’s chest loosened.

Kristi leaned forward, and her voice dropped. “You want to know what I really want? Like, deep down?”

Riley moved her hand away as Kristi’s fingertip brushed her knuckles.

“Ri, I want you to be happy. That’s it.” Kristi’s hair fell forward, obscuring her eyes. “Just that. With whoever.”

Riley breathed in the light citrus scent of Kristi’s shampoo, and something hiccupped in her chest.

A small, pathetic part wished the numbness was back and then she wouldn’t have to deal with the emotions that shot up her throat, but she got out of bed every day now. “Kristi...I am. Sometimes. It’s getting better. Promise.” Riley looked up and stared at chipped paint on the ceiling. The largest chip wobbled. She didn’t let the tears fall.

Riley wiped under her eye, ignoring the softness in Kristi’s face. She’d always been a crier, but she didn’t need compassion. Or pity.

Riley’s phone buzzed on the table. Thank God. She grabbed it and scrambled out of the booth before she’d even looked at who it was.

She glanced down. “Fuck, sorry. I gotta take this. It’s work.”

Kristi’s face hardened immediately. “Hello? Boundaries? Know her?”

Riley turned and walked away from the table.

“Riley! Don’t answer it.”

“Hi, Nico. Is everything okay?” Riley sounded hoarse. And shouldn’t have. Everything was fine.

Nico’s smooth, cultured voice didn’t fit with the stink of stale beer in the hallway. His light Italian accent should have accompanied expensive whisky with a single giant ice cube.

“Of course—my apologies. I didn’t realize how late it had become with the time change.”

Riley moved down the hall towards the kitchen. Eyes on her felt like the softest touch down her back. She glanced back over her shoulder but didn’t see anyone other than Kristi glaring at her.

“I shouldn’t have called. I can let you go,” Nico said, but he was just being polite. Giving her an out if she needed one.

“No, no, it’s okay. What’s up?” Riley ran her fingers over a collection of rocks on a shelf tacked to the wall. She caught one before it rolled over the edge and set it back in its place.