“What makes you think Riley was here? Because I’m pretty sure if Riley saw you kissing someone, he would have been pissed and let you know it.”
“I found a bouquet of pink peonies on the ground. Peonies are our flower. Could you call Dawson and ask him if Riley was here?” I plead.
“Sure, I can.” She puts her phone up to her ear. “Hmm. Straight to voicemail. But, you know, there is another way we can find out if he was here.”
“How?”
She grabs a remote and turns on the TV. “What time were you expecting him?”
“Six.”
She clicks a few buttons. “This house has video security.” She rewinds back to 5:55. “Well, that’s a problem,” she says as we watch Riley drive through the gate. My heart starts beating wildly when I see that he still has his green Viper. I remember one of our first dates, so vividly.
“God, you’re beautiful,” Riley says, making me blush when he greets me with a kiss outside my dorm.
I look at the ground, embarrassed. I’m not used to those kind of compliments.
He puts his hand under my chin and gently raises it so that I have to look in his eyes. “I’m going to tell you that every day until you believe it. To me, you’re the most beautiful girl in the world.” He gives me a cute grin. “I have a surprise for you tonight.”
“What kind of surprise?” I ask.
“I’m going to let you drive my car.”
“Really?” I say in shock. “I overheard you tell Dallas that you’d never let some girl drive it.”
“You’re not just some girl,” he says, melting my heart. “Do you know how to drive a stick?”
“No.”
“Then it’s about time you learn.”
“I can’t believe the gate was just open like that!” Vanessa yells, snapping me back to the present. “Bernard! Get in here. Why was the gate open?”
“I knew Mr. Johnson was expected and being proactive.”
“You know that’s not how we do things.”
“Yes, Ms. Flanning, I apologize. It will not happen again.”
“That explains how Collin got in,” I mutter, but then I watch Riley. “See, he’s getting out of the car and he has the bouquet. Are there cameras in the back yard too?”
“No, just the gate, the front door, and the perimeter outside the gate.”
I’m holding my breath waiting for Riley to come back on screen, hoping he’s on his phone with some emergency.
There’s a flash of his face on the screen. “Pause that!”
“He’s pissed,” Vanessa says.
“Shit. He must have seen Collin.”
“Or maybe he got a phone call and was mad he had to leave.”
“Is it normal for him to take off on a moment’s notice for business?”
“Actually, it is. Captive is currently filming four different movies. Something could’ve gone wrong on a set—a director threatening to quit, one of the big stars getting into trouble. It doesn't happen often but it does happen.”
“So why didn’t he bring me the flowers, give me a kiss, and tell me he had to leave?”
“It could be because he saw Collin, but I highly doubt it. If he would have seen, Riley would have confronted you. I think he got a call, was pissed he had to leave, dropped the flowers, and left. I’m sure he’ll text you later. He’s probably on the phone dealing with it and can’t call. Just leave him a message and tell him I told you about the trip.”
“Okay.”
“What’s more important, though, is dealing with your ex. Chad said he escorted him out. Why was he even here? How did he find you?”
“We have that thing where you can find your lost phone. He tracked it here.”
“Why did he come?”
“To give me back the divorce papers. He wanted me to go home with him. When I said no, he threatened to contest the divorce forever.”
“He can’t contest it forever, but he can make your life miserable during what can be a long, drawn-out process. That I know. My divorce took two years to get finalized.”
“I don’t want it to take that long.”
“Then it’s time to play hardball, Ariela.”
“I’m not good at that.”
“Then I can’t help you.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just . . .”
“Ariela, you have to decide what you can live with. Can you put your life on hold for a couple years while you wait to get a divorce? Can you live with the emotional devastation it will cause you? Can you listen to his lame excuses for why he’s an asshole and wants you back?”
“When I decided to come here, something inside me sort of snapped. I know this is the right decision for me. I’ve just got to get back some of my—”
“Confidence. You’re a beautiful, talented woman, Ariela, and I get it. My relationship with Bam stripped my confidence and my dignity. Sometimes, though, you have to hit rock bottom before you realize that you need to make a change.”