“We need to go in.I’m sure dinner is going to be ready soon and I haven’t seen your parents yet.I came straight here.”
Riley didn’t speak.He simply followed her to the house.
“Letty!”Lorraine exclaimed.“I’m so happy you came.I haven’t seen nearly enough of you lately.I’m hoping to be cleared by my doctor soon to see the rest of the family.”
“Happy to have you, Letty,” Jasper said gruffly.
She hugged both of them, then sat and talked to Lorraine while Riley left to help Mercy.
“I’m so glad Letty came.Did you and she work things out?”
“Depends on what you call working out.”
“Not good, huh?”
“Nope.”Since he really didn’t want to talk about it he changed the subject.“What do you need me to do?”
Mercy indicated a number of dishes full of various foods.Turkey and corn bread dressing, gravy, green beans, a potato dish, rolls, cranberry sauce—all the fixings of a traditional Southern dinner.Mercy was proudly Southern and the holiday meals she cooked reflected that.“Take those out and put them on the sideboard.The table is set for the four of you.Lorraine swears she feels well enough to be up and about that long.I’m not so sure, but I know you’ll keep an eye on her.”
“Count on it.”
A short time later, Mercy left to go home to her family.Jasper and Riley were in charge of cleaning up after the meal.If they didn’t know where something belonged, Mercy had told them to leave it on the sideboard in the dining room.Riley was surprised Jasper had agreed to help clean up.He’d never done so before, but then, Lorraine had never been recovering from pneumonia before.
Jasper said the blessing and they all began to eat.
“Did you and Letty go to church last night?”Lorraine asked.“This is the first time in I don’t know how long I wasn’t able to attend the Christmas Eve midnight service.”
They’d been too busy breaking up to go to church, but he couldn’t say that.Thankfully, Letty stepped in.“A new friend of mine asked us to attend her church.It’s a really small church outside of Livingston.”
“As long as you went to church,” Jasper said.
Riley exchanged a grateful glance with Letty.They both knew Jasper was religious and while he wouldn’t dream of trying to control which church they went to, he’d have been very disappointed if they hadn’t gone at all.
His mother didn’t say anything, but she gave him and Letty a thoughtful look.Crap.She wasn’t buying it.He’d have to make it a point to avoid her after Letty went home.
*
After dinner anddessert, Riley walked Letty out.Neither of them said anything.She wanted him to come to her apartment.Wanted to be with him, one last time.But she couldn’t lead Riley on.Even if they didn’t break up now and waited until after New Year’s, she couldn’t afford to keep going like they were.She’d only fall more in love with him than she already had.
She should have known better.Should have realized how hard it would be for them to have ‘just a fling.’But she’d wanted him, even if only for a little while.
Riley opened her car door when they reached her car.“Be careful.It looks like snow, but maybe it will hold off until you get home.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine.Do you want me to call or text when I get home?”
“I’d say no, but my mother will ask if you got there all right.”He paused and added reluctantly, “And I’ll worry too.”
She still hadn’t gotten into her car.“Will I see you again?”
He looked at her, his expression grim.“Not anytime soon.I have a lot to do here and like I said, there’s no point dragging this out.”
“You want a clean break.”
“No.”He frowned at her.“I don’t want a break at all.But since you do, it might as well be now.”
“You think I’m wrong, don’t you?”
“Are you trying to start a fight?Will that make you feel justified in what you’re doing?You know exactly where I stand.I told you.More than once.”
“And I told you our fling could only last until New Year’s.I told you that before we ever got together.”
“I remember.That would be fine if this was a fling.But it isn’t.Is it, Letty?It hasn’t been from the first.”
She had no answer to that.Because to answer him she’d have to agree with him.So she got in her car, put on her seat belt and started the drive to her apartment.She made the mistake of looking back in her rearview mirror.Riley was still standing there, watching her leave.Part of her wanted to turn back, tell him she was sorry, tell him she didn’t want to break up.
Tears stung her eyes.Even as they rolled down her cheeks, she tried to remind herself that this was for the best.But how could something that was ripping her heart out be the right thing?
