Riverbank Ranch is big, with two large parts divided by a dirt road, so it’s not unusual to not see people for a while. The west side of the ranch holds the cabins and the summer camp portion ofthings—a lake, cabins, sheds, picnic tables, and a movie area. On the other side of the main dirt road are the animals, including all the cattle and horses.
Riley ten years ago would have been there immediately, tending the horses, spending time with them, but now, even looking at them makes my heart weep for the life I don’t have anymore. The parents who aren’t alive and the dreams that died with them. It’s s?—
Dom opens the door, breaking me from my thoughts, and holy fucking shitballs.
He’s standing there, grey and black wet hair dancing in the moonlight as if the night itself blessed him, his dark eyes intense beyond what I can handle. To top it off, he’s wearing gray sweatpants, and, sweet baby Jesus, a tight t-shirt shows off his arms.
“Riley?” he asks, confused, his words forcing me to look up and stop ogling him.
“I made you dinner!” It’s the only thing I can say, swallowing hard and pretending just looking at him doesn’t have me all flushed.
“I already ate.”
“Oh.” I didn’t even consider that most people here eat at five like senior citizens because of how challenging and rough the work is on the body. “I didn’t think about that. Sorry.” I try to giggle in an attempt to hide my embarrassment. He flinches, taking the container from my hand.
“Thank you. I’ll save it for tomorrow.”
I try to smile, but I can’t. I’m trying really hard here, but he’s not helping. “I’m going back to the cabin. I just wanted to do something to say thank you for saving my ass twice now.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“I wanted to, that’s all. Have a good night.”
I rush back to my cabin. I didn’t even get to show him how you can barely see the burn on my hand, and, other than being a little red, my foot is totally fine. I can’t keep trying to win him over if I’m going to be met with disdain and rudeness. I know better. It’s fine; he can continuebeing lonely.
I take my plate to the upstairs room, play music softly in my ears, and start doing the thing I’ve missed these past few days: creating.
8I DON’T NEED HELP AT ALL
Riley
I played nice today.I put my headphones in for my morning routine, especially because I couldn’t sleep at all last night. I was up until three, painting. I wouldn’t dare wake him up, even if on accident, so I stayed as quiet as a mouse as I put some color on canvas. It ended up just being an abstract mess, nothing of what I was expecting, but beautiful, nonetheless. I was itching to move; the walls feel restrictive, so here I am, a little past four, ready to go for a longer run. I figure if I can just clear my head, maybe I can sleep later.
Take a nap. A power nap.
I open the front door quietly, sneaking out like a thief in the night, but I jolt again from the sight across from my cabin. There’s Dom, coffee in hand, scowl painted on his face.
“Good morning!” I wave to no reply. Go figure. Sure, we don’t have to be friends, but we’re neighbors, and I refuse to be a crappy one just because of his attitude. I stretch, bending over and pulling my foot up. I didn’t yesterday, and I felt stiff, my calves sore. Overall not a good time.
He doesn’t mutter a word, and I won’t give him the satisfaction of saying anything else. I said hello. That’s enough.
“Do you ever sleep?” he asks.
“He’s alive!” I joke, my eyes dancing in a smile. “Yes, I do sleep. I slept plenty last night. Didn’t you? I didn’t play music this time.”
“No, you just had the brightest light I’ve ever seen shining directly through my window over my bed.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake. “You sleep up there?”
He nods.
“Well, I didn’t know. Get curtains or something.”
“Sleeping so little can’t be healthy.”
“You sure worry entirely too much about someone you just met and who you have been very rude to.”
“About that.”
