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Fifteen minutes later, Riley was back in the kitchen.
“Dylan asleep?” Aunt Janice asked as she poured the tea.
“Out like a light.”
“Great, come and sit. We have to talk.”
Riley pulled out a chair. “What about?”
“You know what about. You and Mitch. Everyone around you can feel the sparks when the two of you are in the same room.”
“I told you I’m not interested in relationships.”
“Oh, that’s nonsense. You never really loved Percy, and if you’re very honest, you’d agree. Everyone around you was getting married, and you went along with the tide.”
“You never liked him, did you?”
“His eyes are close-set, a clear sign of someone with a weak will.”
Riley’s eyebrows shot up. “How do you know that?”
“I don’t need to study physio… What do you call it again?”
“Are you talking about physiognomy?” Riley chuckled.
“I remember you were into it a while ago. I know nothing about the subject, trust me, but he never treated you right, long before he’d sent you that horrible text on your wedding day. But you can’t let one guy steal your joy forever. Don’t push someone like Mitch away because you’ve been hurt once. Getting hurt is part of life. But in between the hardships, there is so much love. You just have to open your heart to it.”
“Yeah?” Riley asked. “You’re happily single, aren’t you?”
“I am, but it’s not by choice. Don’t make the same mistake I did. I thought there was time. We were young; I had places to go, things to see. Let’s wait, I said. Turned out, time was the one thing we didn’t have, that my Grant didn’t have. He died of cancer. Within a month.”
Riley reached out to touch her aunt’s hand. “I’m so sorry to hear that. Why haven’t you told me before? Do Craig and Aiden know?”
Aunt Janice nodded. “Both of them needed a bit of a nudge. You’ve been so strong, making a home for you and Dylan, and I know it’s scary to think you may lose everything you’ve worked so hard for, but sweetie, love is worth the risk, trust me. You’re afraid of commitment and I don’t blame you, but at some point you have to give yourself permission to go out and experience life again. Falling in love with the right person doesn’t mean you have to lose your identity or your security. Trusting anyone after what happened to you is a huge step, I know, but you need to do that if you want to grow. Okay, there, I’m finished.” She grinned.
Long after Aunt Janice had gone to bed, Riley was still sitting in the kitchen, mulling over her aunt’s words. Yes, she’d been afraid of getting hurt, and she was scared of trusting anyone else, but she had Dylan to think about, as well. She couldn’t simply fall for the first guy who kissed her senseless.
Involuntary, her fingers touched her lips again. What Mitch’s kisses did to her…
Groaning, she got up, cleaned the cups, switched off the lights. From outside, the Christmas lights still lit up the whole house. Every surface in the house was covered with one or other Christmas decoration. She tiptoed into Dylan’s room. He was out for the count. As she pulled up the blankets, she thought of Mitch tenderly doing the same thing four months ago.
She’d been a bit wary of him since the first day she’d met him. He’d been scowling and yelling at Aiden. She’d labeled him the yelling brother and hadn’t given him another thought.
But then she’d danced with him, kissed him, and… well, everything was different now.
He was one of the good guys. Tonight, she’d been witness to his caring nature, his compassion for one of his students. Even the way he’d handled the drunken dad was impressive. A teddy bear, his sisters called him—now she knew why.
Mitch. Always Mitch. What was she going to do about him? He’d agreed to being just friends, but was friendship really all she wanted from him?
Being just friends would mean they’d see one another but not touch or kiss. Never kiss Mitch again?
Groaning, she walked to her room. She was going to bed now; she was so tired, she couldn’t see straight. Maybe her subconscious would miraculously come up with a plan so that she would know what to do about Mitch.
*
By the timeMitch got home, it was after midnight. Tired and upset, he switched off the lights and went to his room.
He’d been trying to help Matthew since he’d become aware of the boy’s circumstances at home, but Matthew kept telling him everything was okay—that he’d fallen from his bike or walked into a door—he’d always had an excuse. Tonight was the first time the boy had asked for help.
