Drained: The Lucid (18 page)

“Oh. Right.” Riley turned the wheel in the other direction and pulled up to the front of the restaurant instead of the self-park lot.

Riley’s palm was firmly against the small of Amber’s back as they walked up to the hostess table. Moments later they were seated at an intimate table for two, shrouded in darkness. The candlelight was a nice touch. Riley had to remind herself sometimes in these kinds of scenarios that she was awake and not in someone’s dreams.

“This is nice.” Amber looked around the subdued restaurant with wide eyes that didn’t want to miss anything.

Riley studied the simple paper menu and tried not to swallow her tongue when she saw the prices. She only looked up when the serene atmosphere was disrupted by the entrance of a large party of attractive men and women.

“Do you think they’re famous or something?” Amber wondered aloud, clearly awestruck by her surroundings.

“No. Not celebrities,” Riley mumbled when she recognized two of the men—Kenner Dunbar and Darren Clay. She looked for Kenner’s younger brother, Liam, but didn’t see him. Her frown deepened when she realized they were walking directly towards her.

“Well, well. If it isn’t Riley Carter: Trusics, Inc., extraordinaire.” Kenner Dunbar smoothed his hands over his heavily gelled hair. His suit was immaculately tailored, fitted to a trim, yet muscular build. But the massive watch that hung on his right wrist was merely that, a watch and nothing more. “Have you changed your mind on wanting to join our firm?”

Riley produced a tight smile. “No, Kenner. I’ve told you many times, I’m happy right where I am.”

“Shit.” Darren said the word under his breath. “I’ll be right back, I forgot my portfolio in the back of the cab.” He ducked his head in apology before he jogged his way back outside.

“That’s some nasty business with those rumors,” the president of the rival company mused aloud. “Your board can’t be too pleased about that.”

“We’ll weather the storm,” Riley muttered in defense. “We always do.”

“Indeed.” Kenner flashed a brilliant smile, and his eyes moved to focus on the person across from her. “Who’s your friend?”

Riley would rather not have had to introduce her partner to him, but she didn’t want to insult Amber. “This is my girlfriend, Amber.”

“
Girlfriend?
How charming.” Kenner offered her a hand in greeting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Amber. But I must say, you do look familiar.”

Amber looked flustered under his gaze. “I think I’ve seen you a few times at—”

“The café,” Kenner cut in. “That’s right.”

“Ken, we should get back to our table,” Darren chimed in, giving Riley a sympathetic smile. “We have business to attend to.”

Kenner turned his attention towards his business partner. “I suppose you’re right.” His gaze dropped to the leather portfolio Darren had in his hands. “I assume you were able to retrieve everything.”

Darren nodded and seemed to clutch the binder tighter. “Henry was standing right outside with it.”

Kenner grinned. “A cab driver doesn’t get that popular without knowing how to treat his customers.” He readjusted his tie before bidding Riley and Amber farewell. “Have a pleasant evening, ladies.”

Darren quirked a small smile and followed Kenner’s departure to where their party was seated on the opposite side of the restaurant.

Amber leaned forward, her stare darting in the direction the men had gone. “How do you know them?” she quietly questioned.

Riley retrieved her menu and continued to debate what to order. “They’re in charge of Clay & Dunbar Financial—the company’s named after them, in fact. They’re the Clay and the Dunbar.”

Amber once again looked overwhelmed by the situation. “And they’ve been headhunting you?”

Riley nodded and took a sip of water infused with cucumber. “But I’d never leave Trusics. Especially not for their company.”

Amber stared thoughtfully in the direction of the large, rambunctious party that seemed to have drawn the attention of nearly everyone in the high-end restaurant.

Riley crisply set down her menu on the table. “So,” she said brightly, hoping to shed the awkwardness of running into Kenner and Darren, “what looks good?”

Dinner turned into a shared dessert and strong cups of espresso. Riley took an experimental sip. “Better than at the café,” she teased, dark eyes flashing.

“That’s not fair,” Amber pouted. “I’m sure they get their beans flown in from some exotic place. Our regular stuff probably fell off the back of a truck.”

Riley laughed, thoroughly enjoying herself.

“Where have you had the best coffee?” Amber asked.

“Barcelona.” The city’s name slipped out.

Amber’s eyes widened at the revelation. “You’ve been to Europe?”

“Uh, yeah.” Riley cleared her throat at the slip up. “I was there for a semester abroad when I was in college.” The lie was too easy. She had always been careful about the bits of personal information she shared with others and the mention of her time in Europe was unintentional.

“Do you speak Spanish?”

“No.” She did. She spoke several languages. “I used a lot of hand gestures and fumbled my way across the continent. But how about yourself? Any secret languages you’ve been keeping from me? ”

“If you want to count Spanish slang learned from our kitchen staff,” Amber said. A shy smirk settled on her pink-painted lips. “Then I guess I know Spanish very well.”

“I think you’d be able to make your way around with what you know.”

“Maybe. You know, I’m a little jealous that you’ve been to Barcelona,” Amber noted wistfully. She fiddled with an extra spoon that had not yet been cleared from their table.

“Then you should go.”

“Ha.” Amber laughed without amusement. “You’ve seen where I live and know the kind of money I make waitressing. A trip like that would be way too many paychecks and a year of a noodle-only diet.”

“But would you like to go?”

Amber’s eyes narrowed. “Wait. You’re not asking me to go with you, are you?”

Riley shrugged. She didn’t know what she was asking, really. But now that they’d started down this road, she couldn’t think of a nicer way to spend Trusics’s money. “Think of it as something we could work towards, together.”

• • •

The Jaguar’s engine purred as they idled in Amber’s driveway after dinner. The sun had set, and the night sky was populated with a few stars, visible despite the light pollution of the city.

“Dinner was amazing tonight,” Amber said softly, fiddling with the strap of her seat belt. “Thank you. No one’s treated me to something like that in … forever.”

Amber’s admission brought a small smile to Riley’s face. “You’re very welcome.”

Amber reached across the center console and touched Riley’s cheek. “Riley.” Her features grew somber. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

Riley tried to swallow, but her mouth had gone dry. “Thank you.”  

Thank you?
Thank you?
Riley’s brain screamed at her stupidity. If Amber had taken offense to her choice of words she didn’t show it.

“Stay tonight.” It wasn’t a request.

Riley’s gaze left the intensity of her girlfriend’s face and returned to the face of her wristwatch. The possibility of a promotion loomed over her like an omnipresent cloud. If she became a paper pusher, a manager, she’d never have to worry about meeting quotas. She could access the realm at her leisure. The days of running off in the middle of the night and cutting date nights short would be over. She could have as normal of a life with Amber as she could ever hope for. But a pair of hazel-green eyes beckoned to her elsewhere. If she became a manager, she’d be giving up her current marks: Pencil Skirt, Cuffs ‘n’ Rough, Miss Perfect, Knottie, Un-Adventure Time, Morgan …

Riley licked at her bottom lip and turned the engine off.

• • •

It wasn’t until the early morning that Riley dragged herself into the comforts of her own home. It had been a long day, and the emptiness of her apartment was a blessing. She poured herself a glass of water, grabbed her phone, and flopped down onto the couch.  

She needed to talk, despite the hour. Riley chanced a call to one of the few numbers she knew by heart.

Heather answered the phone after four rings. “You’d better be dying or in jail,” she growled, sounding sleep deprived.

“She said she loves me,” Riley blurted out without so much as a hello.

“Who? That psycho barista who crushed on you last year?”

She frowned at the unpleasant reminder. “No. Amber.”

“Oh.” Heather yawned loudly. “Good on you, Riles.”

“All I could say was ‘thank you.’”

“Real smooth.” Heather chuckled and sounded more awake. “Didn’t you get the highest marks in Seduction Studies back in the day? Want me to sign you up for a refresher course?”

Riley scowled; talking to Heather was a regrettable decision at times. She wanted to tear at her hair or throw her phone across the room. She was angry with herself and frustrated with the situation. Hearing those words were exactly what she needed to hear Amber say, but when it finally happened, her mind had gone blank. Her stomach hadn’t filled with butterflies and she hadn’t had an overwhelming need to grab her girlfriend by the face and bruise their lips together. She had heard the magical words and all she could muster was a polite response.

“You’re not helping.” Riley curled into a ball on the firm couch. “I don’t even know why we’re friends.”

“No need to get so
riled
up, Riles.” Heather snorted. “You have to admit it’s kind of funny.”

Riley didn’t respond. Instead, she rolled her face into a throw pillow and kept it mashed against the rough fabric.

“Riles? Riley?” Heather spoke when she heard no response. “Rillea, if you’re crying I swear I will drive over there this very minute.”

“No, I’m not. Go back to sleep,” Riley whispered. “Night, H.” She ended the call before Heather could say anything else. Not wanting a headache from sleeping with her head bent the wrong way, she dragged herself to bed.

When Riley woke a few hours later, she felt a warm body pressed against her and found a piece of paper taped to her forehead. It was a traffic ticket with a sticky note attached to it with Heather’s careful handwriting:
You owe me a ridiculously priced dinner.  

Riley’s gaze turned to the woman beside her. In the short time she’d been asleep, Heather had managed to drive over to make sure she was okay. Her eyes glossed over the outfit that her bedmate was wearing. It was a silk robe that didn’t leave much to the imagination—an item from Heather’s personal wardrobe and not her own. Riley bit back her laughter at the thought of an irritated Heather being pulled over while wearing intimate clothing in the early morning hours. She mused over the different scenarios. The ill-tempered woman must have insulted the officer if she couldn’t get herself off the hook wearing that.

Riley pressed her lips against her best friend’s forehead. Heather grumbled unintelligently in her sleep but snuggled closer.

“You have way too much plaid in your wardrobe.” Heather picked at the shirt she’d borrowed from Riley that morning. “I thought you were pansexual, not a lesbian.”

“Maybe you should have thought about that before you left your house dressed in only a short robe,” Riley jabbed back.

“There’s James.” Heather beamed and waved at her boyfriend, who was seated by himself at their brunch table. “Babe, did you get my message?”

“Yes, I did.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a chaste kiss. From a distance, the couple looked like newlyweds at their honeymoon stage. Riley marveled at the grins always plastered on their faces when they addressed each other, and that was saying a lot considering one of the parties in question was Heather.

James pulled his focus away from the woman in his arms long enough to look at Riley. “I want you know that I forgive you for stealing my girl away from me in the middle of the night.” He grinned as Heather placed one last kiss to the side of his face before pulling away.

Riley allowed herself a small smile. “I can sleep soundly now that I’m forgiven.”

Heather and James sat in their usual chairs, but Riley remained standing. Heather picked up her laminated menu, but not before noticing Riley.

“Planning on joining us, Riles?”

Riley’s eyes darted across the café patio. “James, have you seen Amber?”

He took a sip from his coffee before answering. “Not this morning, no.”

“Are you still panicking about the L-word thing?” Heather asked.

“The L-Word?” James looked confused, but a sharp look from Heather cut off his line of questioning.

“No. I’m over that,” Riley lied. It wasn’t the first time she had heard those three little words, but it was the first time she had felt blindsided by the admission of love. She wasn’t sure how she was going to react upon seeing her girlfriend the morning after.

As if hearing Riley’s thoughts, Amber appeared out the front door of the café, her apron tied smartly around her waist and a half-empty coffee pot in one hand. Her red hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, which, combined with the subtle rouge on the apples of her cheeks, accentuated her high cheekbones even more. The annoyance of the breakfast rush fell from her features at the sight of Riley, still standing on the patio.

Amber crossed the outside section with long strides. “Hey, you.” She beamed, and her emerald eyes overflowed with warmth. “I missed you this morning.” She rested the coffee pot near her hip.

Riley couldn’t have felt more unsure of her actions than if she’d woken up naked next to a stranger. She licked her dry lips. “Yeah, sorry about that. Work called. I would have left a note, but I couldn’t find a pen.”

The smile faltered on Amber’s mouth momentarily. “Work,” she echoed the word. “When you’re manager are they going to keep pulling you out of my bed in the middle of the night?”

“Manager?” James couldn’t help overhearing.

Riley grimaced. “Uh, Hyrum offered me a new position yesterday.”

“Why am I just hearing about this now?” Heather demanded. “After I—.” Thankfully, Heather had the sense to not reveal in front of Amber that she’d been sleeping in Riley’s bed a few hours earlier.