Staring at the phone in her friend’s hand, Riley shrugged. “I was.”
“Justin looks like he was, too.”
“He was.” And if she hadn’t already known, looking at the photos would have assured her that he had been.
“So what does this mean? And don’t lie to me the way you keep lying to yourself.”
Riley rubbed at her temples, started to say it meant nothing, but wasn’t sure that was the truth. She was lying to herself, wasn’t she?
“I wish I knew.”
Cassie’s expression softened. “Let me ask a different way. What do you want it to mean?”
“Justin says he wants to date me.”
Still holding the phone, Cassie gave an excited squeal. “Then date the man! It’s not as if he isn’t a handsome, successful orthopedic surgeon who’s a great guy and just happens to turn you on.”
“There is that,” Riley agreed, taking her phone back.
After watching her in silence for a few moments, Cassie asked, “Does this have to do with Johnny?”
“Ugh...” Now
her temples really hurt. “Do we have to say his name out loud?”
“We don’t have to. But since he’s what’s holding you back, we need to.”
“He quit holding me back the moment he didn’t show up for our wedding.”
“Best thing that man ever did for you.”
“True.” She shuddered at the thought that had he shown up she would have tied herself to him for life. “I don’t want to go through that again.”
Cassie reached out and hugged Riley. “Johnny didn’t deserve you. He never did. What he did to you on what was supposed to be the happiest day of your life was unforgivable. But it wouldn’t happen again.”
Trying not to cry, Riley inhaled and then blew out slowly. “You’re right—because I won’t let it.”
She was content with her life, didn’t need a man to be happy. But Justin...
Cassie gave her another squeeze. “It’s been over a year, Riley.”
“Not nearly long enough to forget what happened,” she admitted, hugging her friend back, then pulling away.
“Don’t forget it, but don’t let it dictate your future,” Cassie advised. “You deserve to be happy. And Justin makes you happy. If you don’t believe me look at those pictures.”
* * *
Cassie had left with Sam, but Riley stayed outside, lying in the hammock, enjoying the cool breeze. Daisy was curled in her lap and hadn’t budged since a few minutes after Cassie had left. For that matter Riley barely had.
Reaching for her necklace to toy with the cross, she recalled too late that it wasn’t there. Tears prickled her eyes. How could she have lost her necklace? She’d searched everywhere she could think of, had called around, and no one had found it—including Justin.
Justin. He was never far from her mind.
She picked up her phone and yet again looked at the photos that filled her with an equal mixture of confusion and joy. She should send them to him. He’d given her his number and she’d told him she would.
She glanced at the time. She’d been out longer than she’d thought. He’d been in surgery early that morning. He was probably asleep.
She’d been in surgery just as early and she wasn’t sleeping, her nagging voice pointed out.