Rituals (Cainsville 5)

Lloergan leapt up and raced to the gate.

I rose as she whined. "I'll open it for you," I said as I walked over. "But if there's someone--or something--out there..."

She whined again, her whole body trembling, tail thumping. Not fear--excitement.

That's when I caught the faint yet unmistakable sound of a Harley.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

I heard that motor and, like Lloergan, I felt a spark of joy. Ricky was back.

Then I looked at Gabriel, walking toward me, his gaze turned toward the driveway, hearing the same sound I did.

"We--" I began, and there was this moment where I almost said we should go inside. Leave Lloergan and go inside and turn out the lights and maybe Ricky would think we'd gone to sleep. Forget the fact that it was only eight-thirty at night. Forget that he had a key. Most of all, forget that we had done nothing wrong.

As Lloergan took off, Gabriel held the gate open and turned to me.

"Go on inside," he said. "I'll speak to him."

I shook my head. "No, I should--"

"Yes, you're the one who should break it to him, and to have me do it smacks of chauvinism--as if I've 'taken' you from him. Under any other circumstances, I would agree. But this isn't any circumstances, and I..." He swallowed, the slightest bob of his Adam's apple. "I need to do this."

He meant he needed to be the one to tell Ricky because Gwynn hadn't told Arawn. We'd vowed not to repeat those mistakes.

"Tell him I--" I began.

Then Ricky turned into the drive, Lloergan racing behind him. He saw me and raised a hand in greeting, and to run inside without saying hello would have meant something was wrong. That I was ashamed and had to flee.

"Say hello," Gabriel murmured. "And then tell him you're going to make coffee."

"Right. Coffee to the rescue." I tried for a smile, and then realized I had to find one--not just for Ricky, but for Gabriel, who kept sneaking looks my way, every one of them asking if my unease might be regret.

"I want things to be okay," I said, and I wasn't sure if that meant anything at all, but he nodded and said, "They will be. Nothing will change. Ricky's not going anywhere."

I feared he would, no matter how clear he'd been that our separation wasn't a test, that he understood how I felt about Gabriel. Despite that, implicit in our breakup had been the unspoken understanding that if Gabriel never became an option, Ricky was still there.

Ricky swung from his bike, petting Lloergan with one hand as he pulled off his helmet with the other.

As I walked toward him, I remembered all the other times he'd come home from business. I'd see him and feel a rush of desire, reminded of exactly how good he looked. Today, though, what I thought wasn't how good he looked, but how familiar. A shot not of lust but of joy.

Ricky's home, and I can't wait to talk to him.

Because that had always been the most important thing. Our friendship. The ease and comfort of that friendship. With Gabriel, I could have deep and challenging and infuriating conversations. Ricky was the guy I could just kick back with, relax and chatter and never tire of it.

"Didn't I just talk to you in Miami a few hours ago?" I said.

He checked his watch. "Six hours ago. I raced to catch a flight home right after we talked. I know it was tough, managing the current crises without me."

"Uh..."

He turned to Gabriel. "She's dumbstruck with gratitude. And I'm sure that complete lack of expression on your face masks incredible relief that I'm here to save the day."

"I appreciate..." Gabriel began slowly.

Ricky thumped Gabriel on the back as he passed. "I'm kidding, obviously. Liv's trying to think of a comeback that's suitably sarcastic but not actually cruel. I know you guys didn't need me. But I can help, so I want to. Plus Lloe needs me home. Don't you, girl?"

He scratched the cwn's head as she accompanied him up the front steps.