The fussing was going to have to wait.

Riley had managed to get curled up on the couch, but Erika wasn’t available for fussing. She was busy getting the house ready for the dinner party they were having that night. That included Kyle and Hannah, their grandmother, and, for some reason, Derek. And his parents.

Okay, Derek being there wasn’t a big surprise. He’d eaten countless meals at her mother’s dining room table over the years and had been over a couple of times just in the past few weeks. They’d had to work on hiding their feelings or anything that might let on that they were more than…what they’d always been.

But were they? That was what was bothering her. She and Derek were the same they’d always been. She still felt she could be completely honest with him and that he was completely honest with her. She could tell him when she hated his shirt, or that dipping his French fries in mayo was disgusting. But she could also now tell him that she liked his haircut and that he made amazing pizza, and that she just flat out liked him and that he was amazing. As kids and teens, she would have never admitted that she liked something about him, or that he was doing something right. Because, well, they’d been kids and teens, and that’s how they interacted.

But now…

She pulled the throw pillow over her face, groaning.

He was amazing.

And she wanted to keep doing what they’d been doing. For a very long time.

Which had to be the most cliché, sickening thing she’d ever done.

She’d gotten out. She’d gone away. She’d had a great job and apartment in California.

And now she was back in Sapphire Falls, living with her parents, crushing on her brother’s best friend—the biggest playboy in town, of course—and another of her brother’s friends was creating a job for her.

Apparently orgasms made her brain mushy. And distracted her from the fact that she had fallen into the rut of Sapphire Falls.

“Riley? Can you help me with the table?” Erika called from the kitchen.

Riley tossed the pillow and sighed up at the ceiling. Of course she could. And should. Lying on the couch, not being fussed over wasn’t helping. Though she doubted the fussing would really help anyway. This wasn’t a poor-baby-chicken-soup problem. This was a shit-what-am-I-going-to-do problem.

Riley padded into the kitchen. “What can I do?”

Her mom looked over. Then frowned. “Are you going to change before dinner?”

Riley looked down at her capris and tank top. “Do I need to?”

“We’re having people over.”

“Yeah. Our people. People I’ve known forever. They’ve seen me dressed like this before.” And Derek doesn’t seem to mind when I’m dressed down. Or not dressed at all.

She stopped those thoughts immediately. That didn’t matter, and she definitely needed to not think about being undressed with Derek while standing with her mother in the kitchen of her childhood home.

Then Erika shocked her by putting down the dish towel she held, leaning back against the counter behind her, and studying Riley.

That never happened when there was a meal to prepare. And there was always a meal to prepare.

It struck Riley that maybe there was something there. Derek had said he’d given her a hard time and teased her because he’d wanted her attention. Had that been part of why Riley acted out and did the opposite of everything Kyle did? To get her mom’s attention? Even if it wasn’t the most positive way to do that?

“Our people,” Erika repeated. “I like that.”

Riley nodded, suddenly feeling nervous.

“Do you really feel that way?”

Riley wet her lips. “Of course.”

“They’re not just my people? They’re our people?” Erika pressed.

“Yes. Of course. Kyle and Hannah are definitely our people.”

“And the Wrights?” Erika asked.

“They’ve been like a part of the family for as long as I can remember,” Riley replied honestly. There had always been barbecues and game nights and holiday parties shared with the Wrights.

“And Derek?”

Oh boy. There it was. She shrugged. “Derek too. He’s always been like another big brother. I can hardly think of a time when he wasn’t around. He’s definitely seen me looking way worse than this.”

She really hoped like hell she wasn’t blushing.

Erika nodded. “I suppose that’s true.” She paused, then said, “Longtime friendships like that can be complicated. We sometimes take them for granted. Or think that things will always be the same no matter what, so we don’t watch what we do and say as carefully as we do with other people.”

It had been a long time since Erika and Riley had had a heart-to-heart. A really long time. Riley shifted her weight. “Are you talking in general or about something specific?” she asked.

“You and Derek have been spending a lot of time together.”

Riley nodded. “And you don’t like that?”

Erika frowned. “I didn’t say that. You always assume that what I’m saying is a criticism.”

“It often is.”

“Because you’re often pushing my buttons.”

Riley took a deep breath, then acknowledged that with a nod. “Sometimes.” She sighed. “I don’t know why I do that.”

Erika lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know why I criticize.” She paused. “Well, maybe I do.”

Riley tipped her head. “Why?”

“It started off that I was worried,” Erika told her. “I knew how to handle a kid like Kyle. I knew what to expect. Then you came along and did everything differently and I didn’t know how it would turn out. Then…I guess it was a way to feel like you still needed me. To get your attention.”

Surprise rocked through Riley. “You were trying to get my attention?”

“You never really needed anyone, Riley. You didn’t ask me for advice on your clothes or how to handle your friends or teachers. You didn’t even ask me about your period.”

Riley opened her mouth, then shut it again. Her mom was right. She hadn’t gone to Erika for much, because she’d assumed her mother’s advice would have been to do it like Kyle did it, or to at least do the opposite of whatever Riley was doing.

“I guess I was trying to insert myself into your life when you didn’t ask me in,” Erika said. “And it often came out as criticism.” She sighed like Riley had. “It took me a while to admit that you were doing fine on your own. And that annoyed me.”

Riley felt herself smile. “I didn’t always do fine.”

“You always ended up fine in the end.”

She scoffed at that. “Really? Fine? I’m back here in Sapphire Falls, living with you guys, jobless except for what my brother’s friend gives me to do.”

“I thought you liked the job with Scott.”

She felt her heart trip slightly. “I do. I love it actually.”

“Then does it matter how you got it? It’s still about your talent and skills.”

Riley looked at her mom. She thought Riley had talent and skills. “It just feels like I should be able to make some things happen for myself. Things here are…easy. I guess that’s nice,” she added quickly. “But it’s maybe a little less satisfying when things just…happen, rather than me making them happen.”

“Are things with Derek easy?”

The air seemed to rush out of her lungs. Her mom was asking specifically about Derek. Oh boy. “Wha—what do you mean?”

“I mean your relationship with Derek,” Erika said, giving her a look that made Riley certain her mom knew exactly what she and Derek had been up to. “Is it easy?”

Riley finally nodded. “Yeah. Really easy. In fact…” She thought about what she was about to admit, but realized that her and Derek’s relationship, no matter what it was exactly, impacted their families. “It happened accidentally. He was thinking about dating Lucy, and I decided to give him some tips on how to be a better boyfriend and…things just happened.” She blew out a breath. “It was very easy.”

Erika nodded slowly. “I would think that it would be.”

“Really?” Her heart skipped for some reason.

“You’ve known each other a long time, you’re a lot alike, you’re very comfortable together.”

Yep, all of that had contributed for sure. “But it feels…accidental,” Riley said, lifting her shoulder. “It wasn’t supposed to happen at all. So it’s not like we’re taking it very seriously.”

Erika frowned. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

“What?”

“That you were just messing around.”

Riley nodded. “Yeah. Pretty much.” She ignored the voice in her head that was calling bullshit.

“Your brother seems to think that it’s more than that,” Erika said.

Riley’s eyebrows shot up. “You and Kyle have talked about this?”

“Of course.” Erika said it as if she and Kyle discussed Riley and her life choices all the time.

Which they probably did.

“He’s thrilled.”

Riley blinked at her. “What? Kyle is thrilled that Derek and I are messing around?”

“No. He’s thrilled that you and Derek are dating,” Erika said. “He loves the idea of you both settling down, and the fact that it’s together is even better.”

Well…crap.

“We’re not settling down together,” Riley said. “I’m not settling down at all.” Her stomach ache was definitely back.

“Kyle said Scott offered you a more long-term job.”

Of course Scott had told Kyle that, and Kyle had told her mother. “He did. But I didn’t give him an answer.”

“And Kyle thinks you and Derek are getting serious.”

Riley took a breath. “Well, Kyle hasn’t asked me about that.” Then something occurred to her. She frowned. “Did Kyle ask Scott to make me that job offer?”

Erika shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t think so.” Then she frowned. “But would that be so bad? He’s your big brother. He’s just looking out for you. He wants you here. Why is that something bad?”

“Because I don’t need his help.”

“You don’t have a job,” Erika pointed out.

Riley tipped her head back with a soft “argh”. Then she met her mother’s eyes. “I haven’t made good decisions 100% of the time, I’ll admit. I’ve messed some things up. But I don’t want or need the Sapphire Falls contingency plan put into place.”

Erika propped a hand on her hip. “Don’t you? Where else would you have gone after your jail time was over?”

Her accidental and forgiven jail time. At least forgiven by the courts. “Just because I temporarily needed a place to go doesn’t mean that I’ve given up entirely.”

“And that’s what it would be if you came back for good, got a job here, started a serious relationship here?” Erika asked. “Giving up?”

Riley felt frustration and confusion building. Sapphire Falls was fine. It was great even. For some people. But being here really was easy. Staying here would be even easier. Following in her brother’s footsteps and being like everyone else she knew here would be easy. At least until she started doing things like joining committees or, God forbid, having to arrest someone here, or for sure if she had kids here. She’d want to do things differently. She’d want to have a say. She’d want to make them think about things differently. And that wouldn’t be welcomed.

“Yes, okay?” she finally answered her mother. “If I stay here, fall into the job that Scott offered, get involved with some guy whose greatest accomplishment is the first-place trophy from the demo derby last summer, then yeah, that’s giving up.”

There was a long, tense moment without either of them blinking.

Then Riley heard someone clear his throat behind her and say, “Well, I did unseat the three-time champion to get that trophy.”

Riley felt regret and a definite sense of “well fuck” go through her. She slowly turned to face Derek.

“I didn’t know you were there.” She hadn’t been talking about him anyway. Probably. She knew about the trophy on the top of his bookcase, but she knew it wasn’t his greatest accomplishment. Not by far.

“I just came in. Front door was open. Lucy said you weren’t feeling well. I came over to check on you.”

Yeah, she most definitely wasn’t feeling well. As a matter of fact, the idea of caramel coffee creamer made her want to throw up at the moment. “You didn’t have to do that. I know you and Lucy have a lot to get ready for the murder-mystery thing.”

He nodded. “I didn’t mind taking a break. Though I went to my house first. Thought maybe you’d be working over there.”

Typically, she would have been. “After Lucy told me everything you guys had going on, I figured I wouldn’t be seeing you much anyway. And Mom needed help with dinner.”

Not that she’d known that when she’d come over, but it seemed like a better excuse to give him than, “I was feeling jealous and realizing that we’ve made a big mistake and decided to come over here and feel sorry for myself and try to avoid everything that reminds me of you, but of course I can’t do that because everything here in Sapphire Falls seems to remind me of you.”

“You’d be seeing me just like you always do, when I’m done with work,” he said with a frown.

“I don’t know, it just sounded like Lucy needed more of your time and attention.”

Oh, God, that sounded jealous and bitchy.

He arched a brow, which told her clearly that he thought so too. “The event is coming up.”

“And I know you’re really invested in it,” she said with a nod. “I hear you’re doing cemetery tours for her.”

“I wouldn’t say they’re for her,” he said mildly. “They’re for the readers.”

“Well, whatever. I get that it’s going to take a lot of your time. And it’s not like you have to spend time with me.” She glanced at her mom. “We’re just hanging out.”

He didn’t look impressed. “I don’t know. I’m concerned. Seems that you’ve come down with a bad case of bitch-itis.”

Riley’s eyes went wide, and she thought maybe she heard her mom snort.

But he wasn’t wrong. She was being a brat to her mom. She’d also hurt his feelings, she was sure. She was having a bad day. Falling in love could do that to a girl. Apparently.

“But I can take care of it. Let’s go.” Derek reached for her arm but she shrugged back, making him miss.

“No.”

He sighed. “We really need to talk.”

“Look, I know you,” she said. “I know you don’t like the long-term girlfriend thing and the clingy, jealous bit. I get it. I’ve seen your mom and dad.”

“Riley!” her mom exclaimed.

“Oh, come on,” Riley said. “We all know it. We love her, but she’s needy.”

“Ril—”

“It’s okay, Erika,” Derek said. His eyes were on Riley when she looked back at him. “She’s right. And yes, that’s why I didn’t want a girlfriend.”

“And why we’re just hanging out,” Riley said.

“Because you’re the same way?”

That blunt question came from her mother. And she was right.

Riley didn’t cling to things—like her hometown or traditions or jobs or relationships. She shrugged, pretending that her stomach wasn’t knotting as she did it. “Exactly.”

“Okay. Come on.”

This time she wasn’t fast enough to avoid Derek grabbing her hand and starting toward the front door.

“Derek, I don’t want to talk,” Riley protested, trying to pull free.

“Then I’ll talk.” He sighed as she dug her heels in. He turned, bent, and lifted her up over his shoulder.

She blew out a breath. What was the point of fighting really? If they didn’t talk now, he’d find her another time. Hell, he was supposed to be over for dinner right here later tonight.

He carried her out to the front porch before setting her down. He pulled the door firmly shut behind them.

This woman was a huge pain in his ass.

And he was in love with her.

And she was about to try to break up with him.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asked.

“Me? You’re the one manhandling me.” Riley brushed her hands down the front of her shirt, pretending to be offended.

“Uh-huh.” He crossed his arms and looked down at her.

She sighed. “Fine. I’m annoying my mom. You should recognize it—it happens a lot.”

“Why were you and your mom talking about you giving up and staying here?”

She crossed her arms too. But she didn’t look intimidating. She looked vulnerable. “Because Kyle got Scott to offer me a job.”

“And?”

There was more to it than that. There had been that little show of jealousy he’d seen. He couldn’t believe she actually thought he could possibly be interested in anyone else, but it was nice for someone who didn’t stick to much to want to, at least subconsciously, stick to him. He didn’t like clingy women. But he liked kind of clingy Riley. At least when she was clinging to him.

Riley lifted her chin. “And apparently Kyle is thrilled that we’re settling down together. And Mom and I can’t agree on what to name our twins.”

He couldn’t help it. He grinned. “Kyle knows?”

She rolled her eyes. “You didn’t tell him?”

“We haven’t talked about you.”

“Why not?”

“Because there’s nothing to talk about.” He shrugged as he realized it. “We make sense. It seems natural.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Easy.”

“Yeah. It is easy. You agree.”

“I do. It’s been very easy hanging out with you and fucking you.”

He knew that she was trying to piss him off. But that comment worked a little, he had to admit.

“So how about we just keep doing it?”

“No.”

She said it very firmly. Far more firmly than was really necessary. “Why not?”

“Sapphire Falls is sucking me in. And the orgasms have been distracting me. I have to stop so I don’t just keep saying yes to everything.”

“Saying yes isn’t so bad.” He lifted a hand and fingered the end of the strand of hair lying against her shoulder.

She tipped her head. “Really?”

“What?”

“You want to keep tricking me into this rut.”

His hand dropped. “This rut?”

“The easy way out.”

Now he leaned back. “Excuse me?”

She blew out a breath. “Come on. You know what I’m talking about. People grow up here, they don’t have any other options, so they just go along. They hook up with someone local, they take a job that’s easy. Something their family or friends arrange. And they stay.”

He nodded, his chest feeling tight. “Yep. That’s what a lot of us do.”

She shook her head. “I didn’t mean you.”

“Yes, you did. Everything you described is me. I grew up here. I took a job that was easy. I’m looking for someone local to hook up with.”

“But this is what you want. That’s different than just doing it because—”

“Because we don’t have any other ambitions?”

She frowned. “I didn’t say that.”

“But that’s what you see. You see that everything I’ve got just fell into my lap. Because I’ve just been sitting around here, my lap wide open.”

And the thing was—that wasn’t inaccurate.

Derek had never really had to work very hard for anything. This wasn’t the first time it had occurred to him. It also wasn’t the first time it had occurred to him that it made it hard for Riley to respect him. Did she like his business ideas? Yes. Did she think he was a hard worker? Yes. Did she believe and respect that he was happy? Sure. But he couldn’t shake the idea that she thought he could do more if he tried harder.

“I’m not going to lie to you,” she said.

He braced himself even as he felt a wave of relief. One thing he could count on was that he’d always know what was going on with Riley. He didn’t have to guess with her. “Good.”

“You’ve had a pretty easy life, Derek,” she said. “Your biggest worry is if your pizza is good. And…it is. So, yeah, things are pretty sunny for you.”

He knew he should be offended. And he was, a little. It wasn’t like his life was perfect. But then again, she had a point.

“Are you so sure the hard way is the best way?” he asked.

She shrugged. “I’ve always liked doing things my way.”

“And alone,” he said.

Again her chin came up. “Yeah, well, I guess I don’t need as much help as Lucy does. For instance.”

He shook his head. “This isn’t about Lucy.”

“Isn’t it? You’re the most…helpful guy in this town. It would probably drive you crazy to be with someone who never needs you.”

He sighed. That’s what she was telling herself? That she didn’t need him? Yeah, that would bother him. Yes, he loved being there for the people he cared about. But he knew that he needed a woman who could be okay with him being there for everyone else.

And Riley fucking needed him. For pep talks, to help buffer things with her mom. For orgasms.

That was no small thing.

Dammit.

“And I think that when Lucy asks you out, you should say yes.”

He felt his scowl form immediately. “What?”

“I’m going to tell Lucy to ask you out.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. Pain. In. His. Ass. “Again, what?”

“Lucy thinks you’re really sweet, and loved the scones and the Lindsey Stirling, and now she thinks you’re ready to be a boyfriend. And you know what?” she added quickly. “I think she’s right. You’re definitely ready. In fact,” she took a deep breath, “you’ve been ready. You haven’t needed any training.” She gave him a quick, bright smile. “So I guess we’re done.”

“We’re done,” Derek repeated. “Is that right?”

She nodded, but he saw her swallow hard. “I mean, we’ll still see each other and stuff. Like dinner tonight.” She gave a laugh that was tight and completely fake. “But that was the main reason I was always at your house and around, so…no more early-morning walks or anything.”

He watched her trying to talk herself into this bullshit, feeling his gut knotting.

But there was something that Riley was forgetting. He knew her.

“Okay, Riley, you win,” he finally said.

She blinked at him. “I do?”

“You think I’ve always had it easy. Well, okay. I’m ready to do things the hard way.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You,” he told her simply. “You’re the hard thing I have to work at. And I’m ready.”

As he said it to her, he realized that all sounded really good actually. If he worried that things came too easily for him, the universe had just presented him with a huge challenge in convincing Riley Ames she was in love with him.

She was already shaking her head as a matter of fact. “That’s not what I meant.”

He nodded. “Yeah, this is going to be good for both of us. I need to work at something, and you,” he lifted a hand to her cheek, “you need someone who doesn’t want you to be different at all.” He leaned in and said by her ear, “You go right ahead and be a brat. I’m up for it.” Then he kissed her temple and stepped back.

She looked like she wanted to cry. And like she wanted to launch herself into his arms. He grinned. “This is usually the part where you argue with me just to argue.”

“You could really regret this,” she said. But her voice lacked conviction.

Instead of arguing, he just smiled. “There’s my girl.” Then he turned and headed for his truck.

“See you at dinner?” she called after him.

Feeling triumphant, he looked back. “Nah. Tell your mom I can’t make it.”

Riley was clearly surprised. “Why not?”

“Stuff to do.” He pulled the truck door open. “And I want to make you miss me a little bit.”

She sighed. “You’re a pain.” But she didn’t deny that she would maybe, possibly, miss him. A little.

“I love you too, Ry.” Derek got in his truck with that and drove off.

Yes, he’d just told Riley he loved her. And as a bonus, she was now going to stew about it. How he’d done it, if he’d meant it, and how she felt about him.

He was humming as he pulled into the Come Again parking lot.

Yes, his life was pretty easy. But he loved it, and he couldn’t wait to show Riley that things didn’t have to be difficult to be satisfying.