Thirty-Seven
Three and a half weeks later
Riley’s door flew open to a flash of dark tartan. “Are my roots showing?” Cheek bulging with a lollipop, Piper skulked inside, her fingers crawling through her pixie cut.
“Only slightly. You’ll have your cap on, anyway.” Riley scrunched her nose, sunburnt from NYU’s all-university commencement ceremony at Yankee Stadium two days earlier. She clamped her hair straightener closed, ironing out a kink in the skirt of her blue wrap dress. In three hours, they would be wrapped in their graduation gowns again, taking part in Tisch’s “Salute” ceremony, a special send-off just for the School of the Arts.
“But what about the traditional cap toss? Wednesday, I was one of 9,000 so no one saw there, but at Radio City, there’s only—”
“One thousand four hundred graduates, Pip.” Dewy perspiration collected on Riley’s forehead, a souvenir from the hazy morning humidity. “The Salute will be packed too and the hall will be dark. No one will notice—everyone’s too exhausted to notice!”
“Yeah, I barely slept this week. Exams, final assignments, packing to move—I’m beat.” She pointed at the suitcases by her feet and widened her baby blues at Riley. “The bags under my eyes are just as big as these.”
“I think you look gorgeous, Piper!” Maggie beamed from the loveseat, which was doing double duty as Piper’s new bed. “That dress! What’s the tartan called?”
Piper perked up, posing in front of Riley’s overworked fan, its weary blades pointing down from its wall-mounted perch. “Royal Pride!” The breeze made her flirty short skirt surf over her thighs. “It was created to celebrate Will and Kate’s wedding—so Brit Twit tells me.”
“Casey probably just Googled it.” Riley smiled, smoothing her dress.
“I would’ve worn my Paisley family tartan, but the green and red would’ve clashed with the violet graduation gown.” Piper’s lips surrendered the yellow lollipop as she checked her phone. “Ah, Casey says his family is there and…YES! Grabbed seats on the orchestra level. Thank God! Can’t see my mom scaling the nosebleeds wearing five-inch heels.”
Riley’s eyes locked with Maggie’s, her lips mouthing, “Five inch?”
Tap, tap—tap. Something tiny and blue skipped across the hardwood floor and settled in the fuzzy area rug.
Riley unplugged the straightener, leaving it on her counter. “Drop an earring, Pip?”
Her friend stuck her lollipop in her mouth and grabbed one lobe then the other, shaking her head as a bright pink pebble clinked against the sill and fell by Maggie’s feet. “A stone—?” She leaned forward. “Candy hearts?!”
“Oh!” Riley squished past and stuck her head out the window.
Underneath a crooked bike helmet, Ben smiled up from the sidewalk. Tidy in a shirt, dress trousers, and polished shoes with a small gift bag swinging from his forearm, he straddled a red bicycle that looked like it was one flat tire away from the trash heap. “RESULT! Got two inside your flat, Hope. What do I win?”
“Since when do you ride a bike?”
“Since an hour ago.”
“Got a lock?”
“Er, no, not yet.”
“Carry it up. I’ll buzz you.” She swerved around her mom’s feet and a primping Piper then buzzed him in, leaving her door ajar.
“I forgot to tell him the buzzer’s fixed.” Riley doubled back, picking up the chalky hearts from the floor.
“Ben’s got a bike?” Piper grimaced. “Ew.”
“I finally get to meet your British friend!” Maggie’s hand passed over her head scarf, ensuring it was straight. “It’s great he could use the spare ticket.”
“He’s fun and totally delish.” Piper sucked on her lollipop. “Wait until you hear his accent, Maggie—you’ll LOVE it. He’s such a Benjamuffin!”
“Pip!” Riley left the candy on her counter. “Stop calling him that!”
The hallway creaked under approaching footsteps. A front tire entered first, followed by Ben’s playful whisker-free smile and pink cheeks, flushed from his ride over. “Hey, you look amaz—!” His eyes landed on Maggie then darted to Riley, his mischievous expression sinking fast. “Oh.”
“Oooh, Benjamuffin.” The sucker popped from Piper’s lips. “That bike helmet is très sexy!”
He removed it and leaned into Riley’s ear, lowering his voice, but the small room made privacy impossible. “Sorry, if I knew—I wouldn’t have thrown…” The knuckles on his right hand turned white as he squeezed the handlebar.
“It’s okay. She’s early,” she whispered behind her hair, taking him in. And you’re handsome. Her hand pressed the middle of his back. Firm, warm muscle… She swallowed thickly. Underneath her fingers, his white long-sleeved dress shirt stuck to his skin—the humidity and his exertion to blame—but the cotton also felt stiff. Her eyes crawled up his skinny black tie, inch by inch, her smile growing wider and wider. New purchases? You did this for me? “Come say hi.”
He leaned his bike against the counter and sink, its frame filling most of her space. Ben’s tense brows peaked into an ‘I’m sorry if I embarrassed you’ wince, but Riley replied with a quick, reassuring squeeze of his elbow. “You look really nice.”
“Cheers,” he whispered back. “So do you.”
They slipped past the bike and Piper, but Ben’s usually wide, carefree stride was short and stiff as he clutched the helmet to his abdomen like a shield. Riley cleared her throat. “Mom, this is Ben.”
Maggie stood with a smile. “Hello, Ben! Riley’s told me so much about you.”
He extended his hand. “Same here, Ms. Hope.”
“Maggie, please.” She clasped his hand, giving it a welcoming squeeze. “How was the bike ride?”
“Good. Quick. It was my first time, but won’t be my last…” He let go of Maggie’s hand and glanced at Riley. “I’m joining Hunter’s courier business.”
“Oh, that’s great!” She bumped him with her shoulder. “You said you wanted a second job.”
“How will you find time for auditions?” asked Piper.
He shrugged. “Gotta earn, otherwise…”
“Good things come to those who try.” Maggie nodded.
“I hope so.” His eyes found Riley again and he pulled the gift bag from his wrist. “I got you a graduation something.”
Riley blinked. “Oh!” He can’t afford this.
Piper leaned in, tapping the sucker against her lips. “Sweet!”
“That’s so kind.” Maggie sat down.
Riley pulled out a small box and lifted its lid. Nestled in pale blue tissue, her fingers traced a saddle brown luggage tag with a quote—If you have a dream, chase it. You might end up with a fairy tale.—burnt into the leather. It’s lovely. Riley stared at it, her heart warm and full. He sees me. He gets me.
Ben hugged his bike helmet. “I broke Riley’s luggage tag when we first met, so…least I could do.” His gaze danced between Maggie and Piper.
“Yeah, but it was a cheap one, not like this…” Riley flipped the gift over. Ben had customized the back with her name and phone number. “This is gorgeous!” Practical and pretty—too pretty to use!
He broke into a smile. “I saw it online and thought with your LA dream—”
“I love it!” She threw her arms around his shoulders, barely giving him time to shift his helmet out of the way. “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear.
Ben let out a breath, his free hand grazing her back like he was mindful that the room was watching.
Riley squeezed him tighter. He’s being shy ’cause of Mom. I bet his cheeks are pink. She pulled away. Yep!
She met his eyes. “You shouldn’t have, but I’m glad you did!”
“I’m glad you—I mean…” He chuckled, regaining control of his response. “You’re very welcome.”
“Can I see it, Riley?”
Riley handed Maggie the box and shimmied past, tugging the window closed. “Should we go early and meet up with Casey’s family?”
Ben pointed over his shoulder. “Riles, I’ll just run to the toilet quick…”
“Sure.” She reached up and turned off the fan.
Once Ben was out of earshot, Piper lit up. “Isn’t he hot, Maggie? So much better than Josh!”
“Pip!” Riley threw her a killer glare.
“Oh, come on. You can’t deny it, Rye.” Piper crunched her dwindling candy, pulling the bare stick from her lips.
“Fine, he’s hot. Happy now?”
“He seems lovely.” Maggie handed back the tag.
Riley fussed with the box’s lid. “We’re FRIENDS, people!”
“If I had my way, Riles and Benjamuffin would be a thing.”
“And if you had your way, Piper, Netflix would be nothing but puppet shows. Doesn’t mean you’re onto something.”
“Yeah, yeah. Doesn’t mean I’m way off, either!”