Lie, Lie Again(74)
She took her own phone and called Jonathan’s number. He answered on the first ring. “I’m surprised you didn’t call the day the sign went up. I thought it would conjure some excitement among all of you.”
“Indeed. Everyone’s talking about it, Jonathan. Was that your wish? To surprise us?”
“Nah, things just moved faster than I anticipated.”
She bristled but forced a smile as she spoke. “I suppose I can understand that. You seem like someone who seizes a good opportunity when he sees it. And to be honest, as much as it might not be ideal for me, I respect your savvy business skills.”
“Thank you.” She could practically see him preening. Blergh.
“I understand I may need to find a new place to live, but I don’t want to start the search prematurely. If you have a serious buyer, do you mind letting me know so I can have a heads-up?”
“I can do that. Matter of fact, my real estate agent just texted me about something he set up for Tuesday.”
“Wow. So soon?”
“The property is a hot commodity.”
She giggled flirtatiously. His ego would certainly assume she was imagining him as the hot commodity. “Obviously. Thanks for letting me know, and please do keep me updated. If I can stay abreast of things, it’ll help with the timing of when I start seriously looking for a new place.”
“I can do that. Happy to help.”
“Thanks,” she cooed before ending the call. Now Ann Travis could always be one step ahead of the game.
Riki wiped down the last table with a disinfecting wipe and moved to the sink to scrub her hands free of green paint and germs. St. Patrick’s Day was officially over for Room Fourteen. Thank God. She’d decided to pass out prizes to every child. It felt like the only fair thing to do. How could anyone compete with Darcy Trainor’s trap? Everyone knew her parents had done the entire thing. And thanks to the box of auction prizes Mrs. Fitzsimmons had left behind, she hadn’t had to spend a penny. Riki dusted her hands on her jeans before gathering her bag. With any luck, Mrs. Trainor wouldn’t find something to complain about next month. They could celebrate rain showers and flowers. And endangered animals, of course. Mrs. Trainor couldn’t complain about that. What was upsetting about a panda? As Riki walked to her car, her phone rang. She looked at the name on the screen and increased her pace.
“Hey, Brandon!”
“You’ll never guess what happened!”
“What? Tell me!” she said as she fumbled to move the phone to her shoulder so she could unlock the door.
He cleared his throat. It made a rumbling noise that Riki found irresistible. She pressed the phone closer to her ear. “I got a second producer callback! They just told my agent. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”
She could feel his excitement flowing through the phone line as she sank into the driver’s seat. It was almost like he was next to her. If he were, he’d grab her into a delicious hug. “Oh, Brandon, that’s awesome! I’m so happy for you.” Her heart pounded as she said his name.
“Thanks. Can you imagine if I get this? God, I need this. I need it for Em,” he said, lowering his voice. It made him sound wistful, like he was picturing her face as he spoke. “She’s stuck by me through this crazy ride, and I want to be able to tell her I finally did it, you know?”
“Yeah.” She licked her lips, trying to battle the sudden dryness that overtook her mouth. “She would be so happy.”
“I know. Well, I had to tell you. You’ve been my one-woman support team through all this. If I get this part, I’ll have you to thank for it.”
“Hey, I just gave you a contact. You’ve done this all on your own. Be proud of that.”
“Thanks, Riki.” His voice softened. “Thanks.”
She knew he was grateful to her. It’s the kind of guy he was—the kind of man she wanted for herself. “You’re welcome. And good luck with the next callback. When is it?”
“Monday. I’ll definitely keep you posted.”
“Thanks. Have a great weekend. Bye.”
She ended the call and started her car. The way he loved Embry was nothing short of magical. Maybe that was part of his appeal. He was such an amazing husband. And seeing him interact with Kylie and Carson always made her heart flutter. She bit her lip as a sudden sadness swept through her. If they were forced to move, what were the chances they’d still be neighbors? It wasn’t like their priority would be finding a place with an opening next door for Riki. Besides, Embry wanted a house. There was no way Riki could afford rent on a single-family home. Even if she could, living in a house with empty bedrooms would make her miss her family more. Doors would gape open from the hollow spaces, questioning why no one was there. How awful. The thing she loved about the apartments at Mockingbird Lane was all the people. As she drove home, her mind shifted to her upcoming trip with Chris. Maybe this weekend together would be the thing that pushed their relationship forward. She wanted him to be the perfect guy for her. He really was a wonderful person. Most of the time.
Ugh. She was going to drive herself crazy with the push and pull of her feelings. It was like the needy and vulnerable part of her heart wanted to chase after Chris, but her brain kept pulling back the reins. And she could never let anyone know where her mind had been with Brandon. That was something she had to keep locked inside. Forever.