Friendship on Fire (15 page)

“Why don’t you and Max take them into the living room?” Treat said as he stood. “Josh and I can handle this.”

“Men who tidy up? I like that,” Riley said. She touched Josh’s back and whispered, “I didn’t mean to take over. I don’t have to show these to her. I’m so sorry.”

He kissed her forehead. “You can take over any part of my life that you want.”

Riley’s breath hitched. She squeezed his hand, then followed Max into the living room.

“I was thinking,” Riley began, as she spread out her drawings, “you’re all about comfort and a clean, pretty presentation. Everything you wear is focused around ease of wear and functionality, but well made. With your gown, I thought of the same qualities: a little tailored and decadent without being ostentatious. So, this was my first thought, something of a long, comfortable spaghetti-strap dress with a few modifications.”

Max crinkled her nose. “To a wedding?”

Riley smiled. “Hear me out.” She experienced the same increased heart rate that she had when she’d worked at Macy’s and helped customers find just the right colors for their skin tone, choose accessories for their big night out, and find the perfect fit to complement their various body types. She pulled her favorite drawing out from the stack and spread it out in front of Max. “Yes, a wedding gown.” She pointed to the spaghetti straps.

Max gasped, her eyes opened wide. “Oh my God.”

“You hate it?” Riley had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“No, I adore it. What’s it made of? Are those hand-stitched designs or is the fabric printed? Oh my God, Treat, honey, come here, please,” she called.

Treat and Josh came out of the kitchen, wiping their hands on dish towels.

“Look at that. How perfect is that?” Max’s cheeks were flushed as she pointed to the drawing while she looked up at Treat and laced her fingers into his. “We’re getting married in Wellfleet, where we fell in love. The resort overlooks the water. This is just perfect. Not too fancy, very beachy. It’s perfect, isn’t it, Treat?”

“Gorgeous,” Treat answered.

“Oh, Josh! Why didn’t you tell me that Riley hit the nail on the head?” Max pulled Riley into a tight hug.

Josh beamed. “She always hits the nail on the head.”

“Josh, what do you think? You’re the expert,” Riley said. She held her breath as he picked up the drawing, narrowed his eyes, and shook his head. Her stomach lurched, fearing he didn’t like it.

“You designed this after just talking to Max at my dad’s that day?” he asked.

“Yes,” Riley answered. “I was sort of thinking about it, and this is what came to me.”

“Satin chiffon?” Josh asked in a discerning voice. His eyes darkened as he studied the image.

“Single layered,” Riley said.

“I really like the curved shape of the neckline, the way it draws the eye to her face by narrowing as it comes down between the breasts. The single thin spaghetti straps, so feminine and natural.” He ran his hand through his hair and nodded. “I never would have thought to do that on a wedding gown.”

Josh seemed to really like her design, but the seriousness of his gaze and the intense scrutiny of the design left Riley feeling as if her body were made of eggshells. One wrong breath and she might fall to pieces.

“No train. Is this embroidery, appliqué, or printed, where it gathers under her chest and across the torso?” Josh asked.

“Light embroidery. Faded pastels: peaches, blues, yellows. It’s a little different.” She came to his side and pointed. Feeling the pressure of Josh’s examination, she pushed the words out as fast as they would come. “See the way it’s patterned across the bodice, but horizontally stitched? I’m thinking about one and a half inches or so, runs under the breasts and another half inch or so at the waist, then scalloped embroidery edging the lower part of the horizontal waistline.” Riley let out a fast breath in an effort to ease her tangled nerves.

“I see that, and the arc across the hips, with just the stretch of white between that and the waist.” Josh nodded.

Riley watched him, sure he was going to tell her that it was too different, or that it looked cheap.

Josh rubbed his chin, then looked at Riley, his brows still drawn together. “Why didn’t you go for a traditional all-white wedding gown?”

Riley had known that she was taking a big risk when she’d chosen a cream gown with pastels. She’d weighed the potential feedback in her mind before going in that direction, and the worst that might have happened would be that Max or Josh would hate the idea. As she looked at Josh, she wasn’t sure if he hated the idea or liked the idea, and all she could do was be honest with him. She took a deep breath, trying to quell her nerves before answering.

“Ri?” Josh said.

“It’s what I felt.” She glanced at Max, then Treat. “When Max was describing what she envisioned for their wedding, she didn’t strike me as wanting a traditional wedding gown. Max has her own style, and her personality seemed more suited for a wedding dress that accentuated that style. Max, I’m sorry if I misinterpreted. We can do the same dress in white.”

Max put her hand over her heart. “Me? Goodness, Riley, you hit it spot-on.”

Relief brought a smile to Riley’s lips and an excited pitch to her voice. “Really?”

“Ri, I was just asking,” Josh said. “I wasn’t judging. I wanted to know why so I could understand the process.”

He didn’t say it’s cheap or awful!
Josh turned back to the drawing, and Riley watched as his face morphed from the momentary softness, when he was explaining why he asked the question, back to the serious scrutiny as he once again pondered the design. She found his ability to switch from business mode to boyfriend mode and back again appealing. She bit her lower lip and waited for him to pepper her with more questions.

“You carried the same pattern in the bodice as you did down the front of the skirt, from the arch of the print down,” Josh pointed out.

“Yes,” Riley said nervously. “When you look at it as a whole, it gives the impression of a summer breeze, movement, I guess. That’s what I was going for, but if you think it’s too much, I can change it.”

“No,” Max said. “Please, I love this. Josh, I assumed I’d see fifty designs of fluffy white gowns. This is so…me. It’s simple, light, airy, and I love the colors.”

“Length?” Josh asked.

Treat stood. “It looks like it doesn’t matter what length it is; you have a designer on your hands, and a damned good one.”

“I have more designs,” Riley offered. She shuffled the papers. “I drew, like, twenty of them. They were so fun.”

“When did you have time?” Josh asked.

Riley bit her lip. “I squeezed them in while I was on hold at work and on the subway.” She shrugged, watching Josh’s lips curve into a smile.

“Damn, Riley, you never fail to amaze me. I guess you’ve got yourself a designer, Max,” Josh said.

Max squealed and jumped to her feet. “I’m so happy! I was kind of dreading this whole thing.”

Riley legs were frozen in place, her eyes locked on Josh, who was looking at her like she’d just attained world peace.
I did it. I’m actually going to design her gown. I can’t believe it
. Max hugged her again, pulling her from her stupor.

“A girl should never dread her wedding day. Especially when she’s marrying a man like Treat,” Riley said. She wrapped her arms around Josh’s neck and kissed him. “Thank you so much!”

“I’m so damned proud of you,” Josh said.

“I know I kind of weaseled in, but I wasn’t trying to, honestly. I just thought it would give her some ideas to bring into your designs,” Riley said.

“You can weasel into my life, my work, my anything you want, Riley Banks,” Josh said, pulling her close.

“I don’t even know who you are anymore,” Treat teased.

“What?” Josh held his arms out in question.

“All I can say is that whatever Riley is doing has made you a happier guy. Riley, why the hell did you wait so long?” Treat touched her shoulder.

“Braden boys are a little intimidating,” she said with a laugh. “The truth is, I never thought anything would ever come from my crazy crush on Josh. First there was the whole family feud thing, and since I was in Camp Jade, I was clearly off-limits to Josh, and I never knew he liked me back then, either. Gosh, I liked him so much that it’s embarrassing to admit.” She felt her cheeks flush. “Then he moved away and became this amazing designer that all the world recognized, and I was just this small-town girl who adored him from afar.” She reached for Josh’s hand. “Now I wish I’d never wasted a second. I wish I would have taken a chance years ago and crossed that imaginary line defined by the feud and my friendship with Jade. I feel like we missed out on so many years together.”

“That’s exactly how I feel,” Josh agreed.

Treat’s eyes darted between Josh and Riley. “Have you found an apartment to rent yet?” Treat asked Riley.

She sat on an upholstered chair across from the couch. Josh sat on the arm of the chair, holding her hand. “I haven’t even had time to look yet, but that’s on my agenda for the weekend,” Riley explained.

Josh opened his mouth to speak and Treat cut him off.  “Josh, let’s finish up those dishes and let the ladies drink wine so we can take advantage of them later.” He grabbed Josh’s arm and headed for the kitchen.

“I can do that,” Riley said.

Max waved a hand at her. “This is their thing. Let them go.”

A few minutes later, Treat and Josh returned to the living room, eyeing each other with coy smiles.

“Riley, Max and I have an apartment by Central Park. We’re never there. Well, we’re staying there now, but we don’t travel here often. You’re welcome to stay there if you’d like—that is, as long as Max doesn’t mind,” Treat offered.

“What a great idea,” Max said.

“We’re leaving town in the morning, so you can move in tomorrow afternoon if you want," Treat offered.

“I feel like such a mooch. First I’m borrowing your sister’s place, now yours? I can’t do that. Really, thank you, but I’ll find someplace to rent. It can’t be that difficult,” Riley said.

Josh and Treat shook their heads.

“Babe, take the offer. It’s a great place, and we’ll be neighbors,” Josh said.

“That makes it much more enticing, but I’d feel too guilty.” Riley mulled it over. “What if you want to come to New York?”

“Then you’d stay with Josh,” Max said. “It’s a perfect solution.”

“I don’t know. There’d have to be a hell of a lot of incentive for me to allow that,” Josh teased.

“I don’t know. You’d have to let me pay rent. That’s important to me. I’m not a freeloader.” Riley knew she couldn’t afford much in the way of rent, but she’d find a way to pay whatever Treat thought was fair.

“How about this,” Treat began, “since you’ll be designing Max’s gown, that’s worth a couple grand at least, right?”

“I don’t want to be paid to design her gown. That’s fun for me and great practice,” Riley insisted.

“With that attitude, you’ll be a broke fashion designer. Fair is fair,” Treat said sternly. “How about we take the price of the gown out of the total rent? I think a thousand dollars per month, month to month in case you don’t like it, sounds fair.”

“That seems awfully inexpensive,” Riley said.

“She’ll take it,” Josh said. “Thank you, Treat.”

“But—”

Josh cut her off. “Ri, this is the deal of the century, and the apartment has plenty of space for you to design. Just say thank you and let’s get to the wine.” He winked.

“Thank you,” she said.
How did I fall into the arms of such a wonderful man with such a generous family?
Her mind spun with the idea of moving, Max’s dress design, and the enticing way Josh was staring at her, like she was the only person in the room.

SATURDAY MORNING, JOSH rose early for his run. He hadn’t missed a run since moving to New York, and lately, the idea of leaving Riley, lying naked and alone in the bed they shared, made his morning run not quite as appealing as it once had been. He showered and slipped into his running clothes as quietly as he was able, then wrote a note for Riley and placed it on the kitchen counter.

He put on his running shoes and headed out the door, hesitating for just a second as he debated climbing back in bed beside Riley and missing his run—just this once. It was a slippery slope, and if he skipped one run, he’d have an even harder time getting out of bed the next day, and the next, and the next…

He jogged through Central Park, watching the sun climb above the trees, its warm rays filtering through the umbrella of bare branches. Dawn was his favorite time of day, before the masses began hurrying about, when the birds still lingered on the dewy grass and the ducks slept lazily beside the water.

When he reached the Dakota, he slowed to a walk and caught his breath. He withdrew the key from his jogging shorts pocket and entered his apartment. After spending time with Riley in Savannah’s quaint apartment, his seemed too big, too empty, and far too…cold. He remembered how proud he’d been when he’d purchased the eight-room apartment and how special he’d felt knowing he was walking into the same building where John Lennon had lived. Now, as he walked through the expansive living room to the balcony overlooking the park, he realized how silly that feeling had been and what it said about who he had been. When he’d come to New York, he’d pulled far away from his Colorado roots, trying to fit in with the other elite designers and, he now realized, worrying about his image and what other people thought of him.

After spending time with his family during his recent trip back home—two of his brothers now in love, his father still pining for his mother—he’d returned to New York wanting more. Riley seemed the answer to his prayers. Since she came into his life, he’d felt more fulfilled than any material item could ever make him feel. She fed his desire to love and be loved.
Love
. He knew it was crazy, falling in love so quickly, but he was sure the way his heart hammered in his chest when he thought of her—as it was right then—and the way she was always on his mind, every moment of every day, that he was falling deeper and deeper in love with her. When Treat pulled him into the kitchen and suggested that she rent his apartment, Treat had instinctively known that Josh had been on the verge of asking her to move in with him. He’d offered the apartment as a safety net. Riley could live there, or have the option of staying there, giving them the time to be certain about their relationship without the added pressure of a year-long lease or moving in together right away.
There’s no rush
, Treat had told him.

Josh didn’t need or want time. He was damn sure of his feelings, but he didn’t want to pressure Riley.

He crossed the hardwood floor, passing the hand-carved mantel above the fireplace and the pocket doors that led to the stately dining room. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d used the dining room. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d even walked into the guest bedroom on the other side of the apartment, either. He assumed his cleaning lady cleaned it, but he wouldn’t know if she hadn’t.

He headed down the hall toward the master bedroom. He stood in the center of his sitting room, arms crossed, surveying the rarely used room with the beautiful fireplace.
This could be Riley’s design studio
. He wasn’t sure how he’d handle finding time for Riley to design Max’s dress while she was working under Claudia’s supervision as an assistant. Designing at the office would raise all sorts of questions. He wasn’t going to figure it out in the next five minutes, and he wanted to say goodbye to Treat and Max before returning to Riley’s. He went through the bedroom to the bathroom, where he washed his face with cool water. He patted it dry and leaned over the sink, looking at himself in the mirror. He ran his hand through his hair and scoffed at his sweaty shirt.
Treat’s seen me look worse
. Josh had no interest in spending any more time in the home he once took solace in unless Riley was by his side.

He left his apartment and headed to the next floor, where he found Treat and Max closing the door behind them.

“Josh, what are you doing here so early?” Treat asked.

“I came to say thank you.” He hugged his brother, embracing him for a breath longer than usual. Treat had offered sage advice throughout his life, and he appreciated him for that and for the love he’d shown him over the years. When he disengaged from his brother’s strong grip, he hugged Max. She felt like a fragile bird in comparison.

“Thanks for letting Riley design my dress, Josh,” Max said. “I feel blessed on so many levels.” She took Treat’s hand with a smile.

“We’ll see you at Dad’s for Christmas?” Treat asked.

“Yeah, of course.” He bit back his desire to bend Treat’s ear for a minute more, and as Treat always had, he sensed his hesitation.

“What is it?” Treat asked. “You’ve got that look you always had as a kid when you wanted to ask Dad something but you were afraid to.” He moved his head forward and stared at him. “And you’re doing that pensive, biting-the-inside-of-your-lip thing you used to do. What’s wrong?”

Josh looked down. Was he a fool? Was he missing some raging red flag? He was not used to dealing with such intense matters of the heart, and he needed guidance.

“How did you know?” Josh’s words fell fast and determined. “When you knew you two were in love, did it scare the shit out of you and make you feel like you were on cloud nine all at once? Or is it just me?”

Treat broke into a wide grin as they headed into the elevator.

“Aww,” Max said. “Little Joshy is in love.”

Josh closed his eyes and shook his head. When he opened them, Treat had a serious look in his dark eyes.

“I’m gonna tell you what Dad told me about Max.” Treat pulled Max close to his side. “‘Ain’t no use pretending that noose around your heart doesn’t tighten every time you see that woman.’” He shrugged. “That’s the best I’ve got for you, Josh. You know when you know, and love is like nothing you’ve ever felt before. It makes you question everything you’ve ever done and everything you’ve ever known.” He kissed Max’s forehead. “And it’s the best damned thing that can happen to a guy.”

 “A noose around your heart. That’s it exactly. Thanks, Treat. I just keep feeling like it’s all happening so fast, but I don’t want to slow it down. I just want to run with it. Forever,” Josh admitted.

The elevator doors opened, and Treat held the front door open for Max and Josh to pass through into the frigid morning air.

“Then what the hell are you standing around here for? Figure this out and move it along. Riley’s a catch, and the fact that she’s from Weston makes me think fate has stepped into another Braden’s life.” Treat opened the door of the waiting sedan. “I love ya, bro.” He hugged him again and stepped into the car after Max. “Hey, you still have the key, right?” Treat had given Josh a key to his apartment when he first purchased it.

“Of course.”

“Good luck. Love you,” Treat said.

“Love you both, too.” The words came so easily for them. Their father had always shown them love, verbally, physically, and emotionally, and by doing so, they’d each been comfortable showing love toward one another. Now Josh was ready to share that love with Riley. He watched them drive away before sprinting back to Riley’s.

RILEY WAS PACKING her belongings when Josh burst through the door. His determined footsteps crossed the floor. She stepped into the hall, and Josh took her in his arms and kissed her, holding her so tightly she could barely breathe. It wasn’t a sexually driven kiss, and the difference stole her breath. This kiss was laden with an energy that vibrated through him, seeping into her lungs, her heart, and—she swore—into her soul. This kiss held the promise of something so big, she could practically feel it swoop her off her feet. She could taste the tangy sweetness of it.

He drew back, his hands on her waist, his eyes searching hers, and a silly grin on his lips. “I love you, Riley Banks.”

She couldn’t breathe. Her jaw gaped and her heart slammed against her chest so fast she thought it might explode.

“There are just no two ways about it.” Josh’s words fell from his mouth fast and loud. “I love your quirky jokes. I love you when you’re scruffy, and I love you when you’re naked. I love the way you melt beneath my touch, and most of all, I love your kind and generous soul. Riley, you’re one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met, and I…I…Goddamn it, Riley. I love you, all of you. You don’t have to tell me that you love me. I just didn’t want to hold it back anymore. You need to know, or…or I needed to tell you.”

Riley could barely think past the rush of adrenaline soaring through her. Her stomach whirled and goose bumps rushed up her arms. “Josh” was all she could push from her lungs. She took a step forward, her palms against his chest, her cheek between them. His arms enveloped her. His heart beat against her cheek, sure and true.

She looked up at him, knowing she’d remember the sincerity and hope in his eyes forever. Her eyes watered, and her throat tightened. She swallowed, forcing her voice past the lump that had lodged itself there and hoping it would be as strong as the love in her heart. “I love you, too.”