And now, just when Ian had reached out, Riley stood between the two men. Which meant she had to do whatever she could to make it possible for Alex to accept Ian’s overture.
To start with, she wouldn’t go to the Sunday dinner, giving them time together alone. And she would keep her distance from Ian until the two men got used to each other. Until then, she had no other choice but to pray they could learn to get along.
* * *
Although Riley had planned on eating at home on Sunday night, when her stepmother called and invited her for dinner, Riley had agreed to go. Anything to keep her mind off what was going on at Ian’s between him and his half siblings. She worried the two men would come to blows as much as she worried they’d ignore each other and nothing would get worked out. Going out with Melissa meant she had something else to concentrate on.
Melissa chose Nobu, a sushi restaurant at the Shore Club on Collins Avenue. Riley dressed for the occasion, pulling on a white sundress with silver flat sandals and funky jewelry. Melissa picked her up and drove them to the restaurant.
The other woman had just returned from her honeymoon with her second husband, a neurosurgeon at University of Miami Medical Center. Her blonde hair was even lighter from the sun, her fair skin pink, her expression relaxed and happy. She looked younger than her years and always had.
They were escorted to their table in the center of a room with low lighting, surrounded by white curtains. Melissa ordered a glass of Chardonnay, Riley a club soda.
“So, how are you, Mrs. Masterson?” Riley asked, emphasizing the other woman’s new title.
“Wonderful. I highly recommend it,” Melissa said, beaming.
“What? The honeymoon or marrying a doctor?” Riley teased.
“Both.” Melissa grinned. “And how are you?”
“I’m great.” Riley forced a smile, not wanting to worry the other woman with her problems when she was so relaxed and happy.
Her stepmother pushed the menu aside without looking at it. “You never could lie to me, so don’t start now. I can see the tightness in your expression. What’s wrong?”
“I’d much rather hear about your cruise around the Greek islands than talk about myself.”
Melissa narrowed her gaze. “That can wait. What happened?” Her stepmother pinned her with a determined gaze. “How about I start with the photograph that made the rounds on the Internet yesterday?” she asked when Riley remained silent.
“Since when do you read sports blogs?” she asked.
“I don’t. David does,” she said of her new husband. “So…is there something you want to tell me?”
Riley winced, but Melissa had always been the best of both a mother and close friend, so she decided to confide in her. “I slept with Alex’s half brother, Ian.”
“Complicated.”
She nodded. “Alex has always been there for me. He’s hurt I’m working for Ian’s sports team, hurt I kept it from him and—”
“Jealous maybe?” Melissa asked.
The waiter stopped by to take their order.
“Whatever you want. You’re the sushi expert.”
Once the order was placed, Melissa pinned Riley with a look that told her she wouldn’t be dropping their previous conversation.
“I don’t think he’s jealous. We’re just friends. We never thought of each other that way.”
Her stepmom propped her chin in her hand. “I don’t know. He’s been protective of you ever since—”
“Protective isn’t the same as having those kind of feelings. He just doesn’t want me to get hurt.”
“Would Ian hurt you?” Melissa asked, getting to the crux of the matter.
Riley blew out a long breath. “I don’t know. He’s such a contradiction. One minute he’s bossy and telling me we’re going for dinner, I need to do things his way, and he infuriates me.” She omitted the fact that his dominance extended to the bedroom.
“And the next minute?” Melissa perceptively asked.
“The next I’m feeling completely cared for and…secure.” Riley looked away, unable to meet the other woman’s gaze.
Melissa was the strongest woman Riley knew, her role model in all things. When Riley’s father had bullied Melissa, she’d pushed back, and when he’d turned on Riley, she’d left him for good. It was Melissa who’d taught Riley to be her own person.
As opposed to Riley’s mother, who had been a too-loving, too-caring, and too-sweet woman. Although she’d loved Riley unconditionally and Riley still missed her, she was grateful she’d had Melissa’s example to follow. And she found it difficult to remember her mom because, with those memories, she was forced to recall the physical and emotional abuse her male chauvinist father had heaped on them both and the meek way her mother had accepted it, becoming more subservient as the years passed. She shuddered at the very thought.
“Riley, where did you disappear to?” Melissa placed her hand over Riley’s.
She swallowed hard. “Somewhere we both promised never to go again.”
Melissa’s bright smile faded. “Honey, don’t think about your dad. You can’t change him, so there’s no reason to put yourself back there.”
Riley shook her head. “I’m not. Well, not that way. I was just thinking how lucky I was that Dad married you.”
Melissa reached out and grabbed her hand. “You’re the one good thing that came out of that period of my life. You’re my daughter, Riley. There’s nothing you can’t discuss with me. So what is it about Ian that scares you? Because I can tell something does, and it’s not all about Alex.”
Amazed at how well her stepmother read her, Riley laughed. “You’re pretty perceptive.”
Melissa shrugged. And waited.
“Ian’s need for control scares me. I’m afraid I’m so taken with him that by the time I realize he’s like my father, it will be too late. And yet I know that’s so wrong. Ian would never—” Riley choked up and waved her hand, indicating she needed time.
She hated, hated that after all these years, the memories could still shake her to her core.
Melissa squeezed her hand tighter. “Your instinct is everything. Honey, I knew. Deep down, when I look back at the days before we got together, I knew. He never made me feel safe and secure. Those are powerful words. So trust your instincts.”
Riley nodded. “But there’s still Alex’s feelings to deal with, and he has every right to resent Ian. Not to trust him. And I trust Alex’s instincts too.”