wouldn’t ever stop until this thing came to a stop. As they continued, she began to enjoy it. It was fun in a strange sort of way.
When the ship came to a halt, she opened her belt and stepped out. Rubbing his arm, Riley got out. Her gaze traveled to the bruises she made where her nails dig in. “I am so sorry,” she said.
He put his arm around her shoulders. “No worries, sweetheart. Now, on to the roller coaster.”
She groaned but allowed him to lead her that way. She didn’t remember the last time she enjoyed such an activity. She never would have considered doing it with another man or even her girlfriends. It sounded so childish, and it was in a lot of ways – but it was also carefree and fun. She loved it. After the roller coaster ride was done, he bought a hot dog for her. They walked along and played some games. He shot six straight bullets into a cardboard ring and won a fat, purple teddy for her. Carrying it, she felt as if he’d given her the most precious gift.
They walked into a photo booth and took pictures. She messed up his hair, stuck her tongue out, and posed like a demented person. Dividing the pictures into two sets, they each put two in their wallets. It was a great memory. Perhaps, one day, she would show them to her children and tell them how it had been.
Children? What the hell was she thinking about? Tania never thought about such strange notions ever before. What was it about Riley that made her ponder over her future? He awakened some desire in her to nestle in a house and have three kids. What a crazy notion. She didn’t want it. She never gave marriage and kids a second thought. She was too young, and she never met man with whom she could think about spending a life time. Riley could be that man. The thought was sobering that she halted.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, clearly noticing.
“I…not…just…”
“I know, I am tired, too. How about we get a cone of ice cream and then head home?”
Yes, that was a good idea. She needed to wrap her mind around the silly thoughts she harbored. It was stupid of her to think they would last for a long time. Riley was a free man. He wasn’t the sort who put in his roots anywhere. Soon he would move, find another woman, or, perhaps, just shift in a different direction. If she thought about a long-term with him, she was setting herself up for disappointment. He wasn’t thinking along these lines, and she should stop doing so. It was enough that they enjoyed this time together – and it had to be enough for now, and, perhaps, forever.
Chapter Nine
Riley checked the messages on his phone as he waited for his contact to arrive at the café. The board member was at least fifteen minutes late and Riley didn’t know if he was actually coming. When he tried to call the man, his phone was switched off. Damn it. Something was going on within his gang. They weren’t telling him everything about this deal, and he couldn’t figure out why they would be so cagey.
He’d done many such deals, but he was never kept out of the loop before. He’d asked to be called to the next board meeting, but, instead, he was told to meet one of their members in this café.
Riley checked his watch again. If the man didn’t turn up soon, he would leave. Much to his relief, Charlie Brown sauntered in. He was wearing dark, blue jeans and a white collared shirt. Charlie was one of the oldest members of the gang and a very respected member. After Mark, if there were something going on, he knew about it. Riley wondered how much information he could pump out of the fellow in this meeting. The more he knew, the safer he would be.
“Hi, Charlie, thanks for seeing me at such short notice.”
“Riley, our man. How are you doing?”
“Not so well, Charlie. Xavier hasn’t returned any of my calls and I’m not sure where this deal is headed. I asked the board to advance me some money to make the
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