Part 10 (1/2)

”Riley, this is our sister, Avery.”

Riley smiled at the other woman.

”Nice to meet you!” she said in return.

”Av, I think it's time we all get going.” Olivia gave both Riley and Ian a pointed stare.

”Do I look like I'm leaving?” a tall, gorgeous man with dark hair strode in, raising his burger in his hand. ”I'm just getting started.”

”Take it to go,” Avery said, obviously having picked up on her sister's meaning.

Riley appreciated the girls' attempts to give her and Ian some privacy.

Ignoring his sisters' request to leave, the taller brother stepped closer to Riley.

”What's up?” another man asked. He carried a beer.

Avery and Olivia let out a joint sigh.

If Riley weren't so upset, she'd laugh at the dynamics between these siblings. She only wished she had a close family like this.

”These two Neanderthals are our brothers, Scott and Tyler,” Olivia said.

Riley studied them. Although they resembled Ian, they each had more playful qualities that were evident immediately by the twinkle in their gazes and the warmth in their faces. Ian at his most relaxed always looked tightly wound. His siblings had dark hair, but their eyes were bluer, and each was drop-dead good-looking. d.a.m.n, their parents made gorgeous kids, she thought.

”Nice to meet you,” Riley said to them.

”Sorry to say hi and run,” Olivia said, nudging one of her brothers in the ribs.

”Hi, Riley. I'm Tyler,” he said, ignoring his sister. ”And it's always nice to meet one of my brother's-”

”Shut up, Ty,” Ian warned in a tone that Riley had never heard from him before.

Scott grinned, unfazed by his brother's anger. ”I told you he was serious about this one.”

Riley's gaze shot to Ian, whose expression remained pa.s.sive and expressionless, at odds with the strain in every word he spoke.

”I'm sorry, but all my brothers can be such a.s.ses,” Avery said. ”It's nice to meet you, Riley. I just wish it was under more fun circ.u.mstances.”

”I feel the same way,” Riley murmured, liking this sister as well.

Ty walked up to Riley with a swagger that reminded her more of Alex than Ian. ”I wish I'd met you first,” he said with a charming grin.

Ian's growl told Riley he didn't like the attention his brother paid her even if he was still upset with her.

”Even if we'd have met first, I still think Ian's more my type.”

Tyler let out a loud laugh, as did Scott.

”I like her,” Scott called over his shoulder to Ian.

Riley managed a smile despite Ian's continued glare.

”Come on, guys. I'll make you doggie bags,” Avery said to her brothers.

Olivia chatted with Riley while Ian bored holes into her with his hurt gaze. Her stomach churned at the thought of being alone with him, but if nothing else, she wanted the chance to explain.

A few minutes later, the sisters shepherded the grumbling men, packed-up burgers with them, out of Ian's apartment.

Before getting into the elevator with her siblings, Olivia paused by Riley's side. ”He's hurting,” she said softly.

”I didn't know they wouldn't show up.” Riley spoke equally quietly.

Olivia studied her face. ”I want to believe you-because I think you're the only one who can get through to him.”

”What do you mean? You're all so close.”

The other woman frowned.

”If you're going, then go,” Ian said before Olivia could reply.

Olivia leaned in closer. ”If you hurt my brother, I'm going to have to fire you, and that means we'll lose a d.a.m.ned good a.s.sistant.”

”Is that my new t.i.tle?” Riley asked, joking out loud when, deep down, she appreciated the other woman's protective nature. In fact, it reminded her of how she and Alex took care of each other.

Olivia laughed. ”Actually your new t.i.tle might be a.s.sistant Travel Secretary, but we'll talk on Monday. Good luck here,” she said, sobering, before she turned and walked into the elevator.

Riley waited until the doors shut behind them before turning to face Ian.

Alone.

He didn't look at her, and his rejection stung.

”Why are you here?” he asked.

She swallowed hard. ”To explain why I didn't come earlier. I knew if I were here, I would only be a point of contention between you and Alex, so I stayed home. I thought if you got a chance to know each other, it would be easier for us to be together.”

”But it didn't happen, did it?” he asked bitterly.

She'd had it with his att.i.tude. She strode over to him, getting into his personal s.p.a.ce. ”I didn't know Alex wouldn't show,” she said, her voice rising with her frustration.

He gritted his teeth. ”I all but begged you to come today.”

”I told you I'd talk to Alex, and I did. He was upset and distrustful. I thought things would go more smoothly if I wasn't here.”

”You thought wrong.”