At the Right Time

Chapter Five

Rylie ~ Present

"I can't believe you let me spend so much money!" Rachel looks back at me as she struggles to carry her bags up the stairs of her parent's house.

She moved out for college, then back in after graduation to save some money. Clearly, the saving money part has been hard for her.

"Hey, I'm not in charge of your bank account." I retort. "Besides, you have to spend all the money. That way I can be a good friend and borrow your clothes whenever I feel like it."

"Yeah, yeah." She rolls her eyes, "We aren't even the same size. You're so petite."

Rachel and I can share some clothes, but not jeans or shoes. Rachel is tall, standing at about five foot eight, while I'm only five four. She's slim and long, with long brown hair that falls down her back in waves. I'm slim, but have more in the chest and ass that two of Rachel combined. My dark brown hair is stick straight, and bangs lay across my forehead.

It's funny. Rachel is jealous of what I have and I'm jealous of her. In a friendly way, of course. She's like my sister. I guess the grass is always greener until you get to the other side and realize it's all about the same.

"Okay." I drop the couple of bags I was helping her carry. "I need to get going."

"Boo." She pouts. "Brian can wait. We never get girl time anymore!"

"I know, but I promised I'd be at his place in time for dinner."

Brian is my boyfriend. We've been together about six months now. He's busy a lot at work, so it's rare we can sit down and eat. Most of the time it's over Facetime and we get interrupted halfway through.

"All right. I'll walk back down with you."

I head out of her room, getting to the top of the stairs before I hear talking.

"I missed you so much!" I hear Mrs. Rossi say to someone.

Who could that be?

My heart picks up speed and my senses start to become heightened. It couldn't be...

No. It's not him. No fucking way.

"Girls?" Mrs. Rossi calls to us.

"Yeah, mom?" Rachel comes up behind me on the stairs, giving me a questioning expression as to why I'm stopped.

"Come down here. I have a surprise for you."

No.

I take a shaky breath as Rachel runs past me and gets to the landing. I hear him before I see him.

"What's up, little sis?"

Maxwell. My breath catches in my chest as my body begins to tremble. I'm not ready for this today.

Knowing I have nowhere to run, I slowly take the rest of the steps.

His tall frame pulls away from Rachel as I reach the bottom. Our eyes meet, and my stomach lurches.

Of course, he looks even better in person than on the TV. He seems taller, but I know it's just because I haven't seen him in a while. He quit growing his senior year, landing at six foot five. His hair is faded on the sides, not shaggy like it used to be. There is still a mess of dark waves on top, though, and they're slicked back by gel. His skin is bronzed, making me wonder if he's been in the sun lately, because I used to make fun of him for being pale as a ghost.

Maxwell always had a way of affecting me, and I guess that hasn't changed, because my entire body is shaken by his sudden appearance.

He hasn't been back home in years. The Rossi's have gone to visit him, but I think he's only been back to Atlanta once since making the NBA. I successfully avoided him then.

"Oh, Rylie. Can you believe it? I get my Max for two whole months!" Mrs. Rossi is wiping happy tears from her eyes, completely oblivious to my near-panic attack. Two months?

No one knows the full extent of what happened between him and I. It's better that way, save for situations like this.

"Please stay for dinner. I'm grilling up some steak right now. We've got plenty."

"Oh." I clear my throat, adverting my eyes and trying to act normal. "I'm actually eating with Brian tonight."

"Invite Brian!" Mr. Rossi claps, "The more the merrier. I get to celebrate my son being home and enjoy some Rylie-time, too."

I melt at his words. He has been like a father to me, and it's hard to tell him no.

However, the thought of having my current boyfriend and my ex-boyfriend in the same room makes me cringe.

"Let me just call Brian, then."

I walk outside to get some fresh air and privacy. Knowing my voice will be too thick to speak with my boyfriend right now, I shoot him a texting telling him that something came up and I'll swing by later if he wants.

Then, I double over and take a few deep breaths.

I'm not sure how I'm supposed to sit through this dinner and act like the person who shattered my heart years ago isn't sitting across from me.