Sitting In Traffic

Chapter 124- Mentioned in 90

Riley was walking downtown with Max the Tuesday after they returned from Singapore, he suggested walking around the building she liked together for the first time. Which Riley was quick to say yes to. Riley was officially just a few days over 4 weeks pregnant. And she still hadn't said a word to Max. She started brainstorming ideas over the past few days, trying to form a plan.

Max's birthday was what she was aiming for. Riley couldn't keep this information from him much longer. She didn't like keeping it a secret, and she had grown excited about it. She was itching to tell him. Max hadn't even suspected a thing. Sure he's noticed a few changes, Riley asking more about his family values, the foods that she's stopped eating, the coffee she stopped making. But he didn't think anything of it.

"When'd you get a key" Riley asked Max, huddling next to him, sinking into his sweatshirt she had on.

"This morning when you were sleeping" Max said, putting his hand on her back when he opened the wooden door.

"I didn't even realize you left" She laughed, walking into the building first.

"You were knocked out" He told her, looking around the building. It was barely lit with the natural lighting outside. The walls were a dark green, which Riley would change, making them white or a light grey. "I think there's a light switch in the back"

"I remember" She said with a smile over her shoulder. "I'll get it"

"It smells old in here" Max commented while Riley walked away quickly to the back of the building. There was a lot of open space, it felt like the building could've previously been a book store.

"Yeah but it's a good old!" She said loudly while flipping on the light switch, "Like books and coffee"

"Only, you don't even drink coffee anymore" He said, looking at her when she came back into view.

"Yes I do" She declared, but that was false.

"I got you coffee yesterday," Max started taking Riley's hand when she went for his, "And you took 2 sips and left it in the kitchen all day"

"Something was wrong with it" She groaned, taking his other hand. "The brew just wasn't good"

"So we'll grab coffee after this" He suggested, watching Riley scrunch her nose instantly.

"I'm not in the mood right now" She told him, pulling away slowly, walking backwards with her hands in his.

"Hmm and I wonder why" He said, pecking her lips before she let go of his hands.

"Keep wondering" She turned around, looking around the building with a content smile.

"So where would you put the piano" Max asked her, following her steps loosely. It felt rustic inside the building, everything was old, a vast difference in vibes from the rest of Monaco.

"Well," Riley paused and thought for a moment, "Assuming that we would have to tear everything down and renovate- we could have the main counter right here" She motioned to the area in front of her, "At Josie's she had it set by the window," She was going to face him but felt Max put his arms around her waist instead, hesitantly putting his hands on her stomach.

Riley had kept removing them throughout the week, he expected her to now. Instead Riley smiled and put her hands on top of his, keeping them there.