Her Brother's Best Friend - Aching Hearts Series #2

A Lighter Shade

CHAPTER 2 - A LIGHTER SHADE

"Emily, sweetie, open the door, please." Mrs. Robinson called her daughter, who was on the couch, watching TV, from the kitchen.

Emily leaped to her feet and went to the door. It was eight in the evening, so at the door it couldn't be anyone else other than their guest, which might be why Emily checked herself out in the mirror of the hall before opening.

Well, there wasn't much to check out, she thought, there wasn't even much difference from the afternoon: once home she'd taken a shower, yes, but she'd worn jeans and hoodie anyway. Part of her, the one Vanessa would call womanly, had considered digging up some of the clothes her best friend had bought her over the years and try them on, just to look ... decent, but in the end Emily had shrugged it off, repeating to herself that there was no reason why she should be different for Riley.

He'd known her all her life anyway, he knew how she was back and forth, most probably he'd find it weirder if he saw her all dressed up.

"Hey, Honeybee." Riley greeted her with a sweet smile, to which she responded with a shy one as she let him in. He'd gotten changed too, his faded jeans and t-shirt he wore in the afternoon had been replaced by more formal black jeans and white dress-shirt underneath a black pullover.

Emily forced herself to ignore how bright his forest green eyes were, and closed the door behind him.

"Is that the hoodie I gave you?" Riley asked, pointing at what she was wearing. Emily blushed, nodding, and he smiled. She was wearing a dark blue hoodie with the writing "Yale Bulldogs", Riley had given it to her that one time he came back from college and she was sick, so she hadn't been able to play with him, even though, he did remain close on purpose, even if there was no need. When he had to leave, Emily was still half sick, and she admitted, for maybe the second time ever, that she'd miss him, so he took off his hoodie, and handed it to her, saying that would keep her warm till he came back for Christmas and it would remind her of how much "he loved his little Honeybee". Of course, Emily was only 11, he meant it in a brotherly way, as usual.

From then on, Emily had worn that hoodie more often, especially when she was cold, as a reminder that she was never alone, because, as he said, even if he was far, she still had Riley.

"It still fits you, huh?" He joked, noticing how baggy it looked on her while normally it hugged his muscles perfectly. "How you doing?" Riley asked as they walked into the living room.

"Fine. You?"

He shrugged. "Not much different from this afternoon." She smiled. "Spongebob, huh?" Riley commented, amused, glancing at the TV.

Emily blushed, swiftly going to swap channel, embarrassed. Way to make an impression. Now he'd be convinced she was still a child. Well, she was for him anyway. Ugh, why did she even bother?

Those were frilly thoughts. And even if they weren't, a guy like Riley had a long, long line of gorgeous girls wanting him, certainly he wouldn't waste his time with a worthless little girl like she was.

Times like this, Emily wondered how did Vanessa find the nerve to claim she was the right girl for Jason. The difference in age was the same, after all.

"I'm too old for cartoons, I know." She admitted, flustered.

Riley chuckled. "Nah, one is never too old for cartoons." He replied, taking the remote from her hands and switching back to Nickelodeon. "Honestly, I still watch them too." He admitted, plopping back on the couch, and she laughed.

When Riley patted on the seat beside him, asking her to go sit with him, her throat went dry.

Emily swallowed and complied, careful to leave enough of a gap between them for her not to feel the heat radiating off his body, but Riley didn't see it that way: he laughed at her cautions and scooped closer to her, wrapping an arm around her and bumping her temple with his, as he always did years ago, as a manner of affection, while he asked: "Alright, Honeybee. Fill me in."