Page 90 of Catching My Dreams

“True,” Asher replied, leaving a short pause before speaking again. “You were worse.”

Ella clicked her tongue and leaned into Noah. “If you want to have more double dates, I’d suggest you stop insulting us.”

Asher considered her suggestion for a moment before shaking his head. “Nah. Where’s the fun in that?”

“Leave the love birds alone,” Riley said to her boyfriend, her voice teasing.

“Fine,” he relented with the sigh of a martyr. “So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?”

Ella looked at Noah questioningly and shrugged. “No real plans yet.”

“What about you two?” Noah asked.

“We were thinking of going to a movie,” Riley replied. “You’re welcome to join us if you want.”

Ella started nodding eagerly, but Noah’s ringtone prevented him from giving his answer, the vibration of it on the wooden table sending up an incessant buzz.

“It’s my mom,” he said after checking the screen. “Give me a second.” He stood and strode across the room to a quiet corner of the café.

“So,” Riley said, placing her hands on the table and leaning forward like she was ready to hear some juicy gossip. “Please tell me my stepbrother groveled for at least a good few hours before you forgave him for being a tremendous douche canoe.”

Ella chuckled. “There was some groveling involved, yes.”

“And did he tell you why he’s been such a douche canoe?” she pressed.

Ella grimaced. “About that. Remember how I told you I overheard him saying I was just an annoying tagalong?”

Riley nodded. “Yep.”

“When was this?” Asher asked, his eyebrows drawn together.

Ella waved his concern away. “It was when we were kids. You and Chris were teasing him about me, and he was too embarrassed to admit he did, in fact, like me.”

Asher groaned and slapped a hand over his face. “You heard all of that?”

“I did, which is why I started giving him the cold shoulder.”

“It makes so much more sense now,” Asher said.

Ella nodded and finished explaining why Noah had started to lash out at her.

Riley sat back and narrowed her eyes once she’d finished speaking. “I don’t know,” she said. “He was such an ass I’m not sure I would have been able to forgive him.”

Ella shrugged. “It was easy to once I realized how much of an ass I’d also been.”

Riley hummed. “I guess, but I would have made him stew in his guilt and regret for at least a month before I officially forgave him.”

Ella sent Asher a meaningful look. “You better watch what you do around this one.”

He smiled. “Trust me, I know. She’s still mad at me for eating the last Milk Dud last week.”

Riley pursed her lips. “It was mine, and you stole it.”

“See,” Asher said, gesturing to his scowling girlfriend. “Imagine if I actually did something noteworthy.”

“What? Like cheating?” Ella suggested, deliberately poking the bear.

“They would never find his body,” Riley said cooly before taking a delicate sip of her coffee.

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