Page 5 of A Secret Promise

Riley's expression was one of awe after taking a sip. "This is amazing."

Vixen couldn't help but smile as the girl took a few more sips. "Feeling better?"

"Much."

Vixen's compassion grew as she listened to Riley talk about her parents' past. To know that one's mother had deliberately gotten herself pregnant for money would be difficult for any child to process, but it was even worse for Riley, who later found out her mother's refusal to marry her father stemmed from the other woman's desire to continue receiving a monthly stipend from her ex.

"The only reason I ended up living with Dad is because she offered to sign away all rights of custody...for a price."

"How do you know all of this?"

"My grandma."

"I see."

"Why does that sound so loaded?" Riley asked suspiciously.

"It's not," Vixen denied. "But it's not enough to just hear your grandmother's side of the story, don't you think? Have you tried asking your mom about this?"

Riley shook her head.

"Then maybe that's what you should do. Ask your mom. Or your dad even. But remember to do so with respect and gentleness. Andlove—-"

Riley made a face. "Ugh."

A text from her dad had Riley saying her goodbyes with visible reluctance, and Vixen couldn't help feeling the same. "How long are you staying in LC?"

"For good?"

Vixen blinked. "So you're not a tourist?"

"As of today, we're officially LC's newest residents." Riley noticeably brightened up as she said this, and Vixen's mood picked up as well when she realized that she didn't have just today to spend time with the younger girl.

"I'm so thrilled to hear that, Riley." Vixen then stepped back with a beam, saying, "In case no one has said this yet - welcome to your new home, neighbor!"

Thoughts of her earlier conversation with Riley still had Vixen smiling from time to time as she went on with the rest of the day. Juno clocked out at seven, and Vixen was about to close an hour after when she heard the door open while the wind chimes played out a tune.

"Tell me you're not closing yet?"

Vixen already knew it was Rule even before turning around, and her heart was once again a battlefield between excitement and trepidation. Would she ever get used to feeling this way around him?

"Iamabout to close, actually, but—-"

"Great."

Vixen could only laugh at the way Rule immediately made himself comfortable as he took his usual spot by the windows. "What will you have?"

Rule seemed he was about to say something before changing his mind, and Vixen had a feeling he had been about to say 'you'before thinking twice about it. This worried her just a bit, but she caught herself in time.

You promised, Vix. No assumptions, remember?

It was true that Rule struck her to be the rich-Don-Juan-from-the-city type, but since honesty was always the best policy...

"You know how some people would say they'd drop by this place or that because it was on their way?"

"And?"

A mischievous smile curved over Vixen's lips at Rule's puzzled tone. "And this cafe, which isn't accessible byanymeans, is definitely not one of them."