The next three weeks went on with no words from Josh's ex and sporadic visits with Riley. Most of the time they just sat in the park and talked or walked along the lake. Josh learned that Riley was an accountant for a large corporation in the city. She was really good at her job but found it dull, but the money she made from it allowed her to pursue her other passions, which involved doing anything and everything. 

 He listened to countless stories of her adventures and her desire to travel overseas. Josh didn't realize that under than bright demeanor there was an explorer in her. He felt very dull in comparison, not having many exciting stories of his own to tell. Most of his revolved around his students, who never let him have a boring day.

Riley's cheeks flushed at the excited expression on Josh's face when he talked about the kids he taught. She thought high schoolers would be difficult and unpleasant to deal with, but she sensed that Josh had the patience and understanding to win over the hearts of the teenagers. 

He was a lover of books, movies, and museums. It seemed that Josh was always looking to learn something and had such a fascinating wealth of knowledge. Maybe she was biased, but she felt he could learn more listening to him speak then she ever learned during her own days in school. He was captivating.

Overall, Josh was happy with the relationship. Though he caught himself reaching for her hand or suppressing the urge to move wilds strands of hair from Riley's face. She made no advancements towards him either. Sometimes an awkward force interrupted their happy encounters but was quickly chased away with Riley's smile. His own smile grew as he sat on the bench, waiting for her. 

Looking at his watch, she was ten minutes late, but it wasn't uncommon for her. Light snow started to fall, she was thirty minutes late now. Josh frowned, she had never been that late before. He checked his cell, she hadn't called him. Maybe she called him on his home phone. Worry bubbled inside of him as he walked, slowly turning into doubt at the familiar scene.

Doubt turned into pain when he didn't see the blinking light of his answering machine. He shouldn't jump to conclusions, he knew that this was the first time this sort of thing had happened. Still, his stomach knotted until he was nauseous. His doorbell rang, and he dashed for the door. Maybe Riley missed him at the park and came to his apartment. He gave her his address a couple of weeks ago, in case it got too cold to meet outside. When he opened the door, his heart sank. It was his ex.

“Hello sweetie,” she cooed.

“What are you doing here?”

“We didn't get a chance to talk so I thought I'd let you cool off.”

“Nothing has changed.”

“But I even stopped texting you and everything! You could spare me a little time to at least try and win you back couldn't you?”

Josh sighed. “What's to be said? You left me. You said I wasn't good enough.”

“I was wrong! I was so wrong. I need you, babe. We complete each other.”

She was standing too close now, her sickly sweet perfume assaulting him. There were those damn eyes again, and despite himself, his knotted stomach untangled into butterflies. She wrapped an arm around his neck, giving him a devilish smile. That smile often led to the bedroom or couch, with their clothes being flown to the floor along the way. 

She was leaning into him now, her lips slightly parted. He knew what was coming, what her plan was. It had been so long since he had been touched, he missed it. Her kiss melted the last bit of cold he couldn't shake from coming inside. His body tightened, warmth spreading in anticipation. Riley's smiling face flashed in his mind, and he pushed the ex back.

“No, we aren't doing this,” Josh said.

The ex groaned. “So this is about that other woman, isn't it? Where is she huh? I hear that you see her all the time, but I've yet to see you out with her.”

“You've been following me?”

“I just wanted to see what the fuss was about. Someone heard from Dave that you're over the moon for her.”

Josh rolled his eyes. “We're friends. That's all.”

“But you spend all that time with her, and she's not even putting out? You can't expect me to believe that. Especially since she's a cripple.”

“What do you mean a cripple?”

“Just what I said. She's in a wheelchair that makes her a cripple.”

“She's not. What are you talking about?”

“Are you in denial? I went to her house. I saw her. She's a bag of bones in a chair.”

“You went to her house?” Josh asked. “How did you even find her?”

The ex stepped back nervously. “A few people at the park used to see her all the time, one of the vendors told me the general area of where she lived, and I figured out the rest.”

“Get out.”

“What?”

“I said get out. I don't ever want to see your face again. Don't text me, don't call me, and if you follow me again, I'm calling the cops.”

Josh stepped back and slammed the door. His heart was pounding his throat. It didn't make sense. The Riley he knew rollerbladed up to him just four days ago. He picked up the phone and paused. His ex likely threatened her to stay away from him. It was the only reason she would go to Riley's house. He swore and grabbed the paper by the phone with Riley's address on it.