riley had grown accustomed to being looked at. it came with the territory. a handful of television appearances, a show on a streaming service that had done better than expected, red carpets, interviews, and magazine features. she wasn't famous yet—not really—but recognizable enough that people would often stare for too long before asking if they'd seen her somewhere before. most of the time, riley didn't mind it. it was part of the job that she'd spent years fighting her way into. kate's attention, however, felt different. heavier. almost like it was deliberate and meant to make the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. standing next to henry who played the piano with a focus that most adults didn't have, kate seemed incapable of looking anywhere else. and she knew enough about the woman already. she'd heard stories from her boyfriend, listened to his version of events, and then quietly formed her own opinion. from everything riley gathered, kate was intelligent, successful, devoted to her son, and unwilling to make herself small for anyone's comfort. riley respected that.
so when kate appeared beside her at the refreshment table, reaching past her shoulder for a glass of champagne, riley became immediately aware of it. aware of the perfume. aware of the warmth. aware of the brief brush of contact that felt far too intentional. she fought the urge to smile at the thought and instead turned towards the older woman. "that's me," she replied easily when her name was spoken. her gaze followed kate's to where henry was helping another child across the lawn. "and you're kate." not phrased as a question. there was no point in pretending riley didn't already know who she was. a smile tugged on the corner of her lips. "i'd actually be concerned if you didn't know who i was, considering i'm dating your ex-husband." the joke was light, but her eyes remained on kate's. thoughtful. curious. "for what it's worth, henry's incredible. i can see where he gets it from." she paused for a sip of champagne, letting the words sink in. "though i have a feeling that's not a compliment you're interested in hearing from me, is it?"