There Was You

Quietly stepping back into the bedroom, Iker nudged the door closed, trying his hardest not to make so much noise that it would alert Riley to his presence. Things felt awkward, after the conversation that they had had the previous night, both he and Riley appeared to be walking on eggshells around one another, and it was something Iker wanted to put a stop to as soon as he could, not liking the idea that things weren’t quite right between them.

He knew why she felt awkward, the idea that she was thinking about bringing their wedding date forwards had surprised him, and he knew how she had had interpreted his shock, but if he was honest, it wasn’t a thought that had even crossed his mind. Riley had been hesitant, when they’d shared the news of their engagement, she had been worried that people would start to put pressure on them to make plans before they were ready, and with them discovering that she was pregnant, he had naturally assumed that she would want to wait. He had assumed that Riley would prefer a longer engagement.

Stepping across the room, he placed a glass of lemon water down onto the end table nearest to Riley’s side of the bed before he climbed onto his side, watching the bathroom door for a few seconds before it swung open, allowing Riley to shuffle back out into the bedroom. “On the end table” he announced quietly.

Riley, who’d been concentrating on readjusting the messy ponytail she had pulled her hair into, visibly flinched before she slowly lifted her head, her eyes meeting his briefly before they dropped back towards the floor. “You were asleep” she murmured.

“I heard you get up” Iker replied “And seeing as your alarm’s not due to go off for half an hour, I figured it was probably morning sickness, so I popped downstairs and grabbed some of the lemon water you like” he added, gesturing towards the glass on the cabinet.

Riley glanced upwards, spying the glass, before she nodded, mumbling a quiet ‘thank you’ beneath her breath.

Iker watched her for a few seconds as she wandered around the room, allowing a silence to stretch between the two of them, before he let out a sigh, his fingers scratching his jaw uncertainly. “I can’t read your mind” he noted carefully.

Riley, who’d been trying to keep herself busy by looking in the wardrobe, let out an audible sigh. “I know” she replied.

“Then talk to me, Riley” Iker prodded “I can’t help to work things out if you don’t tell me what you want” he added, his voice warm and encouraging.

Riley hesitated for a beat too long, something which caused Iker to shake his head. “Riley” he complained softly “Just talk to me. I can’t say anything until you do” he added.

Riley nodded her head slowly before she turned around, offering him a slightly timid glance. “I know I surprised you” she murmured quietly “What I...uh...What I said last night, I know it came a little bit out of the blue, but I just...I don’t know. I know that you’re not convinced, I saw it on your face, but I just...I don’t want to put it off. We were already waiting a year before we found out that I am pregnant, and now it’s going to be another six months to a year on top of that?” she pressed.

Iker opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, trying to think of something to say, before he shook his head. “It doesn’t make a difference” he noted gently “Whether it’s tomorrow, next year, or ten years from now, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to get married, Riley” he insisted.

Riley nodded. “I know” she noted “I’m not saying that we won’t, but I am saying that I don’t necessarily want to wait two years for it to happen” she added.

Iker’s forehead furrowed slightly. “You’re the one who hesitates, Riley” he noted “The one who overthinks” he added.

Riley lips quirked upwards slightly before she nodded her head. “I know” she replied.

“Then what is this about?” Iker asked.

“It’s not ‘about’ anything” Riley replied “I just...I don’t want to wait” she added, letting out a soft laugh at her own words. She understood why he was surprised, since they’d met, Riley had always been the one who hesitated, the one who was always a little less certain of things between the two of them, but, in that moment, she knew what she wanted. She didn’t have doubts about him, even less so since they’d found out about her pregnancy, and she didn’t feel the need to hesitate. She was certain that he was as good as it got.

Iker watched her, his dark eyes searching her expression, before he shook his head, a soft laugh falling out of his mouth. “I never even thought about bringing it forwards” he admitted “I was so sure you’d want to put it back” he added.

“We can do” Riley insisted “I mean, if that’s what you want to do, then we can do that. I just...” she trailed off as Iker shook his head, a boyish smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Are you suggesting we just do it?” Iker asked “Like, we go out tomorrow and get married?” he added.

Riley shook her head. “My parents would kill me if I did that” she replied “I was more thinking something very small. You said it yourself, there’s an international break coming up. We could do it in Madrid, just like we said we would” she babbled, her words rushed and a little uncertain.

Iker’s smile grew a little at the tone of her voice. “We could find a little church” he contributed “And we’ll need to find you a dress” he added.

Riley’s expression brightened slightly. “I think I could handle that” she noted “We’d need to get my siblings out there. Marisol and Nuno too” she added.

Iker nodded. “I’ll handle that” he noted “Would your parents mind hosting a little reception afterwards?” he asked.

Riley laughed. “They’d not have it any other way” she noted “You do own a nice suit, don’t you?” she asked.

Iker smirked. “I might have one or two” he quipped, shrugging nonchalantly.

Riley rolled her eyes, something which made Iker chuckle before he leant towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist so that he could pull her close. "You really want to do this, don’t you?” he asked, tilting his head back so that he could meet her eyes “This isn’t something you’re just saying?” he prodded.

Riley held his stare before she shook her head. “This isn’t a whim” she noted “I want to do this, Iker” she added.

Iker kept his eyes on hers, searching them for a few seconds, before he grinned, something which made Riley grin in return. “We’ve got some phone calls to make” he enthused.