All Chapters of Catch Me, Maybe: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

The next morning at ten, Riley stood in the middle of her room.With both arms stretched out.“...You said we were just taking measurements, right?”“That’s exactly what we’re doing,” Vivian replied calmly.“Then why are there so many people here?”Vivian stood in front of her.Beside her was a woman holding a measuring tape.And two more women after that.Fabric samples and shoe boxes covered the table.And—for some reason, there were already three dresses.“You said we were just taking measurements!”“I can hear you.”“Then what are those dresses doing back there?!”“They’re for reference.”“Your references are fully assembled!”The woman with the measuring tape tried not to laugh.Vivian introduced her.“This is Helen. She’s been handling our family’s wardrobe for years.”“Nice to meet you, Riley.”“Nice to meet you too... but we’re only mea

Twenty minutes after heel practice ended, Riley was sitting at the dining table.There was a binder in front of her.A thick one.“...What’s this?”“The gala guest list,” Vivian replied.Riley looked at the binder.Then at Vivian.Then back at the binder.“All of them?”“Just the important ones.”“This is just the important ones?!”She flipped through the pages.Photographs.Names.Companies.Job titles.Family connections.Organizations they donated to.There were even tiny notes about what looked like their hobbies.“Why does this say which golf course he likes?”“It can give you something to talk about.”“I don’t play golf.”“He does.”“Then let him talk to the other golf people!”“You’ll be talking to him too.”“Impossible!”Vivian sat down across from her.“I’m not asking you to memorize ever

“Are we done for today?”Riley asked with obvious hope in her voice.Names.Conversation practice.And before that, heels.She felt like she’d already done more than enough for one morning.Vivian checked the time.“Yes. I think that’s enough studying for now.”“Yes!”“Next, we’re going to the ballroom.”Riley, who had already started to stand, froze.“Why?”“Dancing.”“...Dancing for what?”“The gala.”“We have to dance?!”“I explained that when I first told you about it.”“I vaguely remember hearing something!”“So you forgot.”“The three hundred guests, the dress, and the heels took up all the space in my brain!”◇Grant was already waiting in the ballroom.“Why are you here?”“I was summoned.”“You didn’t run?”“I decided this was better than working.”“You’re going to regret that decision.”“

At six thirty that evening—“I’m home!”Riley had just returned from work and was starting to take off her sneakers in the entrance hall when she stopped.She could hear an unfamiliar voice.A woman.Coming from the living room.“...Do we have company?”“Yes,” Marcus said.“Today?”“Yes.”“Nobody told me.”“She isn’t here to see you.”“Then it has nothing to do with me?”“She’s here to see Charles.”“Then it definitely has nothing to do with me.”Relieved, Riley started walking away.Then Marcus added—“It’s Margaret Bell.”Riley stopped.Slowly, she turned around.“...Who?”“You memorized her yesterday.”“I know!”Foundation lady.The first person she’d memorized.And she was absolutely not supposed to call her the foundation lady to her face.“Why is she here?!”“She and Charles are dis

One in the afternoon.For once, Riley had nothing to do.Absolutely nothing.She was sprawled across her bed, arms and legs stretched out.“Freedom...”No heels.No names.No dancing.No hair.No Vivian.“Perfect.”She picked up her phone.Ten minutes later—Riley: I’m boredTasha: I knowRiley: HowTasha: You’ve texted “I HAVE NOTHING THIS AFTERNOON!” three times since this morningRiley: Wanna come over?Tasha: YepJax: Me tooBenji: Me tooRiley: Why are you two hereJax: Group chat“...Fine.”◇An hour later, all three of them were at the mansion.“This place is huge every single time,” Jax said, staring up at the entrance hall.