by Amelia Shea
“So, what’s your plan with Em?”
He hadn’t thought much about a plan. He figured he’d lost any chance he might have with her, especially after tonight.
Words had always come easy to him. He could dominate any situation, make people do what he wanted simply by talking to them. It was a gift. But he was at a loss when it came to Emory. She made him feel out of control, erratic with his feelings. No one had ever rocked his control the way Emory had.
But could she just forget about him? After being in love with him all those years, could she really just turn off her feelings and be done? She had been nasty and cruel, as well as him tonight. But there was no denying that he still wanted her.
Months of avoiding him, bringing a new boyfriend around, and the fight tonight hadn’t changed what was in his heart. He still wanted to be with her, he just didn’t know how to do it. One thing he knew for sure was that Emory needed time. She was full of anger, aimed straight at him. He needed to give her time until she was ready.
“My plan is to wait patiently.”
Chapter 1
Present day.
“WHAT the hell do you mean, you can’t come?” The shrieking sound from the other end of the call had Emory pulling it away from her ear. Damn, girl! Deaf much?
Emory grabbed her sneakers, heading out of her bedroom. She shifted the phone back to her ear. She had been gearing up for this conversation. She had her speech all prepared. She had a mini spreadsheet written up with possible rebuttals from Roxanne and her own bullshit reasoning. It was so much easier to lie to someone who hadn’t known her since she was six. Roxanne wouldn’t fully buy any of her excuses but it was worth a shot.
Eight months was a long time but not enough to get over Ethan Barrett. Her lifetime might not be long enough.
Emory crossed her fingers and lied, “Rox, I told you it was super busy this time of the year. I have six appointments today. It’s a crazy, I can’t just leave. I swear, if I could, I would be there.”
The silence from the other end of the phone was a clear sign that Emory should brace herself. Roxanne always took a long waited breath before unleashing on someone. Wait for it.
“I’m calling bullshit on that! You’ve known about this since last month. I called you and gave you the date, the same day I booked the venue, Em. Remember?”
“Rox, I know…”
“You haven’t been home in over eight months!” Roxanne didn’t yell but her voice was laced with frustration.
“I know that but…”
“You missed Thanksgiving, Christmas, my freakin’ birthday…”
Emory cut her off. “Hey, you were here for your birthday weekend, and as I recall you had a friggin’ epic time, so that doesn’t count. Besides, those holidays are for family, you were with your family. It’s all good.”
The phone went silent and Emory cursed herself for the dig that slipped past her lips. Tapping her foot against her chair in the kitchen, she dragged her hand through her hair. Shit! She promised to leave the past in the past but somehow it reared its ugly head. Again. Even worse? Now she was doing it subconsciously.
“Say it again,” Roxanne sneered.
Just great! She knew that tone. It usually wasn’t directed at her but she knew it well. Roxanne was pissed.
She inhaled. “Rox…”
“I dare you to say it again!” she challenged. Emory could almost hear her gritting her teeth.
“Look…”
“No, you look, don’t you ever say that to me again, Emory Kern! You are my family, as much as Stone and T and Bogs. As much as my mom and dad. You, Em! You’re my family. And whether you want to acknowledge it or not, you are just as much a Garrison as any of us. And I think it’s so messed up that you would sit there and say that shit to me. To me?” There was a short pause. “You don’t think I get it but I do, Em. I get it. You needed out of here so you left, and I may not agree with you running away but I supported it because I knew it was what you thought you needed.”
“Hey! I didn’t run, I had an opportunity and I took it.” Emory raised her voice. Her own anger was rising. Hell yeah, she ran away, but how dare Rox call her out on it! It was an unspoken rule that they didn’t talk about why she left. Ever!
“Yeah. Right. Keep telling yourself that. You could have easily kept your job here, at home, but you took an opportunity, five states away, putting as much distance as you could between you and Ethan.”
“My leaving had nothing to do with Ethan!” Emory shouted, clenching her hand in a fist.
“It had everything to do with Ethan,” she screamed.
She balled up her fist and fought her desire to hang up. She had spent the last eight months trying to erase Ethan Barrett from her memory and failing miserably. The last thing she needed was to hear his name, let alone, be in the same friggin’ room with him. But she wasn’t about to admit it.
Emory scoffed. “You give big brother way too much credit. I didn’t leave because of him, I left because I was offered a great job and I took it.”
“Then prove me wrong.” She paused. “Come home for the party.”
“I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t? Because as I remember it, you promised me you would come.”
Emory stopped in mid-step. She did promise. It was amazing what you would agree to when it was a month away. She thought she’d be ready to go home. But as it crept closer, it became obvious, Emory was not ready.
“Look, I know I promised, and trust me, I’m bummed about it, too. But it’s out of my hands. I can’t take the time. My boss is being an utter prick, as usual, and there’s no way he’ll give me the time off.”
“Did you ask?” Emory could hear the suspicion in her voice.
“Of course, I asked,” she lied, and actually felt bad. Emory and Roxanne didn’t keep secrets from each other and they never lied. Until now. The lie was so much easier than the truth.
There was silence for a few seconds. They had been best friends since the first grade. Roxanne knew her better than anyone, and for that reason alone, Emory knew her best friend wasn’t buying it.
“I miss you, Em, so does everyone else. It’s been like four months since I saw you. Everyone was looking forward to you coming home. Even Bogs.”
The guilt set in and her steps slowed down before she dropped to the couch and slumped back. Truthfully, she missed everyone, too. She loved where she lived but it wasn’t home. Her first few months in Beaufort, she wasn’t sure she’d last. She was homesick. Not for her own home but for the Garrisons’. She never shared that with Roxanne.
“I miss y’all, too!” Emory was working on her southern accent.
Roxanne laughed. “You do know it sounds fake, right?”
Emory laughed. “Well yeah! But I still love it. Nothing sexier than the southern accent.”
“If you say so!”
And as quickly as the fight started, it ended. Real friends fought but they learned to let shit go. Emory could hear it in her voice, Roxanne wasn’t going to push. She’d let it go. For now.
“Well, since you flaked out, bitch, looks like I’ll have to make my way back there. Think you can find time in your busy schedule to hang with me?”
“Maybe,” she teased.
“Well, I should let you go and get to your appointments.”
Emory looked down at her outfit. Her workout clothes. Part of her wondered if Roxanne had cameras in her place. She obviously knew the six appointment comment was bullshit. Truth was, she had zero appointments and this job wasn’t working out at all.
She had originally told everyone back home that this job would entail her heading up an office. That had been a lie. But she didn’t want to have to explain why she was taking a job five states away just to be an agent. Something she was back in Houston. She thought it was a win situation for her. Who wouldn’t want to work at the beach? She learned quickly that taking this job was a mistake, but going b
ack home wasn’t an option as far as her heart was concerned.
It was cutthroat and her boss was an ass. The vision she was given when she took the job was not what it seemed to be. Her coworkers ranged from slightly friendly to asshole, and they were all super competitive. She had sold three homes, which was peanuts compared to the others, who were selling between ten and fifteen. Of course, those people would sell their parents for profit. She snickered at the thought. No use in trying to sell her parents, they’d be returned for sure.
Standing up and shaking off the thought. “Yeah, got to sell, sell, sell. Tell everyone I said hi and I miss them.”
“I will. You know Sadie and Cassie are going to be pissed at you. They had all these plans for girls’ nights.”
“Well, maybe, they can come here with you next time.”
Roxanne snorted. “As if, Stone and T would let them go there alone. Alpha jerks.”
“They let you come.”
“That’s because I don’t tell them I went until I get back.”
They both laughed. Roxanne was twenty-three and they still treated her like she was five. Protective as hell.
“I’ll check flights and let you know when I’m coming. We good?”
“We’re good! Love you, girl.”
“Love you too, Em. Now go sell your ass off.” Roxanne giggled. “Not literally.”
Emory chuckled, shaking her head. Gripping the phone tighter, she swallowed hard. “Hey, Rox, um…” she paused “tell him I said happy birthday.”
“I will,” Roxanne answered quietly.
Emory ended the call. She stared at the phone before clicking on the voicemails. There they were. All eighty-two unheard voicemails from Ethan. The first call came in while she was waiting for her flight to board the day she left for Beaufort. She ignored the call. There was no way she could talk to Ethan.
When the phone alerted her to a voicemail she was shocked. He left a message? It took every ounce of self-control not to listen to it but she did it. She was starting her new life and she needed to leave Ethan and her broken heart where it belonged…in the past.
She figured he was just calling to say goodbye, anyway.
Then the following day, another call and another and another. Every few days, her phone would ring and she’d look down to see his name.
Her thumb would hover over the answer key but she never answered. Not once. It drove her crazy knowing his voice was on her phone but she couldn’t bring herself to listen to them or delete them. No matter how many times she geared herself up to delete them, she couldn’t.
Then last month, they stopped.
*
“Is this really necessary?” Ethan Barrett sat at his father’s dining room table surrounded by his three brothers and their women. He had checked his phone several times waiting on an important call. Still no word and he was growing agitated. He folded his hands on the table glaring at the smirks greeting him back.
“Oh c’mon, E, it’s your thirtieth birthday. We can’t just let that shit slide by without an epic party.” Bogs, the youngest of his brothers, shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth while smiling.
“Yeah, man, gotta go into your thirties in style,” Stone mocked.
His family was enjoying his entering into the thirties more than he was.
“Don’t fight it, Ethan, Rox is set on throwing this party, and you know there’s no stopping her. Besides, it’ll be fun.” Stone’s new bride, Sadie, sat next to him and smiled over at Ethan. They had only been married nine months but from the way they acted, they were still very much in the honeymoon stage.
“Where is Rox?”
Right on cue, she walked through the door. “Sorry about that.” She took an empty seat at the head of the table and opened a folder she had in her hands. Just wonderful, a folder. He wanted to glaze over his birthday and his little sister was set on making it an event.
“Okay, so, I have the venue, the menu. Um, Cass, did you talk to the caterer?”
Cassie nodded. “All set and confirmed.”
Ethan lifted his glass to sip his wine.
“Great. The responses all came back, almost everyone is coming. Our final head count is one hundred and thirty-six.”
What? Ethan began to cough while choking on his wine. Everyone at the table looked over at him. Wiping his mouth, he widened his eyes in disbelief.
“You okay?” Roxanne asked.
“One hundred and thirty-six people? That’s ridiculous. That’s not a birthday party, that’s a wedding reception.”
“What? It’s our family and friends. And I might have added a few potential clients. Nothing sells like seeing the finished product in front of you.” She winked at him and shuffled her papers.
“Good thinking, Rox.” Cassie cheered from her seat. Cassie, his brother T’s fiancé, and Roxanne, had started their own event company a few months back. They were doing really well.
“This is going to be a circus,” Ethan whispered under his breath.
“I heard that.” Roxanne glared at him. “You only turn thirty once, Ethan, I just want to make it special.”
He rolled his neck, trying to relieve the stress. He was being a prick and he knew it. He saw no need to celebrate his birthday with a party but his sister was trying to do something special for him and he was being ungrateful.
He sighed. “Fine.”
“Okay, so we only have a few days ’til Friday night. I need to make sure everybody does what they are supposed to do. Bogs, I need you to pick up the Daltons from the airport that morning. Everyone else is renting a car. We all good?”
“On it. What time does Em come in, I can swing back and pick her up.”
Ethan gazed down at his wine glass, trying to mask his interest in the answer to Bogs question. Just the sound of her name had his body heat and his heart skip a beat. It had been eight months since he’d last seen her, followed by countless disappointments when she was expected home for a visit and bailed. All his calls and voicemails went unanswered. He remained patient.
He wasn’t sure how much longer he could wait. He knew that she needed her time, she needed to go away and do her thing. If he wanted her, which he did, he’d have to be patient. If he gave her time to heal from her broken heart and get over his hatred for him, they could start over. They’d always have their past but he hoped for a second chance, a new start with her. He would not fuck this up.
However, he had grown increasingly impatient when she cancelled her trip home in January and started to plan his own visit to see her. Then, Roxanne announced that she was definitely coming for his party. He decided to wait for her to come back. Finally, she was returning and he’d let nothing stand in his way this time, not even Emory, herself.
Ethan turned back to Roxanne. Her face had paled and her lips tightened. She fidgeted with her already straightened papers before shoving them in her folder. The subject of Emory had been off limits for him since she left. Not talking about her hadn’t stopped him from thinking about her. Everyday. “Uh, Emory can’t make it.”
“What? Why?” Sadie sat straight up in her chair, disappointment written all over her face.
“I thought you said she was definitely coming this time?” Bogs questioned from the other end of the table.
Everyone mirrored the same face. Disappointment. Ethan made eye contact with Stone who raised his eyebrows. His face, unlike the others, didn’t seem surprised. Ethan looked away trying to hide his own frustration about Emory not coming. He should have known she’d back out again. Resting in his chair, he folded his arms, doing his best to hold back his anger. He should have gone to her already. Fuck patience!
“Well, you know, she’s busy with work, it’s a crazy time there, coming up on spring. She was really upset that she won’t be here but she said to say “Hi” and that she misses everyone.” Her speech seemed rehearsed, lacking much emotion. She was covering for Emory; he was sure of it. She knew exactl
y why Emory wasn’t coming but she wouldn’t say it. She’d never betray Emory, letting everyone know the real reason she wasn’t coming home had little to do with work and everything to do with him. Although, he was pretty sure everyone at the table new the truth.
“Oh, damn, I was really looking forward to seeing her.” Sadie slumped back in her seat. “Did she say when she thought she might come for a visit?”
“Soon, she hopes.” Ethan could hear the lie in his sister’s voice. “All right, we’re done here. Scram!”
“Thank fucking God.” Stone muttered under his breath. He received a scowl from Sadie. He grabbed her hand, yanking her to him and kissed her mouth. The kiss started off as PG but it quickly turned to R rated. It became obvious they had forgotten they weren’t alone when Stone’s hand lingered down to her ass.
Ethan cleared his throat. Sadie backed up from the kiss with her face glowing pink. She walked to the living room with Stone following and throwing up his middle finger at Ethan.
“How is she not pregnant yet, the way those two are always going at it?” Bogs shook his head, getting up from the table.
Cassie giggled and grabbed T’s hand. They followed through the doorway leaving Ethan staring at Roxanne, who was making a great effort not to meet his stare.
“She must be doing really well if she’s so busy.” Ethan watched Roxanne nod and mutter, “Uh huh.” She stood up from her seat, not making any eye contact with Ethan. Roxanne had a very expressive face. She also wore her heart on her sleeve. He knew his sister very well, therefore, he knew she was lying.
“How many homes has she sold?” Ethan watched her avert her eyes to the floor. She was about to lie. Ethan had a gift for reading people especially his sister.
“Not sure.”
“She never told you?” Ethan kept his voice even as he inquired.
“Nope.”
“That’s strange, wouldn’t you say? You two have always told each other everything. Wouldn’t she want to share her numbers with you?”