by Jenny Rabe
Emilie grabbed her drink and sipped until her eyes watered. Memories of high school slipped in and out of her thoughts. Coming here was a bad idea. Why hadn’t she listened to Dean?
Ava seemed unaware of Emilie’s discomfort and kept on talking. “When I heard the rumors about your mom, I should’ve talked to you. Mom was always over at your house, and she never let me come along. You pushed me away, and I knew something was wrong. Instead, I talked to everyone else, including Finn. I was jealous of you and Finn.”
Emilie opened her mouth in surprise. “Why didn’t you tell me you liked Finn before we started dating?”
“I didn’t like him at first. But then I saw how good of a guy he was and how well he treated you. It was easy to let my mind wander when you and I didn’t hang out as much…if you remember.”
Oh, Emilie remembered. She’d pushed away anyone who had come to the house regularly. She’d dated Finn on a whim, hoping it would distract her from her life, but spending time elsewhere only made things worse. If the city of Danvers had known how bad her mom’s health was, they would’ve taken action.
It had been the loneliest time of her life until Dean dropped by during one of her mom’s episodes. He encouraged Gail to get involved. If it hadn’t been for his support and her understanding, Emilie wouldn’t have made it through.
Emilie straightened in her seat. “You’re right. I’m private about my life.”
Ava lifted a brow and continued her story. “I thought if I kept my distance, my crush on Finn would go away. But it didn’t, and then we were assigned as partners in science and hit it off so well and getting over him was out of the question. Out of the blue, he called me and wanted to hang out. You two had broken up, and he wanted to give us a try.”
Emilie dug her fingernails into her leg and braced herself. He hadn’t wasted any time getting into a new relationship. Even if it was long ago, thinking about it made her blood boil. “You sure jumped at that opportunity to date him. I’m not sure what I did to make you lie about me and steal my boyfriend.”
Ava sat up straighter and glared back. “You pushed me away first, and then you took my mom.”
“How can you be so selfish? Do you have any idea what I was going through?”
Ava slammed her hand down on the table, making Emilie jump. “No, because you never told me. All I did was spread some rumors and date your ex. I don’t know what I did so wrong that my own mom forced me out on the streets. I had nowhere to go. No one to turn to. Finn was the only one who took me in and cared for me.”
Emilie shifted in her seat. She had nothing to be sorry about. Gail hadn’t made Ava leave. Putting someone on a tight leash because they’d maxed out a credit card was not kicking them out. Live by the rules or leave. It had been Ava’s choice to move out.
Even if Ava had misunderstood the situation, it didn’t excuse her behavior. Emilie bit her lip and breathed deeply. She hadn’t come to argue or point fingers. The damage was done. “One of the reasons I moved back was to put my past to rest. I just want to be at peace and get on with my life.”
Ava’s hand retreated under the table, and she gave a sheepish grin. “Sorry, our conversation took a bit of a nosedive, huh? I couldn’t agree with you more. I’ve changed, and I don’t want to be judged for all the wrong things I’ve ever done.” The relief in her voice was too obvious, forced even.
Their conversation paused while the waitress delivered their entrees. Emilie licked her lips as the savory soup’s aroma reached her nose. At least her appetite hadn’t been affected. She dug in and moaned as every bite was delicious. When she looked up, Ava was stabbing at her food with a fork. Eating salad wasn’t fun even when you felt like eating one.
After a few seconds, Ava threw down her fork. “Can I ask something?”
“What?”
“Before your mom died, what was really going on? I started a few of the rumors, but no one really knew the truth. Was something wrong with your mom?”
Emilie chewed on her bread. She wanted to tell Ava the truth, but revealing everything left her too vulnerable. It would not shock Emilie if Ava turned around and started new rumors about her. But hadn’t that been her mistake? It was time to give Ava’s trust a reset. “Yes, something was wrong. Mom had some health issues I never told you about. She was really sick.”
Ava picked up the straw in her drink and twisted it. “When I heard about your mom’s passing, I felt awful. I wanted to go to the funeral, but it would’ve made you even more upset.” Her voice broke, and her gaze veered to the tile floor.
Emilie swallowed her bitter thoughts. Maybe if she’d confided in Ava sooner, none of it would’ve happened. Her voice was strained as she forced out the words. “Mom was sick, really sick. At the end of middle school, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia.”
Ava’s frown deepened. “What? Why didn’t you— How did—”
Emilie cut her off. “Mom asked me to keep it a secret. She said it would hurt me if people knew, and after all the rumors, I agree. Only a handful of people found out.” Including Finn. That’s one secret she’d never tell. On the night they’d broken up, he’d promised to take the secret to his grave. It was the one good thing he’d done.
“Is that why you pushed me away? And why Mom never let me come with her to your house?”
Emilie nodded, blinking back the annoying moisture gathering in her eyes. “It was the hardest time in my life. Mom needed more of my time. We had good days and bad days, but by senior year, things spiraled. You, Finn, and Dean were the only bright spots that kept me going.”
Ava lifted her head, her eyes glistening with tears. “I should’ve kept my mouth shut and found out the truth from you. Anything but what I did. And I stole Finn from you.”
Emilie ignored Ava. She needed to get everything out in one blow. “The night everything happened, my mom thought someone was chasing her. She stabbed herself with a knife and fell out the window. The city claimed it was a suicide, and frankly, that was a safer explanation.”
Ava bit her lip as a tear rolled down her face. “I’m really sorry. I wish you would’ve let me in more. I would’ve never said anything if I’d known.”
Her response was unexpected, but Emilie was numb to any pain. “It’s hard not having her by my side, but I’m relieved she’s now at peace.”
Ava covered her face with one hand and sniffled. “I don’t know what to say. I don’t deserve... a second chance. I lost myself that year, and I’ve been fighting to find the real me ever since.”
Emilie looked at her nails, giving Ava a chance to wipe her face with a tissue. “To be honest, it hurt when I found out you were the one spreading rumors about my mom, but I should’ve told you the truth a long time ago. It could’ve made a difference.”
Ava reached across the table and laid a wet hand on Emilie’s. “I’m really sorry about everything.” She sniffed again and dabbed at her face with a napkin. “I would love for us to be friends again.”
They’d had fun times together and many sleepovers. She really did miss that person, and the black mascara streaks coming down Ava’s face were evidence of her sincerity. Emilie could fix their friendship. Then it wouldn’t just be Dean she could rely on, but the scars were too tender right then. Slowly, so it wouldn’t hurt Ava’s feelings, she moved her hand back into her lap. “We can try.”
Ava lifted her face and wiped at her smudged makeup. “Really?” She straightened in her chair and grabbed for another napkin.
Emilie forced a smile. “I think as long as we’re honest and respectful of each other’s feelings, we can give it a whirl.”
Ava nodded. “I’m good with that.”
Emilie was grateful when Ava started eating again, and they sat in a more comfortable silence. The difference between now and a few minutes before was remarkable. The weight that had rested on her shoulders for years disappeared, and Emilie felt hope that she could finally move past high school.
After a few minutes of stabbing at he
r salad, Ava put her fork down. “So tell me about Boston? Why did you come back here of all places?”
Emilie attacked the bread bowl with her hands, ripped off a large chunk, and stuffed it in her mouth. Being friends with someone didn’t mean you opened up to them all at once. “I heard Mrs. Linda was selling her studio and no one was interested. I didn’t want it to stay empty.”
Ava’s brows raised. “But I heard you danced with an amazing dance company? Weren’t you a rising star?”
Maybe before she lost her focus, another thing she’d never tell Ava. “Just needed a break. It’s a busy life, traveling all the time. And I couldn’t stand being away from Dean.” Emilie blurted out the last part. She couldn’t believe she’d brought him up, but there was a new lie to protect.
Something flashed through Ava’s eyes before she picked up her fork, her movements calculated. “I heard about you two. When did that happen? You never had a thing for him in the past.”
Her mind raced as she searched for an answer. A half-truth. “When I came back to sign the papers on the house, we reconnected.”
The fork in Ava’s hand twitched. “So you started dating then?”
Another half-truth. “No, we just started talking. We hadn’t been that close since high school, but after seeing each other, it’s like things went back to the way they were before I moved.”
Ava tossed her hair to the side. “I’ve lost touch with a lot of people from high school. I had big plans to get out of this city and do something with my life, but then Mom kicked me out. Dad wouldn’t even send me money. I started my job at the restaurant and made things work.”
Emilie gave her a genuine look of sympathy. Ava’s dad had left when she was a baby. She hadn’t thought about how Ava would deal with leaving home without any help. “That must’ve been tough. I’m glad you have Finn.”
Ava took a sip of her soda. “Thank goodness for that man. It was kind of weird living in my boyfriend’s pool house at first, but he’s so generous. Even when we were on a break, he never kicked me out. That’s probably why it was so easy to get back together again.”
Emilie glanced at Ava’s left hand as she forked her salad. Her ring was huge, with three sparkly diamonds in the middle and a row of tiny diamonds around the band. That would’ve been Emilie’s ring if Finn hadn’t turned his back on her. Emilie closed her eyes, only to open them in a hurry when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She spun around to see Dean behind her, a wide smile on his face.
“Dean! What—”
He leaned over and pressed his mouth to hers, effectively shutting her up.
12
Dean
Dean backed away a few inches then gave her another light kiss before sitting in the chair next to her. Even though one kiss wasn’t near enough, he ignored his desires. He was there on a mission. As smoothly as possible, he slipped an arm around Emilie’s shoulder. “Sorry I’m late, honey. What did I miss?”
She watched him with wide eyes and then gritted her teeth when he showed no remorse. “I didn’t know you wanted to come.”
He put his free hand on her leg and patted it. “I always want to be near you.”
“Look at you two.” Ava’s voice was loud and unconvincing. “When are you tying the knot?”
Dean flagged down a waitress, ordered a drink, and then gave his attention to the lying snake. “I only proposed a few weeks ago. Geesh, calm down. Let us enjoy each other now we’ve found the right one.”
He smiled smugly as Ava shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It served her right. She deserved to be uncomfortable. “We’re thinking a winter wedding would be fun since Emilie missed her senior prom and that was the theme.”
Emilie grabbed his hand and pinched. He returned her gesture with a wink, which only seemed to aggravate her more.
Ava’s eyes narrowed. “We’ve talked about that, and Emilie knows how sorry I am.” Ava turned her attention to Emilie as she took a sip from her drink.
Emilie chewed on her bottom lip before responding. Friendships didn’t heal that quickly. “Some things are not as easy to mend. Only time will tell.”
Not many people stood up to Ava, but that was the old Emilie. The new Emilie wanted closure and peace of mind, and he adored her for it. It was the first step toward standing up for herself.
Ava blinked fast a few times. “Of course. I’m not worthy of your forgiveness, but I’m willing to try.”
Dean interrupted the two women before he gagged on Ava’s sickly sweet words. “You have no right to expect Emilie to forgive and forget. Your rumors tormented her, and when her mom died, where were you?”
Ava’s smile turned into a grimace. It was only a matter of time before she exploded, which was just the thing Dean counted on. If Ava showed her true self, Emilie could witness the whole mess. A calculated move on his part, however, if Ava spilled the truth about her and Dean, it could backfire.
But Ava bit back her anger, keeping it in somehow. “I apologized for that, too. Senior year was... rough. I did horrible things, especially to Emilie. We’re trying to move past it.”
Emilie nudged his toe under the table. “Let’s talk about something else.”
He frowned and studied her. Ava had already dug her claws into Emilie’s mind. She was too nice to turn away from the conniving witch. Just as he was about to pull Emilie away from the table for a private chat, a familiar voice sounded behind them.
“Hey, you guys.” Finn strode toward them.
Dean gripped Emilie’s hand tightly. Was she going to forgive the whole town? He tightened his grip and brought their hands into his lap so it would be harder for her to pull away.
“Came to pick Ava up.” Finn slid in next to Ava and wrapped an arm around her, all the while grinning like a big buffoon.
Ava didn’t seem very happy. “You’re always on top of things.”
If Dean didn’t hate Ava so much, he would’ve laughed at her efforts to remain calm. Now that Finn was added to the company, she looked miserable. How interesting that the arrival of her fiancé caused Ava the same reaction it did to Dean. How did Finn not see Ava’s indifference?
“We were just talking about high school,” Dean said, a grin growing on his face. Dean let up when Emilie pulled her hand free, though he was reluctant about it. Her stubbornness made him want to laugh, but he held it in.
Finn grinned. “Oh man, I miss those days.”
Ava’s jaw clenched while she reached for her purse. “Honey, isn’t it time to get going? We have an appointment, don’t we?”
“I came early, so we have some time. By the way, did you ask Emilie about helping?” Finn asked, picking up the conversation again.
“Ask me what?” Emilie said at the same time Dean said, “Ask her what?” What new favors was he going to request?
Ava’s fingers turned white as she gripped her purse straps. “I was getting to it, honey.” After a silent conversation between the two of them, she cleared her throat and turned to Emilie. “So, Finn already told you I would love your help, but I had a specific... job that only you can do.”
The hair on the back of Dean’s arms rose. How dare she demand anything of Emilie.
Emilie shrugged with nonchalance. “I’m swamped with house renovations and the dance studio. What did you need?”
Ava looked to Finn and then back to Emilie. “I haven’t talked to Gail, I mean, Mom, for a while. I’m not even sure she knows I’m getting married.”
Dean sighed. It was just as he expected. No one deserved to get in the middle of their family drama, but especially not Emilie.
“I want Mom to be involved in my wedding.” Ava’s voice rose in pitch as she continued. “How’s it going to look when my own mother doesn’t show up? I mean, wouldn’t you want your mom at yours?”
Hot blood shot through Dean’s body. What right did she have to bring up Emilie’s mom? “If her mom was around, she’d still be talking to her and would’ve known about the wedding the night
I proposed.”
The smile on Ava’s face never wavered. “Maybe we should let Emilie decide.” Then turning to Emilie, she laughed. “Boys! What do they know? Who’s closer to Mom than you?”
Dean was glad to hear some hesitation in Emilie’s voice. “It’s true. I could talk to her for you. Not sure what she’ll say, but I can try. That won’t take much time.”
Dean slapped his forehead and sighed. He tried to meet Emilie’s eyes, but she was transfixed on Ava.
Ava clapped her hands and jumped to her feet. She ran to Emilie and hugged her. Dean’s stomach churned.
How could Emilie be so blind? Maybe he could talk some sense into her after Ava and Finn left.
After hugging, Ava stepped back and grabbed Emilie’s hands. “Thank you. This means so much to me. I’m having my final fitting this upcoming week, and I was really hoping you could bring her with you.”
A sinking feeling settled in the pit of Dean’s stomach. One hidden agenda after another. Ava was setting her up to fail. What if Emilie let her down? Would Ava spread another batch of angry rumors?
He stood and moved in front of Emilie. “What if she doesn’t want to? Are you going to turn on her like you did in high school?”
Emilie grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “Honey...” She drew out the word dramatically. “It’s all right. I’m okay with reuniting them. Gail probably misses Ava, too.”
Dean shifted his weight from foot to foot. Normally, he would’ve loved Emilie calling him honey, but he was too bothered. Didn’t Emilie remember the horrible things Ava said about her in high school?
If they became friends again, Ava was sure to spill the beans about them dating. The thought sucker punched him in the stomach, and he took a step away from the group. Was this really what he was concerned about? Or was he worried about her? Was he in the wrong here?
Ava gave a testy sigh and picked at her manicured nails. “If Mom doesn’t want to come to the dress fitting, that’s fine. As long as she comes to the wedding, I’ll be happy.”