Collide

by Gail McHugh

Chapter 13: Confessions of Every Kind

 

  Emily convinced herself that she was mentally prepared for this evening; however, she couldn't have been more wrong. As she and Dillon greeted their guests the night of their engagement party, she found her head becoming dizzy with literal fear. Looking down at her watch, a frantic string of emotions raced through her mind, knowing she would soon face Gavin. The heavy weight of it all had her feeling as though her nerves were beginning to fray like a rope one fiber at a time. Her spinning thoughts slowed when she felt Dillon's gentle touch brush against her arm. For tonight, she needed to focus on him - and him only - no matter how difficult she knew it would be.

  "Are you alright?" he asked, scooping her up into a hug. He planted a kiss on her lips and moved her hair away from her shoulders.

  "Yes, I'm fine," she answered, sliding her hands down the lapels of his black suit.

  "Well, you look beautiful tonight," he crooned. "I just may have you for dessert when this whole thing's over. "

  "I heard that, Dillon," Lisa's voice broke through the air, one brow cocked above her hazel eyes. "Please refrain from referring to my baby sister as dessert," she laughed.

  Dillon smirked and pulled Emily in closer. "But she's so. . . delectable, Lisa. I mean, honestly, I can't get enough. "

  Emily shook her head and laughed.

  "Okay, I seriously don't need to hear how delectable she is. " She gave Emily a light tug on her arm, effectively releasing her from his hold. "I'd like to speak to my sister in private for a second, if that's okay with you. "

  "She's all yours," he replied, branding one last kiss on Emily's lips.

  Reaching for her hand, Lisa led her through the knot of guests that started to trickle into the banquet room. Emily smiled and returned their greetings along the way.

  As the two sisters made their way through the party, it was then that Emily noticed Dillon spared no expense for the night. The restaurant was truly beautiful. A mahogany bar was located in the corner of the room set beside a massive window that overlooked New York Harbor. Deep-red leather couches and matching upholstered wingback chairs were scattered throughout. Ornate sconces hung on the walls while an exquisite dimly lit chandelier anchored the room. Adjacent to a baby grand piano echoing music through the air was a glowing fireplace that crackled its warmth in the space, setting the romantic mood for the evening.

  After turning a corner that led to an empty hall, they ducked into a vacant room, and Lisa closed the door.

  Placing her hands on Emily's shoulders, Lisa's eyes softened with genuine concern. "I can tell you're a nervous wreck. "

  She slanted a hand through her hair, the weakest of smiles tipping her lips. "Is it that obvious?"

  "Not to others, but I know you better than anyone else," she said softly, reaching for Emily's hand. "Is he here yet?"

  "No. Believe me, when he's here, you'll know it," she replied with a nervous laugh. Biting her lip, she paused for a moment, her features smoothing, voice low. "I wish Mom was here, Lisa. "

  "Oh, sweetie, I do, too," she whispered, leaning in for a hug. Emily squeezed her tight, her warmth reminding her of the very woman they were still mourning. The grief swelled in Emily's chest like a fresh bruise. "But, even if she was here, Emily, she'd tell you to go with what your heart wants. She couldn't make your decision any easier. I just need to know - just like mom would - that this is what you want. "

  With the slightest hesitation, she answered, "Yes, I do want this. "

  "Okay then, let's go enjoy your party. " Lisa grabbed for Emily's hand and started heading back into the main dining room.

  Upon emerging, the amount of guests had doubled in size - the majority consisting of family, coworkers, and friends of Dillon. Sure, Emily had met a few of them over the last year, but most were a distant blur of Dillon's aunts, uncles, and cousins that she had encountered briefly at family gatherings. Essentially, the amount of people Emily knew in attendance could fit at one table.

  In a room filled with people, in that moment, she felt oddly alone - until her eyes locked onto Gavin's. For Emily, the world seemed to stop. The music whispered in the background while voices became muted and unimportant. Again, the undeniable connection between them was apparent from across the space, even if not witnessed by anyone else. It was there - unwavering and unrelenting through their unspoken words. She found it hard to breathe as the overwhelming tidal wave of emotions took hold and pulled her into the current - pounding and roaring with a power greater than she could ever be.

  Her eyes swept over him. He was wearing a charcoal-colored suit that covered his built yet graceful frame. Beneath, he wore a white-collared shirt and pinstriped black-and-gray tie. His lustrous dark hair was sexily mussed as if he didn't bother fixing it after showering. His impressive presence in the room was that of polished power, economical grace, and unyielding demand. He simply was a force that she couldn't help but notice. Although he had his arm snaked around what Emily believed to be one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen, his eyes were trained on Emily's, steady and focused. He sent her a smile from across the room that still managed to disarm her, leaving her in a sea of desire, want, and need, struggling to resurface.

  Clenching Emily's now sweaty hand, hazel eyes bright with curiosity, Lisa asked, "Is that him?"

  Emily nodded and a lump wedged itself between the walls of her throat as she watched Dillon approach Gavin, motioning her over in the process. Licking her dry lips, she squeezed Lisa's hand, and with trepidation, she started making her way across the room.

  God, she's so beautiful, Gavin thought to himself as he watched Emily close the space between them. Her body swayed with elegant poise beneath an emerald silk evening gown. His eyes followed her sleek legs down to a pair of silver strappy stilettos adorning her feet. He tried to keep his eyes from traveling back up to her subtle curves and long dark locks of hair because it only brought back that familiar ache. He fought to push it away, but his body continued to respond to her as she drew nearer. He could feel his pupils dilate as she swept her tongue across her lips, causing his blood to pump with brutal force toward necessary extremities.

  He had a desire for every inch of her - the smell of her sweet breath on his hungry lips, the taste of her tongue against his, the soft feel of her skin beneath his hands, and the sound of her husky voice whispering in his ears. She was an assault on his senses, a constant thirst needing to be quenched. Although he'd had a taste, he feared the only thing he would have left was his instinct of wanting her more and needing to feel her again and again. With all of this, what captivated him the most was her eyes - those deep pools of alluring green that felt as if they were boring into his very soul. His grip may have tightened around Stephanie's waist, but in his mind, his hands were on Emily.

  When Emily and Lisa approached, Dillon reached for her, positioning her back against his chest. "Babe, this is Gavin's date, Stephanie. "

  With a smile, Emily pulled in a slow and shaky breath. "It's very nice to meet you, Stephanie. "

  "You, too," she replied, tucking a few errant strands of her honey-hued hair behind her ear. Her porcelain-like features emphasized her large whiskey-colored eyes. "Congratulations on your engagement. "

  "Thank you," Emily said.

  Gavin's gaze captured Emily's, a smile on his face. "Yes. . . congratulations. "

  With his voice so calm, cool, and collected, Emily couldn't help but wonder if she was the only ball of nerves standing there. Smiling, she simply nodded her thanks. As soon as she did, her stomach recoiled when she swore she saw a sparkle of amusement in his eyes at her reaction.

  "Just an assumption," Gavin continued, turning in Lisa's direction, "but there must be some sort of relation between you and Emily. Your features are strikingly similar"

  "Yes," she replied. "I'm her sister. "

  "Mmm, younger or older?" he asked casually with his dimpled smile.

&nbs
p; "Oh, he's quite the charmer," Lisa laughed, looking at Emily. She brought her attention back to Gavin. "I'm older by ten years, but thank you for the compliment. "

  "He certainly is," Emily deadpanned, shifting nervously against Dillon.

  A smirk curled the brim of Gavin's mouth, but he remained silent.

  "I'll keep my thoughts to myself about that one," Dillon clipped with a smirk of his own. Gavin shook his head. "But, for now, I need another drink. Babe, do you want another glass of wine?"

  There was only one way she was going to survive the rest of the night. Emily smiled. "I'll take a shot of something. . . strong. "

  Dillon nodded and walked away.

  Gavin flicked Emily another stroke of amusement with his eyes. She could tell he felt her sinking, and all it was doing was pissing her off.

  Before she could dwell too long on her desire to knock him clear across the head, Trevor and Fallon approached. Emily smiled at them, happy that they were working out well as a couple. They genuinely enjoyed being together and seemed to be a perfect match of fire and ice. She guessed Dillon would beg to differ since he laughed at the whole courtship when he found out about it. Nonetheless, Emily was thrilled, knowing he would now have no choice but to accept Fallon as her friend. To seal the deal, she made Fallon one of her bridesmaids.

  Formal introductions were made between Stephanie and Fallon before Trevor asked the group if he could steal Emily away for a dance. She obliged his request, placing her hand in the crook of his arm as he guided her out onto the floor.

  With the pianists playing "The Summer Wind" by Frank Sinatra in the background, they began dancing.

  Looking up to him, she said, "I didn't know you liked slow dancing. "

  He chuckled. "I don't to tell you the truth. I actually hate it. " Emily gave him a questioning look. "I just wanted to talk to you about what I had said the last time we spoke. "

  Emily knew he was referring to the mess between her and Gavin. It came as a surprise to her when Trevor called to let her know his feelings on the situation. He wasn't harsh about his opinion over the whole matter, but one would consider his approach a little less than understanding to say the least.

  "Oh," she nodded. "Well, you've explained that it puts you in a bad position. I understand that, but to be honest, nothing more's going to happen between us. "

  His face softened as he lowered his voice. "I consider you my adoptive sister, and I wanted to apologize for the things I had said - well, mostly, the way I had said them. I just wanted you to know that, whether or not you and Gavin decide to carry on anything, it's none of my business. You're two grown adults, and it's your lives. Would it be an odd situation for me because I'm friends with Dillon? Absolutely. But I would have to learn to deal with it. "

  Widening her eyes, she tilted her head to the side. "Trevor, I'm engaged now, and like I said, nothing more's going to happen. "

  His devil-may-care sneer lit up his features, showing his amusement at her remark.

  "Why do you have that look on your face?"

  "I may wear glasses, Emily, but I'm not blind. "

  "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, pulling back slightly.

  He gently pulled her closer. "One, I've known Gavin since I was a kid, and his perseverance to go after something he wants has never been an issue for him. And two, even though I haven't known you as long as him, I can see it all over your face when you look at him. "

  She stopped swaying to the music, but Trevor kept them moving swiftly. "I don't want to talk about this," she said with a smile on her face, trying to appear unfazed in the crowded room.

  "That's cool with me. I just wanted to put it out there. "

  "Well, I thank you for your blessings that are not needed in this case, Dad. " He laughed at that. "Now let's move on to the next subject, okay?"

  "Absolutely," he smiled. "So how do you feel about Dillon being gone for a few days in October?"

  "He's going away? He never told me that. "

  "Yeah, we both are. The firm's sending us to Florida to score an account from some Japanese mogul, Takatsuki Yamamoto," he laughed, struggling to pronounce the name correctly.

  A frown creased her brows. "Wait, Dillon told me he already landed that account. "

  "No, not yet," he shook his head. "You must have it confused with another one. We're trying to get it now. "

  Skimming through her memory, she was almost positive that was Dillon's reason for bailing on their date in Central Park. She remembered he'd said he was in New Jersey. However, with everything that had happened since, she started questioning herself in that moment.

  The sound of Dillon clearing his throat broke through her thoughts. "May I cut in?" he asked, looking to Trevor.

  Bowing gracefully, Trevor chuckled. "Go for it. I'll catch up with you two in a bit. "

  Trevor made his way back over to Fallon, Stephanie, and Gavin. Olivia and her girlfriend, Tina, had also joined the group.

  Smiling, Dillon curled one hand around Emily's waist. "Are you having a good time?" he whispered into her hair, his free hand stroking her arm.

  "It's a little overwhelming right now, but yes. " He smiled and pulled her closer. "Can I ask you something, Dillon?"

  "As long as it's about what positions I plan on putting you in after I slip you out of this dress tonight, sure. "

  She sighed. "I'm being serious, Dillon. "

  He laughed. "Okay, okay. What's up?"

  "Why'd you tell me that you were in New Jersey the morning we were supposed to meet in Central Park?"

  Cocking his head to the side, his hold on her waist tightened. "Because I was in New Jersey. That was weeks ago. Why are you asking me about this now?"

  "Why are you going away to Florida in October?"

  He stopped moving, his eyes narrowing on her. "Why are you answering my question with another question?"

  "Because you're not answering mine," she replied without missing a beat.

  He dropped his hands to his side. "Emily, just get to your fucking point. "

  Taken aback by his response, she studied his demeanor for a second. "You told me you were in New Jersey that morning because some guy from Japan flew out and wanted to meet with you personally, correct?"

  "Yeah, Emily, he wanted to meet with me. I met with him and gained his account for the firm. Like I said, get to the fucking point already. "

  Still shocked at the way he was acting under her scrutiny, she drew in a deep breath. "My point, Dillon, is that Trevor just said you two are going away on business in a couple of weeks to meet with the exact same Japanese gentleman whom you already had claimed to have landed an account with. "

  Emily watched his eyes scan the room as if debating on what to say to her. Waiting for his response, she impatiently crossed her arms.

  Pinching the bridge of his nose, his eyes traveled back to hers. "Okay, I lied. "

  "What?" she asked breathlessly, the feeling of rising bile quickly making its way into the back of her throat. "Where were you?"

  Although she pulled away, he circled his arms around her and drew her near. "That was the morning. . . " He hesitated a second. "I was picking up the engagement ring. " She parted her lips to speak, but he continued. "They thought there was a problem with the set, and I got held up there. I almost fucking lost it, thinking that I was going to have to go somewhere else to get one. "

  Before she could question him, his mother floated over - her blonde hair twisted into a tight bun, which only further exaggerated her high cheekbones.

  "Dillon, Uncle Bruce and Aunt Mary just arrived. They're not feeling well with their emphysema. Damn smokers," she huffed. "Anyway, they want to say hello to you and Emily. Do me a favor and go over and greet them. " With the flick of her wrist, she motioned in the direction of the couple sitting comfortably at a table across the room. Each with their own breathing machine anchored next to them.

  Dillon r
eached for Emily's hand. "Sure, we'll be there in a second. "

  "Actually, I need to use the restroom," she replied, walking away from him. "Go ahead without me, and I'll meet you over there in a few minutes. "

  Tossing his hand through his hair, Dillon looked to her and nodded. As he crossed the room with his mother, Emily let out a sigh. She didn't need to use the restroom. She needed a breather to clear her racing thoughts. Confusion spun through her mind. She didn't understand why, even though she had explained that she knew about the upcoming trip, he had continued to lie to her. She understood that he couldn't actually tell her where he was on that particular morning - especially if he was indeed purchasing her ring - but here, right now, why not just confess to it? When one of the waiters approached her with much-needed bubbling champagne, she earnestly plucked two glasses off the tray, downed one, and then thanked him. With that, she turned in the direction of the terrace, only to discover Gavin watching her every move.

  Effectively ignoring him, she made her way outside.

  Gavin shifted uncomfortably in his chair, trying to drag his eyes away from Emily as she exited the restaurant. She looked like a princess - so beautiful that she made his chest ache with the need to touch her. Even though laughter and conversation between Stephanie, Fallon, and Tina hummed around him, he couldn't help the urge of somehow finding a way to follow her outside. His chance came when Trevor approached the group.

  "Anyone need a drink?" Trevor asked. "I'm going over to the bar. "

  "Get me and Tina an Alabama Slammer each," Olivia piped out, adjusting the straps to the silver dress she was wearing. "Actually, get us two each. "

  Trevor nodded at her request.

  Rising to his feet, Gavin smiled. "I need another, and I'll take a walk with you. " He turned to Stephanie. "Did you want something?"

  "No, I'm okay, but thank you. "

  Feeling like the slithering snake he knew he was for leaving Stephanie like that, Gavin surveyed the crowd in an attempt to locate Dillon. He found him consumed in a conversation among a few men that appeared to be his age. Gavin figured that they were his friends from high school or college. As he and Trevor approached the bar, it was apparent to Gavin - based on the look in Trevor's eyes - that his friend knew something was up. Trevor placed the order with the bartender and turned to Gavin.

  "You don't need a drink, do you?"

  "No, I don't," Gavin stated, his gaze moving over the room before coming back to Trevor. "I want to talk to Emily for a few minutes. Keep an eye on Dillon for me. "

  The bartender slid the glasses across to Trevor.

  "What about Stephanie?"

  "Tell Olivia to keep her busy; she'll be fine. "

  Shaking his head, Trevor lifted his drink and sipped from it. "You're playing with fire, man. "

  "I can handle the burn. Just do what I asked. "

  Without a backward glance, Gavin navigated his way through the crowd, dashing and darting through the maze of evening gowns and tailored suits. When he emerged on the terrace, he found Emily with her back to him, her auburn hair whipping around in the cool late-September air. Unaware of him watching, it was as if her body beckoned him. He tried - God knows he tried - to stay away. The past few weeks had been hell, and he had attempted to save them both by not going to her job and not showing up at her apartment when he knew Dillon wouldn't be there. However, seeing her, being here with her, sucking in her presence had him feeling as though his mind was possessed. Every neuron fired into a tempest of sparks, and he couldn't believe that his body was able to contain it. He was amazed that his flesh wasn't cracking into a million glittering pieces. No matter the situation, right there and then, he needed to go to her.

  He took a step forward, and as if she sensed him, she whipped around, a piece of her silken hair catching in her mouth. "What are you doing out here?" she asked, her voice low, shaky even.

  He moved toward her, allowing only a few feet to separate them. "I need to speak with you. "

  "There's nothing to talk about," she said, turning her back to him again.

  "There's a lot we need to talk about, and you're going to turn around and face me, Emily. " The rough whisper was breathed out with classic male dominance as he stepped closer.

  His tone caught her attention, her heart slamming to a stop before jump-starting again. She twirled around and stared straight into his eyes. He was looking at her as if he was trying to read her mind, and she felt naked under his gaze. So sexy, dangerous, and completely confident, it almost sickened her. As arrogant as his demand was, it still managed to suck her into a vortex of spiraling desire. Like a defiant teenager pissed at a parent, she crossed her arms and waited for him to speak.

  "Do you feel me when I'm not with you, Emily?"

  With shock shimmering in her eyes, she nervously laughed. "What kind of question is that?"

  "One that I'm asking you," he growled. "Because I can feel you when you're not with me. Now answer my question. "

  "We're back to this again, huh?"

  "Yes. Now get those pretty lips to answer the question," he demanded as he stepped closer.

  The glass woman she knew existed beneath her skin smashed under her passion, lust, and want. The splinters of herself scattered and recomposed themselves into the man who consumed her every thought - the man who was standing right in front of her. This was it - her breaking point. She wasn't going to deny him or herself what she felt anymore. Gavin brought her to the edge, and there was no looking back. Her stomach knotted over knowing what she was about to confess, but more so because of how much she was about to confess.

  "You want to hear me say it?" she hissed.

  Oh, he felt her now.

  With blatant intention, he did the one thing he knew would get her riled up. He slowly dragged his bottom lip between his teeth as his eyes bore right through her. "Yes, I want to hear you say it," he answered as calm as he could.

  "Fine! I want to fuck you just like you want to fuck me, Gavin," she blurted out in a hard whisper. "I've wanted to fuck you since the first moment I laid my eyes on you. I've dreamt of you. I feel you when you're not with me. I've even masturbated with a clear picture of you in my thoughts. Are you happy now?"

  Hell, he couldn't count the amount of times he got himself off thinking about her in the same way, but that wasn't what was driving him. His expression creased with a mix of shock, anger, and hurt from her accusation. "No, I'm not happy. You think this is about me wanting to fuck you?"

  At that, she laughed again. "Oh, give me a break. What else would it be about? I know I'm naive when it comes to certain things, but I'm not a dumbass, Gavin. "

  Something in her eyes and in the set of her body filled him with heat. The edge of vulnerability in her voice sliced at his chest, and hell, it tore him apart. But combined with her explosion of defiance and anger, it only made the need for her eat into him like a painful disease. He stepped forward, bringing his arm around her waist, pinning her close to his hip, as he quickly guided her out of view. They'd gotten lucky thus far in being alone, but he knew it was only a matter of time before that ended.

  "What are you doing?" she huffed, struggling against him, the sound of her heels clicking frantically against the concrete.

  Anger of his own surged hot and deep inside him as he backed her against a wall on the side of the terrace. He stared at her, his blue eyes brooding in the dimly lit space with an expression so hard it was granite. "This has nothing to do with me wanting to fuck you. "

  "Oh, it doesn't?" she breathed out, wiping her wind-blown hair away from her face.

  "No, 'cause let's not forget that I could've fucked you. " Positioning his hand on the wall above her, he pressed his entire body against hers. She brought her hands up against his chest and tried to push him away, but his strength overpowered hers. Grazing his lips against her ear, he drew his words out in a slow, hot whisper. "I could've fucked you over. . . and over. . . and
over again, and I could've fucked you very well to be honest, but I stopped because that's not the way I want you. "

  With her chest heaving for air, her heart racing, and her panties saturated in desire, she looked away. "Then what do you want from me, Gavin?" she asked, her voice an aggravated whisper.

  He caught her by the chin and made her look at him, his eyes - that light, wild blue - blazing into hers. "Damn it, Emily. I want us! You belong with me, not him. " He half snarled the declaration. "Every part of you was made for me. Your lips were made to kiss mine, your eyes were made to wake up to me looking at you in my bed every morning, and your fucking tongue was made to roll my name off of it. I am more certain of us than I'm certain that I require oxygen to breathe. "

  Like a thief in the night, his words nearly stole her breath. She looked practically on the verge of tears and went to speak, but Gavin suddenly brought his hand up and cupped it over her mouth. He gave a quick shake of his head. At first, she didn't realize what he was doing, and then the sound of Dillon and Trevor's voices cut through their frantic breathing. With widened eyes, Emily's heart quickened as she stared at Gavin.

  "Well, where is she?" Dillon asked, his tone filled with anger and concern. "And where the fuck is Gavin?"

  A few seconds went by before Trevor answered, and as fast as Emily's heart was pounding, she was sure Dillon could hear it. All Dillon had to do was round the corner of the terrace to find her and Gavin in the shadows.

  "The room was too loud, and Gavin had to take a business call. He went upstairs to find somewhere quiet. " Trevor cleared his throat a few times. "Let's go back in, and I'll have Olivia check out the restrooms again. "

  Emily heard Dillon let out a heavy breath, and then their footsteps receded back inside.

  As the oxygen redistributed itself back into her depleted lungs, Gavin slowly dragged his hand away from her mouth. Other than the distant sound of laughter and conversation from the party, deafening silence descended as they stared at one another. Emily pushed herself from the wall and started to walk away, but as soon as she did, Gavin called out to her.

  She came to an abrupt stop but didn't turn to face him.

  He slowly came up behind her, brushing his hands down her arms, his spoken words muffled into the crook of her neck. "I'd never hurt you, Emily. Stop fighting me. Stop fighting what you already know. "

  With his touch heady and intoxicating and her heart still slamming in her chest, she didn't turn around. She couldn't. On shaky legs, she made her way back into the party, the sudden need for absolute numbness overriding her thoughts. She gave the room a once over to make sure Dillon wasn't in her line of sight. As soon as she knew it was clear, she weaved through the guests, her mind racing a mile a minute with the fear that Dillon could've caught them. Her body jerked with a surge of adrenaline when she felt a hand grab for her elbow, but the tension in her shoulders deflated when she turned to find it was Olivia.

  "Come with me," Olivia quickly said, leading her to the front of the restaurant.

  They stepped outside, and Olivia handed her a bottle of aspirin. "Tell Dillon you had a headache, and you sent the valet to bring the car around because you needed to get these from the glove compartment. "

  "Dillon has the valet ticket," Emily hastily whispered.

  Olivia flashed a smile. "Don't worry about it. I use to fuck around with him," she motioned over to a lanky valet attendant that was watching them.

  With a half smirk, Emily flicked her eyes in his direction and then back to Olivia.

  "What?" Olivia chirped. "It was my pre-women days, and he owed me a favor. I already talked to him, and he said he would back up the story if need be. "

  Emily nodded. "Okay. This will work, right?"

  "Oh, your fiance," she replied, crinkling her nose, "is definitely pissed, but yeah, the excuse should work. "

  With that, they walked back into the party, and as soon as they did, Emily's gaze locked onto Gavin's. He was coming back in from the terrace, watching her as intently as she was watching him. He strolled over to Stephanie, reached for her hand, and spoke to her for a few minutes. With Stephanie on his arm, he started making his way through the crowd, heading straight in Emily's direction.

  Olivia laughed, and Emily shot her a look. "Well, you have to find the humor in all of this, chick. " Olivia smiled.

  It was far from humorous for Emily. It was painful, confusing, and drained her emotions dry, but before she could tell Olivia any of those things, Gavin and Stephanie approached them.

  He wore a smile on face, but a glimpse of pain was evident in his eyes. "It's getting late, so we're gonna get going," he said as he looked at Emily. "Just tell Dillon I'll talk to him during the week. "

  Emily nodded, wanting to somehow comfort him. After tonight, she felt they both might be going to bed, licking their wounds - at least she knew she would. "I'll tell him," she answered, her voice just above a whisper.

  "It was nice to meet you," Stephanie smiled. "Again, congratulations to you and your fiance. "

  "Thank you," Emily replied.

  Olivia leaned in to give Gavin a hug. When she released him, he cast one last weary look toward Emily, and without another word spoken, he and Stephanie walked out of the restaurant.

  Although it came without alcohol, Emily felt numb after he left. Pain and confusion continued to crush in around her for the remainder of the evening. Olivia was correct. Dillon bought into her story of needing a dose of aspirin for a headache, but that didn't make Emily feel any better. As she carried on conversations with guests, Gavin's words echoed through her head, burning a hole in her heart and taking the last piece of something away from her. Just a few months before, Emily had believed she was able to see through and peel away some of his many layers.

  However, tonight, Gavin peeled away hers.