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by EmMz

  Once there, I took another deep breath and rang the doorbell—my cookies on a pretty plate wrapped in cellophane in front of me.

  Chloe answered—her friendly smile dying on her face as she realized it was me.

  Aww, man, this is going to be harder than I thought. I hesitantly smiled back and asked, “Is Claire here? I came to apologize.”

  She folded her arms and shifted uneasily, gauging how genuine I really was. I guess she liked what she saw, because she nodded her head and bluntly said, “I don’t know if she wants to see you, but I’ll ask, okay?”

  “Okay.” It’s better than nothing.

  “Wait here.”

  I waited. After a couple of minutes the door swung open and Claire burst out of it—her arms surprisingly going round me.

  “Emma! I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed. “I’m so, so sorry! Please say you’ll forgive me! Please say you don’t hate me anymore! I promise I’ll never, ever talk again!”

  Oh my gosh! I am a monster! I’m a terrible, horrible monster! Tears sprang to my eyes again, as I wrapped my arms around her, dropping the forgotten cookies onto the porch. Claire was still apologizing, but I couldn’t hear any of it—my ears were pounding so loudly from the sound of my pleading heart. It took a few minutes for me to compose myself enough to stop Claire’s energetic monologue and to really say what I needed to.

  “No, Claire. Stop, sweetie. Stop,” I whispered into her ear as I gently dislodged myself from her grasp. “You can’t apologize anymore. I won’t let you.”

  That seemed to check her and she pulled farther back. “I-I can’t?”

  “No.” I smiled at her expression and wiped the tears from my cheeks. “I’m here to beg your forgiveness—not the other way around.”

  “You-you are?” She looked so stunned a new wave of guilt washed over me.

  “Yes, Claire.” I held onto her shoulders and looked right at her. “I’m your friend. I love you. You are a wonderful, amazing person. And I was dreadfully wrong last night. I was evil and mean and spiteful and every other horrible thing you can imagine. I don’t know why I said what I said, but believe me; I have felt miserable ever since. I mean, completely horrid. I came here today expecting you to never want to speak to me, but I never expected you to feel like this. Claire, please believe me when I say you did nothing wrong. It was all my fault.

  “If I can take back one moment in time it would be then. I don’t deserve your apology. I don’t even deserve your acceptance of mine, but I had to come here today, anyway

  “And just for the record, you’re not bad, Claire. Your energy and excitement are completely contagious. Do me a favor and don’t ever change, okay? Life wouldn’t be the same without your eagerness and happiness around.”

  For once she just nodded her head. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to; her miraculous—most unfair—smile said it all. I was forgiven. And right then, there was nothing more valuable to me in all the world, than the love and forgiveness of Claire Hart.

  Chapter 25

  You are the reason men fall in love.

  The Hart family wasn’t as forgiving as Claire was, but I could tell my visit went a long way into smoothing things over for them. I repeatedly apologized until I was sure they were sick of hearing me, but I wanted to let them know how sincere I was. I had changed. I was different. I wanted them to see that I would never make the same mistake again.

  On my way home, I decided to take a quick detour to Hannah’s house and apologize to her as well. If I needed any friend right now, she was it. Plus, in case she’d been trying to text me or email me, I wanted to let her know I wasn’t ignoring her.

  By the time I got there it was almost two o’clock.

  “Hey, Emma! I was just getting ready to come to your house,” exclaimed Hannah as she opened the door for me.

  Relieved I smiled. “You were?” I walked in.

  “Yeah! You wouldn’t believe what just happened to me—I mean, like just now!” She looked completely freaked out.

  All at once everything flew from my mind. “What happened? Are you okay?”

  “I’m wonderful!” She twirled in front of me and wrapped her arms around her waist.

  “Hannah?” I’d never seen her so happy before.

  “You won’t believe it. I mean, you’ll probably be mad at me, but I don’t care. I don’t care what anyone says! Because I just got off the phone with Martin Roberts—and we’re going out!”

  “Really?” I was shocked.

  “Yep. And there is no way you’re going to ruin this moment for me, so don’t even try.”

  “I-no! This is great news. I’m so happy for you. Really.” Baffled actually. “How-how did it happen?”

  “Chase.” She smiled and then began to giggle as she waltzed into the living room.

  “Chase?” I followed.

  “Yeah, he told Martin that if he really loved me then he shouldn’t let me go without a fight.”

  No way! “You’re kidding.”

  “Nope. So Martin called this morning to fight for me.” She sat down dreamily on couch. “I decided to let him win this time.”

  Once I got home I heard a deep voice as I walked in my house. It sounded like he was in the kitchen with my mom.

  “Hey, Emmalee.” My mom was all smiles. “Look who came to see you.”

  “Hey, Chase.” Unhurriedly I took off my coat and tossed it on the small breakfast table. “I thought you’d be home packing.” Great, Emmalee, just bring it up.

  “I am, later.”

  “I’ll leave you two alone.” My mother smiled up at Chase like he was the long lost ‘prodigal son.’ Apparently he was forgiven for kissing me—or maybe she doesn’t blame Chase at all. Ugh! Figures.

  I waited until Mom left before I casually asked, “So, did you need something?”

  Chase got right to the point. “When did you find out you had to give up Clem?”

  When do you think? “Today.”

  He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. “Are you okay? How do you feel?”

  Like someone has just taken a knife and stabbed me in the heart about thirty times. You? “Fine.”

  “Em-ma.”

  “Emmalee, actually.”

  “What?”

  I walked over to the cupboard and pulled down a glass so I wouldn’t have to look at him. “I’ve decided to go by Emmalee from here on out.”

  “But, why? I like Emma.” He sounded confused.

  I didn’t look up to see if he was. Instead I leaned over the sink and ran the cold water. “Because I’m not Emma anymore. She’s gone.” Once my glass was full I turned toward him, but I still didn’t look up. Instead I studied the pretty way the sun shone through the tumbler from the window above the sink.

  “I don’t understand. What happened?”

  I lifted my head and stared right at Chase. “It was simple. I thought about what you’d said last night and you were right.” Breaking the fragile eye contact, I glanced down at my shoes. I—uh, thought it was time to grow up. So I’m doing it.” I smirked. “Well, I’m gonna try at least.” Shaking my head I willed the memories away, but they flooded me. “I was horrible last night. Completely the worst version of myself I have ever had to face. I didn’t like what I saw. I’m surprised you—uh, stuck around long enough to help me see what an ogre I’ve become.”

  “Emma,” Chase took a step toward me. “I never meant—I don’t know how you’ve even dealt with me. I have been awful—horrible to you. Has there been a day when I haven’t chewed you out for something?”

  I chuckled. “I’m sure there has been, but I can’t think of any.”

  “Look, the reason why I was so mad was because I thought you were actually turning into Ethan. I thought you’d picked up his habit of just saying what he wants to people—no matter who’s around.”

  “Oh no. Last night was all me. Unfortunately. I can’t blame Ethan for anything.”

  “Yes, you can.”

>   I took a sip of my water and rolled my eyes. “No I can’t, Chase. Look, do you want some hot chocolate, or something?”

  He walked over to the stool and sat down. “Sure, I never turn down chocolate. But actually, I have news about Ethan—not the best news. And I—uh, don’t know how to say it.”

  My hands froze mid-air as I lifted up the kettle. “What news?” Bad news about Ethan? Could this day get any worse?

  “Well, Taylor was talking to Chloe and Chloe had been talking to Cassidy and Cassidy said—“

  Oh, for crying out loud. “Out with it already.” I marched to the faucet and began to fill the kettle.

  Chase took a deep breath and blurted, “Ethan and Cassidy are secretly going out.”

  The kettle dropped with a bang into the sink. “What?” I quickly picked it up.

  “They’ve been going out for almost two years now.”

  I whirled around. No way. “Two years? Ethan and Cassidy? Are you messing with me?”

  “No.” He looked miserably down at his hands. “They’ve been secretly going with each other since Ethan’s senior year when he took Cassidy to prom. Apparently she’s been grounded from dating anyone because my reject cousin Blake tried to get with her. So they’ve been going behind her parents’ backs. They have a complete email, text, cell phone relationship. It’s been pretty hard on both of them, especially when he has to pretend to like other people so no one figures it out.”

  I gasped and Chase looked up and met my gaze. “No wonder why the dork couldn’t kiss me!” I smiled. “He so could’ve said something, you know. I would’ve totally helped them.”

  “As far as I know Chloe just found out herself. I guess Cassidy is really good at—wait! You’re laughing?” He looked completely shocked. Like seeing me laugh in the kitchen was a totally foreign thing to him.

  It made me laugh harder. In fact it felt wonderful to laugh. At least I had something to laugh at. To think all this time I’d been basing my spinsterhood on a guy already taken. Figures. It was so my luck.

  “So-so, you’re not mad?” Chase’s confusion was cute.

  “Why are you so puzzled by that?” I giggled. “Why would I be mad?” He’s such a weirdo. Of all the things to be mad about Ethan and Cassidy was way off my list.

  “So you don’t have a thing for him?”

  I snorted. “For Ethan? What, are you high? As if I would have a thing for Ethan Franklin!” I shook my head and pulled the now overflowing kettle from the sink and turned off the tap. Pouring a bit off the top, I carefully carried it over to the stove and set the lid on. After I twisted the knob to high, I turned around. Chase was standing right in front of me.

  “Oh—!”

  It was all I could get out before Chase’s lips caught mine. Holy cow! Instantly my hands clutched his elbows and then slowly wound their way up his shoulders and around his neck.

  He broke away and muttered, “Em?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Ask me to stay—you shouldn’t—” He closed his eyes briefly. “—but ask me to stay anyway, and I will.”

  “Stay.”

  When he opened them, Chase’s eyes were the bluest I had ever seen them. “Really? Just like that. You don’t hate me? You don’t wish I was in Arizona, or back in Spain, or somewhere?”

  Are you for real? “No.”

  “Why?”

  You first. “Why do you want to stay?”

  “Let’s go for a walk.”

  “Now?” I just got back from a walk. But already I was turning off the stove.

  “Yeah. Just out back, come on.” Chase headed over to the table and collected my jacket. He held it out for me as I slid my hands through. Once zipped, he offered his hand and I stared at it for a second.

  I can’t believe Chase is here and holding his hand out for me. It was like I had died and gone to heaven. I knew then, that if I put my hand in his, my life would never be the same. Everything I had ever thought, or planned, or dreamed up, until this moment was going to change forever. I can’t wait! With a super giddy grin on my face I stepped forward and slipped my small manicured hand into his larger smooth one. My eyes met his. Sheez. How could I have been blind to how totally hot he was?

  Chase matched my grin and tugged me closer.

  We rambled our way down to Mom’s gazebo. It was wonderful, for once, to just talk about anything and everything—or nothing at all—and be content in each other’s company. Contentment was such a random feeling for us; it was crazy, but so cool.

  Once we snuck through the back gate that shared our properties I asked, “Where are you taking me?”

  He squeezed my hand. “You’ll see. There’s something I want to show you.”

  “Hmm… mysterious,” I chuckled softly and rested my head on Chase’s shoulder as we leisurely followed the path that led to the pond. And then Chase stopped. Right next to the dock. “There,” he simply stated.

  “You wanted to show me the pond?” I grinned up at him and rolled my eyes. “Hate to break it to you, but I’ve seen this place before.”

  Smiling Chase leaned down and placed his forehead on mine. “Not through my eyes, you haven’t.”

  “Prove it.”

  I wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but I didn’t expect Chase to turn me around so that my back was facing him and then wrap his arms around me. “See where that large oak tree is back there?”

  He didn’t have to point. I knew the tree well. “Yeah.”

  “Now follow your eyes about twenty feet from the foot of that tree straight into the pond.”

  “Okay.”

  “What do you see?”

  “Cold water,” I chuckled.

  “Is that all?”

  And then it hit me. Oh my gosh! Why did he bring me here? Instantly, I shuddered and took a step back into him. Horrid nightmares flew at me in an awful swoosh. “It’s where—it’s where—”

  “It’s where I fell in love with you.”

  What? The nightmares fled. “Y-you did?”

  He wrapped his arms tighter. Of course I didn’t know it then. All I knew was I couldn’t live if anything where to happen to you. My heart stopped beating that day. Just seconds more and you would’ve been gone. Do you know when it began to beat again?”

  I bit my lip and shook my head no.

  “When you kissed me on that dance floor.”

  “Really?”

  “Well, when I got back from Spain, I felt a small faint beat—but I tamped it down and hid it away. It wasn’t until you kissed me and nearly knocked me over that it began to beat—really beat—and loudly. I’ve always been drawn to you. Always. I just didn’t realize why until you kissed me. I needed you—you where who I was looking for.”

  He’s so amazing! “But why did you want to go back to Phoenix? Wait! Don’t answer that.” I already know. I closed my eyes as another bout of regretful misery washed over me at the thought of my immaturity.

  “Emma?”

  “Emmalee.”

  “Emma-lee, what do you see when you see that spot in the pond now?”

  Slowly I opened my eyes. A soft warm glow beamed off of the clear sparkling water. “The most beautiful water in the whole world.”

  “I love you, Emmalee Glumm,” Chase whispered in my ear. “Do you think you could put up with me for awhile?”

  Slowly, I turned around within the circle of his arms and laid my ear against his chest. His strong steady heartbeat made me joyously happy. “I’ll put up with you as long as you promise to be my shining knight forever.”

  “Done,” Chase murmured in my hair.

  I grinned and snuggled closer. “It’s a real good thing you’re hot, isn’t it?”

  Chase chuckled and pulled back--his eyes seared into mine. “That’s my Emma, always a brat.”

  “Hey, it’s Emmalee.” I giggled. “And I prefer the term, princess.”

  Chase threw his head back and laughed. “You would!” Then he swooped me up in his arms and tossed me over h
is shoulder.

  “Don’t you dare throw me into that pond!” I shrieked. “I swear down Chase, I’ll kill you!”

  “Knowing you, I wouldn’t doubt it.” He headed up the path.

  “Where are we going?” My tummy jolted on his shoulder, but I was too curious to care.

  “Well, your majesty, I thought the first order of the day would be to rescue your dog.”

  “Clementine! Really? But how?” I twisted to see his face better. It didn’t work. “Chase, put me down!”

  He ignored me, as usual. “Your mom seemed to think you’d learned your lesson, when you went over to the Harts, and she wanted to make sure I took you back to get your puppy.”

  “But what aboutGeorgia?” I grunted as my stomach jolted again.

  “She figured she wouldn’t get to keep her forever. As soon as I saw her with Clem, I told her we were going to take her back, anyway.”

  “Oomph! Really?”

  “Yep. What did you think me and your mom were talking about earlier?”

  “I have no idea. Ugh. Put me down Chase, I’m gonna get sick.”

  “Almost there.”

  “Are you going to be like this forever? I’m not sure I can handle it. As far as I’m aware princesses don’t get lugged around by their knights anyway.”

  “Haven’t you ever seen Shrek?”

  “Shrek?” I laughed. Great! “That is where you’re getting your inspiration from? Shrek?” This is so my luck!

  “Hey, you’re the one who brought up my looks, not me.”

  Good grief! “Your handsome looks—not ogre looks.”

  Chase laughed as he gently brought me down on the porch. For a minute he just stared at me. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” His eyes seared into mine.

  I beamed my new Emmalee Glumm smile and captured his palm that rested against my cheek with my hand. “Just as long as you remember that, we’ll be good.”

  Chase leaned in and whispered against my lips sending sparks everywhere, “Emmalee, you’re beautiful. Can I hold you?”