by Jenny Rabe
Emilie glanced from Dean to Ava. “But he did—”
Ava cut Emilie off. “Oh, I’m sure he told you whatever he could to pacify you, but how could someone be so calm after knowing the truth? You don’t feel even a little upset toward me?”
Emilie frowned. “Why would I be upset with you?”
Dean let go of Emilie and moved in front, blocking her view of Ava. Finn pulled Ava in the opposite direction.
Ava peeked over Finn’s shoulder. “It’s best if we clear the air, don’t you think, Dean? It was so long ago anyway. I thought she would’ve found out from one of you two, since it’s in the past.”
Dean took Emilie’s hand and tried to steer her away. “We have to get going.”
Emilie stopped hard, pulling him back to the group. “No, I want to hear what she’s talking about. Ava?”
Ava gave Dean a withering glance. “You should have told her yourself. I gave you an opportunity.”
“Like you said…” Dean gritted his teeth together so tightly he could crack a tooth. “The past is the past.”
Ava laughed maniacally, sending waves of fear through Dean. If only he could’ve arrived ten minutes earlier. “Oh, but you don’t want to start a marriage with secrets. No, let me help you with the truth.”
Finn, who had been silently observing this whole time, clapped his hands together. “I think we need to freshen up, too. Ava, let’s—”
Ava held up her hand. “Butt out, Finn.”
He stepped back as if slapped. She immediately corrected herself. “Sorry. What I meant was, please let me handle this myself.”
Dean wanted to smack the smile off Ava’s face. Before she could say another word, Dean whirled Emilie around, kept a grip around her waist, and sprinted for the elevator.
“Wha... what’s going on?” Emilie dug her heels into the ground to slow them down.
Instead of answering her, Dean maintained his speed, jogging for the door. He was almost there. He reached out to push the elevator button when Ava’s loud voice sounded across the lobby.
“Dean and I dated while you were gone.”
Without stopping, Dean pressed the button and pushed them inside the elevator.
Just as the doors were closing, Emilie pushed him away and stuck her foot out, stopping the elevator. “Just a minute.”
The seriousness in her voice made him pause. He had nothing left to do but follow her out of the elevator again. Ava waited on the other side.
“It’s true. We dated on and off for a while after you left for college.”
Finn came up behind her, panting, breathlessly holding his knees for balance. “Ava, wait!”
“No, this can’t wait. My friend is about to marry someone who’s been lying to her for years. Dean, tell her the truth about us.”
Emilie stared at him with wide eyes, and he looked back at her helplessly. There was too much damage to fix, and he wasn’t going to try with Ava in the audience.
Emilie laughed, and the sound echoed in the hallway, stilling the conversations around them. “You and Dean? Dean would never go out with you. He hates you.” Emilie covered her mouth as soon as the words were out, but it was too late.
“Really, princess. Is that what you think? I never told you about Dean because we weren’t friends any longer, but the guilt has been eating me up. I don’t know how Dean has lived with himself.”
Finn grabbed Ava’s arm from behind and pulled. “I’m broke.”
Ava stumbled backward, almost falling. “What? I told you to stay out of this.”
Finn’s expression tightened. “I told my parents I’m giving up my inheritance and moving out of the house. No more relying on their money.” The color drained from Ava’s face as the words sank in. “You and I have bigger problems to talk about, so let’s both butt out of the conversation.”
Before Ava could get in a word, Finn pulled her in the opposite direction. Dean stared after them, shocked by the turn of events. When Finn and Ava disappeared around the corner, he turned back to Emilie.
Fire burned in her expression, scorching his confidence. Everyone in a close enough radius was zoomed in on their conversation. He turned his back to them, blocking Emilie as well. “You weren’t supposed to hear about it like that. I had plans to tell you right now, in the privacy of our room, but I had no idea she’d blurt everything in front of the whole world. I’m really sorry.”
“No.” Her voice was harsh and unyielding. She pointed toward the elevators. “You’re right. We’re not doing this here. I think we’ve had enough gossip for everyone to live on for a while.”
Emilie stalked off toward the elevator, and he reluctantly followed. He tried to start the conversation again when the elevator started moving.
“No.” Her answer was so firm it took him off guard. He switched to the other side of the elevator and gripped the railings. It’d been a while since he’d seen her so upset. The silence weighed on him, the seconds ticking by slowly in his head until the door dinged open.
He waited until she exited and then trailed a half dozen steps behind, giving her a wide berth. Finally, when they were in the room and the door shut, Emilie turned on him with fierceness in her eyes. “I can’t believe you. Yesterday, you didn’t tell me. All this time you’ve had a chance and nothing.”
He sat on the couch and covered his face with his hands “I was coming to find you, to tell you everything. I even talked to Gail about it.”
Emilie glanced around, as if someone else was in the room. “Oh, Gail. I didn’t see her. I guess your talk didn’t work.” Dean watched Emilie pace around the room. “Never mind that. Ava was my— You hated— You kissed her?!” She collapsed on the opposite side of the couch, staring straight ahead.
The words sounded so wrong coming out of Emilie’s mouth. Other than having poor judgment, he hadn’t betrayed her. Not on purpose. He refused to let the past separate them anymore. Even if he had made an error in judgement, he’d hold his ground. “First of all, you and I were never together, so there was no betrayal other than what was happening in my mind and heart. The details don’t matter. You left. I asked you to stay, and without thinking about it, you took off. For five years, I didn’t hear a word from you.”
Emilie’s head snapped his way, and he reluctantly met her angry glower. “I had to get out of there. You know how trapped I felt in town.”
“Yes, but you also weren’t alone. You needed to deal with it and grow stronger.” He shook his head. Arguing about it was getting them nowhere. “I wouldn’t call it a relationship anyway. We hung out a few times, and when she got overly needy, we split. After two years, I couldn’t take it anymore and called it off for good.”
“Two years!” Her screech rang in his head. “Let me get this straight. The guy who saves the day in every circumstance secretly dated the same girl who ruined my senior year.”
Dean winced with every accusation. “It was a long time ago, and it wasn’t a secret. If you were here, you would’ve known.” She flinched but didn’t say anything. “I admit my judgement was skewed, but I was lonely. Ava was there.”
She screeched again then stood up and paced the room once more. The red in her cheeks deepened while she went in and out of his sight. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He stood and moved in front of her to prevent her from pacing. He tried to take her hands, but she snatched them away. “I should’ve from the beginning. But when you said you were moving back, I didn’t want to start things off on the wrong foot. I was worried I’d lose you before we started.”
He needed to give her some space to think, but he desperately wanted them to kiss and make up. Especially the kissing part. He debated for a few seconds. “I think it’s best if I go home.” Dean took a few steps back and grabbed for his suitcase by the wall. “I could make things worse by staying, and you should be here for Ava.”
Emilie lifted an eyebrow and snatched his hand away from the suitcase. Then she promptly dropped it. “Oh no! You’re no
t leaving me alone after all that. Imagine what everyone will think. We’re going to carry on as if nothing happened.”
Hope bubbled in his chest when he met her eyes. “I promise—”
She cut him off with a wave of her hand. “Don’t go overboard. I’m not forgiving you. Yet, or maybe ever. I need time to think, and while I do, you’re going to stay by my side.”
He sighed as she stormed to the other side of the room. He leaned against the door and gripped the wall. Dang it! Everything with Emilie backfired. Why couldn’t she see he’d never intentionally hurt her? That was why he didn’t tell her about Ava. Besides, it didn’t matter. The past was in the past. Why was she holding it against him?
The back-and-forth from her and her topsy-turvy actions and reactions over the last couple of weeks emotionally and mentally drained him. Hadn’t he proved himself time and time again? For heaven’s sake, he was on her side. Everything he did was for Emilie. But he deserved some happiness, too. With her. So why was she so hot one moment and cold the next? He wasn’t perfect. Far from it. But he was a good guy, and he loved her.
His own thought struck him like a bolt of lightning.
He loved her!
But was it enough?
At that moment, exhaustion clawed at him and he was ready to give in.
25
Emilie
Emilie stormed off to her side of the room. After throwing open the closet door, she pulled out what she planned to wear on the boat that evening. It was one of her favorite evening dresses, saved for fundraiser galas her dance company would throw. It was midnight blue, made her legs seem extra long, and tied in the back with a ribbon, showing off her slender back. She put her hair in an elegant twist and touched up her makeup.
It was good to be doing something, and she tried to ignore the subtle movements on the other side of the wall while Dean prepared for the night. There was no way she could’ve seen it coming. How could he have dated Ava and not told her? She preferred Finn’s ignorance to Dean’s stupidity.
She poked herself in the eye with the mascara wand and had to redo the whole eye. After fixing her mistake, she made her eyes bold, threatening even. She wanted to send the message that no one could walk all over her again.
She grabbed her purse, stuffing in what she’d need for the night, and walked to the door, not even seeing if Dean followed. Of course he did, but he was smart enough not to say anything. She peeked over at him, dressed in formal attire. He’d rented a suit for the occasion, and it fit him perfectly.
When he met her gaze, she pushed open the door and left. Even if he looked amazing, she’d never say it aloud.
They walked to the resort docks where a large yacht waited for them. A line formed, but she was in no hurry to board. If only she could talk to Gail…
She looked back at Dean, who gave her a hesitant smile. She didn’t return the gesture. “I’ll be right back. I need to call someone.”
He raised an eyebrow. “But we’ll be boarding soon.”
“This needs to happen first. Go ahead and board. In fact, let them leave without me.” She hurried away from the crowd, not looking back once. She found a secluded area not too far away. Right then, she needed advice. Her relationship was ripping at the seams, and before the material was unusable, she needed to do something about it.
Gail picked up after the second ring. “I told Dean I wasn’t coming. Stop bugging me.” Her voice was good-natured but annoyed.
Emilie laughed, releasing the tension in her shoulders. “That’s not why I called. I just talked to Dean.” Her voice broke on the last few words.
“Uh oh, what happened?” Gail clucked her tongue. “He told you, didn’t he?”
Frustration and anger danced in Emilie’s chest. “All of this time you didn’t tell me?”
Gail sighed. “It’s in the past, honey. It doesn’t affect today.”
“But why her?” Moisture started to gather in her eyes. No! She could not cry about this. Would not! None of this was her fault.
“Honey, Dean was pretty lost when you left after graduation. A complete mess. He visited your mother’s grave almost every day for a year. Ava filled his emotional void.”
Emilie’s throat tightened at the mention of her mother. Had he really visited her mother that much? Why hadn’t he ever told her? Her rock-solid heart softened. She bit her lip and turned to locate Dean. He waited in line, ever the patient man. She really was lucky to have him. Her heart softened even more, and she hated it. She set her jaw in a firm line and looked away.
Emilie fiddled with a stray hair while she decided what to do. It wasn’t like Dean and Ava had dated yesterday or even last year. She had a sudden suspicion she was making this a bigger issue than it really was. She sighed and headed back to the group. “Gail, I need to go. The boat is boarding for a night cruise, and I need to make up with a certain someone.”
Gail cheered. “Way to go, honey. Go get him.”
She chuckled and said goodbye. Dean saw her coming a hundred feet away. His mouth was set in a hard line, a question in his eyes. She gave him a tentative smile “You really visited Mom almost every day?”
The question in his eyes churned with more confusion. “In the beginning… yes. It was my way of staying close to you.” Dean stepped closer but maintained a safe distance. “Your mom was the closest person to you. And Ava was the second. I figured you two would reunite someday, and she always talked about you. I wanted to be around people who knew you.” His voice wavered. “But she just wasn’t you.”
Emilie’s eyes watered, her anger melting. “Why didn’t you find me and tell me how you felt? You knew where Dad lives.”
Dean laughed. “And see all the new guys you were dating? No thanks.”
Emilie glanced out at the water. If Dean had visited her, he would’ve been a fish out of water. It had taken her a while to feel like herself again. She was either killing herself to study and practice or throwing herself into relationships and backing out before it ever got too serious. She was a mess for a long time after she left this town.
He stepped closer. “I should’ve told you. For breaking your trust, I’m really sorry.”
Emilie opened her arms to invite him in. “I’m still confused and a little angry, but I don’t want to fight about it anymore. Can we forgive each other?”
His eyes brightened, and a smile flickered across his lips. “You don’t have to ask me twice.” She wrapped him in a hug, not caring about anyone around them. Let them see how she felt. It was about time she didn’t care. Emilie buried her face in his chest. When she had the courage to speak, her voice came out as a whisper. “Promise there are no more secrets to tell me?”
Without any hesitation, he nodded. “No, there are no other secrets.”
Emilie checked his eyes to confirm it.
Dean pressed his forehead to hers. “Can I tell you how incredible you look tonight? I’ve been wanting to say it for a while.” The bit of anger she was holding onto slipped even more from her mind.
She hid her face in his chest again, breathing in his cologne. The moment couldn’t have been sweeter. The line started moving, and the two of them moved in sync, at a snail’s pace, enjoying every second. She pointed at Ava and Finn, who were standing at the entrance, across from each other, not even looking at each other. “You think they’re okay? They’re not standing together, and Ava doesn’t look happy.”
Dean rolled his eyes and let go of Emilie’s hand so he could wrap his arm around her waist. “She’s never happy.”
Emilie bit her lip, holding back a laugh. “You would know what she likes, right?”
Dean frowned then saw Emilie’s hint of a smile.
“Too early to joke about it?” she asked.
He bumped her hip with his. “As long as it doesn’t hurt you.”
His expression twisted with worry, but she smoothed out the lines in his face with her hand. Electric pulses raced through her body. Her anger dissolved completely, replac
ed with a heap of desire. No more avoidance on her end. She was all in.
26
Dean
Dean’s mind whirred as they walked up the plank to board the ship. He grabbed a glass of water a waiter offered them as they entered the dining area of the boat. He slipped Emilie a nausea pill, and she swallowed it with ease.
“Thanks. I really don’t want to ruin tonight.”
To keep Emilie right by his side, he held her hand tightly. His nerves buzzed while they found a place to stand.
He exchanged pleasantries with familiar people while they looked for a place to hide. He didn’t care that it was a larger event than the whale watching boat or that dining tables were set up everywhere. He didn’t care that they brought out the best-smelling salmon or that Finn and Ava seemed to be playing tug of war with their eyes. He didn’t care about anything or anyone but Emilie.
He steered her to a private two-seater booth, far enough away from others that they could have a private conversation but close enough they could see everything going on.
Since they were one of the last couples to arrive on the ship, within minutes, the boat started moving and a waitress came to get drink orders. They both ordered fancy lemonade drinks to pair with their dinner.
“Since when did you start liking me?” Emilie asked.
Dean rested his arms against the table. Before he could say a word, the captain of the ship began his tour speech, pointing out famous houses, touristy places to visit, and other landmarks and facts about the cape.
Dean rubbed a thumb across Emilie’s hand. “I guess you’ll have to wait patiently for my answer.”
While drinks were served and dinner was ordered, he kept the conversation light and easy. All the while, his mind spun with how to answer her question. When hadn’t he liked her? They’d been friends for so long he couldn’t pinpoint when exactly his feelings for her changed.
When dinner was brought to them, the smells of the salmon and lemon, grilled asparagus, and freshly baked rolls awoke his senses, and he dug in. Then a memory hit him.
