“Actually that dream is pretty damn clear on what you have to do,” April said. Emily looked at her and shook her head. “If you are dreaming about me and Cadence telling you to be true to your feelings then maybe that’s exactly what you need to do,” she said as she looked at Emily.
“You make it sound like I have never been in a relationship before. I do know exactly how to make my feelings known to someone if and when I feel them.”
April shook her head.
“The last serious guy you had a thing for was Deacon and that was just after college,” she said.
“Has it really been that long?” Emily asked as she looked at April who was now nodding. “Damn. Cadence was right. I do have a dull life,” she said in a whisper.
April got up from the counter and walked to the fridge. She took out a bottle of water and then walked back to her chair.
“You know one thing I do know about you, it is the fact that you have only ever been serious about one man in your life and that man might very well be the reason why you never really let any man come close enough for you to admit that you have true feelings for them,” April said. Emily knew that she was right. She was absolutely, a hundred per cent right. She looked at her and took a seat next to April. “You might have given your heart to Deacon and he stamped on it a million times from Sunday,” April started. Emily looked at her and sighed. Deacon did hurt her, a lot. She just didn’t think she had it in her to stomach that kind of pain ever again. “But there is a very big difference between Deacon and Alex and if you love Alex which I know that you do, then you need to tell him.”
“But I cannot be the first one to say it…I mean….” She started before April burst out laughing.
“You do know that times have changed, right? I mean women can ask men out nowadays,” she said.
“Yes, and this is very, very different. People have been known to hit the road as soon as you utter those three little words,” Emily pointed out.
“Yes but again I say, Alex is not Deacon. And I have seen the way Alex looks at you, that man loves you to the ends of the world and back,” April said as she reached for her hand. She gave her cousin a reassuring squeeze.
“You make it sound so easy” Emily said in a soft voice.
“You know what I always say, cuz, life is easy. It is we people of the world who complicate it,” she said with a smile.
“You have always been a little easy with life. Somehow it works with you. It just always works with you.”
“Because that is how I like it. I don’t like it when life has stupid bumps, but the truth is that they do happen. I just like cruising on with life and let the tide take me wherever it will. And everything usually works out in the end,” she said with a smile.
Emily took a long deep breath.
“Enough about me and America’s favorite playboy.”
“Quote unquote,” April pointed out.
Emily forced out a laugh.
“Yeah quote unquote. So, what’s the deal with you and Jake? I am not the only one who has been holding out on info lately?” she asked.
“Hey, it’s been weeks since I told you about Jake so you don’t get to play that card,” April said.
“Well then, how is everything going?” she asked as she looked at her cousin.
“Everything is perfect. Actually, the frequent trips out here are about to come to an end since I have been given a permanent position out here so I have been looking at some apartments. And, Jake is moving in with me,” she said happily.
“I knew that there was something going on there apart from the usual boy girl sex.”
“Boy girl sex? What are you? Fourteen?” she asked as she got up from the counter.
Emily smiled and sighed. She knew that April was right. She walked back to the living room and picked up her phone. She wanted to call Alex so bad. She wanted to talk to him but she couldn’t help but wonder if telling him that she loved him over the phone was what she wanted to do. She sat down and looked at the phone for a long time before she finally dialed him. As soon as she heard the phone ringing, she knew she had made a mistake.
“Hang up…hang up now when you still have the time,” she thought as she held the phone to her ear. “You can claim that you pocket dialed him. People believe that shit. Why wouldn’t he believe me?” she thought, all the while contemplating hanging up. She was about to hang up when Alex picked up.
“Hey you,” he said in that perfectly sexy voice that drove her wild.
“Hey,” she said in a soft voice.
“Missed me already?” he asked and she smiled. She did miss him,
“Actually yes,” she said in a soft voice. “Where are you?”
“In the office,” he said.
Emily sighed and her eyes grew wide.
“You are at work? Are you serious? How many hours of sleep did you get anyway?” she asked.
“Around three, three and a half,” he said. “I had an important meeting that I just couldn’t hand over. I had to come. Being in the office today was a no brainer.”
“Three and a half hours? Why did you go to work? You should be at home sleeping it off or playing a video game or something,” she said. She didn’t know why but she could tell that Alex was smiling.
“The penthouse is not much without you around,” he said in a low voice.
“Are you just saying that to make me feel better or are you being serious right now?” she smiled.
“I would never lie to you Emily. It’s just not who I am,” he said.
Emily leaned back and put her feet up on the table.
“I know.”
“What about you? What are you doing right now?” he asked.
She shrugged and began toying with a strand of her hair.
“Nothing much. I thought I’d work from home today given how late it was when I got home last night. But in all honesty, all I’ve done is look at a few files and stuff myself with tacos,” she said.
“Sounds interesting,” Alex laughed.
“It is,” she said in a soft voice. She was silent for a long time thinking of how she was supposed to tell him that she loved him on the phone. She looked at her hand and sighed. “Alex,” she started before she felt her throat completely dry up.
“Yes, Emily. Is there something on your mind?” he asked. She wanted to scream a resounding yes because the truth was that she did have something to say. Something important to say. She closed her eyes and sighed. “Emily, are you still there?” he asked.
“Never mind,” Emily suddenly said. “It’s no biggie.” But she knew Alex wasn’t convinced.
“Are you sure?” he asked and Emily nodded as if he could see her.
“I’m fine. We’ll talk later,” she said. “After your meeting…or something.”
“I’m kind of already done with the said meeting.” Alex sounded more concerned than ever. “Are you sure you are okay?”
“I am…I just need to have a quick shut eye. I did mention the tacos, right?”
Alex laughed.
“Yeah, you did. Sleep tight then, Emily. We’ll talk soon.” He said. She smiled before she hung up. She felt like an idiot. She couldn’t help but wonder why she just couldn’t bring herself to say it.
“Maybe it’s because I am forcing it.” She thought. “Maybe I should just let nature take its course…let the current take me wherever it wants to.” She was now walking towards her room. She lay on the bed and pulled on the covers. She took a long deep breath and closed her eyes…
Almost immediately, she was no longer in her room on her bed. She was outdoors, in some meadow somewhere. She had on a white strapless dress and her hair was hanging lose on her shoulders. She was barefoot and there was a flower in her hair for God knows what reason. She turned around and smiled when she saw Alex. He was dressed in something she had never seen him in before, white linen pants and a matching shirt. His hair was longer than usual. Emily couldn’t help but think that he kind of looked like a te
lenovela star.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said in a soft voice. A smile played on her lips.
“Well, I am here,” she said in a whisper. He held her hand and slipped an arm around her waist to pull her close to him.
“Is there something you want to tell me?” he asked as he looked into her eyes.
She nodded.
“But not right now.” She held the back of his neck. “Right now I just want to be here with you.”
He looked at her and smiled sweetly.
“There is nowhere I’d rather be,” he whispered as he brought his head down to kiss her. His lips had just brushed up against hers when she suddenly heard Cadence’s voice.
“Would you stop procrastinating already and do the deed?” She pulled away from him and turned around. She couldn’t see anyone. It was just green fields as far as the eye could see…and then Alex. And her.
“Yeah, Em! Tell him!” this time it was April's voice but when Emily looked around, she still didn’t see anyone.
“Did you hear that?” she asked.
Alex stroked her hair softly and shrugged.
“Hear what?” he asked. Emily turned her focus back on Alex. She shook her head and touched the side of his face. “Could it be maybe that your conscience is screaming at you to tell me that you love me, Em? Is that it?” he asked, snapping Emily out of her trance. She gasped in surprise and suddenly everyone was yelling.
“Tell me!” Alex said. He was no longer right in front of her. He was far away, on the horizon.
“Yeah. Tell him!” Cadence and April…
Emily suddenly got up with a start. She was breathing fast.
What the hell?” she thought.
Chapter 3
As soon as Emily stepped foot in her apartment, she felt the hunger pangs in her tummy wreaking havoc even though she’s just had a giant sub for lunch, plus there was that little fact that she’d had a very, very late lunch. She threw her bag aside and kicked off her shoes before she made her way to the kitchen wondering what the delicious enticing aroma was. She had just walked into the kitchen when she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
“Guys! Come on!” she yelled when she saw Jake and April on her kitchen counter. “I eat there,” she said again as she turned around to give an embarrassed Jake and April a chance to get dressed. The two had been engaged in a tight lip lock and April’s bare ass was on the counter. She could tell that Jake was inside her because his pants were lowered and when she walked in he seemed to have been thrusting into her.
“Em! You’re early,” April said awkwardly.
“Yeah…I had a meeting that ended early. I didn’t see the need of going back to the office,” Emily said. “I’m beginning to think that maybe I should have gone back to the office.” She added as she walked out of the kitchen. She made her way to the bedroom and took a quick shower before she changed into a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt.
April and Jake had been crashing at her place and even though Emily didn’t mind it, thoughts of busting them in the exact manner that she had were what made her wonder if she really wanted them there. April’s transfer had finally been finalized and she and Jake had decided to move in together. But finding a place was taking them forever. If it were not for the perfect meals that April had waiting for her every time she got home, Emily was sure that the love she had for her cousin would have vanished by now. But last she checked, Jake hadn’t been around for almost an entire week tying up loose ends with his offices.
“Maybe this one time I can forgive them, but in the kitchen for God’s sake?” she thought as she looked at her reflection. What she had walked into could have very well been a long awaited celebratory sexual encounter. Emily frowned again. “But still, why on the kitchen counter?” she just couldn’t get the thought out of her head.
After Emily got dressed, she held her hair up in a ponytail before she made her way out of bedroom. She suddenly stopped in the hallway wondering if she really wanted to go out to the living room or kitchen. For all she knew, April and Jake could have gone right back to their passionate lovemaking on her kitchen counter. She frowned. The very thought of the two of them literally butt naked where she usually sat down to have her meals made her hunger disappear.
“Hey guys? I’d like to know if I can come out now,” she called out.
“Don’t be ridiculous Em,” she heard April calling out from the living room. Emily walked to where the two were and shook her head.
“Nice to see you both dressed,” she said sarcastically.
“Like I said, I wasn’t expecting you home until later today,” April pointed out.
“Well, seeing as I forgot my own birthday this year thanks to being so busy I thought I better take some time off,” Emily said as April walked up to her and handed her a glass. Emily looked in it and shrugged.
“What is this pink goo?” she asked.
“Pineapple, melon and apple smoothie,” Jake said. “No milk.”
“Try it. You are going to love it,” April said winking at her.
Emily shrugged and took a sip.
“Damn it! I really wanted to remain angry at her,” Emily thought as she took another sip. April’s recipes made it extremely hard for anyone to hold a grudge against her. It was like she used food as her weapon of choice and so far, it was working miracles for her.
“Good right?” Jake asked as he looked at her.
“Delicious,” Emily said albeit feigning anger. “So you guys just couldn’t get to the bedroom, huh?” she asked as she sat down.
“I’m sorry. I just walked in…I wanted to surprise her but she was all over me,” Jake started.
“Jake,” April said in a warning tone.
“What? I walked in and you barely gave me enough time to put my bags down. You jumped my bones and…”Jake was going on.
“Jacob!” April sounded more serious this time.
“Em, it has been two weeks since I got some so, I just couldn’t say no to the woman I am crazy about now, could I?” he asked.
Emily looked at Jake and then at April.
“I guess you couldn’t,” she said.
April flashed a guilty smile at her cousin.
“I’m sorry, Emily,” she said in a remorseful voice. Emily shook her head. She couldn’t stay mad at April forever anyway. “And I made you pilaf. Remember you said that you loved it that time I made it for you?” April asked smiling a little too broadly.
“And there it is,” Emily said.
“There what is? What are you talking about?” April asked as she looked at her cousin. Emily took another sip of her smoothie before she sat down.
“That thing you do. Using food as leverage. You are always using food as an escape route,” she pointed out.
“I do not,” April said defensively.
“Oh yes you do,” Jake said with a smile. “Remember that time you ransomed my dinner until I forgave you for breaking my award?”
“Hey, whose side are you on anyway?” April asked.
“You broke his award?” Emily asked as she looked at April. “Wait, what award? Are you some big shot I should know about?” she asked as she turned her attention to Jake.
“Mini golf trophy. Perfectly crafted glass mounted on a steel base. One of the few idols I hold dear,” Jake said. “And I am on your side baby. I wouldn’t dream of being on any other side.”
“Okay fine. So maybe I use my culinary powers against the weak people of this world but at least I use my powers for good,” April said as she walked to the kitchen.
“I’m sorry. Have you been part of this conversation for the last few minutes?” Emily asked. She looked at Jake. “Was she part of the same conversation we were having or did I miss something?”
“Honestly I would rather stay out of this. I’ve already been involved as much as I possibly can afford to by now,” Jake laughed.
“Are you guys coming in for dinner or are you just going to stay out there?” April called out
.
“Did you prepare the food on that counter?” Emily asked as she stood up.
“No, I was already done by the time I, as Jake called it, jumped his bones,” April said in a cynical tone.
He looked at Emily and got up before he followed her to the kitchen.
“So anyway, how is the apartment hunting going?” Emily asked. She noticed a brief look exchanged between April and Jake.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that,” April started as she took three plates from the dish rack. Emily looked at her cousin and raised an eyebrow. “We decided to just go ahead and mortgage a place together rather than do a rental. You know, just cut to the chase and everything,” she explained.
“Seriously?” she asked in surprise.
“It’s time.” April said again.
Emily walked up to her and gave her a hug before she walked over to Jake and did the same.
“I’m so proud of you guys,” she said with a smile. “But I have to ask, you know concerned relative and everything. Aren’t you moving a little too fast?” she asked before turning to Jake. “Not that I have anything against you or anything.”
“Trust me, no offense taken,” he said.
April bit her lower lip.
“If we are being completely honest, then I must say that I haven’t been very open about how long Jake and I have been together,” she said.
Emily’s brow creased.
“I don’t follow.”
“Well, Jake and I have been dating for two years come the end of this month,” April said. Her cheeks were hot and Emily could tell that she was blushing.
She looked at Jake and then back at April.
“I can’t believe you have been holding out on me for this long. Why would you do that?” Emily asked, still surprised.
“Well…I…” April started.
“She doesn’t really have a reason but something tells me it was her fear of commitment that fueled her decision,” Jake said with a smile.
“Seriously? This again?”
“Before me, I know of four other men you had been dating and none of them ever passed the two month mark,” he said and April’s gaze fell. Her cheeks were still red. “And the reason you gave me was and I quote ‘they were getting too clingy’.”
This Was Meant To Be: BWWM Romance Page 14
