by DL Gallie
Her head pops up from the book she is reading and her emerald green eyes glare at me. “Excuse me?” she says.
“I didn’t stutter. I said you are a little spitfire.”
“Did you just quote Major Payne to me?”
Shaking my head, I laugh that she picked up on the movie reference, not my questioning. “Well, I guess I did.” Putting my hand out, I say, “Chase Archibald, nice to meet you.”
She hesitantly looks at my hand before placing hers in mine. Her hand is soft and delicate, compared to mine. “Hi, I’m Emerson,” she replies, immediately withdrawing her hand as if touching me will cause her to catch some horrendous disease, or worse, man germs. She drops her hand back into her lap and goes back to reading, effectively dismissing me.
Never has a woman acted like this around me, usually they fall at my feet, begging me to give them the time of day. This girl intrigues me. “So, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company here in Nels Cove?”
“Well, I’m trying to read while I wait for my late lunch.” She pauses, looking over at me before sassily adding, “but some arrogant ass keeps interrupting me.” Lowering her gaze back to her book once again, she ignores me.
“If you want to see my ass, you just have to ask,” I smugly reply. Her head shoots up and once again she is casting daggers my way. Winking at her, I smile before adding, “So, apart from wanting to see my ass, I’ll ask again. To what do we owe the pleasure of your delightful company in our little town?”
Putting her book down, she stares at me and sighs. “You’re not going to go away until I answer your questions, are you?”
Shaking my head from side to side, I confirm, “Nope.” Flashing her a smile, I wink at her. Again, she rolls her eyes, but I’m sure I see a hint of interest flickering there. This woman in front of me intrigues me, even though she’s being blasé and kind of rude, I’m fascinated with her.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m on a road trip,” she huffs. “I was just passing through, but it’s so pretty here. I’ve been here for a week now and I think I might stay a while longer.”
Her response puzzles me. How has she been here a week and I’m just meeting her now? A newbie like her would normally send the gossip mills blazing. I want to know more, but the phone in my pocket vibrates. I dig it out and see that it’s a reminder for a conference call in ten minutes. It’s a call that I had to reschedule and cannot miss. “Well, I guess you are saved by the bell. I hope to see you around, Emerson.”
“Lucky me,” she sarcastically says. She picks up her book and goes back to reading, once again rejecting my advances.
Standing up, I walk over to the counter, grab my waiting coffee and head out. As I walk across the street, I glance over my shoulder and see her staring out the window at me. Lifting my hand, I nod my head, tap my temple, and salute her. From across the road, I can sense her blushing and I think to myself, Game on, Spitfire, game on.
PART THREE
EMERSON & CHASE
CHAPTER ONE
Chase
IT’S BEEN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS SINCE I ran into Emerson James, and for each of those twenty-four hours, I have not stopped thinking about her. How had I not seen her before yesterday? How was she not the talk of the town? Of course, after our meeting yesterday, she is now hot news and grist for the gossip mill. Not since Ella Jordan gave birth to her cousin, Jimmy Jameson’s, baby has the town been so riled up. In regards to Emerson, I don’t blame them. There is something about her that has me captivated and I want to know more.
It’s not often that new people arrive in Nels Cove, and when they do; they generally stay for a few days, a week at the most, and then head off. Emerson shocked everyone and decided to stay, indefinitely. She rented Mrs. Martin’s run-down cottage, and in a few short days she has started to restore the cottage and gardens to their former glory.
For a city girl, she’s doing an amazing job. She has slipped into country life as if it was her calling and everyone in town loves her, which isn’t surprising. I’ve only met her the one time and since then I have not stopped thinking about her. She is beautiful in an understated way. She’s full of sass, but there’s a sadness behind her eyes. I’ve been where she is. She’s putting on a brave front for everyone, but on the inside she is hurting. Even though she’s sad, she has this aura about her that brightens your day.
She’s an intriguing woman and from the moment my eyes landed on her walking down Main Street, she piqued my interest. She is the first woman ever to not fall at my feet; she’s actually the first woman to talk back to me. It’s her sass that has me fascinated and I want more. She blatantly ignored me this morning when we passed each other on the street, then after lunch again she brushed me off. I’ve tried everything to gain her attention, but nothing works.
We seem to have a love-hate relationship that both of us thrive on, but I know that she is just as intrigued as I am. I saw the way her breathing hitched when she noticed me this morning. And just now, I swear I saw her cheeks flush when I said her name. Her aloofness is what I find peculiar. She’s friendly and welcoming with everyone but me, even though I sense she’s interested in me. I can’t explain why I know this, but her actions toward me tell me so. That may sound arrogant, but with Emerson I can’t explain it, I just know. What’s unexpected is that every time she pushes me away, it makes me want her more. Little does she know, I always get what I want and I’m a patient man. I’ve got all the time in the world and I’m happy to go slow when it comes to Emerson James.
Whenever I see her, I’ll go out of my way to be near her, to attract her attention, and the fact that it seems to get under her skin is an added bonus. My desire for her is not in my usual wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am kind of way, it’s in a I-want-you-to-meet-Ma-and-Pa kind of way…and that both scares and excites me. Her dismissal of me is frustrating, to say the least. From the limited interactions I’ve had with her, I get the feeling that she is just as stubborn as I am. I will have her, there is no doubt about that. I, Chase Archibald, am not one to back down from a challenge. I will crack open Emerson James and all her secrets, if it’s the last thing I do.
CHAPTER TWO
Emerson
I’M ON MY THIRD GLASS of wine when my phone rings—it’s Bella. I slide to answer immediately. “Hey hey, lovely lady.”
“Did you fall and hit your head?” she roars down the phone at me.
“Well, hello to you, too. I’m fine, thanks for asking. And no, I did not fall and hit my head, but I have had three glasses of wine and I’m feelin’ kinda tipsy,” I reply with a giggle as I lean against the kitchen counter, taking another sip of wine.
“So that explains why, out of nowhere, you rented a cottage in Cola-freakin-rado?”
“No, I did that a few day ago.” I say, smirking because I know that will totally knock her for a loop.
“I’m sorry, did you say a few days ago?”
Nodding my head, I say, “Mmmhmpf.” Swallowing the last of the wine in my glass.
“Are you out of your mind?”
“Actually, Bels, this is the freest and most content I’ve been since it all happened. There is something about Nels Cove that pulled me here and I know I did the right thing. The first song that played when I moved into this place was by The Script. If that isn’t a sign, then I don’t know what is.”
“You and your friggin’ signs,” she says with an exasperated sigh.
“You’re shaking your head at me right now, aren’t you?”
“You know me too well. Okay, shock aside, you do sound happy, Ems; like before happy. So I can’t be mad at you for that.”
“I am. I really am,” I say as reach into the fridge, grabbing the bottle of Pinot Grigio. Unscrewing the lid, I pour myself another glass of wine. “Bella, you need to come visit,” I say, as I head back out to the porch. I sit back on my swing and push back gently to start the rocking. “This place is so beautiful and peaceful, it’s just…it’s just where I need to be ri
ght now. On the outskirts of town there’s this beautiful lake, I can’t wait to head there for another swim. I’ll pack a picnic and just laze about. I went there on my birthday and it was more majestic up close. When I went there, it reminded me of the feeling I used to get when I’d go to Central Park. It’s hard to explain, but I feel at home here. Like I’m meant to be here in Nels Cove.”
“I’m so happy for you, chicky babe. Now, tell me about this cottage you rented, I still cannot believe you did it, but I can tell by your voice that you are happy. And therefore, I’m happy. Besides, if anyone deserves to be happy, it’s you.”
“Thanks. And again, I’m sorry I took off like I did. I just…”
“No, stop, we have discussed that already and it’s in the past. Now, house. Explain?”
“Yes, boss. I miss your bossiness.” We both laugh. “Okay, well, out the front, where I’m sitting right now, is the most amazing porch swing. It was actually the swing that sold me. When you sit in it, it molds to your body, it kinda hugs you, like my couch in the loft.”
“That good, hey?” She’s mocking me right now, but I don’t care. I’m in my swing, with wine, and I’m happy.
“Maybe even better. I spend heaps of time out here. As for the rest, it’s a quaint little two bedroom cottage, it’s a little run-down at the moment, but a part of my renting it, is to restore it.”
“Ummm, you know nothing about renovating.”
“Not renovating, more like a facelift: gardening, cleaning, maybe splashing a bit of paint around here and there. Besides, I’ve watched enough Masters of Flip to know what I’m doing, and I’m just as stylish and awesome as Kortney.”
“Yes, you are, but I still maintain you have no idea what you are doing.”
“Oh, pish posh. I can do this, and if I can’t I’ll just hire someone.”
“That sounds more like it. A sexy country boy handyman.” My mind flitters to a shirtless Chase wearing nothing but a tool belt. At that vision, I shake my head; I don’t need to be thinking of Chase like that. Besides he’s an ass…a sexy ass, but still an ass. Thoughts of Chase pass and I focus on Bella again, who is still going on about sexy cowboys.
For the next two hours, Bella and I talk just like we used to and drink wine as if we are together. She fills me in on all the gossip I’ve missed over the last twelve months. When I can get a word in, I tell her about my trip and how I’m looking at heading to Australia next to catch up with Kenzie, Jordan and the girls. “You are not going to stay with them, are you? They could be serial killers. You’ve seen Wolf Creek.”
“Ha, you and your imagination. I don’t think they are serial killers, besides they have the two cutest little girls I have ever seen.”
“Serial killers can have kids, you know?”
“Oh my God woman. They are not serial killers, but to appease you, when I get there I will not stay with them. I’ll book into a hotel, happy?”
“Yes, I’m happy with that.”
“You do know that a serial killer could still get me in a hotel, right?”
“Shut your face, woman. Just let me have this. You don’t want to know all the things that I imagined happening to you over the last ten months.”
Hearing her say that, I burst out laughing. Once I have composed myself, I say, “I never realized how much I missed you. There were so many times that I wanted to pick up the phone and call you, but I knew that if I heard your voice, I’d crack and come home if you asked me to.”
“I missed you too. I felt lost not being able to talk to you, but Elena made me realize that you had to do this.”
“My Elena?”
“No, she’s mine now.”
“Did you just poke your tongue at me as you said that?”
“How did you know?”
“’Cause I’m awesome and I know you too well.”
“Let me guess, you were mimicking me chatting away with your fingers.”
“You got it. See, we know each other too well.”
“You are my sister from another mister,” she says and I imagine the grin that I can hear in her voice. It would most likely be a mirror image of mine. I’m smiling, a genuine happy smile right now.
“Damn right I am.” Sadly, I add, “Bels, you are all the family I have now.” Sighing deeply, I wipe away a stray tear. “I’m sorry if I hurt you when I took off, but it was just something that I had to do.” Tears are silently streaming down my face now, my happiness from only moment ago has disappeared and I’m filled with sadness. My emotions are like a rollercoaster at the moment. “I miss them so much, Bella.”
“I know, Ems, I miss them too. And I miss you. I know that you had to take this trip for you to heal. Don’t get me wrong, I was pissed and hurt when you first took off, but I went to see Elena. I actually went to see if she had any suggestions on how I could get you to come back, but she made me realize that you needed this escape. She mentioned that you contacted her a few times and that, oddly enough, gave me peace. Knowing that you were safe and happy was all that mattered in the scheme of things.”
“Bella, you are too good to me,” I say on a sob. “I love you.”
“Love you too, chick, but I need to go. I have a late date tonight.”
“Oh, have fun and be sure to SOS me if you need an out.”
“I should be fine, this is date number three and you know what that means.”
Together we both sing, “Bom-chicka-wow-wow,” before we burst out laughing.
“Okay, go have fun on your date. I’m going to finish this bottle of wine and continue to chillax on my porch swing.”
“Have fun and we will chat in a few days.”
“Deal.”
We say our goodbyes and after hanging up, I settle back into the swing to watch the sunset and finish my bottle of wine.
* * *
The next morning, I’m feeling a little worse for wear, so I decide to head to Tiff’s for a greasy breakfast. Since there is no McDonald’s and I can’t get my usual hangover cure—a double quarter pounder with cheese and a diet Coke—I will settle for one of Curtis’ greasy feasts and a super-duper large coffee. After a quick shower, I put on my black capris, a pinkie-purple, flowy tank, and my blingy flip-flops. Then I grab my car keys and drive over. Yes, I drive three blocks, but I just can’t face walking today.
Luck is on my side and I get a spot right out front. Opening the front door, the bell rings, and I cringe; that was super loud. The volume increases when Tiff starts laughing like a hyena. She walks toward me and envelops me in a hug. “Big night?”
“Ugh, shoot me now. I sat on the phone with a friend from the city, drinking wine and catching up.”
“That’ll do it every time. Want one of Curtis’ hangover specials?”
“God, yes. And a super-duper big coffee too, please.”
“Coming right up. Take a seat anywhere, it’s pretty quiet this morning.”
“Thanks, I’ll sit in my usual corner.” When I say this, she grins like a cat. I wonder what that’s all about, I think to myself as I walk over to my booth in the back. Sitting down, I grab my phone and check Facebook while I wait.
Tiff brings my coffee over. I add my sugar, quickly stir it and take a big sip. The warm caffeine goodness instantly makes me feel better. I close my eyes and savor the flavor and the feeling of the coffee coursing through my body. When I open them again, Chase is staring back at me intently. Instantly my cheeks darken and I can’t help but smile at him. He nods his head toward me and smiles as he takes a seat at the counter.
Curtis walks over with my greasy feast and I can’t help but coo, “I love you, Curtis.”
“You only love for me for this greasy hangover feast.”
“You bet I do, this is exactly what I need. And then for lunch later, I’ll be get getting a cheeseburger with extra fries.”
“Hungover?” he asks with a hint of sarcasm.
“Your hangover feast kinda gives that away.” We both laugh. “It’s all my friend’s fau
lt. I sat on the phone with her for a few hours last night drinking wine and catching up.”
“Wine will do that every time. Now, if you were drinking beer, you would be fine.”
“I know, I know. Earlier this year I was at the Oktoberfest in Munich and I drank beer for hours and hours. The next day I was fine; no trace of a hangover at all,” I happily say as I remember that trip. “Have you been?” I ask as I pop a piece of bacon in my mouth.
“I’ve never been out of Nels Cove,” he replies, shaking his head.
“Never?” I ask, completely shocked.
“Never. Born and bred here.”
“That’s so cool, Curtis. Haven’t you ever wanted to explore though?”
“Why would I? I have everything here. My lovely wife,” his eyes drift toward Tiff and they lovingly smile at each other. “Don’t tell her that though.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” I say with a huge smile on my face, then a pang of sadness hits when I think about Brian. He and I used to look at each other like that. I’ll never have that again, I sadly think to myself. When I look up again, Curtis is still talking about how wonderful Nels Cove is, and I find myself once again smiling. “Well, I’ll let you get back to your greasy feed. When you’re ready for your burger, you sing out.”
“Thanks, Curtis.”
He shuffles back to the kitchen, and on his way past he kisses Tiff on the cheek. I find myself both happy and sad. I love seeing couples so in love, but at the same time it guts me because Brian is no longer here and I’m no longer part of one of those couples. The smell of my bacon and eggs pulls me back into the present and I dig into my breakfast. Soon I’m moaning in delight, this is way better than a McDonald’s hangover feast. In between mouthfuls, I flag Tiff down and order another coffee.
