Tues. 6/14/99
Emmet moves here tomorrow! Well not here, here to my house, but closer to Ventura! He told me the very first weekend he came down to visit me that he wanted to move closer. I brushed him off, told him he was crazy, that he had a good job and we were only a few hours apart. But he’s been talking about it non-stop ever since. Last week he got a transfer to the Santa Barbara dealership and he got a place in Mussel Shoals, which I never even heard of despite it being only a half hour away. When I go north its always straight to Santa Barbara but he showed me some pictures and the place is amazing! Right across the street from the water.
He got the deal of a lifetime because his parents own the place and their tenant just moved out on the 1st. I’m learning how common that is out here- family members owning the home their relatives live in. There’s little chance I could ever hope to be as close to the beach as I am now if I tried to buy a house. Prices are outrageous. I asked if he wanted help with the move but his brothers took the day off and he doesn’t have much stuff.
In other news, I keep getting those calls on my home phone answering machine in the middle of the night. It sounds like an empty copy room with the copier running next to a fan. That lasts for 10 seconds and then the call disconnects. But they happen at the same time every night, 2:37AM. Chloe deletes them in the morning and finally convinced me not to worry anymore. She said she’d call the phone company and straighten it out. Deb moved out. Apparently her boyfriend proposed. She hadn’t been home in months anyway. We got another flight attendant so now it’s pretty much just me and Chloe renting this huge place.
Sun. 8/22/99
Kelly and Chris got into town today with big news. It was so great to finally meet him and they are disgustingly cute together. But it didn’t matter because Emmet and I gave them a run for their money on cuteness all day. He left a while ago to get home and I’m too wired to sleep even though I have a full day tomorrow because my sister is here and they’re engaged! They haven’t set a date yet but she asked me to be her maid of honor. I can’t wait to have a new brother in the family.
Fri. 10/15/99
FINALLY! Girls night out was a blast! Chloe ended up getting called into the vet’s office to handle some computer crisis so that left Jess, Cherry, and me. Like old times. I thought back to high school when we drank Orange Julius at the mall after getting our Halloween costumes. I also remembered the night of my wedding when the 3 of us found our way to a quiet corner for about an hour just to spend the time together. That was long before Patrick, Rob, Emmet. We were young and, until that moment for me, unattached. So tonight we went and listened to some music. Cherry heard about this singer from San Diego who was in town for the night and he was great. He had a bongo player and it was like this rap, jazz thing. Weird but fun. We stuck around for about half the show then headed out to our bar and spent the rest of the night laughing our asses off. It was awesome to just be us girls again even if it was only for a night it felt like being at home.
Tues. 12/21/99
This is going to be a great Christmas. My amazing boyfriend has finally achieved his dream. He sold a script to a real, live, paying studio. Not a major one or anything (yet!) but who cares. I couldn’t be more proud of him to finally have a foothold on living his dream. He’s been selling cars since he started at his grandfather’s dealership at age 22, right out of college. But he’s been developing scripts for decades, praying to break into the biz, as he calls it. The money doesn’t replace his salary so he’s still selling but, like he said, “step one is always the toughest.” I can definitely relate to that sentiment as someone who finally got one foot in front of the other in my life. He’s already started working on two others he had shoved in a drawer. On an entirely different note, when I was back in Boston for Kelly and Chris’ wedding last month (which was awesome but exhausting because I only got 3 days off so it was a quick turnaround), I ran into Chad.
Kelly asked me to pick something up and I was waiting in line when he came up behind me and poked me in the shoulder like a friend might do to say hello. To be honest, as I was turning around, I thought it might be Jack since his older sister Mary was obviously in town for Kelly’s wedding. Not Jack. My jaw almost dropped. Chad smiled and before he could say anything more than ‘hey’ the cashier gave me a price. I didn’t even know what to say so I tried to give him a polite smile as I exchanged money but I got out of there faster than I probably should have pulled out of the lot. Now I kind of feel like an idiot, it’s not like he didn’t know where I was staying. But I can’t lie that, when my plane lifted off the ground at Logan, heading for home, I think I finally exhaled.
PART V
Life. After all.
Sat. 1/1/2000 <-- wow!
Prince was right, we partied like it was 1999 because it was but the lights stayed on. Even though I could feel all of us holding our breath at midnight. 2000 came in without a hitch. Music didn’t stop and the DJ got us all yelling and he actually played 1999 right at midnight. So rad. Lara and her boyfriend even made it out. It felt like a year since we’d been out together and as we talked about it we both realized it had been 10 months; exactly how long since she met Alex. We laughed and I was so glad there weren’t any hurt feelings on her part. Especially since I’d been spending most of my time with Emmet. Who, of course, was there. Jess and Patrick got a sitter as soon as we started talking about this back in November. Cherry and Rob breezed in an hour after the rest of us, looking disheveled like they just got laid (which I’m sure they did, like bunnies those two). Even Chloe stopped by for a couple drinks before the scene got “too couplie” and she bailed.
The only weird part of the night happened at about 12:30. Right after Emmet kissed me again (for somewhere near the 200th time) I opened my eyes and noticed a guy standing in the back corner, staring at me. Or at least it felt like he was looking right at me, he was wearing sunglasses shaped like the number 2000. I tried to remember if I’d ever seen him before- red hair, short in a buzz cut, he was rail thin, gaunt almost, and had his arms crossed across his chest. I couldn’t place him so I tried to shrug it off. He must have been looking at someone else. But, if I’m being honest, I’m still a little spooked and glad Emmet is staying here tonight.
Sat. 6/10/2000
God knows I love them but I’ve never been happier to say bye to my parents before in my life. After a week of hearing about the awful weather “back home” and how glad they were to feel sunshine, and “your father was at the doctor again last week” I feel like I just worked a 90 hour shift in a nursing home. If it wasn’t so late I’d go out just so I could be with people my own age again. Emmet passed out the minute I got back from dropping them at the airport. They loved him. I know because my dad asked him to run errands more than once. And Emmet didn’t look like he might be castrated after they returned. Mom outright told me that if I don’t marry him she’ll divorce dad so she can have him. I laughed but she’s nuts. I don’t even know if he’s thinking about marriage. I can see it happening but only if we’re both ready to make that commitment. I won’t get another divorce so I plan to know for sure it’s a real relationship next time around. Not some school-girl fantasy.
Tues. 9/5/2000
I’m getting married!!! Emmet asked me last night, two nights after we closed on the house. He asked on the anniversary of the night we met. He’s so romantic, I can’t believe how lucky I am to have met him. Apparently, he got all traditional when my parents were here and he asked them both. So cute! The house…I had to resign myself to moving inland and its okay, we’ll be up on the hill with no ocean view but still in Ventura. The house, is amazing. A nice yard, quiet neighbors, two bathrooms. And after he sold those two additional scripts earlier this year he was in really good shape, plus my salary ensured we were qualified.
The house is on Medford St. I think maybe I was swayed by the name since it made me feel like I was back east. Ma is already planning everything and I only told her about the engagement an hour
ago. I’ve already got at least 20 emails with links to everything – dresses, cake makers – all in Boston of course. I had to tell her we’re doing it in California though. Kelly almost cried when I asked her to be my MOH. Between the two of them my phone is vibrating off the coffee table with text messages non-stop. I think I only get something like 100 with my plan. Ma’s going to cost me a fortune before I even say ‘I do’. But it’s fine, I’m a bit giddy myself. Emmet and I agreed we should do it on 9/4/2001 even though it falls on a Tues. because it would be so romantic tying the knot exactly 3 years after we met!
Fri. 11/3/2000
I got promoted at work today, yes! Finally no more 90 hour tax season weeks. I’m the newest Auditor at Eric Nylar & Co. I’ve been working towards this job for the past year, taking on more in QC, and Nylar actually noticed. Funny though, I was doing it to cover Lara’s ass. She didn’t want anyone else at work to know she was pregnant but I noticed she was starting to get scattered and forgetful so I double checked her stuff for a few months (until she couldn’t hide the pregnancy anymore anyway because her doc put her on bed rest). Nylar said I’d done such a good job he wanted me in the role full time and was planning to hire a temp to fill in for Lara for the 6 months she finagled off for maternity.
Speaking of babies, Kelly is pregnant too, 3 months. Everyone is popping out kids! She and Chris moved to Prescott in Arizona, because Kelly said how much she missed the state (but not Tucson and the potential of running into Brian). Chris went to work for the Hotshots and Kelly designs websites now at home. I’m so happy for them, everything is just so perfect right now.
Tues. 1/23/2001
My birthday, just Emmet and I out to dinner then home to watch a movie but we ended up sitting out on the back deck drinking wine and talking all night and forgot the movie. Oh well. It was a terrific night for the most part. I saw that redheaded guy again when we were out at dinner. This time he was sitting in the other room at the bar but he didn’t glance at me more than once while he did a scan of the place. Maybe he’s just a neighbor and I’m losing my mind but he gives me the creeps.
While Emmet and I talked, we decided to throw a party next weekend and everyone is coming. Everyone. Jess and Patrick with Daphne, Cherry and Rob, Lara and Alex (sans baby), Chloe and Tanya (did not see that coming but whatever, she’s awesome) with Tanya’s daughter Kayla a year older than Daphne but hopefully they’ll get along. Even Kelly and Chris are going to come for a visit like they promised despite her “constant discomfort” with the pregnancy. She’s the best. I invited Nylar and his wife, too. Should be fun!
Sun. 3/4/2001
Ma is driving me crazy. So crazy I had to call her ‘mother’ on the phone the other day just to stop her from going off the rails entirely. The way she flipped out over save the date cards being “necessary” you’d think it was her wedding. But in the end I realized she was right and so I just dropped them in the mail. Emmet actually asked if he could help write them out and I almost cried right there at the dining room table. He chuckled, pulled out the chair across from me, and grabbed half the stack. I’ve been slammed at work lately. No more 90 hour weeks but 65 has been common and trying to plan a wedding during all of that has been more than a little stressful. Chloe and Tanya are moving to Wyoming in the fall. Back in January I found out they bought a ranch and plan to raise and stable horses. Chloe seems really happy. They’ll still be here for the wedding though, not leaving until late September. It’s kind of strange to see everyone coupled off, starting families, moving away.
Thurs. 6/14/2001
I got invitations in the mail after work today. We finally decided on a venue- The Ventura Beach Inn. The lobby is crazy cool with this big open space that has an all glass staircase up to the third floor. The reception hall is going to be perfect, it looks out over the water and we’ll be able to get beach photos at sunset! After I dropped the invites Emmet, Cherry, Rob and I all got together at the bar of the hotel for a drink just to check out the scene. No weddings to spy on but the vibe seemed generally laid back. But then, again, I saw that skinny red head and it seemed way too weird. He was all the way across the lobby sitting in a chair and facing toward the bar. I finally couldn’t deal with it anymore and pulled Cherry into the bathroom. I admitted he’d been outside our restaurant window last night too.
She asked if I’d called the police yet and I had to admit I didn’t. That I didn’t want to sound like a crazy person telling them a guy has been in the same places as me, someone I don’t recognize, but he doesn’t talk to me, threaten me or otherwise interact. Just stares. She sighed because I made a good point. Technically, I might just be paranoid. There was no way to prove the guy was following me without talking to him and that wasn’t on my to-do list. I asked her not to tell Rob but I know she will. And now I know Rob will have his gun on him every time we get together.
Wed. 9/5/2001
I remembered the guy from New Year’s with the low slung shoulders, red hair in a short buzz cut, sunglasses and his clothes hanging off his bones. How could I not? He’d been popping up in so many of the same places as me since we rang in the millennium. Then in July he pretty much disappeared. Back in June I started looking for him and seeing him almost everywhere I went. But I didn’t want to live not knowing anymore. I finally got up the nerve to start heading in his direction one night when I was grabbing a drink after work and he took off. I hadn’t seen him since but it didn’t matter. Last night I found out who he was. Last night everything changed.
I should be married right now. I should be on a plane on my way to Hawaii with my husband. Emmet shouldn’t be in the hospital. Everyone arrived, so many family members and friends I hadn’t seen in far too long. It was finally the day we could let go of our stress and all the months of planning were behind us. I left my hotel room, heading for the reception hall for one last look at where our JP would be standing, how the head table would be positioned right at the edge of the dance floor. All the turquoise and gold made the place feel like our master bedroom. It was elegant and peaceful. Emmet wasn’t supposed to be there yet. He was supposed to come later with his brothers but Rob convinced him to take the ride with him so he’d have someone to grab a drink with while Cherry went looking for sea glass with Jess and Daphne. Thank god for Rob. I was walking out of the reception room and back to my own to finish getting ready when I spotted Emmet upstairs looking out over the glass railing to the lobby below.
He didn’t see me, something I thought would be our biggest hurdle that day. I was so wrong. I watched him for a moment and then, like a nightmare, he was being picked up from behind. I tried to shout but couldn’t. Emmet fought back and regained his footing. As he ducked back from a punch flying at his face I saw what I had feared for months. Chad. Holding a gun in his hand and pointing it directly at Emmet. All I remember is I finally got the sound out of my throat. Screaming. Chad looked right at me then lowered himself to put his shoulder into Emmet’s side. He intended to push him over the side of the railing. He intended to kill him. I screamed again. But it was Chad who fell. The pop wasn’t as loud from where I was standing as it probably was up on the third floor but the blood that spread across his shirt as he lunged forward to try grabbing Emmet again, made me know he’d been shot. He missed and Emmet ducked just as Chad was about to fall over. The bullet went through and grazed Emmet’s shoulder on its way out of Chad’s chest. Emmet ducked as a reflex to the pain. I couldn’t move. I watched my ex-husband careen toward the yellow marble floor but all I could see was the red on his white shirt. The bullet went clean through his chest. Apparently, according to the cops, he was dead before he ever hit the floor and what I saw was his limp body lurching forward. All I could do was replay the sound of Chad’s body hitting the floor over and over again. It was a softer sound than I would have imagined. I stared at the back of the sofa - terracotta and purple paisley was the only thing blocking my view of the dead body of my ex in the middle of the lobby of the hotel where I was supposed to be
married in 2 hours.
My mouth hung open as I sat, hair and makeup done, wearing my “Bride” ass sweats, in the middle of the hallway floor. Jess appeared by my side from somewhere. Hugged me. Rocked me. Cried for me as they wheeled Emmet, conscious, on a stretcher out the front door. I stood up. Emmet blew me a kiss and I blinked like I was in the slow-motion scene of a bad movie. Jess answered for me as the police tried to ask questions. I had gone numb. My brain had shut down. Someone gave me a ride to the hospital.
Later, I learned the red head had been a private detective Chad hired to find then follow me around. Red claimed no responsibility in the outcome. The cops said they’d do what they could. Emmet will come home tomorrow. We postponed the wedding. Neither of us are sure when it will be but he was in high spirits. He kissed me and said that even a psycho ex couldn’t drive him away. He loves me. He wasn’t going anywhere. In all of the years I’d been dating, married, single, I’d never heard anything quite as perfect in my life. When I started to cry he hugged me and kissed my head. Neither of us moved for the rest of the night. And for the first time in 15 years I knew my heart was safe and at home.
Carol + Chad 4-eva! (California Dreamin' Series Book 1) Page 4
