by C. R. Ellis
“While I do appreciate the sight of you all sweaty, I can honestly say I like this look just as much, so don’t apologize for giving me the pleasure of this sight,” I ordered, scanning her features in appreciation. Jesus, I need to get my hands on her body. “And I’m always gonna look like I want to beat the shit out of Will after talking to him.”
Concern fell across Jade’s face, like she couldn’t stand the thought of me actually going up against Will in a fist fight. Instead of reassuring her that I could kick Will’s ass with my dominant left hand tied behind my back, I opted to change the subject. “Give me a truth,” I requested, hoping she’d comply and forget all about my twin brother.
Every day one of us would ask the other for a truth, and it was quickly becoming my favorite part of the day. The first time she asked me for a truth, she’d requested something nobody else knew about me, but sometimes she just asked me about general life questions instead. Since then, I’d given her so many truths I’d lost count. But I did keep a count of every single one she gave to me.
She smiled at my command, and shifted to curl up one leg under her body, twirling a brown lock around her finger as she moved. A slow, sly smile spread across her lips as they settled in a smirk. “After you left Austin, I tried to forget you. To hate you. I even had this whole speech prepared in case our paths ever crossed again. But I think I always knew I couldn’t hate you. Must be the dimples.”
“Let’s not forget about ‘Operation GOB,’ either.”
“Oh, God,” she groaned. “I can’t believe Jasmine told you. She’s dead to me.”
“In her defense, she thought you were answering, and she didn’t give me an opportunity to let her know it wasn’t you before launching into her spiel,” I reminded her. “What was your speech?”
“Hmm.” She paused, eyes darting somewhere beyond the computer. “I’m not sure it would have the same effect now.”
I laughed. “Saving it up for the next time you’re pissed off at me?”
“Maybe. Mostly I was just going to give you an earful for sending me roses.”
I lifted a brow in confusion. “What do you mean? Jade, I didn’t send you roses.”
“I thought it was weird, and the card didn't seem like your style, but I just assumed they were from you. If not you, then…” she trailed off, probably coming to the same realization I did.
Will. The fucking bastard.
“What did the card say?” I asked through a locked, clenched jaw.
Jade stood from her spot on the couch. I could tell from the angle of her laptop she was walking across her kitchen. She picked up a banana and walked into her bedroom.
“Jade.” She peeled the banana slowly and took a bite. “Are you seriously trying to distract me right now? With a banana?”
“Is it working?”
I paused, considering her question. “Almost. Answer the question, Tiny.”
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Knew I should’ve just stripped instead,” she mumbled, setting the banana down on her bedside table. “The card said, ‘soon.’ Just the one word.”
Soon? I groaned, realizing the card meant Will had been planning to find her all along; either he somehow knew she was going to be in New York, or he was planning to track her down in Texas.
“Do you know where the flowers came from?”
“No. I sort of, uh, crumpled up the card. But I could see if Elliot remembers. We know a lot of the florists around here.”
I told her she should ask, but I didn’t hold out hope it would trace back to Will anyway.
“I’m adding an amendment to the Voldemort rule,” she declared, breaking me free of my thoughts.
“Oh, yeah?”
“Bed,” she paused, gesturing her surroundings, “regardless of where either of us is located, is a William Sinclair-free zone. As in, both of them. No more talking, or even thinking, about either of them, Emmett.”
“Agreed. What should we talk about instead?” I asked, lips parting into a smile as I carried my computer into my bedroom.
“I’m not sure, Boston,” she replied, pushing back to her knees so I was forced to see she wasn’t wearing any shorts. Her hands trailed over her bare thighs, causing my breath to hitch. “We could talk about the stock market. Or about our fantasy football teams,” she teased, dragging the hem of my t-shirt up her thighs at an unreasonably slow rate.
Fuck that.
I narrowed my eyes, blinking at her slowly and pulling in a deep breath. “Jade, the only fantasies I wanna discuss right now have nothing to do with football.”
Chapter 21
Jade
“What are you two talking about?” I asked, eyeing Jas and Elliot with suspicion. This was the second time today I’d come back to the office and they immediately whipped their heads up, stopping mid-conversation to direct their attention my way.
Jas pushed off from where she was perched against the conference table and made her way to the coffee maker while Elliot busied herself with some contracts and client folders open on the table.
“Just some last minute changes for the Jackson wedding this weekend,” Jasmine replied over her shoulder with a shrug. “Coffee?” she asked, holding up the pot.
I saw right through her distraction tactic, but the liquid goodness was calling my name, so I dropped my bags on the conference table on my way to the small kitchenette. Jas poured a generous amount into my blue and white FMK mug as I reached for the stash of sugar packets we kept in an overhead cabinet.
“Hey, let’s go to Rae of Light for happy hour. We haven’t gone out just the three of us in a while,” I suggested. I’d spent the last week getting caught up on work, and we had three weddings last weekend, so we were way overdue for a girls’ night.
Elliot shook her head regretfully, sending blonde curls flying over her shoulder. “Sorry, Jade, I’ve got a date.”
Jas studied her coffee intently, burying her own smile. “El isn’t the only one with a hot date. I’m meeting Oliver at the new martini bar downtown.”
I lifted a brow, shooting her a ‘who are you and what have you done with Jasmine’ look look over my coffee mug. “Oliver, huh? What’s that, two dates in four days?”
“Five days. And before you read anything into it, don’t. It’s just sex, JP,” she clarified, cutting her honey-colored eyes to me before rolling them back in their sockets. “Don’t start thinking of couple names just because I’m seeing him again.”
I set my mug down on the conference table and held my hands up in surrender. “Whatever you say, Jas. But—”
“No,” she declared before I could finish. “Look, I know you’re all doodle-his-name-on-napkins crazy about Emmett, and I’m happy for you. But I’m never going to want that.”
I sighed. “Fine. But you bitches still owe me a happy hour.”
They both laughed and assured me we’d find time later in the week. I picked up my coffee off the table and walked toward my office. Jasmine said I was “doodle-his-name-on-napkins” crazy about Emmett, but she was wrong. Those were initial infatuation feelings, how you feel about a crush. I was doodle-his-name crazy about Emmett after five minutes of conversation with him.
Now?
I was smile-every-time-I-hear-his-voice, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, miss-him-every-second crazy about Emmett Sinclair. When I thought about my future, Emmett was there. When I thought about what I wanted out of life, Emmett came to mind first.
Realizing I was, without a doubt, in love with Emmett didn’t send me into panic-mode, like it would’ve a few weeks ago. Instead, the knowledge plastered a ginormous smile on my face I felt all the way in my heart. I walked into my office, planning to sit at my desk and look through all the Emmett pictures saved on my phone. Some were of us together from New York and Boston, some were screenshots I snapped while we were video chatting, and some were shots he’d sent me after I requested a selfie to get my Emmett-fix.
When I got to my office an explosion of colors sat on my
desk in the form of three vases filled with peonies. Pink, coral, purple. Each one vibrant and beautiful. He remembered. I dropped my bags by the door and set the steaming mug down on the glass side table across from my desk. Tugging the first vase toward me, I brushed my fingers over the soft petals and inhaled the sweet scent of my favorite flower.
A small card was tucked between flowers in the last vase. This time, I didn’t hesitate to open it.
Tiny,
Roses would never do
for a girl as pretty as you.
I seriously can’t wait to see
the smile you reserve just for me.
It’ll be easy to leave the city of Boston,
knowing you’re waiting for me in Austin.
I’m a terrible poet,
these rhymes just go to show it.
x,
Emmett
P.S. Each flower represents something specific, and I couldn’t pick just one color, so I got them all. Plus, the rainbow of colors reminds me of your tattoo.
An amused chuckle bubbled from my throat when I read the last line of his poem, but tears streamed down my cheeks simultaneously. Comforting arms weaved around my waist, pulling me into a hug.
“Hey, why the waterworks?” Jas asked softly.
I swatted at her arms. “You could’ve warned me! Or at least restocked the tissues!”
She let out a low chuckle and unwrapped her arms from my body to reach behind me for the box, holding it out to me.
“Was his poem that bad?”
I took a tissue from the box and smiled through the apparently never-ending supply of tears leaking from my eyes. “No, his poem was perfect. He’s perfect,” I bawled. “Like, annoyingly perfect, Jas. He sends me texts reminding me to eat lunch because he knows I work through and forget sometimes. He’s watching every episode of Criminal Minds because it’s my favorite show. He looked up the date of the next meteor shower because he knows I’m obsessed with stars. I swear, he’d give me a star if he could.”
Jasmine’s forehead wrinkled in disbelief. “Jesus, Jade,” she replied, draping an arm across my shoulder as she read the card. “I think you found the only dude on the planet worth keeping. But I’m still not seeing the problem here.”
“These are happy tears, I swear. I miss him so much, though. These last nine days have felt like nine lifetimes. And I know you’re anti-relationship, but I need you to tell me I’m not crazy.”
“You’re not crazy, JP. What you’ve got with Emmett is real, and I’m happy for you. I know you miss him, but he’ll be here soon. Does he know when he’s moving yet?”
I shook my head, shifting my body away from hers. Emmett insisted I could tell Jasmine about all the insanity of the Sinclair family, and I appreciated his willingness to let me tell her, but I’d kept my explanation brief. “No, he has to wrap some stuff up with his job, and there’s the whole stop-the-Senator’s-campaign business, so it could be another month or so. Which is fine, but I might go crazy if I don’t see him before then,” I groaned, slapping a hand over my face. “Oh, my God. I’m a total mess aren’t I?”
A quiet laugh pulled my attention back to Jasmine. Her eyes softened into a light, molten caramel color as they surveyed me, and a slow, comforting smile spread until her whole face beamed. “No, Jade, you’re not a mess. But you are in love.”
I sucked in a breath and dragged my eyes to hers before slowly nodding. “I so am. I love him, Jas. I have to tell him. I don’t think I can wait. He’ll totally be able to see it in my face.”
“So go home, put on the sparkly teal dress that makes your eyes pop and your boobs look phenomenal, and call the man. I promise you, he feels the same way. This,” she paused, gesturing at the peonies on my desk and the card in my hand, “is proof he loves you, JP.”
“I can’t just tell him over the phone,” I countered, biting my lip and shaking my head.
“Sure you can. There’s no rule saying you have to drop the L-bomb in person. Y’all’s circumstances are anything but traditional, so why would this be any different?”
“I don’t know, Jas. I wanna see him, touch him, kiss him, when I give him those words. Maybe I can wait. I’m sure I always have a dopey-in-love look on my face when I talk to him anyway; maybe he won’t notice.” I turned and eyed myself in the mirror on the wall behind my desk.
Jas followed my movements and put a hand on each of my shoulders, turning my body to face her. “Jade Elizabeth Preston, get your ass home, put the dress on, fix this…situation,” she ordered, removing one hand to gesture at my mess of a face, “and call that man of yours. Or I’ll do it for you,” she threatened, eyes darting to my bag on the floor.
My eyes widened. “You wouldn’t.”
“I would. My best friend is unbelievably happy, and I want her to run with it. So yes, I would call him right now.”
“I can’t go home yet,” I argued weakly, looking at the clock. “I’m supposed to meet Nicole and Trey for their first cake tasting.”
“Elliot said Trey called earlier and rescheduled.”
“He did? That’s like the third thing he’s rescheduled lately.” I felt bad for Nicole that her future husband wasn’t making their wedding a priority, but not that bad, considering how well it worked out for me today.
Jas nodded. “Yep, so you’re officially out of excuses. Go home, Jade.”
I opened my mouth to protest further, but she put her hands back on my shoulders and led me down the hallway and toward the front door of the office. “Wait here,” she called, running back to my office with a cardboard box and some dividers. A few moments later she reappeared, two of the vases in the box. “I thought you’d want to leave one behind to stay in your office.”
I smiled. “You think of everything.”
“Damn right I do.”
“Just know, one day, I’ll be kicking you out of the office too.”
She grinned. “We’ll see. You’ve got my full permission, but only if I’m shacking up with a hot Australian sporting an eight-pack. Get outta here, and call me when you’re doing your makeup so I can make sure you don’t screw it up.”
I snorted. “Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Anytime. See ya tomorrow.”
I jogged to my car and pulled out my phone after cranking the A/C up to full blast.
JADE:You are incredibly sweet, Emmett Sinclair. Thank you for my gorgeous flowers. And I’m totally framing the card. Think you’ll be able to talk in an hour or so? Missing you like crazy.
EMMETT:You’re welcome, I’m glad you liked them. I’d love to talk, pretty girl, but I won’t be free for another couple of hours. Call you when I’m finished?
JADE:Yes, please. Sir. ;)
I pulled my sunglasses off and snapped a selfie with my lips puckered in a kiss, appreciating the cleavage created by the angle. I wasn’t above showing a little boobage if it meant he’d be extra motivated to call sooner.
EMMETT:Jesus. I hate not being there to kiss you right now. Six o'clock can’t come soon enough.
I knew If I stayed home and waited, the minutes would feel like hours and slowly drive me mad. Usually, running forced all thoughts to slip away, but this time I couldn’t stop thinking about Emmett and fighting the wave of butterflies in my stomach when I pictured his gorgeous face. Thinking about him now, after finally admitting I was crazy in love with him, felt different. Like I could finally let myself focus solely on how great things were between us. All those pesky questions about what our future held, about how crazy it was he was moving here, about what would happen if he hated Austin, were finally pushed out of my mind.
“Quick, I only have five minutes until he’s supposed to call, do I look okay?” I asked into the camera, stepping back so I could give Jas a 360-degree view when I twirled around.
The dress she’d suggested was perfect. The color brought out my eyes, and the front dipped into a V, exposing enough cleavage to draw the eyes, but not enough to cross into slutty territory.
The straps were about an inch thick, and the hem hit mid-thigh with a small slit on the left side.
Jas whistled at me from through the screen. “Mmm, gimme dat booty, girl,” she cat-called dramatically.
“What shoes?” I paused, frowning and looking down at my bare feet. “Wait, do I even need shoes? It’s just a virtual date; I’m totally overthinking this.”
“Wear those nude wedges you wore to the Hendrickson wedding. They’d be perfect. And, for the twelfth fucking time, you look gorgeous, Jade. Stop stressing. I’m pretty sure you could wear a paper bag and he’d still call you sexy and wanna rip it off with his teeth.”
I laughed. “Okay, nude wedges. Anything else?” I gave myself a once-over and then shook my head. “I’m not sure why I’m even nervous, this is ridiculous.”
“You’ll be fine. You’ll be all ‘ooh, Emmett, I looooove you, now ravish me.’ He’s not going to care what you’re wearing anyway.”
“Hey, I resent your impersonation of me. I do not sound all nasally and obnoxious,” I argued, narrowing my eyes and throwing my hands on my hips.
The jerk just flipped her wavy mane over her shoulder and laughed. “I’m going to get ready for drinks, and you should go, too. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Is there anything you wouldn’t do?”
She paused. “Good point. Maybe I should say do something I would do. Phone sex can be pretty great, just get creative. Did I tell you about that time—”
“Goodbye, Jasmine.” I shook my head and rolled my eyes to the sky, cutting her off before she could go into detail, then hit the END button.
I’d just slipped on the strap of my second wedge when there was a knock outside my door. “Jesus, Jas, I get it, you’re into some kinky shit. I don’t need details,” I called on my way to the door, thinking she’d crossed the hall to give me instructions in person. “I’m perfectly capable of originality in the sexcapades department, thank you very much.”
