Unraveling Emily (Valla Series Book 1)

by Anna Rezes

  Morgan and I air-dry as we sit at the picnic table on the open back porch with everyone. The smell of the barbecue chicken wafting through the summer air is enticing even in the heat of the day. The table is set with all my summer favorites including freshly squeezed lemonade.

  I eat too quickly, stuffing myself to the brim. Ready for a nap, Morgan and I relax in lawn chairs until the heat becomes too much and we venture back out into the water. This time Nellie, Noah, and Patrick join us. I look away when Patrick takes off his shirt and continue the stupid jingles in my head as I swim away.

  I casually avoid him for the next few hours by spending most of my time in the lawn chair. Miserably hot, I continue telling Morgan I need to work on my tan. When she isn’t looking, I apply another layer of sunscreen. I know I’ll be a pretty shade of lobster-red after spending most of the day in the sun, but it’s worth it to avoid him.

  Late in the afternoon Nellie and Noah take a boat out onto the lake. After they leave, Morgan and Patrick board the other one. I sigh in relief knowing I can finally cool down in the water while they’re gone. My relief is short-lived because as soon as I stand from my seat, they invite me along. I try to convince them I’m fine on shore, but they’re relentless. Finally, seeing no use in fighting, I give up and get in the stupid boat with the two of them.

  Morgan sits facing Patrick who is in the middle. That leaves me to sit behind Patrick who is flaunting his half-naked physique. I chide myself for looking and for not wanting to look away. When did I become this girl?

  I’m trying to refrain from gawking, but not even the chatter in my head is any good against my relentless desire. His muscles tense and flex as each stroke of the oar emphasizes his perfect body. I distract myself by focusing on the water rippling and dripping with each stroke of the oars. I continue singing in my head, ignoring Patrick and all the questions weighing heavily on my mind.

  “Uh oh,” Morgan groans. “I have to pee.”

  “I’ll turn us around,” Patrick says.

  “That’s okay,” she says, jumping overboard. We’re not far from the dock, so the beach is close. Her head pops up out of the water as she swims toward the shore.

  “You guys go ahead,” she calls over her shoulder.

  “We’ll wait for you,” I offer, feeling ready to jump ship myself.

  “Nah, go ahead. Sorry guys,” she replies, moving quickly through the water.

  I don’t know what to say. This is more than a coincidence, more like a ruse to leave me stranded with Patrick. Maybe this was Morgan’s plan to force us together. I don’t know what Patrick will do and am surprised when he begins to row away from the shore.

  “What are you doing?” I demand.

  “What? She told us to go ahead.”

  “That’s rude. We should wait for her.”

  “Silly girl. Do you think she really has to pee? You know just as well as I do, this is her way of bringing us together.”

  “Morgan wouldn’t do that. She’s not that pushy. You made her do it, didn’t you?”

  “You mean did I bribe or compel her? Now, love, that’s rude.”

  I am not happy with this turn of events. I’m nervous about being alone with him because I have this inexplicable attraction to him, leaving me feeling vulnerable, but Patrick is the one with the answers, and I need clarity.

  twelve

  The soft breeze prickles against my sensitive skin as he propels us smoothly through the water. He probably knows I’m debating jumping overboard. I look back at the passing water finding us further from the shore and further from Noah and Nellie’s boat. It’s quiet aside from the repetitive songs I’m humming in my mind.

  “I’m surprised you haven’t tried the Zappy jingle yet. If there’s no fun to be had, we can make your puppy glad.” Patrick laughs over his shoulder.

  My eyes burn into his back, wishing I could irritate him as much as he does me. My singing has only entertained him. It’s the opposite of what I intended. I stop the incessant jingles and sigh at the quiet, admitting, “I kind of like the Zappy commercial.”

  It reminds me of good memories with Ben like the night in my living room. The thought brings a wistful smile to my face. If only Ben didn’t have to go to Florida, he would be spending the day with us, and it’d be the two of us on this boat instead of Patrick and me.

  Patrick’s shoulders tense. I don’t just see his irritation; I sense it radiating from him. His emotions hang in the air like fog, and it takes me a minute to truly understand the connotation behind his thoughts.

  “You’re jealous!” I snort. It’s not something I would’ve picked up on a few days ago, and it makes it harder to deny the strange abilities Patrick calls gifts.

  He lowers the oars and swings toward me on his bench. My eyes wander down his chest, over his stupid sculpted shoulders and chiseled abs. His body is the equivalent of bringing a gun to a knife fight. His eyebrow arches after the thought appears in my head, and his smug half-smile returns. I scold myself for having the idea, however unintentional it may have been. I use the only arsenal I have by switching my thoughts back to Ben.

  “You don’t fight fair,” Patrick says through a sexy smirk.

  “And you do?” I reply, gesturing a hand to his half-naked body.

  I’m horrified when I realize his eyes are raking over me just as amorously as mine had done to him. Feeling naked in my new bikini and shorts, I barely resist the urge to cover myself with my arms. As heat from my embarrassment touches my cheeks, I feel another emotion radiating from him. Desire.

  His eyes rest on mine without trying to hide his lust. The tension between us builds until I can’t stand it and look away.

  “You’re starting to understand your abilities,” Patrick says.

  “I thought I told you to get out of my head.”

  “I’ll teach you how to keep your thoughts to yourself, but first I need you to come sit over here where Morgan was sitting so I can see you while I row.”

  Keeping my body low to save us from tipping, I maneuver over his seat with a little help from him and sit on the other side of the boat. He turns to face me, and I watch as he picks up the oars and once again the boat is moving.

  Patrick says, “I believe you have a few questions for me.”

  “Why did you call my dad?”

  “You were upset. He was worried, so I let him know you were safe.”

  “That wasn’t your decision to make, Patrick!”

  “You can’t possibly be angry with me for letting him know you’re safe. You’re going to forgive him if you haven’t already. It’s one less thing for you to worry about, love.”

  “It’s still not up to you. Why are you even here? You know, with Morgan and her family. I’ve never heard them talk about you before.”

  “I grew up several hours away but moved here to be closer to the city for an internship. You probably haven’t heard about me because my mom and Morgan’s dad had a falling out before I was born. When my aunt heard I’d be in town, she invited me to stay.”

  “An internship?”

  “Yes, a business internship for the summer.”

  “Is it a paid internship?”

  “That’s somewhat personal, don’t you think?”

  “I think you breezed right past personal when you started listening to my thoughts.”

  “Touché,” he says, looking far too pleased with himself.

  “Is it a paid internship?” I ask again, not actually caring, but hoping to make him uncomfortable.

  “Not exactly, but it does have its perks.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The car, for starters.”

  I roll my eyes. “They let you drive that ridiculous car?”

  “No,” he raises an eyebrow, “they gave me that ridiculous car.”

  “That’s a pretty expensive perk for a summer internship.”

  “Incentive to stay with the company on a more permanent basis.”

  “Somehow, I doubt they
offer that to all of their interns.”

  “No, they don’t.”

  “I’m not surprised.” I frown, asking, “Are you going to stay?”

  “I don’t think I want the job.”

  “Why?”

  “Are these the questions you want to ask?”

  “Yes,” I say defiantly, but at his pointed stare, I relent. “Look, you know way too much about me and I know next to nothing about you. So, consider this leveling the playing field. Tell me why you don’t want the job.”

  He considers it for a moment before saying, “I would spend a considerable amount of my time traveling, not that I have anything against travel per se.”

  “So, what’s the problem? Is it the company? The people? The money can’t be bad if they buy cars for their interns.”

  “It’s an excellent company, my coworkers respect me, and money would never be an issue.”

  “I keep waiting for the but. Like, it’s a great company, but the job sucks.”

  He secures the oars inside the boat to let us drift. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. When he opens them, I see nothing but serene calm. It’s not as noticeable as the jealousy or the desire I felt earlier, but it hangs like a fine aura framing him.

  “There are complications with every big decision,” he says, dismissing the actual question.

  “That’s a non-answer,” I complain. “Let’s try another. If Morgan is a part of your family, why isn’t she affected by any of this?”

  “My mom and Morgan’s dad were both born with the magic in them. My uncle’s gifts will die with him just as my gifts will die with me. Only a woman can genetically pass it along. So, my mom passed it on to me just like your mom passed it on to you. When you have children, you will pass the gifts on to them.”

  I laugh, “I am never having kids, so it’ll die with me.”

  “That’s your decision, but I hope you reconsider one day. I should warn you; Tom tries his best not to use his gifts, so he’s not thrilled I’m staying here. Morgan, Nellie, and my Aunt Julie know nothing about our lineage or gifts. There is a reason my uncle put distance between himself and my mother.”

  I have trouble envisioning Tom as anything other than normal. “Wait, Tom doesn’t want you staying here?”

  “No, though he’s too polite to say it aloud. I threaten his way of life. He doesn’t want his family finding out about either of us.”

  “Does he know about me?”

  “Yes, but it’s unlikely he knew before you started changing. Now there’s no denying it.” He takes a deep breath. “I did warn him about you so—”

  I throw a hand out to stop him. “You warned him about me?”

  “Of course.”

  Since my mom’s death, people tend to view me one of two ways. Most often I get the sympathetic gaze like they just found out I have cancer, but every once in a while, I get the harsh glare like they found out I am cancer. And right now, I feel like the unwanted disease. I never meant to put Tom in this situation. Then another thought occurs.

  “What about my sister?” I inquire. “Our mom must have passed it to both of us. Is Sam lying to me too? Nellie and Sam were on the same volleyball team. Did Tom notice her?”

  “I’d venture to say your sister is oblivious.”

  “Why?”

  “That is a good question. One I could only speculate upon, because I don’t have all the details. For a definitive answer, you should ask your father.”

  “And that’s the second question you haven’t answered,” I note, spotting a stray lily pad. I still have a lot of questions. Like, wouldn’t it be easier for Patrick not to worry about insignificant me with all my baggage? His eyes are glued to me when I look up.

  “Emily, nothing about you is insignificant. You are rare and special.”

  I roll my eyes.

  He continues, “The first time I laid eyes on you, I was mesmerized.” He wavers for a moment. “Your voice was so clear in my mind. You had me magnetized by your adorably self-conscious, yet genuinely oblivious nature.”

  “That sounds like an insult,” I say, but he talks right over me.

  “When I came up to meet you, you weren’t the soft-spoken woman I expected. You were strong, determined, and angry. It took me off guard and knocked me off my game.”

  I know he’s referring to our first bizarre encounter on campus and it’s strange to hear it from his perspective because I was the one hypnotized by the mysterious blond guy. Is this some sort of game he’s playing?

  “That!” He points a finger toward me, accusingly. “Right there! That’s what gets me. Whenever someone compliments you, you belittle it and think they’re trying to get one over on you.”

  “Oblivious!” I laugh. “Is that a compliment?”

  “Yes, it is! I also recall telling you how you fascinate me, and you thought I was patronizing you. You’re doing an excellent job pretending to be a normal, happy girl, but you’re so guarded. I understand people haven’t always been pleasant to you, but I’m trying to help. I know your world has been flipped upside down and arguing with your father troubles you tremendously. You don’t have to pretend with me.”

  “Troubles you tremendously? Who talks like that? And everyone fights with their parents.”

  “Assuming that’s true, you have reasons to be upset with him. There were more advantageous ways to handle the situation.”

  “Since you seem to know it all, how do you think he should’ve handled it?”

  “With honesty from the very beginning.”

  His sincerity softens my response. “Dad said he was protecting me,” I reply, feeling the need to protect my father’s decisions even though I may not agree with him.

  Patrick lifts an eyebrow. “If his goal was to protect you then he should’ve been teaching you, not keeping you in the dark.”

  “Ever heard ignorance is bliss? Maybe he wanted me to be oblivious.”

  “Then he succeeded!”

  “My dad is a smart man. I’m sure he had his reasons. Why did you tell him I would be home tomorrow? Why not tonight? I mean, especially if I’m not welcome here.”

  “Emily, you are welcome here. I’m the one who isn’t welcome, but until he comes out and tells me to leave, I’m staying. Besides, I was hoping to spend a little more time with you.” He grins. “And don’t you want to stay for the fireworks?”

  “You’re not going to kiss me again, are you?”

  “And lose my head? No thank you, love.”

  “It’s just . . . I didn’t mean to have such an extreme reaction. I tried to let go, but I couldn’t.”

  “You have powerfully conflicting emotions about me,” Patrick says. “Part of you understands you need me, but you are hell-bent on hating me.”

  I huff, pushing back the pieces of my wayward hair as it blows in the breeze. I don’t need him.

  “Part of you thinks you do,” he chuckles, ticking me off even further.

  “It’s convenient you’re here to answer my questions, but I don’t need you, Patrick.”

  “Oblivious and stubborn,” he mutters under his breath.

  As the sun sinks in the sky, the heat continues to warm my already baked skin. I’m overexposed both physically and mentally. My gaze slides to the water to observe the growing collection of lily pads. “What are you doing, Patrick? The boat will get stuck in the shallow water!”

  We enter the mouth of the cove and Patrick gestures around at the beauty surrounding us. “This is your favorite spot, isn’t it?” It’s posed as a question, but he already knows the answer.

  “We’ll get stuck.”

  “Don’t worry your pretty little head, love. I got this. We won’t get stuck.”

  His swagger threatens to gag me. Deciding it is better to ignore him, we sit in silence as the boat drifts down the middle of the snake-like stream. While Patrick gently steers, I watch frogs jump across lily pads and plummet into the water. The ravine continues back further than I thought possible. I’
ve never been back this far, and it looks like we’re headed straight toward a thick wall of grass standing tall out of the water. My eyes go wide as I brace myself for the collision, but Patrick calmly pushes aside the grass with an oar and guides the boat through the thick strands. The towering grass gathers back together behind us, concealing us from everything else. Just as I begin feeling claustrophobic, the grass opens ahead of us revealing a small round pond.

  I gasp at the beauty. It’s a scene from a fairytale. The edge of the private pond surrounds us with wildflowers and weeping willows. The whimsical paradise is perfectly hidden, a well-kept secret belonging only to us and the sun which finds its way through the branches to glisten on the gentle water. Birds hiding within the cattails at the water’s edge sing a lovely song. The limbs of a nearby weeping willow blow lazily in the soft breeze. The leaves act like fingers stirring the water’s surface. Unable to resist the beautiful serenity, I graze my hand across the water.

  The boat drifts toward a willow tree, and Patrick uses his arm to open the leaves that hang over the water like a curtain. The branches drape closed behind us further hiding us from the world. The shade is soothing relief to my pink seared skin. I look to the twisted trunk standing at the water’s edge and gaze up through the tangled branches.

  “This is so beautiful,” I breathe. “I’m starting to believe we might actually be in a fairytale, but if the birds start braiding my hair, I’m outta here.”

  Patrick chuckles under his breath. “This is my favorite place. It might not be a fairytale, but it is easier to believe in magic when I’m out here.”

  “I’ve never been back this far. I didn’t even know this was here. How on earth did you find it?”

  The boat settles in a stationary position, and Patrick looks up at the tree. “I guess I have a knack for uncovering invaluable treasures.”

  I cock an eyebrow. “Whatever you say. Thanks for sharing your paradise.”