Page 28 of Breaking the Ice

I press my lips together and nod.

“So, what's going on with this Caleb?” I sigh, take a moment to consider where to start, and then pour my heart out to my friend.

“I told you about that playoff party, right?”

“The one at Caleb's loft, yes.”

I nod.

“At that party, I met his girlfriend, Jessica. She's a beast, completely lost it because I'm the new masseuse.”

“Jealous?”

“Very much so. Anyway, she started insulting and berating me.”

“Even though she didn't even know you? What a bitch.”

“Mhm. She called me a whore, so I threw my soda in her face.”

Riley grins. I know what she's thinking: Typical Emma. Well done!

“But that's not the point. After that, I took off and Caleb followed me.” The cigar shop comes to my mind again, and how he held me captive between his arms. God, I feel like I can smell him, that's how vivid the memory is. “He made me admit that I want him. To be honest, I've wanted him from the first day. There's something special about him that captivates me. And then he said he wanted to hear exactly that.”

“But that sounds good,” my friend says as I gaze at the dark river beside us.

“I told him to go back to Jessica because I didn't want to be the reason their relationship fell apart.”

Riley clicks her tongue in annoyance at that.

“If he chased after you instead of calming down his angry shrew, then I assume their relationship was already on the rocks.”

“Probably.” I shrug. “He actually wanted to go up right away that night and end things with her.”

“But?”

“But I told him to leave it because I...”

“Because you didn't want to stand between him and his girlfriend, I get it,” she interrupts me. I turn my gaze back to Riley, who now looks at me not with pity, but with anger. “Emma, I know you despise women who deliberately push themselves into relationships and destroy them. But with Caleb and Jessica, there was nothing left to destroy. That was obvious. I hate to repeat myself, but the guy left his girl hanging and chased after you. Hello! You don't do that if your partner means anything to you.”

I have to agree with her. And thinking back, it was really sweet of him to chase after me. He left all his guests just for me. A warm feeling spreads in my chest, and my brain starts working. Caleb really intended to leave Jessica that night. I saw it in his eyes. He was serious. Damn, he even shouted after me. The memory of the desperate sound of his voice sends shivers down my arms. Damn, I made a mistake. A damn stupid mistake! At least it's not my decision whether he's had enough of Jessica or not and whether he wants me. I wouldn't have taken him away from her. In truth, she had already lost him. A disgusting pull awakens in my stomach. What have I done?

“What's going through your mind?” my friend's voice reaches me.

“That I made a mistake.”

“Hallelujah, you got it. And now, what's your plan?”

“No idea,” I'd rather cry.

“Alright, then I'll tell you what you're going to do." Riley leans in close, looking at me firmly in the eyes. “You're going to go back to Portland tomorrow and set things right. You'll tell Caleb that you've had time to think about it, and you've changed your mind.”

“And what if he's still with Jessica?”

“Whether they're together or not doesn't matter. This is solely about you telling him what you really feel. If you don't, you'll regret it forever, wondering what you let slip through your fingers.” Riley's right. I need to tell him how I feel – admit that I made a mistake. I lean forward, hugging my friend. “And with a woman who called you a whore, you don't need to have any pity,” she adds firmly.

“Thank you,” I say against her blonde hair.

“Always,” she replies gently. “And now,” she says with a grin as I let her go, “let's party.”

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